a 4 wheel drive locost could have sight problems in the front diff department and the front propshaft would have to quantum tunnel through the block so....

i remember seeing a landrover defender (i think it was a defender but i dont know how old) having its body taken off and a sports body put on, engin tuned and big ass holes cun it the chassis to lighten it (prolly new shocks and god knows what else.) but could you build a chassis (probbably nothing like the book one) that took the drive train from and old 4x4 and put it in a re-enforced buiscit tin (which is what a 7 is) add a new engine and gearbox and make a nice 4wd sports car?

silly idea, no?

[Edited on 3/9/04 by binraker]

4wd sportscar isnt that like saying military intelegence?

More like painless dentistry

If I were to do something like that use a Subaru or maybe LR Freelander or a bike engine coupled to a small transfer box and then a couple sierra diffs and maybe Mini front uprights........We have the technology, how much money do you want to spend?

Check out the DP1 that Dennis is building here...DP Cars

david.

[Edited on 3/9/04 by white130d]

[Edited on 3/9/04 by white130d]

I think its called a Bowler Tomcat.

im with these lot. I dont think 4wd is necessary unless you intend grasstracking/offroading or rallying. What you gain on the launch you loose eventually thru drivetrain powerloss, and the cornering wont be any better than a well balanced 2wd car (think weight).

as for cutting down an offroader, i suspect its not worth the effort really. There would be so much removed you may as well start from scratch and build a chassis. offroad 4x4 drivetrains arent usually designed for power and sporty feel, hence the pathetic output from many of the bigger engines - all torque.

it can be done, but has been said is not really worth it

RWD is a true sports car, ferraris, lambos, porschs, etc

Jap sports, MR2, Supra, RX7, NSX, 300ZX

If using the sierra 4x4 system teh front prop goes down the drivers side of the engine..

On a perfect and dry road a 2wd car may be as quick round corners as a the 4x4..

But there's no perfect road in the UK...

On a wet road? 4x4 wins hands down.

pot hole mid corner? Or loose gravel on the road surface? Bad camber? All comon on UK roads and all liable to upset any car, but not as much in a 4x4..

TT

If its got 4wd or fwd then its not a sports car.....simple.

Lamborgini Gallardo

Adam

and?
your point is?

It's 4wd, and don't tell me it's not a sports car.

Adam

Isn't one of the things required to define a car as a sports car rear wheel drive? I forget the other things. Open top?

quote:

---

Originally posted by phelpsa
It's 4wd, and don't tell me it's not a sports car.

Adam

---

nearly all 'performance' 4wd cars are rally inspired/derived. Ie scoobies/evos/cossies and the like. The few other cars that i can think of, namely skylines, gallardos and some diablos(?) are the odd ones out.

i wouldnt dream about doing a 4wd BEC, as weight is the only real issue with bike engines, but if someone wants to do one with a car engine i wont call them daft - its all in the name of variety. Dont think id do it myself though. depends what you want from it really. Afterall, locosts and other 7 derivatives arent really rainy weather cars, are they.

MG Midgets, Triumph Spitfires, all the TRs,Healeys and E types now they were sports cars. Lambos and Ferraris etc. are called supercars aren't they?

fair point but 1 does not make up for the thousands of others out there that are rwd.

it all depends, yes a 4x4 is a lot harder to loose control of and will feel to handle better than a twitch ass ended bean can on wheels.

if its what you want m8 go for it!

if i acctually get round to builing a car i think ill start with a book style modle and maybee build a 4x4 as a second project. i also want to look into a few other things like and electric locost with a PEM fule cell and one running on LPG (i have heard rumbelings from the accademic circles that LPG cars should be able to out perform petrol ones by 2 to 3 times for the same engine size, but i have my reservations on the grounds of molecular chain length)

http://www.compactpower.com/racer.html

locost version of this?

221bhp continuous but being electric, you should be able to pull about 500bhp instentatious (good cooling required)

Meanwhile, back in the real world.........

I was always told that if you require 4 wheel drive on a public road at any time due to wet roads, ice etc, then you are going too f**king fast!!

The Lambo is a case in point. If you require the 4 wheel drive mid bend to keep you on the straight and narrow on a public road, then what speed are you doing?

As for rear wheel drive being superior, well, have a look at Perry Macarthy (Stig) trying to keep the Renault Clio V6 on the track. He even crossed the line backwards.

I think you should build whatever you like (4x4, rear drive etc) and bravo for having a go at all. It all comes down to balance in the end.

Just my 2p

Cheers

Mark

4wd is quicker round a track in the wet and possibly quicker/safer on the road in the wet, but when do you want to go pushing a 7 on the road on the rain - not very often if ever. our racecar got pole at an all comers race at silverstone, then it rained in the race and we got beaten by a big bhp cossie with startline control, traction control and 4wd.

Ned.