The 24 Hours of Lemons Forums → Lemons Tech → Mid-engine conversion, subframe?
Our team is having the debate whether it is best to graft the entire front subframe form our donor car into the metroneige or simple just swap the rear hubs with a set of front hub, cut a big hole in the floor of the car and build a tranny/engine cradle.
What do you guys think?
I vote for the solution that requires the most welding and grinding...
I vote for the solution that requires the most welding and grinding...
Not sure we can build a space frame car within our budget, but I like the way you think.
TheHeckler wrote:I vote for the solution that requires the most welding and grinding...
Not sure we can build a space frame car within our budget, but I like the way you think.
Scrap steel - find a local place and pick some up. You can find all kinds of deals on miscut short (up to 10' long) lengths.
Whole subframe! That's essentially what GM did to create the Fiero. And we know how that turned out...
I think you are better off going with the big hole and putting the whole sub frame in. When we put the motorcycle engine into the Angry Hamster Z600 we simply trimmed as much as we could off the motorcycle frame and welded it into the cage. Didn't have to worry about fabricating all those mounting points
Edward
Eric Giberson wrote:TheHeckler wrote:I vote for the solution that requires the most welding and grinding...
Not sure we can build a space frame car within our budget, but I like the way you think.
Scrap steel - find a local place and pick some up. You can find all kinds of deals on miscut short (up to 10' long) lengths.
I buy all the cheap scrap I can find at the local joints and I found a place in Oklahoma that sells new steel very cheap. J I Manufacturing http://jimfg.com/steelINDEX.html
If you can't find it there, you don't really need it.
I vote for the solution that requires the most welding and grinding...
he is not kidding.......
Our team is having the debate whether it is best to graft the entire front subframe form our donor car into the metroneige or simple just swap the rear hubs with a set of front hub, cut a big hole in the floor of the car and build a tranny/engine cradle.
What do you guys think?
I'm a fan of grafting a whole unibody section in - Keeps all the geometry.. been meaning to try it 
I'm relying on the Renault structure as little as possible. Not only does it rust through if you sneeze on it, it's got to be the most ducticle alloy I've ever seen. Building cradles and welding it to oxide impregnated tissue paper is a royal pain.
Of course, I'm not doing a very good job of following my own advice.
Two teams building mid-engine Metro's with Yamaha engines? What are the chances?!!
Two teams building mid-engine Metro's with Yamaha engines? What are the chances?!!
About the same as two teams building mid engined renaults...
Having two front suspensions sure will make for a funny driving Metro. I think you might be better of grafting some front knuckles onto the rear control arms and taking it from there. As for mating a snowmobile engine to a Metro/Swift/Firefly trans, hmmmm. What's the redline of that 2 smoker?? Will you end up with a car that's geared to go 200mph?
The 24 Hours of Lemons Forums → Lemons Tech → Mid-engine conversion, subframe?