Best way to go rwd in my autoxer

[benebob]

Looking to set up a mod II SVX. As close to 2000lbs as I can get and rwd. What would be the best way to achieve it with a Legacy 5 speed?

[SVXRide]

pull the front axles, gut the interior, replace the side and rear glass with lexan, forged SSR rims (light!), composite hood, remove the sunroof and associated motor - replace with piece of lexan, gut the doors (no speakers, window motors, etc.).
This do for a start?
-Bill (yes, I've been thinking about doing the same thing ....)

[benebob]

Originally posted by SVXRide
pull the front axles, gut the interior, replace the side and rear glass with lexan, forged SSR rims (light!), composite hood, remove the sunroof and associated motor - replace with piece of lexan, gut the doors (no speakers, window motors, etc.).
This do for a start?
-Bill (yes, I've been thinking about doing the same thing ....)

This is my plan
5 Speed
Glass stays but regulators and motors go
Alt goes
Power steering goes
Interior is gutted already
Entire exhaust from y back goes. Replaced by 2 straight pipes and 2 glasspacks
Sunroof gone
Heater core gone
entire dash except cluster gone
center console gone
AC gone
Wheels actually stay as they are only about 2 lbs heavier than most lightweight rims anyways. Can't afford the expense fro 2 lbs.
Only additions planned are a cage and of course 10 inch rims for the back when I do the wide body kit.



Yeah Bill I saw your bid on that Pearlie down in Ellicott City. I was gonna go after her but you had beat me to the bidding.

Doing anything tomorrow? There's an autox about 10 minutes from the Reading meet?

[wawazat??]

Originally posted by SVXRide
forged SSR rims
-Bill (yes, I've been thinking about doing the same thing ....)

Check!

Me too. That's my current goal for the Laguna L. No sunroof to worry about modifying (leaking?). Less options and weight than the other versions to start means less to remove.

Todd

[SVXer95]

Why not use a trans and diff from another car altogether? A rwd trans would be lighter and stronger.

Originally posted by benebob
Alt goes

Goes where? You're not planning to drive a car without an alternator are you? How far do you think you'll get on battery power?

[UberRoo]

Originally posted by THAWA
You're not planning to drive a car without an alternator are you? How far do you think you'll get on battery power?

If it's a decent battery, quite a ways. ...but I was having another idea. It seems to me that the battery is heavier than the alternator. Wouldn't it be better to keep the alternator and remove the battery? You'd have to keep one around for starting the car, but at the track that's no big deal. You could put a very small gel-cell in place of the battery just to keep the ECU happy when you shut off the motor.

Personally, removing either would be an inconvienence. I'd forget about it unless 1/10,000th of a second really does make a difference.

[benebob]

Car will not be street legal so it will go to the track. You can easily drive a car esp one without any real electrical devices to speak of for a good long while with just a battery. Oh yeah as for the weight of the battery. That is important as it will go into the trunk to help with the huge weight distribution disadvatage the SVX has. Besides, getting rid of the alt also means getting rid of all the pullies except the water pump. Less work for the engine.

Any ideas on other trannies. That was what I was originally wondering anyways but I don't know of much that could be made to fit aside from some Jeep RWD trannies from the 70s. That wouldn't be a big advantage either.

[SVXRide]

Originally posted by benebob


This is my plan
5 Speed
Glass stays but regulators and motors go
Alt goes
Power steering goes
Interior is gutted already
Entire exhaust from y back goes. Replaced by 2 straight pipes and 2 glasspacks
Sunroof gone
Heater core gone
entire dash except cluster gone
center console gone
AC gone
Wheels actually stay as they are only about 2 lbs heavier than most lightweight rims anyways. Can't afford the expense fro 2 lbs.
Only additions planned are a cage and of course 10 inch rims for the back when I do the wide body kit.



Yeah Bill I saw your bid on that Pearlie down in Ellicott City. I was gonna go after her but you had beat me to the bidding.

Doing anything tomorrow? There's an autox about 10 minutes from the Reading meet?

Nice list! Couple of things:
1. The 3rd Gen RX-7 rims I'm using are 4# lighter per rim and you can get a set for $250-300. They also have the advantage of having almost the same offset as the stock SVX rims.
2. Exhaust - how about dropping all the cats, using a prefabbed "Y" behind the stock exhaust manifold, go to a single 2.5 inch diameter pipe with a single cherry bomb back where the stock muffler is. This should be lighter than dual pipes and keep the engine's bottom end torque (which is what you really need for autocross)
3. If it isn't going to be street legal, why not pull all the side glass?
4. Have you thought about going with a 4:11 or 4:44 4HEAT instead of the 5 speed? You'd get the acceleration that's important in autocross and you could keep both hands on the steering wheel at all times
Can't wait to see pics!!
-Bill
p.s. someone else actually got the Pearlie in Ellicott City. I stopped at $500, as I really don't have room for another SVX right now (in another month is another thing! )
p.p.s thanks for the invite - I ended up drag racing with Chike, SVXFiles, Green-Eyed Lady, and Rom Mummert up at Mason-Dixon Drag Strip!

[benebob]

Originally posted by SVXRide

p.s. someone else actually got the Pearlie in Ellicott City. I stopped at $500, as I really don't have room for another SVX right now (in another month is another thing! )
p.p.s thanks for the invite - I ended up drag racing with Chike, SVXFiles, Green-Eyed Lady, and Rom Mummert up at Mason-Dixon Drag Strip!

Yeah I saw. $400 I could've dealt with but not much more with transport!

The autox is tomorrow!!! I'm sure you probably aren't allowed out 2 days in a row though right.

Pics will come. Slowly but they will come. I got the whole car cleaned out today except for the carpet and the dash. Everything is sitting on the front porch making my wife a very happy lady!!!

[SVXRide]

Originally posted by benebob


Yeah I saw. $400 I could've dealt with but not much more with transport!

The autox is tomorrow!!! I'm sure you probably aren't allowed out 2 days in a row though right.

Pics will come. Slowly but they will come. I got the whole car cleaned out today except for the carpet and the dash. Everything is sitting on the front porch making my wife a very happy lady!!!

Ditto!
You're right...I knew not even to ask when I was met with "I'm all "kid'ed" out" when I got home
I think I'll be restricting my autocross driving to GT3 (& maybe 4?) until around Feb/March when the season starts back up. Gives me time for "winter projects"
-Bill

[Earthworm]

I wouldn't want to remove the power steering for auto-x!

As for the 5spd. I recommend it. With the auto you could do most of the courses in 1st gear but when it shifts to 2nd around 50mph you have to slow below 30mph before it will downshift back to 1st.

With my 5spd/3.90 gears 2nd gear is good for almost 70mph (perfect) and I spend all my time in that gear aside from the start.

[SVXRide]

ah, thus the use of a 4:11 4HEAT for autoX.....
-Bill

Originally posted by Earthworm
I wouldn't want to remove the power steering for auto-x!

As for the 5spd. I recommend it. With the auto you could do most of the courses in 1st gear but when it shifts to 2nd around 50mph you have to slow below 30mph before it will downshift back to 1st.

With my 5spd/3.90 gears 2nd gear is good for almost 70mph (perfect) and I spend all my time in that gear aside from the start.

[SVXer95]

http://www.ninosautoaccessories.com/...roducts_id=152

Looks like a couple of people on NASIOC have found ways to go RWD. Looks like the biggest issues are the ability to hold all of the power through the rear output shaft and the rear diff. The rear drive shafts are kind of wimpy as well.

Since this won't be your driver or run on the road, it doesn't have to be reliable, right? I say do it as cheap as possible, and if it breaks find another way. The kit in the link above is to convert a manual subaru tranny properly to RWD without just taking out the driveshafts.

[benebob]

Originally posted by Earthworm
I wouldn't want to remove the power steering for auto-x!

As for the 5spd. I recommend it. With the auto you could do most of the courses in 1st gear but when it shifts to 2nd around 50mph you have to slow below 30mph before it will downshift back to 1st.

With my 5spd/3.90 gears 2nd gear is good for almost 70mph (perfect) and I spend all my time in that gear aside from the start.

Once you're moving how bad can it be! My XT isn't bad w/o its steering over 5mph so I wouldn't suspect the SVX would be much worse. Besides I should be able to make up more with the lack of the extra belt!

What'cha mean by the shifts? My SVX doesn't do that??? It'll drop down as soon as the RPMS allow it to as does my XT6. 70? it'll be an autox car. Rarely do you get much above 50 if that on a good course.