Go Balls Deep. 5speed in a vert. can it take it? can it handle a tgp driveline?

[Crazy K]

well.... I ponder if anyone want to go balls deep and stick a tgp drivetrain in a CS vert. TurboSedan? and which forum would that fall into?

 

I have the 90 CS brochure, and it shows that the convertible is not availible with a 5 speed. (but all the other CS's have the 5 spd as standard equippment, IIRC. The auto is an option)

 

I theorize that they feared the vert would fatique under hard use of the a MTX.... but who knows. I need to write GM again.

 

It brings to mind the 11 Plymouth barracuda hemi convertibles.... (unibody IIRC?) Some Mopar guy I spoke to said the hemi cars needed a vert type reinforcement, and the hemi-verts needed super-reinforcement. putting a hemi in a non-hemi car(can't remember if it was a vert) actually bent the car. *PLEASE remember this is an unverified story* but that hemi-cudda vert is hot.

http://www.corvettes-musclecars.com/Mopar/71CudaConvertible/index.htm

 

back to topic!

[GnatGoSplat]

The CS being FWD is immune to torsional twisting of a longitudinal RWD drivetrain so the reason they didn't put the MTX in it is either due to economics or fear of the MTX crapping out under the added weight of the convertible body.

 

[Crazy K]

The CS being FWD is immune to torsional twisting of a longitudinal RWD drivetrain so the reason they didn't put the MTX in it is either due to economics or fear of the MTX crapping out under the added weight of the convertible body.

 

torsional twisting yes, but fatigue? more along the lines of the front clip and where it attaches to the vert lower frame rails.

 

btw... I think i should split this from the post... trying to moderate but not too much. hmmm. thoughts?

[kuntzie]

if i get the vertable thats whats going in frosure

[Crazy K]

if i get the vertable thats whats going in frosure

not sure what you just said, but I hope you get that vert. Milos top shop on E-bay seems to have a quality top minus rear window and surround.

[94CutlassSLCoupe]

well.... I ponder if anyone want to go balls deep and stick a tgp drivetrain in a CS vert. TurboSedan? and which forum would that fall into?

 

I have the 90 CS brochure, and it shows that the convertible is not availible with a 5 speed. (but all the other CS's have the 5 spd as standard equippment, IIRC. The auto is an option)

 

I theorize that they feared the vert would fatique under hard use of the a MTX.... but who knows. I need to write GM again.

 

It brings to mind the 11 Plymouth barracuda hemi convertibles.... (unibody IIRC?) Some Mopar guy I spoke to said the hemi cars needed a vert type reinforcement, and the hemi-verts needed super-reinforcement. putting a hemi in a non-hemi car(can't remember if it was a vert) actually bent the car. *PLEASE remember this is an unverified story* but that hemi-cudda vert is hot.

http://www.corvettes-musclecars.com/Mopar/71CudaConvertible/index.htm

 

back to topic!

 

the 90 CS only came with a 5-speed hooked to the Quad4. The Quad4 engine does not have much low end torque and therefore would have a pretty tough time pulling the heavier 'vert around. Also, in 91 & 92 (the only other two years that there were 5-speed cars and convertibles seperately) you could not get a 3.4 in a vert either.

 

in reality, all the fatugue that could be different between a vert and a coupe sructurally is between the windshield and trunk lid.

 

In fact, our 282 equipped CS coupes don't even have the triangulation braces. These cars are pretty tough, i wouldn't worry about it. and BTW all the engine torque loads are taken by the core support and the engine cradle anyway.

[SLAMDIT]

fwiw, i'm not far from a 5spd swap in my car either. In fact, if my wife's 3.4 turns out to be a big deal to get running right, my 3.1 is coming out (it only has 15k miles on it), tranny and all, and goin in her car and I am getting a 3.1 turbo 5spd. I want my car to be more than just a looker. To me a 5spd in that car on some giggle juice would be the cat's pooper!

[DOHCRagtopguy]

Shouldn't be impossible to do, key thing would be finding a 3.4 equipped 5-spd parts coupe/sedan to cannibalize.

 

I'm sure the drive train could handle it. I could see a lot more stress on the windshield, maybe have to get a thicker one.

[5speedz34]

well.... I ponder if anyone want to go balls deep and stick a tgp drivetrain in a CS vert. TurboSedan? and which forum would that fall into?

 

I have the 90 CS brochure, and it shows that the convertible is not availible with a 5 speed. (but all the other CS's have the 5 spd as standard equippment, IIRC. The auto is an option)

 

I theorize that they feared the vert would fatique under hard use of the a MTX.... but who knows. I need to write GM again.

 

It brings to mind the 11 Plymouth barracuda hemi convertibles.... (unibody IIRC?) Some Mopar guy I spoke to said the hemi cars needed a vert type reinforcement, and the hemi-verts needed super-reinforcement. putting a hemi in a non-hemi car(can't remember if it was a vert) actually bent the car. *PLEASE remember this is an unverified story* but that hemi-cudda vert is hot.

http://www.corvettes-musclecars.com/Mopar/71CudaConvertible/index.htm

 

back to topic!

 

the 90 CS only came with a 5-speed hooked to the Quad4. The Quad4 engine does not have much low end torque and therefore would have a pretty tough time pulling the heavier 'vert around. Also, in 91 & 92 (the only other two years that there were 5-speed cars and convertibles seperately) you could not get a 3.4 in a vert either.

 

in reality, all the fatugue that could be different between a vert and a coupe sructurally is between the windshield and trunk lid.

 

In fact, our 282 equipped CS coupes don't even have the triangulation braces. These cars are pretty tough, i wouldn't worry about it. and BTW all the engine torque loads are taken by the core support and the engine cradle anyway.

 

When you say triangulation braces do you mean the 3 point dogbones?

[Crazy K]

triangulation brace probably refers to the 'strut bars' between the strut tower and core support, a feature omitted in 3800 cars, in so far as i have noticed.... correct?

 

I'm sure the drive train could handle it. I could see a lot more stress on the windshield, maybe have to get a thicker one.

3.4 5 speed drivetrain would handle it fine, probably better than an auto tranny car. i wonder about my 5speed 3.1 swap.... have to try.

 

thicker windshield? well... I see the stress area that would be the lower area of the body where the vert reinforcement begins. even though the frame, frame mounts, and core support may absorb much of the torque force, the torque force on the body would be to twist the front clip forward and down, opposite of the force the body is usually expected to undertake, that of gravity or a collision. could it be too much for the body?

 

 

Good call on the 90 5speed being hooked to a Q4. I didn't think of that.... I should double check whether the Q4 was even availble for CS verts. (next time I am home.)

 

 

IIRC the CS got the 3.4 92+ and the mtx was last availible in 92 as well.... meaning only 92 would have been a possible year for a production 5 speed vert.

[jeremy]

IIRC the CS got the 3.4 92+ and the mtx was last availible in 92 as well.... meaning only 92 would have been a possible year for a production 5 speed vert.

 

AFAIK there were no 5spd verts from the factory.....the only person ever to claim otherwise was Aaron and the only thing that I have to say about his claims is "218....WTF???"

 

...I don't know why a boosted 3.1 with a 5spd couldn't be done.... props to the first person to complete one

[no1kicker]

There's someone in my area, I don't remember who, that has a 3.1 turbo / 5 speed swapped into an older Z24 convertible.

[cutlassdude96]

no Q4 was in the 90-91 Convertible

[intern8tion9l]

To me a 5spd in that car on some giggle juice would be the cat's pooper!

ummmmm....?? your car would be the shit even more with that setup

[94CutlassSLCoupe]

 

When you say triangulation braces do you mean the 3 point dogbones?

http://duster.netfirms.com/cutlass/Black%2090%20Olds%20020.jpg

nope, as you can see in the pic, it doesn't have the core support braces that go over the battery and such. Q4 5-speeds don't have 3 point dogbones either.

 

I don't think the force would be too much for the body. If it was, you would die instantly in a crash. We're not talking about THAT much more force than a 3.4 Auto puts out. We had an 83 mustang GT 5.0 4-speed manual where you coudn't open the doors if the car was jacked up. these cars are a LOT stiffer than that thing. The body would be stressed in the floorpan between the gas pedal area and the front of the rear seat.

 

3.4 Vert=93+ only.