Rear engined MX3

hgallegos915 · Post by **hgallegos915** » October 2nd, 2006, 5:19 pm

oh cmon you can get a klde for around 250 - 400 at any yard... ive seen them up to 600.. custom work on o\your car and parts and suspension. you gotta seal up the hatch area tho.. funes in cockpit are bad..and the heat

Big G · Post by **Big G** » October 2nd, 2006, 5:55 pm

mr1in6billion wrote:Wait!? Your planning to spend all this money messing up the weight distribution and just for the sake of doing something that noones done?!? At least make it worth while. The cost of fabrication and custom parts will horribly overshadow the cost of the engine itself. Shell out the dough and stick some fat a-- engine back there.

Alright lets clear this up fast and for the last time!!

This project is not going to cost alot as I have no production costs, we are able to fabricate everything from subframes to exhausts, roll cages, manifolds pretty much anything you can think of so really there is no problem there

As for the car its part payment from a customer of mine so in essence is free, we have turbo's, external wastegates, suspension, piping, intercoolers etc etc etc all laying around so again no real worry there.

As for the balance of the car after this has been concidered too to great ends and will continue to be built apon during the build as to optimise the handling after.
In reality the though the car will begin its life as a mid engine MX3 not rear thus giving it a greater start with balance immediately anyway.

The cock pit will be sealed by a perspex wall and some flame decking so no worries there!!

mr1in6billion wrote:just for the sake of doing something that noones done?!? At least make it worth while.....

Huh??? Is it not worth while to do something that has not been done?? We can build cars to spec so if you want to pay us then we would be happy to fit anything you like in the back of YOUR MX3, but as this is ours I think we'll follow our own route eh

hgallegos915 · Post by **hgallegos915** » October 2nd, 2006, 8:02 pm

hey, make me a front strut bar that fits the mx3 klze

Big G · Post by **Big G** » October 3rd, 2006, 2:58 am

Wouldn't be a problem tbh except yout in Texas and we're in england!

panheader · Post by **panheader** » October 3rd, 2006, 6:37 pm

You may get some ideas from looking at the Fiero setup. It's basically a front drive set-up without steering sitting in a cradle attached to the body. With 4 bolts out you can have the whole drivetrain sitting out on the floor.

Cy · Post by Cy » October 3rd, 2006, 11:23 pm

With 4 bolts you can remove the entire rear suspension of our cars aswell...

I wouldn't trust 4 bolts to hold the loads in this case though.

Big G · Post by **Big G** » October 4th, 2006, 4:41 am

Nooooooooooooooo, will be alot more than 4 bolts!!

4 welded on engien mount brackets, a custom rear subframe (about 8-12 bolts) then the suspension camber torsions and toe's

so lots

oh and the exhaust and turbo support brackets, engine dampers lol!! list is long

PATDIESEL · Post by **PATDIESEL** » October 4th, 2006, 10:27 am

I've considered doign this too as a "for fun" project. From what I've gathered it would be easiest to cut a front half from a MX-3 and weld the frame rails into the rear seaction fora motor cradle. Then the shifter would have to be linked to a reversing mechanism so that you can still change gears. A simple roof scoop or side scoops could feed air into rear radiators or just plumb water back to the front via an external water pump. Changing the unibody to hold the front suspension would be the hardest part IMO. I know you could weld in the strut towers and such, but aligning the lower control arms would be a PITA.
If you are profecient at making roll cages it might be easier to just make a tubular engine cradle and weld on strut towers and then basically cut the rear half of the floor panel and strut towers out. The master cylinder might need ot be reworked to power four front brakes (larger piston diameter on the calipers). Otherwise you are going to have to push awefully hard on the pedal to get the car to slow down. Lock the rear (now the same as front spindles) spindles in place by welding the steering arm to the frame and it would also provide the tow adjsutment.

Big G · Post by **Big G** » October 4th, 2006, 11:47 am

Thanks for the input thoguh I'd say in a few of the areas you have over complicated the process's you need to take.

i'll puts some design and measure ments up here incase anyone else want to follow in suit shortley

jaydog5678 · Post by **jaydog5678** » October 6th, 2006, 12:50 pm

I congradulate you for attempting/considering this project! It has been on the backburner for me for some time to do something like this. There should not be any major problems with the front suspension setup other than changing out spring rates front and rear. The rear spindles would have to be changed out and the entire suspension modified. Let us know what you come up with on a solution to this. Fabricating a cage to mount the rear engine should not be a problem. You could leave the radiator up front or find a place in the back to fit it. Relocate the fuel tank to the front. The shifting mechanism would need to be modified unless you are going to use an automatic trans. Sounds interesting....take some pics if you can.