[cerial]

It is currently nice out so I went into the garage and played with engine placment. No need for sleep anyway.

Now this is where I want the engine. Further back the engine is the less the rear will want to come around on me.

From the back of the head is 39" from the center of the front wheels and 41" from the center of the rear housing with the oil pan 4.5" off the ground. The goal here is good control and a nice weight ratio so the rear does not lift on breaking or want to come around on every turn.
The engine is offset to the passenger side to match the 9" and I have not finalized the mounts. But I should be able to get within 2 degrees despite the shortness.

The issue is that the transmission I want to run( sm465 with 1410) never came with a slip yoke and I want to run a stock style 9" pinion(1350) letting me just order or slap in a diffrent ratio. That leaves me running a full splined shaft that is 8" between the u joint centers.I am guessing I can have around -2 and+4" of slip which should be more then enough.

I plan on running up to 5500rpm as a max. Mostly stock 5.3 truck shortblocks. I dont see ever needing much over 400hp.

A driveshaft this small is new to me. Maybe not to some of you guys though.

Is this a phone call or am I looking for something custom($$$)?

I have DTS "drive train specialties" right up the road. But want a refrence before I just go in there and drop several hundred with a 2 month wait when I could have used "Bobs slick shafts" off the internet saving cash and time for the same result.

 

[bigmac73]

I think this is defiantly something custom , unless you have some kind of industrial or marine junk yard close. I would snap a few good pics and go over to DTS and see what they say .
they might be cool enough to come over and eyeball and measure it out to get some ideas and how to proceed..I have seen some small /short PTO splines shafts that might work on older naval gear and some farm machinery .

 

[cerial]

Went on down to DTS and they saved my butt. After going through the books they found two 16 splined pieces that will slide together and work for what I need.

The spicer male that had to be ordered was over $200. So that sucks. But this is a custom driveshaft for $350 and if I do manage to break it somehow I have part numbers to simply order another.
I am going to run a solid 1310 on the pinion. That should be my weak link in this drivetrain. But it will let me run "cheap" 1310 3rds without switching out the pinion/setting preload for a 1350/1410 yoke each time.

 

[vpd66]

If I may ask. What the heck are you building????

 

[cerial]

Just a s10.
Ever have a idea thats not normal so you never do it even though it might be something cool?

Well I am throwing a s10 cab on the back of a frame instead of the middle. Simple idea right?


The main reason is visablity. I will be able to look over my shoulder and see nothing at all in my way. Not looking out a 10" window, or relying 100% on cameras, or pulling a "Tommyboy" backing up with the door open.

This offers great visibility,

It allows the engine to be placed low and near the middle for what should be good handling

I shortened the wheelbase to allow for easier parking/maneuverability. But kept the rear axle full width for stablity and looks.

I have plenty of room in the engine bay to run a turbo, or two, or even a tall blower and still see in front of me. Although I can also fit a electric motor and a battery pack right in the center of this thing later. No real engine bay constraints.


Now there are also downsides.

I will have fun with the officials if ever even tried to legally run this contraption down a strip or trackday. Its just built for fun street driving and I am ok with that. If I wanted a 6 second quarter thats a entirely diffrent build.

The cab is up higher and seats moved inward so I need to get into it like a lifted truck.

The floor and doors nedded to be modified to allow for suspension travel of the rear wheels. The cab wont be quiet and windows cant go down that far if at all.

I dont have overdrive so I am going to be stuck running ratios in the 3's and need to buy a 2nd 3rd member to run "weekend" higher ratios.

It's diffrent so I can expect to get pulled over or sued just on that basis.

As you can imagine it has next to no rear crush zone. But it would not be fun if it was not a little dangerous.

The passenger seat becomes my cargo area.




Now the top of the cab measures 71" and bottom of the windshield is 47" (off the ground)which sounds tall until you walk up to a modern truck or suv and break out a tape measure. So while horrible in the aerodynamics department. The thing will still fit into a parking garage and most importantly my attached garage.

Tommyboy door scene for laughs:

 

[lmsport]

local guy built a VW Golf truck with a Toyota FWD V6 engine transaxle mounted in the middle---he built it to autocross and he dominated

 

[vpd66]

Interesting build! Do you have a separate build thread?

 

[Slipangle]

I would have said take a look at front transaxle shafts with CV joints that allow movement in and out on the end, I'm sure there's probably something in that ballpark of length out there.