Focus ST Drive train into........?

OK there is a Focus ST for sale locally that's totaled. This is making me think, what would be a good candidate to swap the drivetrain/front clip into? My brain went 914, but Jesus prices went up on those,  I have a sw30 MR2, but its a nice ish car that I could sell to fund this project. 

Mini Cooper (not old tiny one) was suggested here in the office, but I kind of want RWD, which makes for a fun mini build with the front clip hacked into the back? I think older Toyota pickup could be fun too, again whole ford front bits in the bed, tonneau cover.

Any other chassis donor thoughts? Light weight is good, cheap is good. Mental musings here. I have been wanting a project, and the mr2 is on the chopping block.... 

Festiva or Escort hatch (or even a wagon) with the drivetrain in the back would be really cool, and bonus for brand loyalty.

Instead of the SHOgun it could be the STungun or the S'cort.

Obviously this would be a lot of fab, and some box flares would be involved.

http://midlana.com/

In reply to Stefan :

That's where my brain went first also, maybe it's not more work than swapping into an existing chassis, but building the front suspension has always scared me. The other advantage of starting with a car is it's a whole lot easier to just buy tabs then get a home built vehicle inspected and licensed.

Some nutjob locally used to drive around in a 22r swapped VW beetle, because apparently it was worth the trouble for a ~5hp increase... Just hanging out the back like he didn't care (I wouldn't) and I never could figure out where the radiator was or how it got enough air-flow, and maybe that's why I don't see it anymore. Anyway. I've often thought of making a shogun-style thing out of an old VW and a modern FWD drivetrain. Never thought of an ST. So that's my vote. VW.

Same year Focus sedan. You know, because sleeper.

In reply to java230 :

It’s all laid out in the book and it’s essentially Miata parts and geometry, so it’s not that terribly hard to sort after building the frame up to that point.

BGKast had a build thread for his SRT4 powered one here, but he’s not updated it in a while :/

In reply to Stefan :

Yeah iirc he's in my state too, I'm still scared..... Maybe I should buy the book. I'm on the forum, locust forums too  still scary. 

In reply to Appleseed :

It would have to be wagon..... 

In reply to Stefan :

One more concern, the fST doesn't seem to have as much front subframe as the midlana/Honda based ones. It appears suspension etc bolts more to the unibody 

Uh, he doesn’t use any of the Honda subframe or suspension.  Just the drivetrain with factory engine mounts.

its Miata rear uprights with custom control arms and axles.

you might get lucky and find that the inboard tripod joint can be adapted to the Miata axle shaft and outboard CV.  Worst case, it’s custom axle time.  There’s enough Miata swap stuff going on that custom axles aren’t as bad as they once were.

If you look around, you can find coupons for Lulu.com so you can buy the Midlana build book for less than a sawbuck :)

In reply to Stefan :

Ah right, that's the goblin..... 

In reply to java230 :

Oh God, I forgot about that one.

Honda Fit

I really want to say an Autozam AZ-1 but they're not cheap. It'd be absurd though.

Ford ZX2. But in the back.

Not to be a Debbie Downer, but it’ll be very hard to make it run ina different chassis without the Ford Racing controls pack... and that isn’t cheap. 

In reply to Saron81 :

If I have the entire donor I should be able to have all the electronic pieces needed I would think.

Anyone familiar wth the mk3 focus? Is the engine/trans and lower suspension bits one subframe? I am having a hard time finding that info.  It appears the mk2 were, so I would think the mk3's are too, but who knows.... That would make it much easier to swap around....

I vote "Meyers Manx".

Then take it down to Honeyman state park and run the dunes

X1/9?  Fiero? In the back of a new beetle? In the front of an old beetle?

FWD would still be a hoot if its under 2000lbs. 

Because trike choppers need boosty noises too :)

Transit Connect...

...or my X1/9.

I have the Midlana book. The only thing that kept me from starting was that I wanted a 3 season car. Weather sealing the cockpit of a home built car is a PITA. I bought an X1/9 instead.

Bi turbo. There I said it. 

This reminded me I thought the Focus ST wagon I saw teasing pictures of was really cool. Did we get a close enough wagon to make that a thing? 

Failing that, my other thoughts were Fox or SN95 Mustang, Ranger, and Miata.

TVR!!!