Custom Mid Engine LSX project?

[Ryan...]

Well damn, I had no idea that was true....




That really simplifies things, no? There'd be no need for expensive Porsche parts, and if we removed enough of the body and were left the rolling remains, we'd have a pretty darn good starting place to start chopping/building a frame around..



**

Starting with something like this, you could almost conceivably keep the frame intact, mount the engine however you want it, then build the tube chassis around the existing metal, no? That would take out a lot of guesswork, and give you a very good base to begin with. Unless I'm overlooking something? I've never actually torn into a Corvette, and you all know by now I'm not too familiar with them outside their wonderful motors...

[10Toes]

C5 transaxle bolted straight to the LS1 at 47" back, it doesn't even look like the 47" is including any accessories.

[iansane]

Somehow i don't think this is as easy as it sounds. If it was you would see them in all the kit car applications.

You don't see them in kit car applications because the vette transaxle isn't 'really' a transaxle. It's still the standard t56/tr6060 longitudinal mounted just instead of a tail shaft housing, it has a small differential mounted directly to it. Even the clutch is still up at the engine side. Makes the whole package very, very long for any application other than corvette.

Badass idea even still. Good luck to you.

[ForcedFirebird]

The corvette "transaxle" is really just a t56 bolted to the diff.


This whole thing falls under the "if you have to ask, you can't do it" rule. However, if you still want to make something of this project, the easiest thing to do is just use the frame from the corvette. They are full frame cars, you can take the body off and be left with a rolling chassis that is pre designed to work. Add some lights and bumpers and drive like that or build your own body for it.

Like the Civette guy did.

Also, it's not a t56, it's a tr6060 :p

[10Toes]

Somehow i don't think this is as easy as it sounds. If it was you would see them in all the kit car applications.

It will bolt up but I think people don't use it because the diff is way out at the end of the transmission so it puts the engine too far forward.

This is an auto trans but I think the manual trans bolt up the same way.



It looks like you would need a transaxle with the diff in the front or middle of the transmission and even then it would probably still be too far forward in an E30.

[Vtec?lol]

seeing how the t56 is bolted to the diff, you could make a LWB mid engine car. Forgive me if I'm wrong but there are car makers that have built supercars doing the same thing.

[E30SPDFRK]

The corvette "transaxle" is really just a t56 bolted to the diff.


This whole thing falls under the "if you have to ask, you can't do it" rule. However, if you still want to make something of this project, the easiest thing to do is just use the frame from the corvette. They are full frame cars, you can take the body off and be left with a rolling chassis that is pre designed to work. Add some lights and bumpers and drive like that or build your own body for it.

[IronFreak]

Somehow i don't think this is as easy as it sounds. If it was you would see them in all the kit car applications.

You could very well be right. I don't have the money to attempt any of that so I just keep my nose out. If that's the case OP I apologize for giving false information.

[LJ851]

Corvette chassis are unlike most conventional cars... just bolt the engine to the transaxle. Boom problem solved...

Somehow i don't think this is as easy as it sounds. If it was you would see them in all the kit car applications.

[IronFreak]

You already have the transaxle - just bolt the engine to the gearbox in a traditional fashion and you will have a mid engine.

This is what you have. Engine up front, transaxle in the back. Corvette chassis are unlike most conventional cars. Like forcedfirebird said, remove the middle man if you will, and just bolt the engine to the transaxle. Boom problem solved...

[ForcedFirebird]

Those sandrails would be consider rear engine, not mid-engine.

Yes, but it doesn't take much to spin them around and use for mid engine.

[ForcedFirebird]

You already have the transaxle - just bolt the engine to the gearbox in a traditional fashion and you will have a mid engine.

[Mlarsen]

Those sandrails would be consider rear engine, not mid-engine.

[Vin-barrett]

There are two popular transaxles generally used for these swaps
Porsche G50 with flipped ring gear and the ZF 5 DS which came on the Pantera

You will notice both are pricey because they are hoarded by the kit car guys. See the GT40 kit cars for ideas.
I do know of a freshly rebuilt 5 DS-25 Pantera unit available, already converted to cable shift (shifter assembly included) but it will not be cheap. pm me if seriously interested.

[11SportWagonX]

Mid engine kit car using LS engine and Porsche transaxle...

SuperLite Cars SLC Coupe



Stacy David actually built one of these on his show GearZ... you can find the episodes on Amazon Video, Hulu, maybe youtube...