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    rwd protege conversion?

    ok i used to own a tracer lts basically a protege fwd with the dohc bp. and now i own a miata with the dohc 1.8 from a protege in it. originally it had the 1.6 otor now im thinking since there is a model that is already awd how hard would it be to make it rwd setup like a miata? you could use the miata transmission a custom front subframe to mount the motor.and i hear people talking about using a miata rear diff in the awd models? do you guys think it would be possible to change a awd model protege into a rwd 1.8dohc protege? i am now looking for an awd protege so i can try to do the swap eventually. i would love to try to drift it like i do my miata.ok just so you guys understand im not just some poser that wants to get into drifting and that i already am into drifting heres some shots of my miata from saturday


    ok so now for a few questions what years did they offer the awd protege? what was the submodel name? ie the lx and dx

    #2
    it was the protege 4wd

    1990 - 1991

    very rare... please dont mangle one to make it awd. trust me, you'll have to do plenty of cutting. and if you want to drift it, you'll need to do something about the rear end... the stock one has the same internals as the 1.6 miata. which... as i'm sure you know, is very weak.
    Escort GTR -- 11.87 @ 117.6 mph -- 320 HP / 325 Ft. Lbs. @ 23 PSI
    ... The first FWD BG with a Toyota E153 transmission conversion in the USA!
    Looking for BP x Toyota E153 adapter plates? PM me or contact me on Facebook: Riel Performance Parts

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      #3
      awd is basicly a dx with awd. very bare bones. as for making it rwd. i dont see why not. get a miata engine and tranny. then have someone fab up a sub frame to hold it in there.... oh and a tranny brace...... oh u also will probably have to enlarge some of the firewall and center tunnel to fit the tranny.......redo some piping and hoses....... new custom trottle cable..... almost complete rewire to go with the different engine position... theres so much more to take into account, is it really worth it. your better off to get an awd. upgrade the drivetrain the best u can and give it some more power. lots of awd drifters out there

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        #4
        yeah i think i found my project. i found a 91 protege with blown headgasket. im going to fab up a miata front and rear subframe to the protege install the dohc 1.8 into it and use the miata diff and driveshaft and extend the miata ppf to work then i will most likely need to modify the tunnel to fit the tranny maybe i might need to modify the location of the gas tank to fit the miata rear subframe and ill just install a fuel cell.does anyone know what the wheel base dimensions are of the protege? a miata is a 89inch wheel base.

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          #5
          google around and i'm sure you can find the wheelbase size. i feel like its 94" or so though.

          dont forget figuring out what to do with the steering rack, and remounting the LCA's after you hack the front K frame in half. i feel like mounting the miata rear is going to be a huge pain. when i was contemplating rwd (briefly) it looked like an 8.8" rear from a fox body mustang would be the easiest to install. just build a custom 3 link or a 4 link and you're done...
          Escort GTR -- 11.87 @ 117.6 mph -- 320 HP / 325 Ft. Lbs. @ 23 PSI
          ... The first FWD BG with a Toyota E153 transmission conversion in the USA!
          Looking for BP x Toyota E153 adapter plates? PM me or contact me on Facebook: Riel Performance Parts

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            #6
            I looked into turning my rallycar into rwd only, so I could run it in gp5 and get rid of the restrictor and laugh myself silly, but the experience of some of the sooby guys that did this made me think not. Not enough weight transfer in an awd chassis to put power down well enough for rally. Maybe for drift it'd be just the thing, the back end'd prolly come out every time you sneeze, but we need to be able to climb a hill in gravel in rally and those converted subarus had a hard time managing that. So if I wanna run gp5 I'll build something else, like maybe a 2ndgen m3...

            oh and if that protege you found is *not* awd, don't bother trying to make it rwd. Trans tunnel would have to be totally removed enlarged and replaced, there's no rearend mount points, it'd be easier to make your own chassis from the ground up. Ya don't really wanna disassemble a unibody and put it back together and expect it to behave itself.
            Last edited by jay; 01-19-2009, 09:04 PM.
            '90 AWD Protege, full GTR drivetrain swap, ~320 whp daily driver, RIP, and
            '90 AWD Protege, yet another GTR swap, Open class rallycar with a Toyota GT4 gearbox swap, thus crossing the line between hobby and mental illness. And a Brabus E55 K8, removing all doubt.
            http://www.wihandyman.com/forum/vbpi...?do=view&g=110
            http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2599486

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              #7
              no its a front wheel drive chasis and i have an idea of what my plans are. it should work out fine and i will keep everyone on here informed of the project i it works out financially. for now im gunna buy it replace the head gasket and my wife will be dailying it while i source parts.

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                #8
                I thought about it for a while too... it still crosses my mind regularly... do me a favor though (not really I already did it), Grab a tape measure and figure our how much room a BP takes up front to rear then measure the protege engine compartment. If my memory serves me the motor is like 1/2 an inch too long to fit by itself let alone fitting a radiator and a bellhousing on either end of it. Of course both issues can be dealt with with some cutting, and welding but it looks like a pain in the butt! The main reason I think about it is because I am one that like to be out of control in a controlled manor. I love burning out, and the idea of being in a RWD protege would make it even more fun when people are like WTF? To think about the weak awd system in the car as it is, its kind of like why beefy strong axles are not a good idea if you want to keep your tranny in one piece. with the 4wd the weak link is the tranny and the tranny is rare and hard to find for a decent price. If I rigged up a miata setup, I could go through them like bp fwd boxes and it would be even easier to swap them out when they popped. I dont know, when I get some time and money and a welder Id like to do a little more in depth planning myself.
                There are no stupid questions, just stupid people.

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                  #9
                  well like i said i will keep everyone updated through out my build. so incase anyone else would like to do something similar.

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                    #10
                    Originally posted by drftem View Post
                    no its a front wheel drive chasis and i have an idea of what my plans are. it should work out fine and i will keep everyone on here informed of the project i it works out financially. for now im gunna buy it replace the head gasket and my wife will be dailying it while i source parts.
                    meaning its not going to happen
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                      #11
                      I have though about this sorta thing as well..someone said I could fab dummy axles for the front, so then the rear is the only thing getting power.

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                        #12
                        Just drive in reverse, problem solved

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                          #13
                          Originally posted by Shag View Post
                          I have though about this sorta thing as well..someone said I could fab dummy axles for the front, so then the rear is the only thing getting power.
                          just remove the front cvs lol,i wouldnt suggest that on a 4wd box itl just grenade on you 4wd is way more fun just go find a dirt/gravel road to throw it round on
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                            #14
                            Originally posted by i love clouds View Post
                            just remove the front cvs lol,i wouldnt suggest that on a 4wd box itl just grenade on you 4wd is way more fun just go find a dirt/gravel road to throw it round on
                            remember that the axle holds the bearings in the hub together. taking a corner without a front axle will result in loosing a wheel. if interested u would have to pull the axle, disasemble it and put the outer cv joint back in and tighten the axle nut
                            "See that car, in the 80's that car was deadly." Random man to his son while passing the GTX in a parking lot

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                              #15
                              You'd have to leave the inner axles in place or the spidergears will fall out of place and it's instant tranny boom. Then, you need to lock the centerdiff or you just spin your front axle stubs. And all the power going through the locked centerdiff will make it explode and there you are back on the towtruck.
                              '90 AWD Protege, full GTR drivetrain swap, ~320 whp daily driver, RIP, and
                              '90 AWD Protege, yet another GTR swap, Open class rallycar with a Toyota GT4 gearbox swap, thus crossing the line between hobby and mental illness. And a Brabus E55 K8, removing all doubt.
                              http://www.wihandyman.com/forum/vbpi...?do=view&g=110
                              http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2599486

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