Picked this up - What now?

So I picked up another project car... hope to collect the needed parts and autocross it someday. Wonder what would be better for autocross - z-bar rear or zero-roll?

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1xvtOgJXS1k/TNrL7VWqJUI/AAAAAAAAACQ/MCUcmbSOkno/s512/5041684238_1fe2494d94_b.jpg

LSx + LSD + big sticky tires + stiff suspension = missile.

Home-made pulse-jet.

I'd say put it down... even with that shell, I have to imagine it's heavy and hard to type while holding. Then put a big ol' scary motor in it.

Sell it to me and then you won't have to worry about it.

Looks like a prime candidate for a motorcycle engine.

I'll likely go the fmod route with an air-cooled beetle drivetrain (at least there is an SCCA class for it this way)...

But I do have a CRX Si drivetrain in the garage... maybe fab up some locost-style a-arms using miata uprights for the front, a rear subframe for the d16 Honda... fabbing up the rear uprights might be a PITA though, especially if I used the CRX outers.

Toyman01 wrote: Looks like a prime candidate for a motorcycle engine.

I've thought about this too - I'm just a little intimidated by the whole differential/chain drive thing - maybe I need to look at Per's LeGrand project posts some more....

thats a car?

plance1 wrote: thats a car?

Maybe I should have said chassis - that's what I called it when I told my wife I was bringing it home... She gets a little testy when I bring home another "car". Hopefully she won't notice as this becomes a car.

I don't know, but it should have a reverse-flow V-engine with sidedraft carbs on the outside and big headers that come off the top like the '67 Ferrari F312:

Hotlinked for her pleasure.

ReverendDexter wrote: I don't know, but it should have a reverse-flow V-engine with sidedraft carbs on the outside and big headers that come off the top like the '67 Ferrari F312: Hotlinked for her pleasure.

Now if I can only do that on a challenge budget!

And turning a FV into a Ferrari F312 - talk about making a silk purse out of a sows ear.

Hmmm.....

That looks kind of familiar....

that could poke your eye out!

a401cj wrote: that could poke your eye out!

And to think I was just worried about tetanus....

What powered it when it left the showroom? Seriously, I have no idea what that is/was.

Dan

I suggest that you start you start by cleaning up up the rust to keep it from getting any worse. inspect everything to see any tubes should be replaced. Chassis like that are typically made with the thinnest material the builder can get way with.

Is it a Formula Vee chassis?

find a totaled NSX and pull the engine/gearbox out of it?

better yet... find some schmuck with more money than sense and more ego than driving skill who wrecked his Ferrari 360 or 430, pull everything still usable from the suspension and brakes, pull the engine/transaxle and all the necessary electronics for them, drop it in the FV chassis, put the stickiest rubber on it you can, paint the bodywork red, and go to down. perhaps not as grassroots as some ideas, but then again if you find one that's been absolutely mauled on the front end... you never know, could be fun

The poster formally known as 96DXCivic wrote: Is it a Formula Vee chassis?

Yeah, it is a formula vee (of uncertain origin). Originally raced in SCCA during the early-90s with a 1200cc VW engine and transaxle (with flipped ring gear).

The solo vee/fmod class allows quite a few upgrades (1600 or 1915cc engine, disc brakes, balljoint front beam, etc). This is probably the route I'll go... I'd get spanked if any F500s show up but it would still be a refreshing change from a FWD autocrosser...

Z bar has worked very well in the past, from what I've seen.

Audi 5000 FWD tranny + V12 from a older BMW = Win win win.

A 750iL resides in my local pickyourpart. Once I can get to a real computer I'll have to upload the picture I took of it's mill.

triumph5 wrote: Z bar has worked very well in the past, from what I've seen.

I'm back in forth between zero-roll and Z-bar. I don't have the rear suspension so I'm looking at fabrication either way. I might be leaning towards the zero-roll just because I have took some measurements off of an existing set-up. With a z-bar, I'd be starting from scratch.

Then there's your answer. Also, a zero-roll would give you more power/suspension options. The Z-bars did work well in the older FVs, though. But with that chassis, you have enough work ahead of you, and having an existing setup to copy certainly helps.

hayabusa..........that is all.