I don't know how many people saw the episode of Monster Garage where they converted a 73' Sting Ray into a 4WD 600hp mud slinger, but I was wondering if anyone could explain to me how they did this, money is not an issue, and I was thinking of doing this to my 88 IROC! Here is the important information and the link:
http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/mo...pisode_24.html

Transmission: 400 turbo
Converter: 2,200 rpm stall
Drive Shaft: custom fabricated with chain drive and jack shaft to front axle (four-wheel drive)
Rear Axle: Ford 9-inch
Front Axle: 1984 Toyota 4Runner front end purchased from junkyard


Steering: original Corvette steering box turned 90 degrees to link up with Toyota front end
Front Suspension: racing air shocks from King Shocks, custom-fabricated linkage
Rear Suspension: racing air shocks from King Shocks, custom-fabricated four-link with panhard bar
Front Brakes: stock Toyota
Rear Brakes: none

 

mount the body on a 4wd truck frame

 

Aw man, not another one of those . Like ede said, mount it up to a truck frame, It would be next to impossible to do it with the unit body given the fact taht everything is kinda tight and tucked into the body to help reduce needed ground clearence.

 

how about no

 

then youll really look like a *******

 

Do you guys know if thats what they did on Monster Gargage; mount the body on a 4wd chasis?

 

no they did not mount it on a truck frame they fabricated all the parts. if you really want to do this there is people who are capable of putting it together but it would be extremely expensive

 

That pic looks like when I put a car body on my r/c monster truck. The wheel wells arnt even lined up with the centerlines of the axles

 

You can even see where they had to remove the ground fx and notch out the corner so it would clear.

 

Please don't.

Ed

 

On Monster they removed the front suspension, welded in a custom fabbed one & used a Toyota 4WD front axle driven by a custom made chain driven jackshaft arrangement.

 

if you round up a group of "all star fabricators" then you could probably pull it off
i'd advise you dont do it to a nice car though.... buy a beater if ur gonna do it.....

 

money is not an issue? Drop it off over here and give me a few weeks.

 

Please do not do it. I hate to see another thirdgen get trashed like that. Hell ill even buy your car from you just to see that it is safe.

 

I say do it! But keep it low, use 29 inch tires in front and tub the back out and use 33's. It would look awesome.

 

I would actually kina like to see a AWD camaro

using stock looking tires and such
would be killr off the launch with a 383 :-)

 

That ******* monster machine needs grid tail lights, someone tellem quick, and they're missing a quarter panel ground effect.

As stated before, if you are really as trailer park as wanting to do this, get yourself a 4x4 truck and unbolt the body, then get to fabricating some new mount points.

 

If I had an extra 3rdgen F-body with the 4cyl or 6 cyl engine. I'd really consider removing the engine, transmission and rearend and put an Audi Quattro/Audi S4 drivline in instead. The driveline has been used in many cars, from Audi A3 to Audi A8. And they are all to be considered as normal cars - no monster trucks.

Audi's old 5 cylinder, 20 valve turbo engine has a lot of goodies in it from the start. Forged internals, aluminum heads, oil spray on the pistons etc. Upgrade the turbo, exhaust manifold etc and you've got yourself a 300-340 hp quattro F-body. Not to mention Audi's nice 6 speed transmission. The only thing you loose, is the sound of the Chevy engine.

As you can imagine, beside my TA I've also got an Audi S4 (280 hp) and I really love that car. But my heart belongs to the Trans Am. The TA get's all the money... it's like having a wife. :-)

Besides Audi's quattro system you could take a look at F*RD Cosworth or perhaps Volvo's AWD system. I've been dreaming about such a project - I wanna do it as a hotrod project sometime..

Remember James Bond and his AWD Austin Martin? The movieteam took a Ford AWD system and mounted it in the AM, because AM didn't make an AWD version of the car..

/Anders

 

if you cobbled together a diffrent front suspension, set the motor/trans back about 6" and cut the floorboard on the pass side tunnel to clear the front driveshaft, you could make a ON ROAD 4wd camaro that would launch like crazy on street tires.



then again, i could probly put slicks on my car and still whoop your 60's.

 

I'd use some of the front stuff from one of those old AMC 4wd cars

 

There are a few converted off roaders in my town. I believe they are both late '80s - early '90s Cavaliers and I know both use the frame, drivetrains, etc from Blazers.

 

Why not convert it to FWD?

I have a FWD 3000 GT, but I am familliar with the VR-4 model as well.

Basically it is a V6 3.0 DOHC with a turbo charger, the transmission is the same as mine, but it has an additional section to drive the 'propeller shaft' as they call it, to deliver about 40% of the power to the rear wheels.

Some modifications would definitly be needed, but a good donor car could provide everything you would need. Basically, just unbolt the entire sub frame and fit it under your car, use the suspension too, consider using everything right down to the hub, but change the rims if you want, I would. They are 5 lug rims though. Same with the rear, some models have 4 wheel steering too, it kicks in at 30 mph. You would need to connect the rack and pinion to the firewall, possibly with re-enforcement.

I saw a guy on the 3si boards looking to make an SL RWD with a chevy 383 or something, it was quite disturbing. I think your idea is a little better.

BTW, The wheel base, and hieght of those cars is similar to the thridgen and the VR-4 gets 13.xx 1/4 miles stock, w/ a gross wieght of nearly 4000 pounds. Also, you would be 'forced' to utilize independent rear suspension....what a shame.

So, P!ss everyone off, www.3si.org and www.thirdgen.org alike! Make yourself the first AWD Mitsubishi/Chevy hybrid!

And if you do a nice job and get a nice donor car, it won't be all that bad. Somebody here can use all your old drivetrain and suspension parts, so it's all good! And...one less thirdgen, more resale value for those that already own one.

 

I'm pretty sure this guy is thinking AWD, not 4wd. (As in: Evo VIII / Subaru STI)

Sorry to say, it would be very expensive to do. Tons of fabrication.
.

 

Keep it stock height and use a built IFS setup like out of a mid size blazer, the stock stuff won't handle much. You'll have to hack the floor for the transfer case and have custom driveshafts made. end up with a cowl hood cause the engine might have to be a few inches higher. steering, axle n' suspension mounts, custom crossmembers and motor mounts. Not fun stuff if you ask me. Big block and 17x11 ZR1 wheels all around.

If your gonna put it on a full size frame, a tape measure, blow torch, welder, and hockey pucks should get you started. Then comes the fun part, steering joints, cutting a hole in the floor for the 4wd stick, and modifying the firewall with a sledge hammer ;-)

 

If it is indeed AWD, an AWD drivetrain from a FWD primary car seems to be the best option.

I can't think of any other AWD vehicle that can move almost 4000 pounds as fast as the VR-4 model 3000 GT, if there are some, please tell me about it.

He said money is no object, I say grab a VR-4 and go for it!

There would be lots of fab to do, but I look at the 3000 GT parts as being very F-body compatable, 'dual exaust tips' for instance.

You could probably get about $500-1000 for the body after you got everything you needed from it or just part that out too.

 

Didn't GM put out an AWD version of the Astro minivan?

 

Just buy an awd turbo car close to the same wheel base, then hang a fiberglass camaro body over it. I think that would be easier than trying to adapt the foreign drivetrain to the domestic fbod

 

because that would be the biggest waste of money and ultimate way to make a car slow and incapable of handling. AWDs only big advantage is for all weather driving (well if you can't control a fishtail). on a dry road its not any better, and the excess weight and increased drivetrain loss would be determental

 

I didn't say it was a good idea....just a way to accomplish the goal of making a thirdgen AWD without looking like it's a monster truck.

 

I think a fully cu$$$$tom platform would be the only way to do it, and the costs just can't be justified cause I think its handling wouldn't outclass the RWD that IROCs/WS6 already have (which is world class, even for todays standards)

 

just take an early eightys model cadilac and use all the parts to convert it to front wheel drive but your gonnna have to deal with delivering power to both rear and front wheels...lol.....but honestly dont do it its not worth disroying another camaro for nothing but giggles and fun...if you need to do this ill trade ya my 91 parts car for your iroc okay........

 

rear wheel weight transfer > fwd

 

hey just giving my 2 cents worth, how about a syclone/typhoon drivetrain? you could even use the motor and trans. definitely gonna have to hack out some flooring to fit the transfer case, as most of us cannot run dual exhaust there is so little room under there. Gotta say I would love to drive a awd thirdgen or any fbody or vette for that matter

 

Gm made one years ago, it looked stock from the pictures but, they never showed the drive line it was in carcraft? or hotrod? any way it was one of there old issues from the 90's where they got a peek at all the gm custom cars. if you made one I would look into this stock look otherwise don't

 

a guy around by me has a 87iroc and he strecthed it, added a 2n rear axal, and had a jacuzzi in the back.. pretty cool.. but not practical.. would make cool show car

 

83 4x4 (79 blazer frame)

not my car

 

another

 

looks real goofy dont it ...LMAO

 

i like it .. takes lots of imagination and skill to make a car in to a 4x4.. not my cup ot tee but something different to look at.. its your car do what makes you happy.. not what every one wants...

 

its just a shame to take a good third gen and make it into something like that

 

if the body was a bit lower it wouldnt look to bad. maybe smaller tires as well but then i guess the idea of something like that is so you see its a 4X4 lol. I wouldnt shun it, just shows another use for a 3rd gen

On road, off road, we're everywhere lol

 

Right off hand, I can think of at least 2 or 3 second and third gens around here that have been made into 4WD. Not for the dragstrip launch, or the AWD traction, but to make off-roaders for driving on the beach. They were done on old Blazer or pick-up frames (most likely cause the body rusted out from all the salt and the guy had a Camaro that needed mechanicals). It's not a very difficult or even complicated conversion, and whether ya like it or not, it does catch your eye cruising along the sand (now if I was gonna do it, I'd cut the roof off too and make it a convertible... )

 

i kinda like the idea of a 4x4 thirdgen f-body....hell i LOVE the idea!

but then agian, im known as the "R e d N e c k" at my high school.

 

well its still a good waste of a third gen in my opinion but i cant say it wouldnt be fun to go out and hit some mud holes in one...lol..im a good ol R - E - D - N - E - C - K too..lol...nothing wrong with it just dont do it to a good driving car .....lol

 

My dad had an old 74 Vega. He was toying with the idea of 4WDing it and basically making a "monster Vega" out of it, complete with smallblock V8. But that was before he sold it to a local Vega nut, the guy has like five or so Vegas.

 

okay, lets think about this in a parts bin perspective.


you could use the IFS front end from an early 90s S series truck, the IRS from a c4 vette, and passengers dont matter anyway, so gutting the floorboard isnt really a big deal, i would probably try to use the viscous diffy from a syclone.

i'd be willing to bet that if GM did it before, they did it with parts bin stuff.

it's easier than some of you guys make it out, both the s10, and the camaro are have steering boxes, so you would probably end up using some off the wall pitman/idler drag link combo, but it could be done, and still look pimp.

if "I" were going to do it, it'd be rolling C5 brakes and some 18"rubber all the way around. and the penalty for all this coolness would be about 400Lbs, so gut the hell out of a hardtop, and have something worth bragging about.


the issue of 60' isnt the best comparison, because on slicks, a RWD car can easily match an AWD vehicle with similar power, however, a street tire launch, this thing would **** ***.
it would HAVE TO be an automatic, as much as i hate to say it, with a fairly high stall, 3200+ even for a mild motor.



adam

 

Have you seen the IFS from an s-series separated from the truck? Does it measure up near enough to fab a mounting system under our cars?
Why do you say it has to be auto?

 

i said it HAS to be an auto for the fact that, in a heavy vehicle, especially, with AWD, a standard is just going to break things.

an automatic with a stall will let you get into your power range, without trying to rip through axles/diffs/transfer cases.


yeah, i have seen the S10 front suspension seperate. it looked like it could very possibly be done.


adam

 

Are you talkin full time AWD?

 

yes. using the sy/ty viscous diff, or the denali one, whichever is physically smaller, assuming that they aren't one and the same.