pope_face Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Alright, engines aren't cheap, but I still want to do a swap. Luckily, I've got a daily, so I don't need the Datto up and running anytime soon, so downtime isn't too much of a concern. However, I'm a little stuck on what I want to do. I'd love to do something like a mid-engined, rear wheel drive hybrid/electric 521, but that would be a serious undertaking... anybody have any input on the feasibility of making a mid-engined 521 and/or any hybrid/electric engine suggestions (front or mid, and preferably not too pricey). Oh, and a poll, just cause they're cool. Quote Link to comment
phatdave Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Pinto power...or you can go with a VW engine and transaxle.... Okay, seriously...:D...yeah right.... How aboot, getting green and trying something using solar cells and batteries. We are going to run out of fossil fuel pretty soon...or convert to using Methane or Methane Hydrate..."FireIce" Quote Link to comment
djlotus Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 If you wanted to keep it cheap I would go with a fairly common swap. If you want the mid-engine layout take a look at some mr2s or something similar. If you wanna be different, build an electric truck. That's gonna be a lot of batteries tho Quote Link to comment
kiznook Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 small block in the back. do crazy awesome wheelstands...then wait for a hover conversion Quote Link to comment
pope_face Posted February 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Hahaha, alright well looks like everyone's got a completely different opinion so far... Dave: What kind of conversion is the methane? Is it a completely different engine, or is it based off a gasoline engine, sort of like a propane swap? I know there were a couple pictures floating around of an electric 521... that'd be awesome, but the more I think about it the less practical it seems. I'm the kind of person that does a few long trips... I think if I need to charge the car for several hours every 100 km it just won't work. I'd love a hybrid conversion... especially if I could convert it to run on propane or natural gas... but I don't know of any rear-wheel drive hybrids that I could pull an engine and tranny from. The MR2 swap would be the coolest... does anybody have any idea what would be involved in doing something like that? Would I have to completely redo the whole frame in the rear to accomodate it, or would it be mostly welding in new mounts and getting things connected properly? Quote Link to comment
Duke Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 I agree with kiz. But I think a big block behind the rear axel with a boat v-drive. But then you would have to get it registered as a motorcycle because there would be only two wheels on the ground all the time. Quote Link to comment
kiznook Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 oh...I said samll block...I meant BIG!!! cuz once your doing rear engine you might as well have a few more cubes Quote Link to comment
phatdave Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Electric would be cool. I've seen some on the Educational T.V. that were QUICK!!! Power is immediate. Quote Link to comment
]2eDeYe Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 VW 4 cylinder diesel, run it on veggie oil :D Quote Link to comment
Midnight Titan Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 For ease of use, and parts availablity, I would go with something fairly common. If anything, I might consider a KA. Because they are usually cheap, and there are some decent parts for them out there. Quote Link to comment
BACARDI_DWB Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 I vote for a subaru flat 4, but that is cause i love how those sound. you can always go with dual harley v-twins powering each rear tire. if no crazy swaps i say swap in a vg30 and run it on E85 with super high compression. 106 octane is fun Quote Link to comment
Figbuck Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 I have been thinking and wondering about the same things. What to swap my L16 with. I can dream of high revving tire shredding toys or I can get get a little more real and say that all I really need is to get around town. I have been thinking about an electric conversion. Last night I did a Google search and right off the top came this link. It's a long vid but I had time to kill and it was interesting to me. If nothing else, it felt good to know that others have been thinking the same things. I watched this and then got called to dinner. I'm interested in companies that make kits or parts that I can use to fab my own vehicle from some blown up old Datsun. I will continue to search. It can be done, the question is how much. How ratsun can I make it!! http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5148280482272042028 Here are some links that I posted up on another thread along these same lines a while back. http://www.teslamotors.com/ http://www.killacycle.com/ There is a guy down in Salem that has a Datsun 1200EV that he bracket races at the Wednesday night drags in Portland. He is turning nine or ten second quarter miles and blowing off serious muscle cars. Got to roll... Quote Link to comment
pope_face Posted February 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 I'm not sure about a big block... I just read yesterday that gas up here might go up to $1.45 a litre by the summer... so that's about... $5.50 a gallon? I'd like to actually drive the Datsun at some point... not just stare at it... =P I think electric would be the best in the long run... for me and the world... but only if I could find a power source that would last several hundred km without a charge. Redeye: I actually was considering the VW diesels... one of the TDI's. Was the Passat rear-wheel drive? Midnight: A KA is still the likeliest possibility. I've already got plans for it if I go that route, but I'm trying to see what else is out there. Bacardi: I did consider motorcycle engines... But, I was told that they wouldn't work due to the gearing or power output or something of the sort... maybe I'll look into it again... Figbuck: Thanks for the links... I haven't had a chance to watch it yet, but I'll try to check it out. Like I said, electric would be great if it would last a while... I think most conversions only last about 100 km per charge. Quote Link to comment
hang_510 Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 hydrogen fuel cell :w00t: Quote Link to comment
LAYEDOUTB2K Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 you could run a hybrid motor in the back. you wouldnt have to worry about the donor car being rear wheel drive. you could use a lot of the front suspension from the car in the back of the truck. you just make tierods that mount to a stationary point so the wheels dont turn. Quote Link to comment
djmoreron Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 go with a diesel and run off just veggie oil until its realistically possible for everyone to swap in electric motors... they converted a diesel school bus at some after school center i used to work at. DO IT! Quote Link to comment
Jason Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Like this? http://www.canev.com/Conversions/Nissan/Nissan.html Quote Link to comment
]2eDeYe Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 The VW Diesel is FWD but there are adapters to reorient it to a RWD configuration. Or you could mount it in the bed FWD style and have it drive the rear wheels with the stock trans. Or...mount in the bed mid engine rotated RWD style with the stock trans and set up the truck for all wheel drive (I'm gonna try this someday, maybe with a FWD sr) :D Quote Link to comment
Figbuck Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 I believe I can pretty much do anything, design, build, whatever, if two ingredients are present... time and money. Right now I don't have either, so I'm just dreaming. :) The 720 that Jason posted is nice, but is it ratsun? Can an EV be ratsun at all, or is it totally ratsun? I think these guys have the right idea. Any of you guys in D'couve know this guy Damon Henry? I'm thinkin' this is ratsun. http://www.evalbum.com/preview.php?vid=1524 This guy is relatively local too. Interesting stuff, need to check this out more when I have time. Ratsun? http://www.gremcoinc.com/ev.html gottagobacktowork Quote Link to comment
pope_face Posted February 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 LayedOut: I never really considered that... it's a useful tip though. I might have to look into that. Actually... if I went through with that it would allow me to have a mid-engined KA... there's a lot of Nissan Access's for sale up here for pretty cheap... cheaper than a 240SX or hardbody. I'd just be stuck with a four-bolt pattern rear and a 6 bolt front... Redeye: Do you know any more about these elusive "adaptors"? Are they just motor/transmission mounts to rotate the engine, or do they actually replace the stock axles with a driveshaft? Figbuck: I know what you mean about the time and money... I've got the former, but not much of the latter. Still, I'd like to do something with the truck to make it my own, even if it is just a KA... As for the EV, I think it is pretty ratsun... The technology really isn't very common, so I don't think there'd be any kits available for 30+ year old Japanese pickups, especially ones that were only made for three or four years. Quote Link to comment
]2eDeYe Posted February 23, 2008 Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 I know these guys offer a conversion VW for suzuki samurai's, just a plate that adapts the motor. They also sell Nissan stuff. They've been around a while. http://calmini.com/ EV = Hella Ratsun :cool: Quote Link to comment
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