Instead of sleeping I am thinking about how I could do a rear engine set up for my delivery truck project. If I flip over the rear end and put the trans and engine facing backwards everything is cool but I would have 4 reverse gears and one really low forward . . Is there a way to flip the gears around in the typical rear end design so that it rotates the other way? Is there some other way to do this. Reverse the engine rotation? custom cam, starter, i guess? but then the******* is still backwards and I want to use a th400 and I can't even begin to imagine how you could reverse that? Any ideas how a rear engine set up could be achieved with a BBC and th400?
Guys usta put SBCs in the backseat of a Corvair, but that transaxle would't withstand a BBC. You might try putting an Eldorado/Riviera FWD transaxle in the back. Cut out the suspension & steering stuff and replace them with 12-bolt rearend axle parts. I suspect the fabrication isn't for the faint-of-heart. BTW, technically, if the engine is in front of the rear axle, its a mid-engine. Be sure to post pics!
Are you talking REAR engined or MID engined?? If you are talking MID engined(engine in front of differential,but behind the driver), Toronado transaxle with an adapter would be the simplest. If you want a true rear engined setup,your talking wheelstander!
Don't think you have room for a complete engine/transmission/rear axle****embly BEHIND the rear axle centerline. But... You have to be careful just flipping over an axle anyway...you will screw up the oil flow to the pinion bearing and smoke the rearend. Some 4x4 vehicles used a reverse rotation/high pinion housing in the front axle that might give you what you need. Also CURRIE ENT. would be a logical place to start if custom parts ($$) were in your future. Another possible solution would be a V-DRIVE unit like is used in Drag boats etc. Engine and******* mounted backwards, over the rear axle, driveshaft forward to the V-DRIVE unit and then another back to the normally positioned rear axle****embly. Don't think you need anything really fancy for that setup except the V-DRIVE itself, but hey...I could be wrong! I wonder how much a V-DRIVE costs??? Good luck! Interesting project! Bill
Check out StreetRodder (this month? faux patina issue) which features an article where a '32 roadster is being contructed with a rear engine setup ... the guy is 6'8" and needs the leg room up front I think the motor is a late Chev sm.blk. & the drivetrain may have come out of a rear engine motorhome (bus?). Interesting fabrication required. Later, papa al
The Street Rodder article said motorhome. I know some motorhomes have used a 455 Olds with the Toranodo/Edorado Turbo 425 type transmission and differential. I think that puts the axle about even with the back of the motor. If you turn a Volks bug type transaxle around there is a gear you can flip that reverses rotation. Of course that would never work with a big block. The transaxle used in a 914 Porche is supposed to be stout enough to put up with a 283, if the load is a 914... One approach to a V-8 Corvair was to use a reverse rotation camshaft. I bet that's a custom made item for a big block. And those Corvair transaxles break easy with a small block in a lite car, I wouldn't want to try it with a big motor in a heavy car. The part that breaks is a shaft that I've seen offered in a super strong version, but its been years since I paid attention to Corvairs, I've no idea where you'd find one today. If it were me, I'd go with the Toranado/Eldorado type transaxle and put the motor just in front of the axle. AFter that I'm not aware of an option that would not require some big buck parts.
I'm using a toro in my falcon. I'm gonna run a small block. should be plenty. Still in the parts gathering stage, but I'm getting closer.
Old GMC class A motorhome had the Toronado running gear and it was used as front wheel drive. They are some what of a classic as people restore them & I think theres even a national club for'em. Later, Mark
lots of comments thanks. as usual I was overlooking some good obvious solutions- yeah I mean rear-engine. I'm setting up a '54 COE delivery truck and I need to get the engine out from under the cab so I can drop it low and I am keeping it 2-ton so I plan on keeping the big old frame and just re-working the drivetrain and suspension. But I need to use BIG stuff- like motorhome or step van suspension parts There is about 5' behind the rear axle so I have room back there. The other option is to put it right behind the cab but then I would have to access it from the sides or inside the delivery box. But I think the ticket may be the rear engine motorhome/bus comment . . . I guess if I find one of those I will have all I need. What year eldo/toronado are we talking about? if that thing is heavy duty enough for a motorhome it might be enough for me. I want to look into that too?
The Eldorado/Toranado stuff was late 60's early 70's. The motorhomes I think were built after those cars were no longer available. I didn't realize how big a truck you were working on. I've seen a couple of COEs done with the motor just behind the cab, and in one case under a sleeper that was behind the cab. If you plan to carry heavy loads with this thing you might want to look into rear-engine bus type stuff. Busses with the motor located behind the rear axle might provide some interesting options. The gears in those rears are intended for very tall tires, and if you are actually using this thing as a truck with truck type tires they might work reasonably well. But if you are going to carry real heavy loads are you sure you are going to lower the body so much that running the motor in the conventional location won't work? I have a friend who has built two rear motor busses (yeah he's crazy) and he seems to find parts for almost nothing. This is the more interesting of the two:
Lots of good info. There is another option as well. Halibrand made some Champ size Quickchanges for a front wheel drive application. Dont know how hard they are to find.................
[ QUOTE ] Also- tinbender WTF? a toronado in a falcon? this I gotta see . . more details please! [/ QUOTE ] Pics of the car are on my home computer, but I've posted them before. It's a 64 sedan delivery. I chopped it 6&1/2". She's been back burnered for a while, but I finnally stumbled on a good toro drive train. Still gonna be a year or more before I start back up,(depends on progress of the other projects, I may even build it ahead of my 33) but Ive got most of what I need now.
If you are using 2 BBC in a boat, one of them runs in the opposite direction. counter-rotating marine cam and toronado th425.
I had a 76 Eldo unit at home. Actually, I picked up the whole car for the tow fee, which was $140. Anyhow, the Eldo/Toro trans is a TH400 (called a TH425) and rest right beside the motor on the right side, driven by a chain. The motor is almost exactly centered along the axle-line between the wheels. The front suspension is sprung by torsion bars. FWIW, it's 68" wide at the hubs (surface where the wheels mount), and uses the 5" big GM pattern, like the pickup trucks and big cars. If I remember correctly, those motorhomes used the Toro 455ci transaxle and front frame. I'm not sure if it uses the same torsion bars as the cars, but it's a safe bet they're stronger. It uses the same drivetrain parts as the cars, with possible exception of the diff, which came with a slightly lower gearset... I think 3:25. The cars are 2:73 if I remember right. The motorhomes had a problem with eating the CV joints and hub bearings, because they weren't designed for the weight. I had plans of building a couple of Eldo powered mid-engine cars myself... just never had the money to make it happen..
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