Need help selecting a transmission to be used in a sand-rail

[lazzer408]

Long story short...
I impulsively bought a street legal 2-seat sand-rail on a Michigan trip. It currently has a 1.6L Ford EXP engine/trans in it. Whoever set this rear suspension was/is a f'in moron. The camber was so far off it was undrivable. I had to move the lower control arm mount out about 2" on each side just so the rear tires sit flat. I should mention this is a mid-engine buggy that uses front wheel drive components in the back of it with the spindles held straight with heim-links where the tie-rods would go.

Anyways...
I have been contemplating another drivetrain. I have a few B6/BPs laying around and thought about using one in it but then I thought how bad a-- it would be to stick a K-series V6 in it. The MX3 uses the type of suspension I'll need which is the single lower control arm with a coil-over strut that mounts to the spindle with 2 bolts. I can use those bolts for camber adjustment later. The buggy has top mounts already in it for the struts. I could also use camber plates there.

Moving on to the topic...
If I use a Mazda drivetrain, I'll need a VERY low gearset with a low final as well. The buggy has 295/50/15 tires on back. As it is now, starting off in first feels like second so when I swap out the drivetrain I'd like to find the best ratio I can for turning such a large tire. What car do I need to find at the junkyard that has the lowest ratios and what are they? I've searched high and low for a list of transmissions but it doesn't say which cars used them. I know I'm looking for a G-series but not sure which car to use. I'll most likely use a KL-DE from whatever I can find. Any help with transmission selection would be great.

Thanks.

[lazzer408]

To go on...
I looked into swapping in a D16 or something but like the Honda Civic suspensions uses a upper control arm and it would take alot of fab work to the frame to make mounts for it. Also, the Honda engine is on the drivers side which screws up my center of gravity. All Mazda parts just seem like the way to go for many reasons. It would be hard to use say a Mazda suspension and find driveshafts to fit Mazda hubs and a Honda trans. I'd like to stay as far away from custom parts as I can just incase I need to replace it later. I then got the bug for the V6 so that's the route I'll try to go. =)

[PATDIESEL]

Ask Super K or search Gro Harlem's posts. super bought his car, Gro built a pretty nice G series trans with pretty low gearing. I think it was Ford Escort trans gears transfered into his Mazda trans (both a G series Trans) But I am not really sure. It was a while ago that he built that trans. I've driven it though and it is really nice on a MX-3 with a KL-ZE.

[lazzer408]

If I had the K in an MX3 I probably wouldn't want low ratios unless I was racing. It's because this buggy has such large tires that I need as low a gearset I can find. So far it looks like any G-series gears fit any G-series transmission so I should start by getting a G trans from a K engine car and start mounting everything up.
Anyone have a list of year/model/ratio Mazda G transmissions?

[lazzer408]

Still looking for the gearset lists.

[fowljesse]

There is a "Transmission swap info" thread that has alot of different gearsets, and their ratios. Also, you can Google a dune buggy that has a KLZE that was somewhere between 600-900HP. I don't remember, because that site had a bunch of KLs that were in that range, and one that was over 1,000HP in a stationwagon.

[lazzer408]

There is a "Transmission swap info" thread

Link?

[lazzer408]

I found a v6 engine and a G trans but the trans is from a 1.8L Protege. Anyone know if it'll bolt to the v6?

[Nd4SpdSe]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOWOPFHtluY" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[lazzer408]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOWOPFHtluY

Yeh I seen that. haha. I have a sand-rail not a buggy. Here's a pics.

Ok so... I have a KL-DE engine that's been stripped of unwanted accessories and brackets. I picked up a new throw-out, pilot, and pressure plate (all left over from MX-6 clutch kits when I use them in Miatas). I found a 5-speed that bolts to the v6 out of a Ford Probe GT but I can't get at the car until Friday. I'm also grabbing the flywheel, ECU, wiring, axles, and engine mounts. I wish I could find a MX-3 RS around here to get engine mounts from. That way I'd know that I could still fit a BP in the chassis as long as I fab mounts on the chassis to maintain the original locations that would have been in the donor's engine bay. I have no idea if the Probe has the same mounting locations. Anyone know about that?

[fowljesse]

The motor mount locations are different for an I4, but shouldn't be hard to re-fab in a rail. That's a nice design. Is it a Chenowth? I really want to see a video when it's done!

[lazzer408]

The motor mount locations are different for an I4, but shouldn't be hard to re-fab in a rail. That's a nice design. Is it a Chenowth? I really want to see a video when it's done!

I was told it's an 80s Berrien Sandtoy. Video is not a problem.

If the mount locations are different, then how is it so easy to swap a KL into a MX3? All you need are the KL mounts. There's no modification to the MX3 correct? If that's the case then I need to basically put mounts where the MX3 locations are. Then I could swap from KL and BPT and maybe others like the 2.0/2.2? I have a feeling it's going to be crazy fast with the KL though. Without the engine/suspension in the rear, I can lift the rear frame over my head or walk it around the yard. It's very light. I'd guess 400lbs without engine, trans, rear suspension, and rear tires so maybe 900-1000 complete?

[fowljesse]

The KL swaps directly into a GS MX-3, which has a V6 in it. The BPT is an I4. It will be awesomely fast with a KL in it! You might do the front-end hop on most take-offs. I grew up around rails, and could lift the front of one like yours when I was 7. It's good that it's mid-engine!

[RS_OBD'oh_2]

sweeeeeet!!!

I want one. Boost the 1.6.

[lazzer408]

B6 and BP are just as heavy as the KLDE. Don't forget all the extra weight you'd have to add to boost either of the 4s. The KL can do it without boost.

I calculated the weight and gear ratios and to get the front end up with 2 people in it will take ~200ft of crank torque. The KLDE is about 160ft-lbs so it'll take a clutch drop to lift the front end.

I don't think I'll have any wheel hop unless I'm pulling a trailer. lol There's just not enough weight to hold back 295/50/15s. It's just going to launch. The 1/4mi ET calculator says 10.41 seconds (175hp). O.O If I boosted the KL to 250hp, the ET is 9.25! It's a street-legal rail dragster at that point as long as the wheelie-bar unbolts.

I got the engine side of the wiring harness done last night. Friday I'll be picking up the ECU and ECU harness and begine wiring it into the chassis. Today I'm picking up another GSXR pipe. 2 of those will be sticking out the back of the buggy. Looks bad-a-- imo. I'll try and nab some pics tonight.

I think I'm going to use RX7 spares for the fronts. What do you guys think?