Custom tubeframe ghetto beast

[360CF]

Hi guys, just thought I would put up some pics of a fun project I am building. It is a exoskeleton-type chassis that will seat two and is mid-engined. The chassis is not yet complete in the photos, and I am busy adding triangulation and making changes as I go. Won't be using STI wheels, those were just for "full effect" ?

For now this is being built in mild steel as-is a prototype that needs changes made as issues arise during manufacture. Once i am happy with the final specifics and approved for road use, I will build another from much thinner wall 4130 chromoly. I am a Fabricator, so the welding shots were compulsory!

This car is running an Alfa Romeo 2.0 engine, which I have also developed a turbocharger setup for, and will make between 250-350hp boost-dependant. This will weigh about 550-580kg. I also have a 370z engine that I may twin-turbo and throw in the back, which would be quite hilarious.

Depending on my workload, I hope to have this thing running in the next few months, and if there is any interest I will keep it updated as things move along. Hope to do some roll racing and circuit racing in the future at SMSP and Wakefield

 

[admS15]

Wow, nice welds and sick project. Subscribed.

[PranK]

Oh damn. I'm loving this!

[Leroy Peterson]

Very nice.

What transaxle do you plan to use? Looks pretty tight in the back

[360CF]

1 hour ago, Leroy Peterson said:

Very nice.

What transaxle do you plan to use? Looks pretty tight in the back

There is plenty of room for transversal setups. The current engine as mentioned is Alfa Romeo using a FWD gearbox. When I do the next chassis with the VQ37 I will use a Maxima manual FWD gearbox and shafts, at least that is what I am planning 

[GTSBoy]

Do you know if the RWD VQs will happily bolt to the FWD VQ gearboxen?

I was going to ask "since when has there ever been a VQ powered manual Maxima?" and then I looked on Wiki and was surprised to see that Nissan actually made some.  Seems totally out of character/market segment for a Maxima though.  I wonder how many are actually out there in the wild?

[360CF]

15 minutes ago, GTSBoy said:

Do you know if the RWD VQs will happily bolt to the FWD VQ gearboxen?

I was going to ask "since when has there ever been a VQ powered manual Maxima?" and then I looked on Wiki and was surprised to see that Nissan actually made some.  Seems totally out of character/market segment for a Maxima though.  I wonder how many are actually out there in the wild?

To be honest I would assume there would be some adaptation necessary, however the standard VQ bolt pattern should carry over without issues, then the "fun" would begin to make it all work. I feel the gearbox itself would be quite robust, as it is designed for the VQ engine and to carry a big car that would potentially be full of passengers and a big trailer hanging off the back. No idea how many were produced, but I will be beginning a search in the near future

[GTSBoy]

Don't assume the bellhousing bolt pattern is the same between FWD and RWD.  The access to fit the bolts in is not always the same on FWDs.  F'rigzample, I'm pretty sure the FWD & RWD SR20s are not the same and require fiddling to swap.

[360CF]

Agreed, and no assumption has been made. When you design and fabricate vehicles from scratch you expect a certain amount of fiddling to be required!

[360CF]

So I decided that the Alfa Romeo engine would be better served in my Formula 3 (as it was an engine originally used in the series) and have decided to install a Lexus 4GR-FSE engine, stroked to 3.5L and using a single turbo setup. The second chassis I make will probably be intended to look a lot more like the Ariel Atom and that will use the VQ37 engine that I have stored away.

I advanced with one of the manifolds today, using a narrow angle configuration for the runners, which will promote scavenging. The two banks of manifolds will merge together and the turbo will sit above the transmission.