[discodude]

hi all,read on one site { not sure if here or not } that someone is planning on doing a 4x4 conversion on a cab.has this been done before?

[carl747]

It's on here It's me i am doing it and no it's never been done before

[E_T_V]

Probably because no-one in their right mind would attempt it on an r8 let alone a cabby.

[carl747]

Probably because no-one in their right mind would attempt it on an r8 let alone a cabby.

Dan nothing is impossible you think a Rover fan like you would look forward to it the ball is now rolling. It's going well too atm been to Caterham and Land rover to look and get infomation

car is still in the planing stage at the min the only problem i can see having a big problem with is the exhaust and the fact i've got to cut the car up abit if it doesn't happen it doesn't happen but i am still trying to do something diffrent and have ago unlike most people after all if you don't try you don't know

Think about the 1st time someone tryed Ti brakes on a 200 same thing

Will update asap but i can say if it doesn't end up being 4WD it will be RWD (That why i had a trip to Caterham)

[E_T_V]

Dan nothing is impossible you think a Rover fan like you would look forward to it the ball is now rolling. It's going well too atm been to Caterham and Land rover to look and get infomation

car is still in the planing stage at the min the only problem i can see having a big problem with is the exhaust and the fact i've got to cut the car up abit if it doesn't happen it doesn't happen but i am still trying to do something diffrent and have ago unlike most people after all if you don't try you don't know

Think about the 1st time someone tryed Ti brakes on a 200 same thing

Will update asap but i can say if it doesn't end up being 4WD it will be RWD (That why i had a trip to Caterham)

Hell I'm all for projects, I just realise just how much work is going to be needed to do what you suggest and I don't want you to go into it without seriously thinking about how much work it will take. Centre of chassis will need cutting out and a transmission tunnel fabricating. Rear suspension will need altering and fuel tank building to fit. To be honest the exhaust will be one of the easiest parts of the build.

With something like fitting ti brakes, it is totally different. All the parts are off of the shelf and are easy to swap back if it doesn't work. Once you've chopped the floor out of your cabriolet there is no going back.

I mean simply fitting the new engine to my van has taken several hundred man hours and that is relatively straight forward by comparison.

[Ecobwg]

I've said for years a 4 wheel drive 200 isn't beyond the realms of possibility.

How are you planning to do it or is a secret?

The options as far as I can tell are;

1. Use the 4th gen civic shuttle 4wd system which is quite compact, mates to a D16 and all the existing rear suspension mounts plus comes with a fuel tank that clears the prop. Disadvantages are finding a donor shuttle and it doesn't transfer that much torque to the back but it is compact so fits in the existing tunnel.

2 Use a PG1 from a freelander and use a freelander rear diff but this will require a fair amount of fabrication work, advantage it would take either a K-series or T-series and would give a rear bias to the torque split.

3. Fabricate something completely new and use a longitudional engine layout.

Good luck, I like different.

My friend built two Metro 6R4 replicas, one with the full 4wd running gear from an Evo 8 FQ and another with a front mounted RWD RX8 rotary engine. So almost anything can be done if you have the will.

[Trouble]

very dissapointed with that etv persons comments - obviously he/she has little experience in vcehicle mechanics as apparently quote "simply fitting the new engine to my van has taken several hundred man hours." quite funny how he/she can then talk down like that - what a loser etv, get ur head out of ur rear end and grow sum testies tar.. forum staff, lets laugh at this fool

anyho carl sounds a good proj - highfive awarded - i was thinkin bout it few years back, and i was goin to just weld in a new bigger tunnel cuz then there's room for props, exhaust and a visc coupling if appropriate, plus the extra depth of the new tunnel would provide loads of extra strenth and stiffness to the chassis without too much extra weight. as i'm sure ur aware not a difficult job at all.
just out of interest, what sort of charactoristics r u after out of it, cuz like a 4x4 system like on a freelander or most 4x4 cars with visc coupling drive with loads of extra grip but understeer like a bitch still with power bin mostly at front still. i wanted sumthing to drift so was goin just for rwd cuz i like to show off to the ladies down broard street as i hav a small er.. cough-cough..

have u got any piccy's of story so far mate cuz miles luving it!

[E_T_V]

very dissapointed with that etv persons comments - obviously he/she has little experience in vcehicle mechanics as apparently quote "simply fitting the new engine to my van has taken several hundred man hours." quite funny how he/she can then talk down like that - what a loser etv, get ur head out of ur rear end and grow sum testies tar.. forum staff, lets laugh at this fool

I think you may need to rethink those comments. I think it is fair to say I know a reasonable amount about mechanics and probably more than the person doing this project. Before calling names I suggest you find out the facts first. I turbo'd my old van in a day, I helped a mate drop a T16 turbo into a maestro in 3 days, and a basic engine swap takes an afternoon in most cases.

I also think you might not have comprehended what is involved in fitting the engine to my van. It was never designed to go in there so engine mounts, radiator, cooling pipes, power steering pipes, exhaust, intercooler, bigger turbo and a lot more besides had to be fabricated to fit it. Then there is the issue of transplanting a drive by wire engine into a basic cars wiring including digital and speaking dashboard, two immobilisers (OE one and aftermarket one) as well as the throttle potentiometer and custom cables etc. Then there is the brake upgrades and suspension mods to cope with the extra power, oh and I almost forgot rechipping the ECU to reprogram it to perform as I want it to rather than as Rover intended. There have been lots of trials and tribulations along the way and I have had help from several friends along the way with both ideas and labour but most of the technical work is mine. And importantly all the projects I have done have been completed.

Still reckon I've not got any experience?

Before resorting to name calling I'd check your facts first because I don't think the mods will put up with it.

[carl747]

I've said for years a 4 wheel drive 200 isn't beyond the realms of possibility.

How are you planning to do it or is a secret?

Abit of a secret have look at all the ideas you put

Good luck, I like different.

Thanks going to need it

Trouble i Thank you for you comment BUT i have to back ETV up he is just trying to be helpful and is a VERY good mechanic Know his stuff in fact i may just ask him for a hand doing it when got my bits But thank you anyway

[Fatdave]

ETV, just out of interest and being nosey, what engine have you put into what van?