Project 2G RWD conversion

[gabytech]

Back in 2011, my project 2G GST was just around the corner of been finished and ready to see action. The build goal at that time was to be the quickest 2G Eclipse GST with drag radials. But been brainstorming an Eclipse RWD conversion in my head for a few years now, the current project took a turn. After long sleepless nights brainstorming, planning, and talking to a few guys who have done 4G63 RWD conversion either DSMs or non-DSMs, decided to give it a go. A lot of performance parts from the original GST build will be used, but a lot of them wont be needed and will be useless. A new game plan was designed and a new performance parts shopping list was started. The project is currently still in the performance parts shopping spree, since a few more parts will be needed before the Eclipse takes the trip to the race car chassis fabrication shop. Valdo Chassis in Puerto Rico will fabricate the engine/trans mounts, front suspension crossmember, rear end, roll cage, and a few other misc. parts. The 2G Eclipse RWD will be a stock chassis racecar shooting to be the quickest DSM with drag radials.

List of parts at the laboratory:

8.8in Ford Explorer live axle/disc brakes assembly - WILL NOT USE - Going Strange Engineering 9in. rear end
Billhousing 4G63/TKO bellhousing
Summit Racing Drag-Thrust 15x10 rear wheels
Mickey Thompson 275/60-15 ET Street Radial tires
Competition Engineering 36in steel wheel tubs
Competition Engineering parachute mount
2G 4G63 .040 oversize bore & hone block
Eagle conrods
Wiseco HD 3.386 bore pistons
ARP head & main studs
Cometic head gasket
1G 4G63 cyl. head
Magnus v3 cast intake manifold
Frontline Fabrication CNC cyl. head
CXRacing intercooler mounting bar
Frontline Fabrication CNC -16AN cooling parts
Jay Racing alternator relocation kit
1G external oil cooler filter housing
Aeromotive A1000 fuel press. reg.
Aeromotive fuel rail
Sparco Sprint 5 racing seats
Autometer Phantom gauges
OEM 99 black dashboard
OEM 99 black door panels
Carbon Creations Aero 1 carbon fiber front lip
Carbonetics carbon fiber windshield wiper cowl
Carbonetics carbon fiber doors
Carbonetics carbon fiber door sills
Carbonetics carbon fiber hatch
Carbonetics carbon fiber sunroof plug
FAL molded rear quarter panel & hatch windows
various misc. OEM parts

Stay tuned as a few more parts are been bought and the Eclipse takes the trip to the chassis shop...

 

[TwinT66]

Looking forward to updates.
Tony

 

[Chris1990gsx]

Looking forward to updates.
Tony

+1 looking forward for updates

 

[dsmrafa]

post pictures man

 

[KHRacing]

Looking forward to many big updates

My car is soon done i hope:

http://forumbilder.se/show.aspx?iid=d92012113321P9fa1

 

[Rsawd95dsm]

Will be suscribing to see how this turns out! Good Luck!

 

[bastarddsm]

Why are you ditching the 8.8 for the 9"? I know the 9" is stronger, but it is also heavier and more parasitic. a 4g won't make that much torque...

what are you planning for the rear? 4 link?

 

[gabytech]

Why are you ditching the 8.8 for the 9"? I know the 9" is stronger, but it is also heavier and more parasitic. a 4g won't make that much torque...

what are you planning for the rear? 4 link?

As I have research the 8.8 can withstand the abuse to a certain point, but it has its limits. It ain't the same abusing the 8.8 rear end in a AWD DSM than a RWD DSM. We want to build the rear end to handle 1000+ hp abuse. The decision of going with the 9in over the 8.8 was determined after extensive research with different chassis fabricators and rear end manufacturers. Besides, the 8.8 having a rear cover won't allow the back brace to be welded for extra strength like the 9in. The Strange 9in drag race assembly will allow us to have a bullet proof rear end from the get go and avoid future breakage atleast rear end wise.... Race cars are always prone to breakage, but a lot of budget built race cars are constanly breaking and when the total cost of building the budget race car and R&R of broken parts every other race day will end up costing more in the long haul than building a 8sec race car from the get go that could handle quicker ETs. Rather than enjoying your race car, you'll end up with a race car headache... Thats what I'm avoiding, even if it cost me an extra 6 months build up time and an extra 5k total race car cost...

 

[bastarddsm]

Fair enough. What are you doing for rear suspension?

 

[gabytech]

Fair enough. What are you doing for rear suspension?

Not sure yet, 4link would be the best choice, but we also want the rear seats to remain. Still haven't gone into details with the suspension tuner. Theres a stock chassis NO-wheelie bar 2JZ Corolla running low 7s with ladder bar suspension. Im going to contact the same suspension tuner of that race car and take it from there...

 

[bastarddsm]

Well keep us posted. I have a similar project in the works Not as extreme. 1G Rwd but not tubbed.

 

[whe3ls]

Why are you ditching the 8.8 for the 9"? I know the 9" is stronger, but it is also heavier and more parasitic. a 4g won't make that much torque...

what are you planning for the rear? 4 link?

i have seen the weaker 28 spline small tube 8.8s hold 600+ foot pounds of torque in a ~4000 pound car.

 

[gabytech]

i have seen the weaker 28 spline small tube 8.8s hold 600+ foot pounds of torque in a ~4000 pound car.

I also have seen them hold. Its not a matter if the 8.8 will hold or not, its a matter of how long will the 8.8 hold... Im going to be in the 600-800hp range from the get go. The best route to go with when building a performance machine is build the car to hold a few more ponies that what you are planning on having, that way you wont stress abuse or fatigue the moving parts that quick. Plus that will leave you some room to play with and grow in the future without to many changes. Im not planning on running 6s, but if I can build the rear end to hold 1000+ hp from the get go, that way when the time comes to take the machine further and boost it up, I dont have to change every component in the car driveline wise.

As I was just speaking with G-Force transmissions today, the T5 will hold just borderline my torque/hp goal, but its going to see hard abuse and the fatigue will be a lot higher than a GF3650 trans... The T5 holds 600hp/ 500 torque and cost $2,800, the GF3650 holds 1000hp/900 torque and cost $4,700, plus they are both streetable trans. A big $$$ difference, but the T5 won't hold long enough and add the cost repairing the transmission in case of failure, the GF3650 will end up holding the power and in the long run costing less compared to the T5...

Thats why a few budget cars are constanly breaking every other race day at the track, cause they are usually build borderline their power and torque capacity... Thats not an enjoyable race car, thats a headache race car... I prefer to take 6 months longer building the car, and end up with a car I can have fun with, not constanly face breakage and race for a while before taking it further...

 

[ThunderChild]

i agree with your rear end choice, there are alot of 8.8s that hold serious power, but the strange axles are legendary, and at the rev points you will be exercising the 9" is the better choice for longevity.

its better to surplus and play on the safe side when going with rear/trans components at that power level.

 

[gabytech]

Update project Street Stock Chassis Drag Radial RWD 4G63 Eclipse: still need to finish narrowing the frame rails and mini tub it before I measure and order the 9in rear end. Still need the G-Force mock-up transmission to have the chassis fab shop fabricate the motor/trans mounts... Stay tuned !!!

 

[Eckzavier]

Where are the updates Gabriel?

 

[gabytech]

Updates: prepping for mini tubs done. The chassis shop should finish with the rear end, fabricate the motor/trans mount and roll cage.

 

[Number1dad]

How much $ into this so fa? Must be high

 

[bettfootball]

You can buy brand new OEM floors???

 

[gabytech]

You can buy brand new OEM floors???

Yes, for $297.93 + Shipping

 

[H4G64T]

Yes, for $297.93 + Shipping

Those websites still list strut towers and lower rocker panels, but they are in fact discontinued and submitting an order for them results in an email and refund a few days later, explaining that they are no longer available. Ask me how I know.

Sorry to be a Debbie Downer, but call them before you even place the order, most likely they will tell you they cannot actually be purchased.

 

[gabytech]

Those websites still list strut towers and lower rocker panels, but they are in fact discontinued and submitting an order for them results in an email and refund a few days later, explaining that they are no longer available. Ask me how I know.

Sorry to be a Debbie Downer, but call them before you even place the order, most likely they will tell you they cannot actually be purchased.

Hope they still around, last time I checked with my local Mitsu dealer parts shop they are still available...

 

[H4G64T]

Hope they still around, last time I checked with my local Mitsu dealer parts shop they are still available...

If you know of a dealer that can still get body parts like this, can you PM me the dealer name. I would love to grab some stuff.

 

[gabytech]

If you know of a dealer that can still get body parts like this, can you PM me the dealer name. I would love to grab some stuff.

I'll check tomorrow, if they still really available, I'll order the floor right away tomorrow... My ex brother in-law owns a body shop, so I guess I'll have him fish around for the floor...

I just spent a day calling my local Mitsu parts distributor as well as other national Mitsu parts shops. Most body parts are discountinued, guess will have to buy a donor car and cut the floor section off.

 

[bettfootball]

So if you are using that rear spoiler why did you get the csl lip one?