View Full Version : Project Steer From The Rear (in progress)
Big_Chap
07-01-06, 06:16 PM
a friend is building a rear engined, rear wheel drive, red top'd GTE for trackdays.
basically using as much of the front of the mk3 astra as possible. There is alot of the astra still there at the moment (looks like a mk3 astra has crashed into the rear!) but once it's welded inplace alot of it will be cut out and tidied up to make way for a monster rollcage.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/Big_Chap/01-01-06_2047.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/Big_Chap/01-01-06_2049.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/Big_Chap/01-01-06_2046.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/Big_Chap/01-01-06_2050.jpg
very cool,
keep up us dated,
looks good u will have to drive it like a lotus elise now :lol:
novamadcars
08-01-06, 11:37 AM
looks like a monster
I think thats an awesome idea, fair play.
I only have one point to make, and that is that its going to handle so unbelievably badly that it will be at the point of being dangerous! Porsche took a very long time making a rear engined sports car work, and the 911 was designed to have a heavy engine in the back!
Has he got plans to put a load of ballast in the front? if not, he may as well throw the steering wheel away lol!
Have to admit, it would be a riot on grass but as a track car, hes going to be dissapointed IMO, but to be honest i hope im proved wrong!
LOL!! Love the fact he's left the front slam panel etc on!
:lol:
Looks like a good project though with a nice wiiide track, are you gonna wide arch it or use shorter driveshafts to pull the wheels in?
Looks class man, i will hope to be gettin a very fresh 20seh soon for mine. Quiick question, did you fit the engine after you welded the bay in? or did you just cut and roll into position? cheers lee
Gotta agree with bottlethroddy, gonna have to ballast that weight something cronic...it might wheely for fun else lol
Big_Chap
08-01-06, 11:05 PM
I think thats an awesome idea, fair play.
I only have one point to make, and that is that its going to handle so unbelievably badly that it will be at the point of being dangerous! Porsche took a very long time making a rear engined sports car work, and the 911 was designed to have a heavy engine in the back!
Has he got plans to put a load of ballast in the front? if not, he may as well throw the steering wheel away lol!
Have to admit, it would be a riot on grass but as a track car, hes going to be dissapointed IMO, but to be honest i hope im proved wrong!
perhaps, but thats why its called "steer from the rear" just something to razz around knockhill and "another box ticked". It may or may not work but it'll definitely be fun and it'll probably not cost much more than ?500.
everything else is still going to be in the front (master cylinder, radiator etc) and i think he's going to put the fuel tank in the front. and if it comes to itthen he will probably look at adding ballast to the front, there will certainly be room!
he was looking at taking a couple of old front wings and making them into wide arches or just get the wide arch kit. not shortening the shafts as it uses the astras hub, brakes etc.
yes he just basically cut the astra between the doors and wings, trimmed off the excess metal and wheeled it into the nova. its does look pretty crazy with most of the astra still there, not sure what to do with a firewall, perhaps leave the slam panel and fit the old bonnet for a proper mental look then maybe even re-fit the old lights and grill!
That would be mad lookin to say the least. The brakes will be hard to work. You have any thought on how thats going to be done?
, perhaps leave the slam panel and fit the old bonnet for a proper mental look then maybe even re-fit the old lights and grill!
I'd keep as much weight out of the back as possible LOL. Your problem wont be too much oversteer, it will be oodles and oodles of understeer which will be everything but fun!
Id try putting shitty remoulds on the back and decent top line tyres, maybe even cut slicks, on the front. Make sure the rear suspension is hard as fuck, the fronts will need to be softer to help the tyres bite on corners. Chuck the ARB away if you havent already, and any ballast you do add, hang it right over the front wheels i.e in the bumper. Concrete would be ideal, this was a trick Porsche did on its early 911's! Fuel tank in the front is a good idea, but this will get lighter and lighter as it empties, making the handling characteristics change, and make sure the battery is in the car with you, nowhere near the tank!!
Im totally rooting for you mate, its a cool idea, but i rekon once youve built it then will start the long road of tuning the chassis to a point where you can enjoy it!
Big_Chap
10-01-06, 06:58 PM
ok bud, its not my car, its friend's, but i'll pass on the comments. :wink:
cheers
Whats the latest? she up and running?
Ste_Nova
20-01-06, 06:35 PM
speaking of silly cars.... i'm doing 2 weeks on the twin 1.6 8v in feb :o
david dixon
20-01-06, 08:11 PM
that looks mint, it'll be a good laugh if nothing else :lol:
Big_Chap
22-01-06, 02:23 PM
not much as yet as he is currently working off-shore. but here is some pics of his "run-about" :lol:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/Big_Chap/nova_200501_047.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/Big_Chap/nova_200501_044.jpg
will be in the features section soon
was that baught from eurorallye, looks like my mates old shell,
sorry just noticed it has no sunroof, my mistake
Hey, what the latest on his car? real interested to know
cheers lee
Any more words on this project?
TommySR
04-03-06, 09:44 PM
looks mental, wud be good to know this project is sill happening??
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