does anyone know how all wheel drive cars work using one tranny, also is it possible for me to make my camaro the same way (I want clean ,fast, launches)

 

Well first of all AWD is not always best for drag racing. Sure you might get better traction, but the drivetrain becomes less efficient, in effect, you lose more HP through the drivetrain as opposed to a RWD setup. Anyways, im done bitching, heres how it works. Im not sure about all the differences between 4WD and AWD, but heres how 4WD works (they are close). You have a transfer case on the transmission. This is really nothing more than 2 sprockets, with a chain around them. One sprocket is driven by the output shaft of the tranny, and it turns the other one, which drives a front driveshaft. Everything for the rear wheels is the same, drivehaft, differential, etc. The front driveshaft goes to a front differential, which turns the front axle. Then, the axle has big u-joints on the ends, so you can steer the wheels. ITs pretty simple actually. lol its amazing how much you learn about 4WD when you replace the engine and tranny on an 85 Dodge Ram PU 4WD.

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1983 Pontiac Firebird SE
LG4-Based Chevy 400
700R4 Tansmission
Modified 4 Barrel Q-Jet Carb
Accel Super Stock 8mm Wires
Edelbrock Pro-Flo Air Cleaner
3.23 Posi Rear
14X7" Cragar SS/T Wheels
Clarion 45X4 CD/AM/FM Head Unit
100WX2 Amp
2 Pioneer 12" Subs in Custom Box
Third Gen Performance
"A four cylinder is only half an engine"

 

I've seen it once, on a second-gen firebird. It was half firebird, half truck, so he called it a "****" pardon my french. The owner had the firebird body put on a later 70's/early 80's k-5 blazer chassis. The only thing is you need some kind of lowering kit to make it look right. The firebird did amazing in the snow, but it weighed a ton :-)

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1980 Camaro, '88 Police 350 engine, Headers, full exhaust, completely redone, my baby!
1988 Iroc-Z L98, MSD 6a, Accel coil, K+N's, Airfoil, Coolant Bypass, Flowmaster, Gears, Late model Bose, I like the 80 better

 

I think AWD's have three differentials... You've got a driveshaft coming off the tranny into the first one, which then splits between front and rear tires.. Then you have a diff. at the front and rear.

I'm sure anything's possible, but I think it would be haaaaaaaaaard has hell and very very costly to convert a thirdgen to an awd car.

On another note, fwd cars have a tranny and differential built into the same thing, called a transaxle, so it doesn't doesn't have to do some weird u-turn thing with the driveshafts. heh

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89 iroc-z 305 tbi
k&n filtercharger, open element air filter. nuffin' else

 

AWD's run a fluid transfer case. There is no actual connection between the two driveshafts. Think of it as a hydralic system. There are some major differences between the front to rear engine mounting and the sidwinder mounting so comparing the two get difficult.

Can a third gen be made AWD? I have access to a plasma cutter and a welding shop, anything is possible. Is it worth it? In a word, NO! Your talking about totaly redesigning the whole powertrain. You would need to change the front crossmember, engine mounts, struts, transmission tunnel, engine location, come up with the proper front drive axle, viscous coupling, adapter to the trans, and a machinist to make what you can't buy. I won't tell you about having to design a new front suspension and spindles, or A-arms.

Then after $15,000 you will most likely launch worse. The conversion will add at least 200 lbs to the car. For that much time and money I want to be competitive with Gary Scelzi! ( or at least his transporter )

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Remember, Behind every successful man is a suprised mother-in-law.
-Gallager
Qsac

 

I've often thought about something like this. IMO you wouldn't often be losing races on the street w/ a 450 hp or greater engine and a good AWD setup.

I wondered if basically stripping a Typhoon/Cyclone AWD truck down to the frame, shortening the wheelbase, lower it, and then custom rigging up the Camaro body parts back onto it would work. I'm not sure it's even possible and I can imagine it's a major pain in the *** . But in the end you'd have one hell of a unique custom AWD 3rd gen w/ the nice turbo 4.3l engine which would be unique in it's self in a 3rd gen...

In the case of the Cy/Ty you could keep all the current drivetrain I would think, just mod the turbo motor and meet the power goals. It's all a matter of how hard it would be to custom fab all the body mounts, and do all the shortening/narrowing of the frame that would be hard.

Anyone have any thoughts?

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Ray87Z
-Vortec headed 350.
86 IROC w/ a cammed 305 TPI.
Formerly Ray86IROC.
www.inter-scape.com/Ray


[This message has been edited by Ray87Z (edited March 02, 2001).]