With the small size of the LNF / F35 assembly, do you think you could have built this rail as a mid engine? I always tough that desert race cars, like class 1, were built rear engine with the type of trans-axle you posted because of the size of the v8 they are using.

You could always use a v-drive setup like a mid engine trophy truck...

 

sure u could make the frame to fit anything.. but the frame was already designed for this setup..i could make it a mid engine.. but then i would lose 2 seats and that would take alot of fun out of it. which isnt a problem when your building a race car.. but this is something built for comfort and to injoy

ive see guys do other setups were the motor is on top of the trans .. but then your gettin kinda top heavy.. and the eco motor are really tall so it would be even worse

i was at the dunes today and did see a guy who used a powerglide with a long shaft and the shaft slides right in to a 97 to 03 vette rearend..that was pretty sweet.. buttt that made the car long .. it was longer then mine and was a 2 seater..

 

I don't think the F35/LNF setup would be much, if any, taller than what you have. It's not me but if it was I'd be seriously worried about the VW trans. Definitely the clutch. The F35 power rating was OFFICIALY raised to 340 ft/lbs with the new upgrade coming. I've read of people putting 375-400 through it reliably! With the F35 you could use the stock 1/2 shafts (extended), hubs and brakes. Also. The F35 is controlled, very well I might ad, by cables. You could even use the stock shifter turned around which would give you an extra measure of theft protection. 1st becomes reverse, 2nd becomes becomes 5th, etc. Just joking. The clutch is hydraulic. Is the sheet metal in the rear primarily a wing or will it also be the top of the engine cover? I just measured my engine height. 30"-31" with the stock 18" wheels. Not real exact, but close. Might give you some point of reference. I'm sure you have all the dimensions and this really isn't a good representation of the engine/trans but I found it while looking for another LNF myself.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2009-...Q5fAccessories

I'll give you another source of axles also. The Drive Shaft Shop. in N. Carolina.

http://www.driveshaftshop.com/

The owners name is Frank. He made some custom, one off, axles for my Fiero/LS1 after I snapped one of the stockers on my 1st, and only, run on the 1/4 mile. He guaranteed them for 900 HP. One of these days I'll get out to the track again. It's just that I'm a little paranoid since the axle and then the trans input seal leak which dumped oil onto the clutch. But anyway, I just thought I'd throw that in here.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2009-...Q5fAccessories

Hope you can use some of this. Love those rear coil overs.

 

I think you could just configure the ignition firing order and have the crank spin the opposite direction? I dunno how that effects the belt driven stuff, but I think the only issue would be the water pump <00 quick fix for that would be swap the inlet and outlet hoses. Alternator should be able to spin its pulley in either direction to charge up. its a magnet/ coil type, so I think that would be fine.

 

Don't you think the valve timing, not to mention VVT, would have something to do with engine rotation?

Hey Nasty. If you're locked in to a longitudinally mounted engine I'll shut my mouth, walk away and never mention it again. If you're open to a transverse layout and still trying to make a final decision this is a link to a better picture of the F35 trans. You're viewing it in just about the same attitude it is mounted in the Cobalt with the axle outputs representing the FRONT of the engine/trans assembly. The engine/trans mounts BEHIND the axles by, a rough guess, 4-5". If your pics of the chassis show the rear most location (I'm guessing because they appear to be resting on the cross member) of the rear seats the only interference would be the turbo which mounts in front of the engine, approximately on the centerline of the vehicle. Let me know if I'm beating a dead horse but you sounded like you weren't exactly locked in on the engine/trans location. Sometimes I get too set in my opinions.

http://www.crateenginedepot.com/stor...P1908C228.aspx

 

reversing the engine's rotational dirrection would not work with the cam chain tensioner. or the cam driven fuel pump.

 

Yep I dont think the HPFP would work well if driven backwards.

 

Ohhh-Reeee-Ohhh....Ohhhh-ohhhh....Ohhh-Reeee-Ohhh....Ohhhh-ohhhh....


You shoulda told me you had those. I woulda showed up with some mechanics gloves and a jug of 2%.

 

jeez, sorry for my ill informed input. I've heard of some older model cars being able to do this but your right, the LNF is not a simple motor to play with.

 

hey nothin wrong with new ideas..im finding it intersting for sure..im not going to say im 100% locked.. theres always room for change... its just ive following the normaly easyest direction thats already been done.. and already have the frame welded up and bought the trans.. so it would just take alot of work to cut the frame up and redo it..which isnt out of the question just harder to convice myself to do when its this far along

ahh i should have known i could brib you with food.. theres a party store across the street from my house.. so il make sure you dont run out of oreo's or 2%..haha

by the way nice smoke show the other nite..pretty impressive to loose sight of the car in the smoke then see 150ft or longer black marks .. even my ol lady was impressed haha

 

2nd gear smoke shows FTW!

 

So any words on this build

How do you disable the Stability control and stuff ?

 

hey guys havnet been around for awhile..but i back and tryin to make alil progress ..so heres my lil update

i found a builder for the wiring harness..and computer..CBM out in cali has been workin on buildin one for like 1 1/2 years and looks like they finaly got it running..soo that means as soon as i get my money around it will be on its way..i dont know the exact hp..but there sayin 400+..which was alot more then i was expecting..this also made a big problem..the trans i was going to run..will NOT hold this kinda hp...soooo i had to setup to a mendeola 2D which broke my bank..at a step price of $7,000...yess $7,000 ugh..

anyways on a positive note..ive got the trans and the motor mounted in the rail

 

im gonna need your guys help on a few things...first i need a flange for the turbo so i can build an exaust..any one know where i can get one??


im gonna need some help figuring out tubing..and lines etc soon too..

 

Your best bet on the flange would be to cut a new one, or to find someone who did a turbo swap, buy their stock downpipe, and cut their flange.

Or contact ZZP, they probably have one laying around, or can easily make one

 

I have an injector harness PM me if interested.

 

This is awesome sauce. I don't know how I missed this before

 

glad to hear the build is coming together this thing should move! but dam thats an expensive trans

 

Looking great. Hope you're keeping gigs or ay least good records. I'm sure there are people out there that would love to buy something like thatFor a while there Ithought you had given up. I was on the verge of IM'ing you to see if I ccould buy it cheap. Not really!!! Dan at Clear Image Automotive. He's got all the equipment and specializes in one off ddsigns. Plus he's a great guy to deall with. Only problem he's in WA. He might be able to put in touch with somebody closer though. It's worth an Email.

Clear Image Automotive :: The Clear Choice For Performance!

Good luck!

 

Keep us updated and get some videos!

 

Here ya go man, link to flanges, pretty sure some lnf ones in the mix, just use the pull down menu.
Cobalt & Ion ---> ZZ Performance

Glad you updated the thread I was wondering what happened with the sand rail project, good to see its still being developed.

 

I am pretty sure that the 2 LNF flanges there are the ones at the beginning and end of the downpipe, not the one that connects to the turbo. People tend to forget that the downpipes don't bolt straight to the turbo. There is a bend tube in between, which is what he needs to make a full setup

 

ya i might be intersted in that harness..let me know how much u want for it

 

well.. im not gonna say i gave up..but i diffently got really frustated..after going a year and still not havin a computer..then final find a setup thats going to work..to only find out ive gotta spend $7k on a trans..let me tell ya i probly would have sold it pretty cheap.. i just gotta stay motived and think of how nuts its going to be when i can finaly drive it.

 

you my friend are correct!!..i got in contact with zz performace..and they sent me a flange...turned out to be the wrong one just like your sayin..so now im stuck again..with no flange and no idea where im gonna find one..

heres what they sent me..compaired to what i need in a ruff template..might have to make one if i dont find one..hopefully one turns up somewhere