4x4 nova

[m.d.]

right. bit of a mad idea but i recon it can be done.

does anyone know if it has been done before, ie cally turbo running gear. im not on about that black twin engined thing. i mean front engine 4x4.

if this cant be done then ill be converting mine with escort mk2 running gear to rear wheel drive. would rather have 4x4 tho. any links info would be great. thanks peeps

[Stuart]

here we go again :roll:


go back in the forum pages a good few months/years and you will see this time and again

[Ben]

Many have allegedly tried but no one ever posts up its done etc.

I dont know of anyonw who has RWD on a nova with a front mounted engine.

[Stanton]

a guy called chip has one, on an XE with loadsa n20.

ask on roybacer

[Rick Draper]

a guy called chip has one, on an XE with loadsa n20.

ask on roybacer

No chip has a rear engined RWD nova. Rick

[fearless]

a guy called chip has one, on an XE with loadsa n20.

ask on roybacer

No chip has a MID engined RWD nova. Rick

[Stuart]

if your gonna get piccy about it lol

Front engine its obv where the engine is in the front

Rear engined is where the engine is in the back but its behind the gearbox

and mid engined is where the engine is in the back/middle BUT the gearbox must be behind the engine (putting the box at the back)


so a transverse engine with the gearbox next to the engine will cause "naming" issues lol

[Slatter]

well ive seen a Front engine rear wheel drive nova.... On a race track

Its a Hot rod at my local track...
2ltr Pinto running mk2 escort running gear and its had front and rear subframes made up out of box section...

Looks mental .. but really if you did it to a nova i think it would be classed as a kit car because there is alot of work involved... tunnel...making the subframes and my favourite ... steering lol

Ive thought about it all before... cavalier floor plan ... rover v8 ... at the end of the day its gonna cost money ... id rather save 20k or how much it is and get eds to make me andther boost beast thing lol

[Snowface]

there's a german twin engined Wide arched beast that is 4x4. I think it was at Billing this year.

[m.d.]

have looked into the 4x4 idea now and it could be done but would have to get a morgage and live in it. silly money where as a rear wheel drive nova on the other hand could be done. i saw a saloon one running escort running gear at a hill climb with a pinto in it. looked awsome.

right. ive had a look at the escort running gear and the rear is easy. just have to tall turret the rear arches. ( something that is done all the time to convert mk1 and 2 escorts to coilovers at the rear rather than leaf springs)

then an english axle from an escort can be hung allowing the 5 link rear set up to be mounted in the correct positions.

as for the engine you just hang it in the corect position with a hoist then mark where the mounts will need to be welded on, and you fabricate them from there.

the transmission tunnel is not to bad as you just cut out the area in the floor where the old gear linkage tunnel was starting at the front to fit the gearbox. then by using sheet steel you weld in arch shape sections to create the room for everything.

you can use a siearra gear box as there is no linkage to worry about just a hole in the floor for the stick to come through. just need a modified bell housing to fit the vauxhall engine which is a common part so easily found.

once the engine and box is in and the rear axle has been mounted its just a cace of cutting up the origional prop to fit and modifying the front hubs as there will be no shafts in them to hold the bearings togeather.

i may be starting this in the new year once i can find a spare car for cheap to use as a run arround.

[2litreturbo]

To modify the front hubs, just get two old cv joints from the scrappy and strip out the internals. Then, put them thru the hubs (no driveshafts) and do up the nuts to the correct torque. Job done!!! One more problem sorted.

[Slatter]

MD

Like i said earlier .. how are you going to do the steering because the existing nova rack will be chopped in half where the bell housing will be going through the bulkhead.... If you understand

[Ste_Nova]

you put the rack on the inside... like on touring cars :D

anyway... my 4x4 is coming along nicely... rear bay is tacked in

[a2lt16v]

i have a 6 x 6 saloon

[Ste_Nova]

http://uploader.co.uk/images/eek4.jpg

[a2lt16v]

its meant to be top secret dont show people they will copy it.

[m.d.]

strange but good at the same time.

i was just goin to try to use an escort mk2 rack or something of that description. unsure yet tho. all a bit expensive really tho.

[nova m@rk]

BLOODY HELL !!!! :o

[dan16v]

theres a few rwd front engined novas at my local hot rod track there running xe's on 45's
for ideas look in short circuit magazine!

[mowgli]

you might as well just go & buy a mk2 escort and use it.

Sid Meake engineering fitted the bits from a cav into a corsa, the back wheels stuck out a long way, like a top fuel dragster.
the problem you get with a rwd hatchback is that most of the weight is still in the FRONT!, so all of the good engineering that would need to be done to make it work on the road will be useless. the fuel tank would need to be moved forward, the exhaust would need a complete rethink, and the spare tyre well would be gone.

hot rod oval racers can make any small car work, cos the shell is just stuck on the top of a chassis that is designed to turn right at all times.

best of luck

[XZiBiT]

il call that a photoshop image untill i see her in the flesh

[Jules]

You mean you've never seen Ste's stretched cabrio before? It's been at loads of shows!! Ok so it was a few years back and I think he sold it or broke it but it (was) most definatly 100% real - Ask Ste he'll tell you...............
:o