RWD conversion possible?

crossie · Jul 4, 2010

I know this thread is all bonkers and totally idiotic, but I'd like to know:

is there a possibility in converting a FWD car into RWD? especially "our" cars, i.e. S40 and V50 ?
should be possible with AWD to RWD, am I right?

do the FWD cars provide enough space for the whole drive train? I'm pretty sure this is not plug and drive, so (hypothetically) what am I exactly looking at? would the rear axle with prop shaft and stuff from a 320i / 320d work?
the whole stupid idea was born when I was talking about the AWD to RWD conversion from a R34 skyline with a friend...

and I'm sure I haven't got the money to pull that off, but as I said... theoretically... possible?

carreragt7 · Jul 4, 2010

With enough money, anything is possible.

crossie · Jul 4, 2010

haha, AJ... yeah, I figured... but I was thinking of the drivetrain / axle swap, and if there was enough space...to pull that off with leaving a lot of the original parts - or if you'd have to change parts like the gearbox, motor etc too...

carreragt7 · Jul 4, 2010

Yeah, I know what you were looking for but I honestly have 0% experience with that. I'd assume that it could be done, but may take quite a bit of reworking the bottom of the vehicle. I'm not sure where the gas tank is, that might have to be relocated or replaced with a different shaped one. It'd be really cool to have a RWD S40/V50, but I'll just put up with my AWD with FWD bias for now.

primodevil · Jul 5, 2010

im sure its possible.... hell it would be pretty sweet to see one drifting around lol. but it would have to be a complete drive train swap... the transverse engine and trans kills it for us. the esiest way (and its pretty far fetched) is to take an awd and pull the front shafts...and some how manage to keep the hub together and keep the trans fluid from puking out all over... but even then im pretty doubtfull

mcevoya · Jul 5, 2010

Its definitely doable. I converted an 850 to rear wheel drive using the volvo 960 drive train and tran's just had to make some suspension adjustments and a mounting plate plus different flywheel. Also did a ford 9" conversion (race purpose ) But that was a headache. If you want to do it make sure you measure the spacing you have for the drive train and rear end you want to use. It should not be a big problem since the s40 and v40 already having spacing for the AWD drive train

mofolicious · Jul 5, 2010

I would think your biggest hurdle would be the transmission bell housing, and lack of space for it in the firewall. We already have a tunnel for the driveshaft for the AWD cars, so that's not a huge deal.

Providing there is enough room for the T5 and the trans (didn't Volvo make a RWD T5 powered car that would have a transmission you could use) to be longitudinally mounted in the engine bay.

Then you are looking at fabbing mounts, relocating a few things, etc. I'm not saying it's easy, but easier in theory than most other FWD cars, as the chassis provides some room for you to work with.

VictorVDC · Jul 6, 2010

The fastest 1/4 mile Talon in the world (i believe in the 9 sec) began life as an AWD but to get it in the 9 seconds they removed all the front drive train to save weight. When the front wheels are a few inches off the ground AWD has no advantage over RWD.

If you were in Canada I could send you to the shop I am sure they would enjoy the chalange of setting up a Volvo that way

Skilla85 · Jul 6, 2010

VictorVDC said:
The fastest 1/4 mile Talon in the world (i believe in the 9 sec) began life as an AWD but to get it in the 9 seconds they removed all the front drive train to save weight. When the front wheels are a few inches off the ground AWD has no advantage over RWD.

If you were in Canada I could send you to the shop I am sure they would enjoy the chalange of setting up a Volvo that way

which place is this?... and canada is pretty big...

stealth · Jul 6, 2010

Keep in mind, the AWD trim has a different fuel tank. At the very least, the AWD tank certainly has less fuel capacity.

http://apps.volvocars.us/ownersdocs/2005/2005_S40/05s40_12a.htm#pg186

-ForceFed- · Jul 6, 2010

Going from FWD to RWD would just be a headache and not be worth the money. For those that are electronic factory AWD would be a much better investment to change the rear diff with something like a subaru and make a legitimate AWD system. Id be much more amped for that setup than hacking away at the rear of the vehicle to mount up a rear diff.

SiCkEsTC30 · Jul 7, 2010

There is a custom rwd c30 that was made, not sure if it ever was completed yet. http://www.autoblog.com/photos/rwd-c30-racer/#736024 http://www.c30world.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9325&highlight=rwd+c30

ForceFed Motorsports said:
Going from FWD to RWD would just be a headache and not be worth the money. For those that are electronic factory AWD would be a much better investment to change the rear diff with something like a subaru and make a legitimate AWD system. Id be much more amped for that setup than hacking away at the rear of the vehicle to mount up a rear diff.

Never looked fully into the awd system but where is it controlled? The rear or the transfer case(or whatever you want to call it)?

-ForceFed- · Jul 7, 2010

The haldex is bolted right to the side of the front of the differential unit. By the AOC technically. But if you have a custom drive shaft made and just mounted up a mechanical diff you would have something up to par with a subaru or the old volvos anyway. What I consider a true AWD system.

VictorVDC · Jul 7, 2010

Skilla85 said:
which place is this?... and canada is pretty big...

Since the thread was started by a member form Germany I didn't think the exact location was importaint. The place is http://magnusmotorsports.com/. in the Toronto area if you are interested.

They probably have moved there speciality away from Talons since the AWD Turbo has been discontinued for a number of years..

crossie · Jul 7, 2010

so let me conclude: take a T5 AWD S40/V50, a rear axle + transmission + other stuff from a RWD T5 (I don't think there is one out there - correct me if I'm wrong), a huge amount of money, time and thats about it.

V70 Brad · Jul 7, 2010

Have you thought of ways to take the FWD drivetrain and simply moving it REARWARD? I know people who have made RWD Jettas this way. They take the front subframe with the drivetrain and front suspension attached and move it REARWARD. Interesting to see the engine in the TRUNK.

stealth · Jul 7, 2010

Well at that point, why not make a truly rear-biased AWD that sends power forward with the prop shaft (use the Haldex XWD)?

SiCkEsTC30 · Jul 7, 2010

or you can do something like volvospeed's s60r graphite project with a evo drivetrain. http://graphite.volvospeed.com/

RWD conversion possible?

crossie

carreragt7

crossie

carreragt7

primodevil

mcevoya

mofolicious

VictorVDC

Skilla85

stealth

-ForceFed-

SiCkEsTC30

-ForceFed-

VictorVDC

crossie

V70 Brad

stealth

SiCkEsTC30

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