captainnico350 Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 I am a mechanic and i own a shop. I have a 1994 cutlass supreme SL 4-door, I am possibly converting it to a rear wheel drive v8, I have a 1992 camaro lt1 v8 and 5-speed trans sitting here doing nothing, and i can fabricate the mounts and pull a control arms and suspension parts from a corvette to make it independant all the way around. the idea honestly just popped into my head when i was thinking about a 5 speed swap and i thought that this would be way better and more unique. also have been giving thought into AWD conversion with the 3.1 v6 that its got now. any ideas from anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tornado_735 Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 Most of the RWD conversions we've ever seen are hack jobs. I've only seen one, and I can't even remember where. It was a Lumina, and it looked like they hacked about 6 inches out of the middle of it. There has been some discussion about AWD conversions, and I think the general consensus was that it would be best done with components from the Pontiac Aztek/Buick Rendezvous platform since they had the option of AWD. Also, you might as well go full circle and swap in a 3400 in place of the 3.1. There's like an extra 15 ponies there to help with the extra drivetrain it's gotta turn. If you're dead serious, good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctracer Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 that lt1 wont even fit in the bay without extensive modification. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tornado_735 Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 that lt1 wont even fit in the bay without extensive modification. This dude is talking about converting a unibody, FWD car to Rear Wheel Drive. I think every single part of this qualifies a "extensive modification". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1138 Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 If you do it, please don't do it to a 4-door Cutlass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMP Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 I see one issue the 92 camaro was not offered with the lt1 not utill 93 did the lt1 make it in to the camaro. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
intern8tion9l Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 i'd love to see someone actually come through on one of these projects Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z34guy Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 i'd love to see someone actually come through on one of these projects there was one I recall. a blue-ish teal gen 1 GP coupe that had a RWD conversion and a northstar swapped in on Trans Am wheels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AL Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 Read: http://www.ls1.com/forums/f75/ws6-formula-v8-z34-lumina-re-body-71662/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoobyDoo82 Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 That is outrageous ^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19Cutlass94 Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 GM should have made these cars RWD! Thats fucking badass! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich_e777 Posted February 18, 2012 Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 Did you read my first thread about converting my `94 coupe to RWD? Was going to use that exact engine(lt1) from an old vette that now has a beautiful LS7 that i cannot afford to drive. I ruined an almost savable `93 CS sedan cutting on this and that only to figure out that a modified w-body will never NEVER withstand the stresses the body will go thru while RWD. Because of course you going to want to slide around a corner, i would. Well the frame is just not strong enough, to pull off a decent RWD conversion a complete custom tubular frame is going to be requried, thats if you want it to last. Go with a L67 or a LX5 "ShortStar". I`ve given up the idea of converting mine but not the idea of a RWD final generation Oldsmobile Cutlass 442. A F-body or an older G-body with major modding and fabrication looks to me to be the best way of going about this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bake82 Posted February 18, 2012 Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 there is a red 2nd Gen GTP that has been RWD converted. can't find the thread but i have seen it. Soccarplaygtp(or something close) converted his 1st gen with a northstar to RWD. and that lumina is badass!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White93z34 Posted February 18, 2012 Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 http://www.cardomain.com/ride/665715/1994-pontiac-grand-prix Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RareGMFan Posted February 18, 2012 Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 GM should have made these cars RWD! Thats fucking badass! Yes they should have! As strange as it SHOULD have seemed to see the back wheels spinning on a Z34, oddly enough, it seemed right to me, like that's how they SHOULD have come from the factory. Why isn't that guy on here?? And he's in Indiana, too. Someone that's a member there needs to tell him to get that thing over to the IL w-body meets! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brake Posted February 19, 2012 Report Share Posted February 19, 2012 I always thought that the late model F body cars' lines looked suspiciously like Lumina coupes of that vintage. More streamlined and "sporty" of course Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z34guy Posted February 19, 2012 Report Share Posted February 19, 2012 http://www.cardomain.com/ride/665715/1994-pontiac-grand-prix THAT'S THE ONE I WAS TALKING ABOUT! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19Cutlass94 Posted February 19, 2012 Report Share Posted February 19, 2012 I cant imagine how badly that body will be twisting.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slick Posted February 20, 2012 Report Share Posted February 20, 2012 There's a good half dozen 1st gen W's that have popped up on here from time to time that have been RWD converted (that aren't drag cars). Easiest way is what soccerplayergtp did. Most involved, but probably structurally sound, is what the guy with the Z34 did. No matter what, you need to have welding skills, and a shit ton of time and money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted February 22, 2012 Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 That sectioned Z34 looks retarded. He should have lengthened the chassis rather than shortening the body. I remember somebody thought this was a dumb idea, but for the amount of work required, I don't see why you couldn't put in a lengthened C5 rolling chassis. http://www.ebay.com/itm/98-C5-Corvette-LS1-Engine-Auto-Trans-Rolling-Chassis-67K-LS2-Complete-Kit-run-/250995353504?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item3a707d27a0 People build hotrods out of them all the time. It'd get you closer to a 50/50 weight ratio, and I'm no ME, but wouldn't that reduce torsional forces on the unibody? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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