RWD CALLY

materey · 16-07-2007, 22:01

Right then

RWD CALLY Project.

back end will be pretty easy to do, we want to mount the Motor the other way so........

What steering rack can we use on it??? Calibra rack is going to be in the way so that's a no go.

any ideas.

So far we are looking at E30 rack and front setup(only because its from a RWD car really) Manta ??? prob not,Carlton to Big??

Really want to do this Project so any ideas welcome.

MarkyG · 16-07-2007, 22:04

Have a look on astraownersclub.com, pete has managed to squeeze an LS1 V8 and gearbox in the front of his coupe, which has the same track and wheelbase as a cally.

DaveC_ · 16-07-2007, 23:07

http://www.migweb.co.uk/forums/proje...-remember.html

Have a squint at that.

Ginge · 16-07-2007, 23:42

What gearbox you planning on using?

Transmission tunnel evaluation?

Rear axle and diff assembly?

Am i talking toss?

Ginge

Nemesis · 17-07-2007, 01:14

Same as Ginge!

What rear diff are you using? I'm wondering what ratios work with different boxes?

lewist123 · 17-07-2007, 08:19

what about the steering rack of another vaux rwd car, like carlton/senator? would it be possible to fit that type of rack in?

chip · 17-07-2007, 08:22

Nothing is going to be a very direct fit.

Rear end wise you dont really need to change anything if its just a cheapy project.

Sierra front subframe lends itself well to putting in other things as its so self contained, and obviously because of what a legend the cossies are, the number of performance bits available in terms of suspension components is massive.

materey · 17-07-2007, 12:23

Cheers DaveC

had a look at the link, thats a really nice conversion.

so after reading the posts Guy am going off to research Diffs and front subframes etc.

Cheers for the replies any more pointers will be accepted with mucho gratitude.

Cheers

Matthew

EY · 17-07-2007, 17:02

Thread subscribed to, should be interesting. Lots of people have looked into it, not many (if any) have actually done it in the Calibra, it's a huge ammount of work to make it work and at the end you'll still be left with a car that i think wont lend itself well to RWD.
Best of luck mate.

materey · 11-09-2007, 14:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by EY

Thread subscribed to, should be interesting. Lots of people have looked into it, not many (if any) have actually done it in the Calibra, it's a huge ammount of work to make it work and at the end you'll still be left with a car that i think wont lend itself well to RWD.
Best of luck mate.

Having done LOTS of research this thing is going to cost thousands to do right, i would have to be done right as we want to track it.

Idea not happening me thinks.

SORRY

chip · 11-09-2007, 14:14

Makes FAR more sense to just chuck a LET in an E30 bmw!

Looks cooler, has great geometry as standard, is almost certainly lighter than a calibra, and the gearbox on them is superb.

16vmanta · 11-09-2007, 18:03

BTR Preparations built around 10 RWD Cally's for competition use. They retained the standard subframe, but removed the rear cross piece and put something at the front instead. They then used a 4x4 Sierra rack. 2.5 turns lock to lock and ps standard.

Why is it going to cost thousands to do right? Most of the vehicle is ready for it. BTR based the front end around Carlton suspension and the Calibra bottom arms. The rest of it was surprisingly standard. Yes weight is a problem. The Rally cars had composite bonnet and hatch and were stripped out, but the Cally has huge amounts of weight in places that you're going to ditch anyway. Use a Saab turbo engine from the newer GM cars. Easily tuned to 350 hp and bolts on to an Omega gearbox.

materey · 11-09-2007, 19:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by 16vmanta

BTR Preparations built around 10 RWD Cally's for competition use. They retained the standard subframe, but removed the rear cross piece and put something at the front instead. They then used a 4x4 Sierra rack. 2.5 turns lock to lock and ps standard.

Why is it going to cost thousands to do right? Most of the vehicle is ready for it. BTR based the front end around Carlton suspension and the Calibra bottom arms. The rest of it was surprisingly standard. Yes weight is a problem. The Rally cars had composite bonnet and hatch and were stripped out, but the Cally has huge amounts of weight in places that you're going to ditch anyway. Use a Saab turbo engine from the newer GM cars. Easily tuned to 350 hp and bolts on to an Omega gearbox.

Now that's a bloody good answer, cheers. Food for thought, have you ever seen one ? know of any or competitions they were in?

16vmanta · 11-09-2007, 20:58

Gavin Cox ran the prototype and did quite well. It was a V6 3.0 so wouldn't have been too slow. He had previously run a 4x4 Calibra Turbo in the British Rally Championship. There's a lad just south of Birmingham has a self built one that rallies a few times a year. He sometimes appears on one of the Calibra forums and there are pictures of the car in one of the threads. The comments I've heard were very good considering what it is, i.e. not an Escort. Yes the BMW is a better package out of the box, particularly for the cost, and the BMW RWD challenge shows this. The Calibra is different and will get extra exposure because of this. I'm sure a Calibra coming out a junction sides way would make you look.

materey · 12-09-2007, 11:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by 16vmanta

Gavin Cox ran the prototype and did quite well. It was a V6 3.0 so wouldn't have been too slow. He had previously run a 4x4 Calibra Turbo in the British Rally Championship. There's a lad just south of Birmingham has a self built one that rallies a few times a year. He sometimes appears on one of the Calibra forums and there are pictures of the car in one of the threads. The comments I've heard were very good considering what it is, i.e. not an Escort. Yes the BMW is a better package out of the box, particularly for the cost, and the BMW RWD challenge shows this. The Calibra is different and will get extra exposure because of this. I'm sure a Calibra coming out a junction sides way would make you look.

Damm right It would, Big smiles.

I will have to go hunting for some pics.

Cheers mate

chip · 12-09-2007, 11:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by 16vmanta

BTR Preparations built around 10 RWD Cally's for competition use. They retained the standard subframe, but removed the rear cross piece and put something at the front instead. They then used a 4x4 Sierra rack. 2.5 turns lock to lock and ps standard.

Why is it going to cost thousands to do right? Most of the vehicle is ready for it. BTR based the front end around Carlton suspension and the Calibra bottom arms. The rest of it was surprisingly standard. Yes weight is a problem. The Rally cars had composite bonnet and hatch and were stripped out, but the Cally has huge amounts of weight in places that you're going to ditch anyway. Use a Saab turbo engine from the newer GM cars. Easily tuned to 350 hp and bolts on to an Omega gearbox.

Interesting, ive not seen or heard of these.

Given that the sierra rack is mounted in front of the engine though, and the calibra steering arms go BACKWARDS, I think you may have missed some important parts of what was done!

16vmanta · 12-09-2007, 11:56

They used Carlton front legs, not Calibra. They might have swapped sides too so that the steering arms were at the front. The steering arms were twisted slightly too, to improve the angles for the rose joints that they used instead of track rod ends.

chip · 12-09-2007, 12:27

That "twisting" is the key thing, as it effects the accamen (sp?) angles

All FAR less simple than you made it sound with your original post TBH

Making a car RWD is easy, making it RWD with the correct geometry so that its a GOOD rwd car is an entirely different story!