4 whl independent 4wd

[bone]

something ive been daydreaming about but probly will never happen.


before you roast me for this remember NO VWs were harmed in the writing of this post

thought about posting this on somba just to watch them have a vw nazi nervous breakdown for fun.

sideways mid mounted vw engine and locked diff trans
vw 4spd trans becomes trans and 4wd transfer case cv shafts down to two 4wd s10 front differentials front and rear you can flip them over to get the correct rotation

the gearing would be whatever the vw ring and pinion is plus the 3.73 in the differentials front and rear would allow for big tires without overworking the engine.

seat all the way to the rear between the rear tires, 4 wheel independent 4wd off road machine, the weight savings alone from dumping a cast iron V8 and transfercase would almost be worth it.

[vw1s]

Sounds cool, 4 speed transfer case, with reverse!
Here's the problems I see:
I've seen a LOT of broken S-10 front diffs/housings, even with a stock 4.3l and only 31-10.50's! Getting some of the weight off may help, but, they ARE weak.
The VW engine would sit offset from center in order for your drive"shafts" to be inline with the front and rear/front end, not a big deal, but may take some interesting use of a gas tank, battery, and driver to offset the weight.
What would you use for driveshafts? You would have to convert from the CV flange on the VW trans to a u-joint at the front and rear ends.
Probably looking at a custom chassis, and suspension...CHA-CHING$$$
It's possible, just takes $$.
It would be fun though! Show those rock crawlers how VW's do it!

[bone]

engine on the right, gas tank,battery on the left
driver center between rear tires, if ya break the s10 diff
easy conversion to 1/2 chev truck stuff.

drive shafts--80s jeep cherokee used a cv at the rear and u joint at the front combo for the front drive shaft, if the differentials are mounted solid as they are in the stock use there wouldnt really be a need for high travel joints

chassis--old sand rail chassis would be easy to convert. hardest part would be fabing up front/rear control arms, bolt in chevy ball joints and use the front spindles and bearings from the donor s10
could be used in the rear also for a 4 wheel steer application

trickiest part i see is the shifter, but my brain has a way of over looking things

again....no classic VWs were harmed in this discussion ;D

[ghiastein]

What would you be gaining with a lop-sided, tractor slow, 60 hp contraption?

[81pumagtc]

I kind of think AJ is right here. It seems an awful like an answer to a question that nobody has asked.

I don't know if there is enough torque down low to make it fun to drive. Nice to dream however.

If you really want to see some interesting stuff on four wheel drive, visit here: www.dpcars.net/

Dennis is designing and building some very sophisticated and very tiny four wheel drive track cars using all sorts of cool chassis and motorcycle power plants including the Hartley, which is a 400+ horsepower V-8 based on the Hayabusa motor. Very interesting stuff!

If you have the time, he goes back to the very inception of the DP-1, theory, design, styling, etc. Great reading.


Dave

[Dustin]

There is someone currently working on transplanting the synchro awd system from a Vanagon into a VW Thing right now. I can't remember where I seen it though.

[MadMike]

That's alot of work When a decent VW buggy can and will run circles around most 4x4's ;D ;D ;D ;D Been there done that In a 100mi long S.C.O.R.E. race I laped all the 4x4's twice 8-)no brag just fact ;D Bone,Consider yourself Rosted ;D ;D ;DMadmike

[bone]

good stuff, just my hillbilly mind at work...my brother in law is building a fiat on a shortend chevy chassis with 50 inch tractor tires.

ive done tons of fab work, started running demo derbies, went to circle track, then on to mud boggin, i built a 79 pinto on a bronco chassis that i had on 44s. my brain is always tossing around goofy ideas like this.

and now ive found vws, a completely self contained power plant with no cooling system that can be put onto anything.
i think your right on the 40hp tractor. but its still cool in my hillbilly brain ;D ;D

[Ruffuss]

There is a guy in South Bend with a BBC 4x4 in a Thing body on a Jeep frame, he boast 1200 HP with a 6-71 huffer blower and another with a 2276cc. VW mid mount into a power glide in a Square back body and the VW runs circles around the BBC even though it is only two wheel drive he climbs any hill at Silver Lake without paddles, just floation tires. I had a white 74' Thing beat to the bone with a 2110 cc dual 44 weber and paddles and spanked them both. The guy from South Bend(Pete) made me an offer and he now runs it as it was when I had it and parked the Square back.

[MadMike]

Bone, u and my Kid would get along just great ;D He's got a Ranger body on a 78 F150 w/40's and a little Tacoma w/33's

[bone]

this is a big heavy tractor...that is highly prone to breaking stuff
8 yup 8 53 inch michelins on a basically stock ford...its our recovery truck for when the others get stuck. now that were gettin out of boggin for buggys its gettin sold!

[MadMike]

Man, How the hell do u trailer that ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[bone]

pull the outsides off, its usually on 49 inch tractor tires ;D