Info - Is it possible to make a RWD mx3?



  • ill have a look to see if there are any cars that could be converted too fit the mx-3 ill let you know what i find



  • It looks like the mx5's have rear wheel drive on the later models, saying they're based on the same chassis and have the same engines, surely the drivetrain would be a straight swap? :?



  • Are you sure their based on the same chassis? When I park mine next to my brothers MX5 theres a coniderable differance in the dimensions.



  • from what i've seen, i've parked mine next to an mx5, unsure of the year, but it looks exactly the same apart from its a soft top and got different bumpers, but it was a FWD one :?



  • Odd, I thought all MX5's were rear wheel drive. I learn something new everyday. :o



  • the only problem with that is how would you get the power to the back end, well thinking about it i guess you would have to re mount the engine unless you could find a trasfer box to fit



  • There is are a couple of guys in the US who have done an AWD conversion.

    http://home.comcast.net/~josh95mx/Mods/Mods2/Mods2.htm

    QUOTE: (www.mx-3.com)

    "well seeing as i have done it, its defiantly plausible. it requires front end work. custom front engine cradle, custom motor mounts front and rear, you have to modify the trans. then to make way for a custom drive shaft, either the Protege drive shaft has to be shortened or the GTX one needs to be lengthened, as well as mounts for the carrier berrings. then that brings us to the gas tank, if your not going to put a fuel cell in it you need to find a GTX or AWD protege gas tank. and hope you can mount it, as it will need some work too. and they use two fuel pumps so a little wireing as well. then the rear end needs to be completely refabricated. new sub frame rails, mounts, strut placement, and you have to make sure everything is aligned perfectly or your car will drive down the road sideways. (this isnt even all of what you will need to make it work)

    its defiantly not easy, but if you have some time and about 2-2500K to throw at it assuming you do all the work yourself, or at least know someone who can weld. cause if your welds don’t hold it will fall rite out from under you.

    end result: its fun as hell to drive, threw snow and ice with ease, swamp it in the mud, 4 wheel drifts and burnouts. but you cant cut yourself short when doing the swap, as it really messes with the integrity of the car, and if not done properly, it could be fatal. thats why you will find no write up on the swap, at least from me. lol best of luck."



  • :lol: Hey, i never said i wanted info…but yer i guess its turned into that, i merely gave my opinion, to make a 4wd you'd probably be better with a write off GTX, GTR's use the same stuff, but has had alot more work so cost alot more.

    so looks like alot of people agree with my rear wheel drive theory? :D



  • yea i was told when i became a part of the site to do the drift and rwd conversion… found info about it on some web sites. but omg translate from japanise is required.



  • google toolbar is your friend :lol: it can translate pages



  • owww looks like im looking for the site again…. was also wondering on the subject of cars could be used... would rx8 work... as there are so many written off ones around now



  • i was thinking the same, but its a rotary engine, so it might be completely different



  • about this time last year i was looking at shipping over a rwd mx3 from the states with a rx7 turbo engine in. would have cost about 3.5K. So it can be done.
    Unfortunately the owner never made a write up on any mx forum that i know of.
    But it can be done, but remember you put all this money in a mx3 and you will never see it back, think the most your ever sell a mx for is 3-5K and thats with atleast 6K put into it. Ie mine, tommy d,rsroadkilla even jerone at jtl have all had this problem!.
    But i will keep plodding along with my mx because i love it 8)



  • got to ask tho is the any car that you could get a transfer box of so you could keep the engine mounted the way it is? :?



  • MAZDA 323 GTX rear axle on a mx-3 plausable!



  • full rx7

    cut rx7 floor pan out tunnel etc allready done.

    engine,box,prop,diff blah..

    mx3 would be shit for a rwd conversion.

    Weight distribution.



  • I dont think it'll be that bad at RWD, all RWD cars have poo weight distribution, you not remember the old Capri? you had to put a couple of paving slabs in the back in winter :lol:

    and the fact its got quite a long wheel base and the wheels are pretty much on the corners, it could be quite a good drift machine :?



  • If your spending that much, would you not be better just spending the extra for a rear engine setup? (not that I've any idea how much either cost) :P



  • erm…ill just refer you all to my original post, this thread was about how i thought the MX3 would have really suited RWD, the title got changed when people got more in depth to how to do a RWD conversion :lol:



  • lol at Welly, weight distribution and the MX3 being a bad choice for a rear wheel drive setup, from the guy whos putting 300+ bhp into a Front wheel drive car…oh dear....If you want a smoke machine go to the disco.

    The MX3 is in fact a perfect car for modification because it is relatively light and has a sufficient track width and 50/50 weight distribution with a clean chassis (no engine)

    I have been planing on a rear wheel drive / Twin Engine / Rear Engine conversion for over a Two years now and there is one problem.....The Pendulum effect, this is what many big bhp Jap cars suffer from. Too much power without the weight above the driven wheels. It is all to do with Vectors and what is called the Co Efficient of Friction. This is a tyres ability to put power to tarmac in relation to the weight (Newtons) Pressure in a given area of tyre space.
    "Pascals"

    So the solution, putting the engine in the back is the answer, although you will need many custom parts to go round corners. A custom front spring setup with a lower poundage spring and matched dampers for starters. I had decided on putting the KLZE in the back about 1yr ago, but then realised i would be just tempting fate as the KLZE was never designed to be a big bhp engine.....without replacing many internals and having a custom box made up. The biggest weakness it the KL box, it simply cant take the power, and using a Diff to assist driveability on a RWD car eg...ATB Quaffe, will just drop the boxes ability to cope as more stresses arise from an increase in the Tractive power.

    The end result is that if you want to do something worthwhile you will need to think outside the box, sadly this means leaving the KLZE behind unless you want to pay 6k on a box just to be reliably limited to 300bhp.

    I have a perfect idea and it is going to blow you all away, a few of you may know my plans and last week i stumbled across a perfect combinaton of weight distributon, power and reliability. The engine is not a Mazda KL, but then the MX3 was never issued with a KL so the purists can suck an egg. All i can say is it will be just what im after, something different and unexpected.

    Once the build has reached the first stage i will get some pictures up. Im not the kind of guy to say im doing this and that and bore everyone with details everytime i spend 10quid so wish me luck and we will leave it there.

    If anyone does have any projects or wild ideas, post them up.

    Gareth, totaly agree with the statement, you will never get any money back after modding your MX3. People who buy an MX3 are mostly like i was, people that could not afford an RX7, so never have any money in one go. Hence why i just resorted to selling a few bits on.

    My old Exhaust, the musical instrument of my life for the past 2yrs is now up in Nottingham, Kami, get it fitted and make some noise!!!

    Cheers, Tom


 

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