Street based rear engine buggy.

[Courtmer66]

I'm building my first buggy. It's a 4 seat long travel designed for a rear engine v8. I want to use a junkyard ls and rebuild to about 450-500hp. I'm not looking to spend 6k+ on a transaxle and was wandering what options I have available to use. It'll never see sand or rocks. I'm in eastern South Dakota so not much for that worse it'll handle is deep snow. Does anyone have suggestions on what I can go with? I have a manual car currently and drive it pretty spiritedly. I just want to be able to have fun cruising around and playing in the snow. No high RPM launches or any of that but I do want to be able to have a good top speed and quick acceleration while using 35in tires. Any and all help and suggestions is highly appreciated.

 

[partybarge_pilot]

500HP and 35's would require much more than a 6K transaxle.

Stick a 4L80E behind it and run a 9", 14 bolt, 60.........

 

[Ol' Curmudgeon]

Built Power-glide: quick and fast (that's also the two speeds you'll get).

 

[Courtmer66]

Problem is it's not gonna be a truggy and my current design is set up for transaxle. Going with a standard trans and rear end wouldn't really work. But I see transaxle sites claiming a certain one can hold x amount of power in sand and x amount in off-road racing. Would standard street driving have less stress on it or am I mistaken.

 

[partybarge_pilot]

Those HP estimates are very optimistic and put out there buy guys that rebuild axles for a living. There's nothing like a repeat customer.

 

[partybarge_pilot]

You would be better off running a T-case like a V-drive and using a IRS diff.

 

[Courtmer66]

I'll check into how I can maybe set that up. But to do that I'd have to switch from running it rear engine over to a mid engine design?

 

[Ol' Curmudgeon]

Would standard street driving have less stress on it or am I mistaken.

More traction = more problems. That's why TT's DON'T run lugged tires.

PG and a diff can be IRS. Much bigger ring gears available at a cheaper price, IIRC.

Remember, no matter your choice:

Buy once, cry once.

Speed, price, quality: choose two.

Check out the Las Vegas Dissemination Class 1 out of Butch's shop circa '96-2004 for a rear-engined car with a diff and IRS.

 

[Courtmer66]

Thanks. Glad that I have an area where people can give me good reliable answers and clear up any misinformation that I may have. I'll have to check them out.

 

[Courtmer66]

More traction = more problems. That's why TT's DON'T run lugged tires.

PG and a diff can be IRS. Much bigger ring gears available at a cheaper price, IIRC.

Remember, no matter your choice:

Buy once, cry once.

Speed, price, quality: choose two.

Check out the Las Vegas Dissemination Class 1 out of Butch's shop circa '96-2004 for a rear-engined car with a diff and IRS.

Do you by chance have a link to any of it.

 

[partybarge_pilot]

Look at dragster stuff, they have couplers for 9" to T400's and PG's.

 

[Ol' Curmudgeon]

No, you might try calling/mailing Butch's in LV.

Here's the website:

Off road and dune buggy parts - Butch's Speed Shop - Las Vegas, Nevada

 

[partybarge_pilot]

Couplers / Sleeves Archives - Strange Engineering

 

[Courtmer66]

Thanks again for all the help.

 

[Bert is my name]

Short 4l60 to corvette rear diff or narrowed 9 inch.

 

[Bert is my name]

Short 4l60 to corvette rear diff or narrowed 9 inch.

 

[Courtmer66]

Now how much longer would any of these be compared to the transaxle route?

 

[Bert is my name]

The vette 4l60 and diff are one unit. Technically making it a trans axle. There is a long tube running from the engine to the trans housing the drive shaft. It can be removed and the trans can be bolted directly to the engine. I'm not sure what the lengths are but Google will have those numbers. The powerglide can be shortened a lot. But it isn't a whole lot shorter once the diff is added. A wrecked c-6 vette will net you the entire drivetrain at the horsepower level you want so money is saved as long as it's a runner. No rebuild cost. Harness and engine controller should be there too. It's cheaper usually to buy a donor take what you need and sell the rest.

 

[Courtmer66]

But that's all automatic transmissions being suggested. Aren't there any manual options? Like a t56 magnum. Or maybe a Porsche g50? I know of companies that have cable shift conversions.

 

[Ol' Curmudgeon]

Realistically, what is your budget for this project?