LocostUSA.com

Hi,

I have been thinking about this for a while and maybe someone can explain to me....

If I build an At-om clone and use a donor car.... Would one flip the motor that the exhaust sits at the back? (prob good idea to keep heat away from the fuel tank)
How does the gears work? (would the gear lever not be in the wrong place for the gears to shift properly)
What makes the car drive forward and not have 5 gears in reverse?

This might seem like stupid questions and they probably are but it's questions like these that pops into my head @ 12 at night.

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"Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most - Ozzy Osbourne

No you don't flip the motor, you just move it from the front to the back. You don't have to limit yourself to putting the fuel tank right in front of the motor, but if you do, just make a heat shield. Also, not all engines have the exhaust in the same place either. The H22 that I used has the exhaust on the front of the engine but the K-series have the exhaust on the back so it's a non-issue.

To answer your question about the shifting..

When the motor and trans are moved to the back, you just use an extended shift linkage and pivot system to remotely locate the shifter. It has been done for decades in mid/rear engine car.

For those motors that the exhaust exits through the "front" of the head, most will either run the exhaust down and under, or around the head/motor and over the transmission side. the latter is popular in OEM V6 FWD applications.

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Tucker

like the guys above said but with pictures.

fuel cell engine (B16)


shifter


later revised to this

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My build: http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtop ... 18&t=13096


You can build the most awesome thing in the world but at some point, an 80yr old man in a crx is probably going kick your butt on the track... don't ask me how I know.

Thank you very much. I want to use an Opel/vauxhaul/GM ecotec motor coz i know them like the back of my hand but the exhaust always stopped me because i was afraid of the fuel tank. Now i can carry on with my planning.

The gears i sort of understand but when i get there i will ask the questions.

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"Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most - Ozzy Osbourne

Perhaps a simple picture will make it easier to understand:



With the drivetrain in the original location in the front of the car, the front wheel turns clockwise in the above picture to move the car forward. Moving the whole drivetrain straight back, the wheel still turns the same direction and moves the car forward.

Also, I assume that you've already gone through the following thread:

viewtopic.php?f=18&t=7573

There is also good information on using a FWD drivetrain in a mid engine setup on the Midlana project:

http://midlana.com/

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Photo gallery of my completed Locost:
https://plus.google.com/photos/10397358 ... banner=pwa

I know the motor just shifts backwards. My biggest concern was the heat from the exhaust that close to the fuel tank. The astra gear lever runs with cables up to the gear linkage which in turn shifts the gears. I will have to modify the gear linkage like @mjalaly suggested. Here in south africa i am going to use 60mmx2mm cold rolled steel for the main tubes. Chromoly is a problem to get. If i convert from your inches to mm i get the average from other users as 1.8mm thickness.

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"Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most - Ozzy Osbourne

I have a turbo about 2" above my fuel tank (granted its thermally coated with a blanket). If you are really concerned use a heat wrap and heat shield.

also read through my post, pretty much the same thing you are doing.

Also with a cable shift, you will need to do something a bit different but cables are was easier packaging wise.

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My build: http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtop ... 18&t=13096


You can build the most awesome thing in the world but at some point, an 80yr old man in a crx is probably going kick your butt on the track... don't ask me how I know.

I'm still in the design stages. Just finished building an arcade machine so the Mrs. Said i must 1st do some stuff around the house.

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"Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most - Ozzy Osbourne

Arcade machine that i just finished. 1200 classic games.

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"Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most - Ozzy Osbourne