93 escort project. RWD questions

[atomicEGT]

soooo.... have you talked to your friend yet?

right now he's not interested in selling. I'll give it another shot tomorrow maybe.

Toyota diff and awd pro subframe don't bolt up, you have to mod the crap outta the subframe. Compared to the rest of this build, it'll be easy.

yeah, but compared to swapping in a Miata rear or 8.8...

Atomic, I was under the impression the AWD rear subframe will not swap over without frame rail work. Where did you hear/see that it does?? If so I'm a happy man

local guy did an AWD EGT a while back, he told me they just drilled a couple extra holes. sounded super redneck, but apparently worked okay.

[concealer404]

Ive had this thought for a long while, just hadnt made up my mind what to do. plus ive be doing other things in life for the past 2 years since i finished the paint and hard work i've put into the car. i thought about using a miata rear sub. but the fact that i would have to widen it kinda turned me off just a bit. i mean i could go get one from the local j/y and get to work but, ive heard more about how weak they are than what i could do with it. another thing is, im not just gonna jump in an start cutting stuff. i have a plan to work off of and number one is the crucial rearend, then i after that i plan on cutting out the spare tire and getting that squared for the fuel cell. then ill need to finalize my choices of transmission and engine. i feel i should start out by turboing one of my bp engines, unless my chevy friends can prove that the ls1 route will be way easier(which i already know fitment will SUCCCCCCKKKKK!!!!!) i am not going to give up on this..... trust me, i can provide references lol. i already appreicate everyones input so far

Give this a read... The miata rear subframe isn't weak.

http://forums.probetalk.com/showthread.php?t=1701310615

[atomicEGT]

the diff, on the other hand...

[tweakers]

right now he's not interested in selling. I'll give it another shot tomorrow maybe.



yeah, but compared to swapping in a Miata rear or 8.8...



local guy did an AWD EGT a while back, he told me they just drilled a couple extra holes. sounded super redneck, but apparently worked okay.

Thanks for the effort, i really appreciate it. hoping that your friend thinks it over and decides to maybe sell. having no luck sourcing so far

concealer404- Will do! I figure last resort if i cant find one in the next few months, ill use a miata one.

[tweakers]

Wow i never realized how far up the tunnel protrudes on a miata.... see this i could do... its extensive yes, i could achieve this. but i dont feel like having to go this far unless i can figure out any other way. see if i had to use that miata subframe, this would be how i would go about it. i would fashion a way to adapt the old dead subframe and the miata one.... sorta crossbreed the 2. but i know that after i finish this hurdle my next is the transmission tunnel. and im ready for this.

just to clarify somethings ive left out, ive almost done with college now. after 6 years in, ive gotten 2 degrees one for my associates in automotive technology and one in the auto body/collision repair. in auto body. i had to deal with a few heavy hit unibody collisions, by myself, they sucked because of all the pulling i had to do. but i got everything within 2 mm of factory spec. which it gave 4mm as acceptable

[KaleoXtreme]

You could always have Jim Pierce make you a custom tubular rear subframe.

http://www.wihandyman.com/forum/showthread.php?48867-91-EGT-Super-Sleeper/page12&highlight=ST+205+rear+diff

[concealer404]

the diff, on the other hand...

Depends what you're starting with, really. I'd trust mine to over 400whp.

[tweakers]

I pmed him to try to get info on it, hoping for a reply back.

the diff can be swapped, built or whatever i need. after really going over that probe build thread, i thought it over and i think ill go ahead and put in a rear tunnel... might as well cause its already gutted and stuff. time to start looking for a junk miata i guess.

[tweakers]

if i could even get a decent blueprint of the rear subframe featured by jim pierce, i could build my own... just saying and that would be something i really would like to do. THAT would be a great start to my build thread too!!!!!!!

[atomicEGT]

Depends what you're starting with, really. I'd trust mine to over 400whp.

true. speaking of ****ty diffs, I gotta get mine welded so I can make at least one event this season.

if i could even get a decent blueprint of the rear subframe featured by jim pierce, i could build my own... just saying and that would be something i really would like to do. THAT would be a great start to my build thread too!!!!!!!

asking for blueprints of something that is a) reasonably priced and b) someone put a lot of work into is kind of a scumbag move, maybe you could use a stock subframe to make your own jig for it OR support one of the few people that makes parts for these ****boxes...

[KaleoXtreme]

asking for blueprints of something that is a) reasonably priced and b) someone put a lot of work into is kind of a scumbag move, maybe you could use a stock subframe to make your own jig for it OR support one of the few people that makes parts for these ****boxes...

Werd!

[tweakers]

asking for blueprints of something that is a) reasonably priced and b) someone put a lot of work into is kind of a scumbag move, maybe you could use a stock subframe to make your own jig for it OR support one of the few people that makes parts for these ****boxes...

Okay i did get ahead of myself in what i said, my first step is seeing if i can buy one from him first.... then maybe if he wont, if i can get something like blueprints to build my own (like even if it cost me some money to get them). i wouldnt know were to start in making my own functioning rear subframe. ill give it a shot if i have to though

[jay]

If you don't know where to start making a rear subframe, you have no business turning a fwd car into a rwd car. I *do* know where to start making a rear subframe, decided I wasn't up to it, and modded an existing one instead. By all means buy Jim's parts, they are of the highest quality, but really, it sounds like you need to learn more about what you're gonna be up against. You sound awful cavalier when you talk about "dropping a miata tunnel" into that Escort. Unibody, man, get even slightly wrong and turn the car into a deathrap. It's one thing to do existing unibody repairs, going from oem to oem, but it is QUITE another when you start Frankensteining pieces from one car to another. Parts that weren't meant to go together, just don't wanna, and will come up with amazingly clever ways to screw you over when you try to force em to fit. If I'd had any idea I'da never started, and all I did was swap transmissions. I ain't trying to pee in yer cheerios or dis your education. After what I went through, I bet it'd be easier if you manufactured a car from the wheels up, from scratch. No I ain't kiddin. Put that built motor in a Miata and enjoy driving it. Months, and maybe years, before you'd enjoy driving the Escort.

[tweakers]

If you don't know where to start making a rear subframe, you have no business turning a fwd car into a rwd car. I *do* know where to start making a rear subframe, decided I wasn't up to it, and modded an existing one instead. By all means buy Jim's parts, they are of the highest quality, but really, it sounds like you need to learn more about what you're gonna be up against. You sound awful cavalier when you talk about "dropping a miata tunnel" into that Escort. Unibody, man, get even slightly wrong and turn the car into a deathrap. It's one thing to do existing unibody repairs, going from oem to oem, but it is QUITE another when you start Frankensteining pieces from one car to another. Parts that weren't meant to go together, just don't wanna, and will come up with amazingly clever ways to screw you over when you try to force em to fit. If I'd had any idea I'da never started, and all I did was swap transmissions. I ain't trying to pee in yer cheerios or dis your education. After what I went through, I bet it'd be easier if you manufactured a car from the wheels up, from scratch. No I ain't kiddin. Put that built motor in a Miata and enjoy driving it. Months, and maybe years, before you'd enjoy driving the Escort.

I could prolly figure it out and make one actually. alot of the them i underestimate my skills until im actually working with stuff. yes i know all about the "trying to make stuff fit bs" it never works thats why im on here asking questions. i see now that ill just have to put more work into it, and i know all about the fact that i should just save buy a miata and quit before i start digging a hole. but i said to myself that im not gonna quit this car, if i gave up now and did something else... it wouldnt be worth it in my mind. i finally took pictures of my car that im starting with and hopefully sometime tomorrow night getting around to starting a build thread. just to show what i am working with. its easy to just give up and move on but not always worth it in the end. I appreicate your input though

[jay]

Well give it yer best shot. if nothin else it is a learning experience. Pull it off properly and thwre will be job satisfaction.