Technical Vintage transaxle?

Before you reply, "Corvair," I'm dreaming of a mid-engine configuration, and I don't care for swing axles. There won't be a lot of horsepower involved.

How about a short engine, transmission, and driveshaft to a regular differential?

Any other options?

 

Basically what a fad T bucket has, except you want to sit in front of the engine?

 

As in a fad T-bucket has a short driveshaft?

I'd say I want the engine to set behind the driver.

 

If you want 'vintage', Corvair (or VW) is about your only transaxle choice unless you want to hunt down something old and exotic out of Europe. Or build your own out of vintage parts; it's been done.

If you want something less 'custom machine work' intense, I'd suggest a V-drive as used on boats and some wheelstanders. Turn the axle around and point the input towards the rear. Then you'll have to decide if you want the driveline centerline above or below the axle centerline.

There's good reasons why virtually every rear-engined car uses a transaxle....

 

Flipping the differential would make it rear-engine? V-drive (whatever that is; never thought about it) would be mid-engine?

 

The engine will be in front of the rear axle. And V-drives are common on boats, usually cabin cruisers. But at least a few wheelstanders have used them (so you can get units that will take power), I just don't recall which ones.

 

Fiero and MR2 transaxles would be non-vintage options.

 

Dont tell all the SK or flat bottom , or for that matter , most all " drag race" style boats , V drives & high horsepower !
Cotton Werksman built a mid engined tbucket in the late 60's with the motor & passenger compartment trading places ...

 

The "V" must be for the shape the two shafts form. More like "<" or ">."

Are they two-speeds?

 

I haven't kept up ( couldn't afford it ), in the 70's they were single speed to the best of my knowledge ...

 

Guess an early 1920's STUTZ would be too old, right?

 

How about a setup like Tom McMullen used in his Dodge A100 pickup?

 

Stanton Corvette down here in NZ.

 

Um, that's the same as what I said.

 

I got the message from the OP's first post that any kind of half shafts/independent rear was out.
Of course, the goal posts may have shifted.

 

I have an OT custom that runs a mid mounted V8 with the engine facing the rear of the car but in front of the rear axle.

The drive goes from the engine through an auto trans then a 4x4 transfer case and I drive is via the front output flange.

As the engine is facing the rear the front output flange is also facing the rear so I have the transfer case in 4 wheel drive Hi mode.

The diff pumpkin is heavily offset to one side and is turned upside down to give me 6 forward gears,.

This combo has around 500hp and works well.

I had thought about a V drive but this is heaps stronger.

The truck can lift the front wheels on the street.

 

McMullen's setup pivoted on the pins at the front of the "subframe".

 

That Street Rodder cover is Mcmullen's truck setup, which is the same as the Little Red Wagon. The whole deal pivots at the front, with springs/shocks at rear. Kinda long, but easy to recreate. Lot of unsprung weight. The V drive setup was used on Roadkill's Stubby Bob Wheelstander. That works well, but you gotta buy a good V drive, puts the engine weight very high. What's wrong with swing axles? There's also the Toronado setup, which is great, but very wide. Panteras used a nice 5 speed transaxle made by ZF. The VW guys have beefed their unit to take a lot of power. As you can see, I've thought about this a bunch.

 

What about a front wheel drive 60s Toronado trans. It would configure the same but drive the rear wheels instead if the front?

 

Tornado or El Dorado reversed? I know it's post-HAMB, but it's close

 

Just do this, it's compact:

Muria.

 

Didn't early Pontiac Tempests have some kind of IRS?

 

Alfa Spider (with a neat De Dion rear end attached) or early Porsche 924.

 

I'm playing with a home built car that is based on a Tempest, but has the engine in the middle of the car between the driver and passenger seats. Th bellhousing is bolted to the transaxle, there's really no driveshaft, just a coupler. But it's a swing axle rear suspension, very similar to the early Corvair, which it's based on.

We don't know enough about your definition of "mid engine" to really be able to offer good advice. Do you want the engine behind the driver? How long of a car are you thinking of? If it has to be short, then you need IRS. The early Corvairs and Tempest used a swing axle, but starting in 65, Corvair went to a double Ujoint axle shaft, sort of like the Corvette. Look into the mid engine Corvair conversions that use the later rear suspension design.

I realize this is all just dreaming...but hey, it's fun.

 

Stubby Bob!

 

1965 up Corvairs lost the swing axles Kelmark and Crown used them in mid engine V8 kits. The Kelmark kit was the best the late 4 speeds were saginaws

 

Man, it sounds like a 30-year mortgage is involved.

 

I have done a ton of research on this for our rear engine roadster. Not a lot of vintage choices and NONE that are cheap! There are some great OT OEM modern options out there that have some great potential. The aftermarket has many choices due to the desert racers and buggy crowd. Perfect application but beyond pricey for many of us. PM me if you want to talk about the OT stuff @sgtlethargic

 

Wow, lots of good replies. Thanks.

I guess I shouldn't rule out swing axles, but VWs and Corvairs seem a bit funky. And they're rear-engine.

The car would be relatively small and short wheelbase. The engine would likely be a small straight-four. I have a Pinto 1.6 L. The body shape would be teardrop. If it were front-engine, the windshield would need to be integrated with the hood.

I love the vintage teardrop and aerodynamic cars. I also love the BOCruiser solar car, but I would make it look vintage.

Starting with a Metropolitan is a possibility because they're small and light (1750 lb). It'd be a single-seater and center-steer.

Here's an under-floor Hanomag: