mid engine build... anyone?

[Shadow-phoenix]

ok, so my buddy and i are planning a mid-engined F-body build. i've already had the discussion about not being feasable with a uni-body, so we are gonna do something a bit more practical and build a space frame chassis and drop either a Camaro or Trans Am custom fiberglass body on it. probably gonna use an LS series motor with a porsche type transmission. it will of course be a 2 seater.

any thoughts or input would be greatly appreciated.

[14pilot]

Originally Posted by Shadow-phoenix

ok, so my buddy and i are planning a mid-engined F-body build. i've already had the discussion about not being feasable with a uni-body, so we are gonna do something a bit more practical and build a space frame chassis and drop either a Camaro or Trans Am custom fiberglass body on it. probably gonna use an LS series motor with a porsche type transmission. it will of course be a 2 seater.

any thoughts or input would be greatly appreciated.

I've dreamed many a day dream about a mid-engined Camaro. I was going along the lines of a Factory Five GTM kit with a 'glass Camaro body instead of the GTM body. Wife is reading over my shoulder... end day dream - LOL

[Shadow-phoenix]

Originally Posted by 14pilot

I've dreamed many a day dream about a mid-engined Camaro. I was going along the lines of a Factory Five GTM kit with a 'glass Camaro body instead of the GTM body. Wife is reading over my shoulder... end day dream - LOL

thats essentially what my buddy and i are planning, but we are building the Chassis and stuff ourselves...
gonna do some minor mods to the doors (so the handles are set up like the NSX) and the rear wheels are gonna have to be pushed back a bit, but it should all work out. if things go well with the first one, i may try to do a very limited production run.

[knowitman]

I kind of agree with 14pilot here. Just build a GTM Supercar. All of the engineering work has already been done. I don't know how you would license, register, and insure a homebuilt chassis for street legal use.

http://www.factoryfive.com/gtmhome.html

[Shadow-phoenix]

Originally Posted by knowitman

I kind of agree with 14pilot here. Just build a GTM Supercar. All of the engineering work has already been done. I don't know how you would license, register, and insure a homebuilt chassis for street legal use.

http://www.factoryfive.com/gtmhome.html

The GTM is where i was drawing alot of the design features from. and i may build a GTM for street use. the mid engine F-body was going to be a track/show car for my shop. I figure if i can build a racecar from the ground up, it would speak wonders for what i could do with an existing car.

as a side note, my uncle lives 5 miles from the Factory Five headquarters, and is going to talk to them today at some point. not quite sure what he is going to say, but i'm pretty sure that he's going to pass along my contact info to them, maybe to see what their thoughts would be on my project... i can only hope.

[14pilot]

Originally Posted by Shadow-phoenix

The GTM is where i was drawing alot of the design features from. and i may build a GTM for street use. the mid engine F-body was going to be a track/show car for my shop. I figure if i can build a racecar from the ground up, it would speak wonders for what i could do with an existing car.

as a side note, my uncle lives 5 miles from the Factory Five headquarters, and is going to talk to them today at some point. not quite sure what he is going to say, but i'm pretty sure that he's going to pass along my contact info to them, maybe to see what their thoughts would be on my project... i can only hope.

Having previously built a race car from the ground up myself, I'd for sure be talking to Factory Five now - LOL !!! Man, talk about a lot of work - whew!!!

[Shadow-phoenix]

still planning on going through with the build... just need to wait until my my 92 RS project is completed... hopefully i'll have the 92 finished by September so i can have it with me down in Ft Hood.

[BigDan]

What if you left the front engine and did a twin engine design like this twin engine unibody AWD DSM.


Twin Engine Talon AWD on e85

[Shadow-phoenix]

Originally Posted by BigDan

What if you left the front engine and did a twin engine design like this twin engine unibody AWD DSM.


Twin Engine Talon AWD on e85

cuz one V8 is gonna drink enough gas... 2 would be overkill... not to mention the fact that that talon's engines are both transversely mounted... unlike the F-body's longitudinally mounted engine.
plus getting two engines synchronized, and keeping them that way would be a job in itself...
It is however an interesting idea, and i may ponder it for a while... lmao

[CamaroSpike23]

Originally Posted by Shadow-phoenix

cuz one V8 is gonna drink enough gas... 2 would be overkill... not to mention the fact that that talon's engines are both transversely mounted... unlike the F-body's longitudinally mounted engine.
plus getting two engines synchronized, and keeping them that way would be a job in itself...
It is however an interesting idea, and i may ponder it for a while... lmao

keeping 2 engines syncronized isnt that hard





now, for the OP. I would suggest getting a Body In White from GMPP, and using that as the template to build upon. instead of trying to build a frame first then having to fight to get a fiberglass body put on it.

[Mr Twisty]

The 1/4 panel wheel well is too far forward for a normal mid engine v8 setup... having said that...
Mendeola makes some great sandrail transaxles, expensive but worth it. Like Spike said, get a BIW, jig up your suspension/drivetrain and go to work

just to get the cogs spinning...

[Mr Twisty]

Not exactly to scale, but just to give you an idea how far the engine will intrude into the interior.

[Shadow-phoenix]

Originally Posted by MisterCamaro69

Not exactly to scale, but just to give you an idea how far the engine will intrude into the interior.

Lol. any chance you could photoshop that engine and tranny on a 2002 Camaro body...

Originally Posted by CamaroSpike23

keeping 2 engines syncronized isnt that hard





now, for the OP. I would suggest getting a Body In White from GMPP, and using that as the template to build upon. instead of trying to build a frame first then having to fight to get a fiberglass body put on it.

A. that pic is crazy... cool as hell, but crazy... lmao.
B. the plan at the moment is to make our own body (silicone and fiberglass over an actual f-body to make the mold) and then modify it according to my approximate measurements to move the rear tires back about a foot. then to build the space frame based off the body dimensions. mainly because i have not been able to find a full fiberglass body for the 93-02 cars.

[Mr Twisty]

Originally Posted by Shadow-phoenix

Lol. any chance you could photoshop that engine and tranny on a 2002 Camaro body...
...mmmmaybe. I suck at it LOL

i didnt know that i could get a body already done

Can order 5th gen body in white... 4th gen, you're on your own

I always liked the Corv8... Corvair with v8 conversion