Transaxles

[MaineShark]

Here's an odd one...

Can anyone name a transaxle that can take hefty amounts of torque, and has the differential at the front?

Joe

 

[JohnZ]

ZF - used in the Pantera and several other low-volume mid-engined cars; diff and drive axles are at the front where it bolts to the bellhousing, gearbox section is at the rear.

 

[Mac]

Transaxle with diff in front? How about the 67 through 70 Caddy Eldorado? 300+ hp...

-Mac

 

[drags1998]

Hey Joe, WAYYYY back a friend of mine had a Corvair trans-axle behind a Big-Block Pontiac & it LIVED . Now Corvair stuff is getting rare, but there still around!!!!! Paul

 

[MaineShark]

Thanks, guys. So far, the ZF looks most promising. Anyone know where I can get specs (dimensions, torque ratings, etc.) for ZF transaxles (either the older ones, like in the Pantera, or the modern units)? Their website is less than helpful...

Joe

 

[JohnZ]

They haven't made the Pantera-style ZF transaxle for many years, but there are some of them around; hang onto your wallet when you find one - good rebuilt units routinely go these days for $5K-$8K. Some guys have used Porsche (or Corvair) transaxles with the ring gear flipped over; Crown makes the Corvair flip-over parts, and the Porsche flipped units are also VERY expensive (usually advertised in the kit car magazines).

 

[Ol Blue]

As I remember, the Corvair transaxle had the same gears as a Muncie, which is how they lived with the Crown conversion.

Ol Blue

 

[MaineShark]

Well, I guess I should have specified "still in production."

I'll see what I can dig up from ZF, if they have any current offerings that would work...

Joe

 

[JHL]

Don't know what your interest in this is or if you are actually trying to buy one but have a look at this site. Hewland are probably one of the best and were used extensively in motor sport including Formula One for years. Not sure if they were ever used in any road going cars though.

http://www.hewland-engineering.co.uk/svga/history.htm

One of the other companies that also sells transaxles that are extensively used in motorsport at almost all levels is Quaife

http://www.quaife.co.uk/product/index.htm

J.

 

[Tom Bryant]

Actually the Corvair 4 speed trans was the same Saginaw box used in the lower horsepower Camaros, Chevelles, Novas in the late 60s. It just didn't have a tailhousing since it bolted to the diff. A friend Crowned his '66 Corvair in '68 with a Corvette 327/365 in the back seat. He later put a new '70 LT1 in it. The thing was ungodly fast and handled like a go cart. '65 -'69 Corvair rear suspensions are basically the same design as the Corvette no matter what Nader says.

BTW he never broke any transaxle parts and last I knew he still has the car.

Tom

 

[JohnZ]

Xtrac/Hewland (U.K.) makes the transaxles for the factory Corvette C5-R race cars; saw six of them fresh in crates last time I was at the Pratt & Miller shop. They're only about $65,000 each :eyerole

 

[MaineShark]

Actually the Corvair 4 speed trans was the same Saginaw box used in the lower horsepower Camaros, Chevelles, Novas in the late 60s. It just didn't have a tailhousing since it bolted to the diff. A friend Crowned his '66 Corvair in '68 with a Corvette 327/365 in the back seat. He later put a new '70 LT1 in it. The thing was ungodly fast and handled like a go cart. '65 -'69 Corvair rear suspensions are basically the same design as the Corvette no matter what Nader says.

BTW he never broke any transaxle parts and last I knew he still has the car.

Tom

Really? How'd they manage to get the diff in front of the gearbox, instead of behind? I'm not doubting your information, since I don't know, but if that's the case, it suggests that an existing transmission might be converted to a front-differential transaxle in some manner, which would simplify things...

Joe

 

[Jack]

RBT Tansmissions at Orange California USA has an impressive history with ZF transaxles. R&D, Service & Sales.
www.rbttrans.com
714.516.1215

 

[Tom Bryant]

If I remember right part of the Crown kit is a differential flip kit to point the diff forward. Check out this site for a very thorough article on building a Crown Corv-8. Go to the Norris build and look at pages 1 and 8 for a couple of good pictures of the engine/trans/diff assembly and then go to page 10 and 38 for an excellent picture of the transaxle. This is a high quality rebuild and the whole article is worth reading.

http://www.corvaircorsa.com/crown1.html

Tom

 

[MaineShark]

If I remember right part of the Crown kit is a differential flip kit to point the diff forward. Check out this site for a very thorough article on building a Crown Corv-8. Go to the Norris build and look at pages 1 and 8 for a couple of good pictures of the engine/trans/diff assembly and then go to page 10 and 38 for an excellent picture of the transaxle. This is a high quality rebuild and the whole article is worth reading.

http://www.corvaircorsa.com/crown1.html

Thanks. It's an interesting article, from what I've read so far. But the diff is at the back of the transaxle, not the front

Joe

 

[MaineShark]

Just popping this back up, in case anyone has new ideas.

So far, it seems that the only streetable option in a currently-manufactured longitudinal transaxle that has the differential up front is Quaife, and their prices are, shall we say, a bit on the high side...

Out of curiousity, does anyone know what the dimensions of the current-production Corvette transaxle are? Specifically, the distance from the front (engine surface) of the bellhousing to the axle centerline?

I'm trying to design a mid-engined car, in the same general size class as the Shelby Cobras and similar small roadsters.

I've read, in GM's marine engine catalog, that the LSx engine measures 28.5" from the front of the pulley to the rear of the block. So, if I were to mount the transaxle directly to the engine (no torque tube), I could end up with a mid-engine setup. But I have a sneaking suspicion that it will push the engine and, as a result, the firewall, too far forward into the cockpit...

Still, maybe I've mis-estimated the dimensions of the Corvette transaxle. If so, it would simplify things to use a standard GM part...

Joe