[Augusto]

I think you mean rear engine with V drive, I'm designing a dune buggy with this setup, but with a manual trans you get the shifter backwards and may get confused, an auto is almost a must with a V drive.

I'd rather having a traditional front (sligthly mid) engine layout in my Elky

[AutoGear]

All this bantering; ideas flying back and forth...I want a Crown mid engine Corvair conversion now...damn you

Agusto...Knowing you; we expect this done in 6 weeks and show quality bodywork LOL

[Augusto]

I'm kind of stuck rigth now, having the usual problem, too much work, too little pay

I hope to resume working on my Elky in january

definitely the engine is going back 16 inches, and up 4 inches, the windshield is gonna have this funny "window" they charge $200 for a new windshield with the cutout, not big deal since the stock windshield cost $160.

[Ironpony]

How about this idea, Back in the sixty's when Ford wasn't involved in racing. ha ha they built something called a thunderbolt. They moved the rear axle forward to the point the tire was just a few inches from the bottom of the door. This really helped the launching of these cars. You could do the same thing move the engine back some, and the rear axle forward some. Since by your own admission you will have to change the rear axle anyway and you are a bodyman by trade. It should work. Thanks Bill

[Augusto]

I bet it would work, but damn sure it will be as ugly as a face slap from your mother in law.

[MARTINSR]

Just a little more to think about. My 48 Chevy pickup around 1979.

Brian

[Augusto]

wow..!! you can adjust the timing from the driver's seat

haw fast was it? any more pics? I love it.

[MARTINSR]

It was a stone stock 401 with a comp series AFB, ST400 (TH400) a 16 1/2" long drive shaft to a 3.08 non posi 67 Camaro 12 bolt.

It wasn't very fast but it was quick. It only ran a 14.62 at 95 mph best in the quarter but at an 1/8 mile I was always ahead of even much faster cars. It hooked up with zero wheel spin, it really launched.
When the box was all done there was no way anyone would think there was a motor in it. The carb sat between the seats that were mounted over the valve covers. The front of the box ended down at the floor so the firewall was actually flat. You could sit on the box with your feet down the front of the box if you liked. Now understand the carb was right under the lid of this sheetmetal box. It's air cleaner was one of those Edelbrock triangular shaped ones with the foam on top. So when the carb was opened up it was sucking on the top lid of the box. Picture this, looking into the mirror you are looking right into the face of anyone sitting in the middle. The box had no padding, it was just vinyl covered metal. If I had a woman sitting in the middle and I stabbed the throttle to the floor the secondaries opened and were really sucking down on that lid, I will never forget the look on the ladies faces. I had an old friend of mine and his girl friend in the truck once, her eyes lit up as big a saucers and she said to him "I want one of these". LOL

The photo of it with no bed and the radiator hanging out there was how I drove it for a little bit, it turned heads that is for sure. But even all done I would go to a show and people would walk by not giving a crap for this truck with all the cool rods and casually looking into the engine compartment and when they didn't see anything they would change direction so they were walking a little closer, then closer then closer until they were staring down at the axle and no motor. Then yelling at their friends who had continued walking past to come take a look. I had an Edelbrock remote thermostat housing for running a blower. I removed the water manifold and made up flanges to bolt to the ends of the heads where heater hoses hooked to and ran the water down to the thermostat housing bolted on the frame. The oil pan was about six inches off the ground and had a few scraps from hitting speed bumps. I made an enlarged sump so I could thin it up a little but it still was hanging as low as the tranny pan so what the heck. This was all done before I was 20 years old, well everything except the upholstery, that didn't get done until a few years later. I actually drove it a lot without any door glass, pouring rain, no door glass and vacuum wipers.

Brian

[poncho62]

Originally Posted by Ironpony

How about this idea, Back in the sixty's when Ford wasn't involved in racing. ha ha they built something called a thunderbolt. They moved the rear axle forward to the point the tire was just a few inches from the bottom of the door. This really helped the launching of these cars. You could do the same thing move the engine back some, and the rear axle forward some. Since by your own admission you will have to change the rear axle anyway and you are a bodyman by trade. It should work. Thanks Bill

I dont remember any Thunderbolts having this done, but there were many others.

[Irelands child]

Poncho - I agree with you as someone who actually dates to w-a-a-y b-a-a-ck. A good friend locally ran a couple of altered wheelbase factory supplied Dodges that I occasionally crewed on. Another guy, tho just an acquaintance had a Thunderbolt - which was not an altered wheelbase - and ran faster in street trim then the set-up Dodges

[496CHEVY3100]

Originally Posted by Ironpony

How about this idea, Back in the sixty's when Ford wasn't involved in racing. ha ha they built something called a thunderbolt. They moved the rear axle forward to the point the tire was just a few inches from the bottom of the door. This really helped the launching of these cars. You could do the same thing move the engine back some, and the rear axle forward some. Since by your own admission you will have to change the rear axle anyway and you are a bodyman by trade. It should work. Thanks Bill

Ford Thunderbolts did not have altered wheelbase as did Many of AFX cars Mopar were big into altered,..

[MARTINSR]

Correct, the Thunderbolts were lightened with aluminum bumpers and sheetmetal, no underseal, thinner glass and what not, but the wheelbase and wheel location was the same as your grandma's car.

Brian

[Ironpony]

Somebody did it because I seen it with my own eyes. Of course I don't remember like I used to either. Sometimes it hurts to get old. Ha Ha But really I think it was done at the factory on the Thunderbolt's If you compare a thunderbolt to a stovebolt I think there is a differnce. They also acid dipped the body's on the Thunderbolt's to lighten them up. I don't think they moved it as much as they did on the dodges. But I seem to remember the true thunderbolt's had this done. If it was done right it wouldn't look that bad. And just a few inches would make a huge differnce in the way it hooked up. Thanks Bill

[Ironpony]

Ok guys I went and looked at a bunch of photos of stock ford fairlanes and some true Thunderbolt's and on some of the Thunderbolt's that were race cars you can see that the rear axles were moved up a inch or two. But nothing like the Dodges. And was probably done by the racers their selfs to make them launch better. So I was wrong. But the Idea is sound to increase traction on launch. Of course today we can do the same thing with proper suspension setup and the right tires. So the point is moot. But if you have no rules then why not. Thanks Bill

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by Ironpony

Ok guys I went and looked at a bunch of photos of stock ford fairlanes and some true Thunderbolt's and on some of the Thunderbolt's that were race cars you can see that the rear axles were moved up a inch or two. But nothing like the Dodges. And was probably done by the racers their selfs to make them launch better. So I was wrong. But the Idea is sound to increase traction on launch. Of course today we can do the same thing with proper suspension setup and the right tires. So the point is moot. But if you have no rules then why not. Thanks Bill

You would also do it because it looks so damn cool!

Brian