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View Full Version : Rear Engine RWD XE Conversion



Nobby
04-05-09, 07:12 PM
Hi chaps just wondering what exactly would be needed??

What rear subframe would i use??
Would i use front Nova hubs/legs on the rear??
What shafts?
What would i do about gear linkage etc??
Would i just extend the wiring for the loom to the rear etc??
Would i keep the rad at the front or am i going to have air lock problems??
What about Throttle linkage??

I have an old nova thats to good to scrap but ever going to be mint lol so its either rwd or pick up it lol i dont want a normal standard fwd xe want something abit different. I know people have probably asked this before bt i just want to get a picture in my mind of how much ts going ot cost and how hard it will be to complete . . eventually! Cheers:thumb:

Pistol Pete
04-05-09, 07:42 PM
Have a search a few have done it, one springs to mind though, Chips black Nova. Have look on MIG or Vauxsport.

mowgli
04-05-09, 08:16 PM
phillip is doing one.

Pistol Pete
04-05-09, 08:19 PM
Chips is an LET engine BTW.

Nobby
05-05-09, 06:06 PM
phillip is doing one.

any more info mate?

gaznovalet
05-05-09, 06:40 PM
thers two ways of doing it mate, you can weld a nova front end into the rear of your car with xe set up in place and use astra mk4 rear brakes if intending to keep a handbrake set up as these use cable to pull the existing pads and dont have shoes, or ive seen them done with using mk3 cavalier subframe spaceframed into the rear and uses the ful set up ie engine, box, struts, shafts but these overhang the nova arches with them being wider so probly need to widen arches or add plastic rear ones to compensate new wheelbase. radiator and headertank needs to be in back near the engine to allow proper circulation and avoid as you say airlocks as too much pipe work cud lead to head gasket going due to water pump failure. for exaust often a motorbike rear silencer gets used and ran along the underside of rear bumper.
obviously if engine in rear this means moving your existing fuel tank into the car so an alloy made up tank wud suit best. for clutch you cud go hydraulic route and saves the hassel of cable for it, throttle you will simply just need a longer cable making up. for the gears you can modify the top of gear selector wots on the box by chopping the front bit off off and modifying it so that the rod comes out the front now then you need to fit a bar from the rear of your gearstick and run it to thisto select gears, also fitting a firewall in car needs a mention, hope that helps mate?

mowgli
05-05-09, 08:31 PM
any more info mate?

pm him. he's having gear linkage trouble at the moment

philip
05-05-09, 09:31 PM
linkage is sorted:thumb: lol

my advice...dont do it lol, tbh if have to ask, then gona struggle to do it. im not givin loads away, but i wouldnt use a front subframe in the rear.

i helped chip last xmas with ali, turbogav etc fit the LET, and mod mounts, etc. but hes had to do loads of developement work to stop the **** end bump steering.

take a look at beardys corsa of migweb...the threads just been bumped, and take a look on z cars website and JMA;)


btw my rads going in the front. but ill also be using a EWP with it, and my mates grassers have never had a prob.

_JH_
07-05-09, 12:17 PM
For the linkage just chop a little bit off the selector housing [the bit the rod slides back and forth in] so you can extend the rod forwards instead. No big deal really.

Get to an autograss meeting and find a vaux engined class 5. It'll be a 1400 but should give you an idea.

philip
07-05-09, 11:20 PM
class 7 would be better, or even a special to look!

craig green
07-05-09, 11:30 PM
Chips was an XE when his girlfriend originally bought it. Then it got gassed & got took out in it then, was pretty crazy.

deffo don't use the front end of a Cav/calibra incl steering in the back of it. Chip has spent most of his time changing that aspect of the car so it doesnt handle so poorly.

philip
07-05-09, 11:31 PM
i know at xmas we changed quite a few things to try and get it too handle better. the engines was the easy bit to get sortedlol

craig green
08-05-09, 12:07 AM
That was last Christmas wasnt it? (over 12 months ago)

philip
08-05-09, 01:07 AM
yeah, got about 7hours sleep in 3 days or something stupid. still trying know to sort the suspension, but its just chip getting the time to work on his own cars thats holding it up.