How possible would this be?

[Hank Scorpio]

Sorry if this has already been asked, or is in the wrong place. Mods will know what to do in such a case I'm sure! :P

So... I was at the drifts on Saturday and it was great watching people I knew have some RWD fun and talking sh*t with my mates. We then went into a conversation covering the Nissan family and their awesome RWD based AWD vehicles.

One of my mates has an R32 GTS-4 Sedan in which he dropped an RB26DETT. He has also installed a switch that can change the car between AWD and RWD, meaning he can have a bit of sideways fun now and again or make use of a 2WD dyno and switch it back to AWD when he wants a little more traction. One of my other mates has a Nissan Stagea and he can do it also, switch between the two. They then asked if my new Legnum could and I sadly had to answer that the engine is around the wrong way and If I could eliminate drive to two wheels I would be left with a horrible FWD vehicle.

SO! I was wondering how easy it would be to take a 4G63 engine out of an earlier model VR-4 or Evo, chuck it in an 8G shell (be it Legnum or Galant) and then either make a full time RWD vehicle or one that we could set up to switch in between RWD and AWD like some of the Nissans can?

How possible would this be? Because if one day I could have a RWD Legnum, I think it would be GREAT fun!

[AlanDITD]

I think kenneth was looking into this, theres a thread somewhere with his progress....it aint that easy though.

[Turbo_Steve]

It's got nothing to do with the engine per se, but you're correct in that the engine orientation makes if difficult to disengage the FWD, leaving just the rear.

As Alan says, Kenneth was looking into fitting an Active Centre Differential, however it's early days yet.

[bradc]

You can weld up the viscous coupling and centre diff and remove the front driveshafts which obviously makes it rwd but that is kind of a permanent thing!

Kenneth has bought a Cusco centre diff which has a 35/65 split front and rear. He also has an ACD, but that doesn't help move the power around, it is open under normal circumstances and starts to lock up when one group of wheels starts to slide or spin.

[VR4WGN]

AFAIK Kenneth is not completing it but Brad is right and Kenneth and i discussed the RWD setup orcedure.the only thing is how much power loss would be get?

[Nutter_John]

AFAIK Kenneth is not completing it but Brad is right and Kenneth and i discussed the RWD setup orcedure.the only thing is how much power loss would be get?

don't you mean how much extra power you would get by going rwd

[AlanDITD]

has any one done a RWD conversion? car would obviously be a completely differnt beast.

[Davezj]

what would happen if you just took the front drive shafts out?

[Nutter_John]

what would happen if you just took the front drive shafts out?

the gearbox would leak :D

[Davezj]

the gearbox would leak :D

oh very good john.

you know what i mean, leave the inner cups in place.

:mexicanwav :mexicanwav :mexicanwav /Poms

[Nutter_John]

You would burn out the Xfer box before long as there would be no loading on the front , but welding up the VC would allow you to run

There was a post on here years ago that linked to a Evo 6 that had been converted to RWD in this method , he was pushing high bhp's as well

[Davezj]

well that sound like the simplest method of doing it, getting rear wheel drive that is. and it is completely reversable as well, as long as you have a spare transfer box.

but not quite as reversable as flicking a switch.

[Hank Scorpio]

Yeah, wasn't exactly chasing a "flick a switch" sort of a thing but god I love RWD cars, and a drifting Legnum would be all sorts of insanity.

That Cusco Centre diff sounds interesting but its probably more trouble then its worth I'm guessing.

The dream lives on... :D