cant find much info , but has any body successfully done this?

[timothymoore]

im a mechanic in training @ a school called washington state community college in marietta , ohio but thats not the question lol. my question is this: aside from the failed duel engine Delorean with the prelude engine in the front and cadillac rear engine, has there been any record of anyone successfully doing a front engine/rear drive project? after i get out of school and get my shop going, i got a radical idea for front engine/rear drive DeLorean.

[WelmoedJ]

Doing so you will take away much of the things why a DeLorean is a DeLorean.
Aside from this, the current frame is in the way of conventional front engine/rear wheel drive setup.
The only way to avoid making an entirely new chassis for the D is trying to figure out how to make it front engine with front wheel drive.

However, all the driving characteristics will be gone, good and bad.

[Farrar]

"Failed" dual-engine DeLorean? Rick drove that car regularly for a number of years before selling it.

Farrar

[PlutonimicX]

From what I remember that car was a success aside from overheating problems with both engines running.

[stevedmc]

I guess you could put a chainsaw engine in the front and call it a dual engine car.

[sean]

has there been any record of anyone successfully doing a front engine/rear drive project? after i get out of school and get my shop going, i got a radical idea for front engine/rear drive DeLorean.

not that I am aware of but I could see a drive shaft running down the middle of the frame. I'd be interested to see someone attempt this project.

[Farrar]

I'd be interested to see someone attempt this project.

Me, too. Even taking into account the smaller engine bay accommodations, considering that a modern, lightly-turbocharged flat 4 can put out as much oopmh as our stock PRV, it shouldn't be any slower -- maybe even a bit quicker.

Looking forward to seeing the project progress!

Farrar

[timothymoore]

"Failed" dual-engine DeLorean? Rick drove that car regularly for a number of years before selling it.

Farrar

i thought i read or heard somewhere that the owner of the dual engine D had issues, i thought i read somewhere that it was sold off for parts or scrap. i must have read wrong. i apologize. i wonder what all he did to make the engine in the front fit. but my idea is front engine/rear drive. basically what i want to do when i have the finances to do it, is to find a complete wrecked generation 4 dodge viper. hopefully a 08 with the 600hp 8.4 litre V10. basically id throw the delorean body on the viper drive train. that would be an awesome project i hope to complete some time down the road.

[PlutonimicX]

You can look at the build process of the twin engine DeLorean here. This could give you an idea of how much modification/fabrication will be required. http://www.gendreaumicrosystems.com/tenpointtwo/11472index.htm

[dmcjohn]

When I was building my 4 seater DeLorean, I planned on making it front engined and spent a lot of time thinking about how to make it work.

It would have worked well, and would have given plenty of room for a rear seat - however, ultimately I went with keeping it rear engined, only when I confirmed that rear engined would still allow rear seats. My main aim with the project was to try and build it as close as possible to what DMC might have built 30 years ago - hence when there was a chance to retain a rear engined layout it was a no-brainer.

The twin engined DMC had a transverse front engine driving the front wheels, but if I went front engined I was still planning on keeping it rear wheel drive. The engine would have been mounted longitudinally, with the transmission sitting in the current fuel tank area, with a driveshaft travelling back through the center tunnel to a diff at the back.

I found 2 engines which could achieve this - each of these solved certain problems but raised other issues - but I am sure ultimately either could have been made work.

1. Ford Zetec in-line 4 cylinder
http://www.zetecinside.com/xr2/zetectune.shtml

Pro's - would have just fitted under the stock hood if using a dry sump. Also, would have had lots of room to spare to either side of the engine.
Con's - didn't leave much room for a radiator in front of it.


2. Subaru Imprezza flat 4.

6309

Pro's - fitted under hood, and was shorter in length than the Zetec, leaving more room for a radiator.

Con's - would have take up most of the available width in the trunk between the shock towers, possibly leaving it very tight for routing steering shaft, exhaust, etc.

There are a few backbone style chassis' out there with a front engined/rear wheel drive layout - I planned on building a custom chassis copying ideas from such cars:

1. Lotus Elan (this one pictured below is a modern upgraded version using the Ford Zetec engine:

http://www.spydercars.com/Image111.jpg

2. Lotus Eclat/Elite

http://www.nickslotuseclat.com/resources/NEW+CHASSIS.jpg

(few more pics here: http://www.nickslotuseclat.com/9.html)

3. TVR S2
This one I really liked...
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Fitting a v10 engine up front while not drastically changing the outward appearance of the car will be a different challenge for you altogether! But, best of luck with it.

Regards,
John

[Nicholas R]

In a DeLorean, I can only imagine how screwed up the handling would be after such a massive weight distribution change.

[DMCVegas]

Well you're gonna need to replace the whole entire front suspension with something from a FWD car. If you're gonna go that far, I'd recommend something else entirely...

Installing Carrier Bearings is simple. BUT, if you could figure out a way to run a driveshaft past the Shifter Assembly, AND the Fuel Cell, I would advise you skip the Front Engine and install a Viscous Coupling Differential upfront, and source one of these babies from France that with the *possible* exception of the front Transaxle mounts, would just drop right into place. I'm talking AWD DMC-12!

http://www.awdwiki.com/images/renault-18-4x4.jpg

[Ryan King]

Buy a Civic and do it to one of those instead. Please stop cutting up DeLoreans for stupid, pointless, and wasteful conversions like this.

[congerz83]

Buy a Civic and do it to one of those instead. Please stop cutting up DeLoreans for stupid, pointless, and wasteful conversions like this.

If it could work, it would be pretty awesome to see and to drive. However, it has the potential to be one of those projects that get started, but are never finished. If this project it to begin, I'd hope the owner will be motivated enough to finish, no matter what problem may arise.

[nullset]

Buy a Civic and do it to one of those instead. Please stop cutting up DeLoreans for stupid, pointless, and wasteful conversions like this.

How does it affect you?

Seriously, it's just a car. There are still thousands out there for you to 'protect', even if he did hypothetically have one right now.

If Deloreans were so rare, they'd be more expensive….

I say buy the best one you can afford, sell off the engine, get your torch out, and go for it!

--buddy

[DMCVegas]

How does it affect you?

Seriously, it's just a car. There are still thousands out there for you to 'protect', even if he did hypothetically have one right now.

If Deloreans were so rare, they'd be more expensive….

I say buy the best one you can afford, sell off the engine, get your torch out, and go for it!

--buddy

http://cache.ohinternet.com/images/thumb/2/2d/Trollface_HD.png/618px-Trollface_HD.png