83pickle Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 So I am at the stage of planning my build. I know what I want out of, basically have as new as possible drivertain while keeping the body close to stock look. I know I want a frankenmotor built with the most power I can get out of it. I am going to forgo a turbo and supercharge it. My mind is set on that so no debates. What I need to know is how new can I go for transmission, suspension, etc? I am planning on having to fabricate somethings to make it happen, so not intimidated by it. So anyone that has done a similar build, thoughts would be appreciated. I plan to document this build in high detail. I love reading build posts with photos and test drive videos and plan to do the same. The build starts in July, want to get my ducks in a row now so I can hit the ground running. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zukiru Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 I know you said no debates. frankenmotor is high compression. Might be easier/better to supercharge a stock 2.2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
83pickle Posted February 20, 2012 Author Share Posted February 20, 2012 The supercharger was in reference to the no debate remark. I have seen too many punks go on about their turbos. I am open to suggestions on the best motor to supercharge. I'm sure upgrading the internals would be a good idea as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 (edited) The frankenmotor is high compression (10.5:1 to 12:1). High compression and forced induction (of any kind) do not play together. Superchargers are not as efficient as turbo chargers and are a lot more invloved to attach being belt, chain, or gear driven. You are talking about a lot of custom machine work to even mount a SC and then mondo tuning besides. You can't just strap one on with bailing wire and rubber bands. This is a serious project and will require serious work to do it right by you or whomever you hire. Transmission and suspension.... your question of "how new can I go?" is a big clue that you aren't prepared to do this. The answer (of course) is that you can't go to anything newer without major modifications. And.... If you are willing to make major modifications then anything is possible. So that question has every possible answer and they are all accurate. Thus none of them are useful. GD Edited February 20, 2012 by GeneralDisorder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
83pickle Posted February 20, 2012 Author Share Posted February 20, 2012 Well then the motor can go on the back burner. This will definitely be a learner as I go project. Gives me the motivation to learn how to weld, fabricate, and lastly excuse to buy lots of tools. So should I refrase my question as to what year has the best performance / ease of aquirement ratio? Really what I am after is a parts list of sorts. I know what I want in the end, willing to pay for it, and wanting to learn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferox Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 I know what I want in the end. It's going to be difficult for us to give you a parts list if you don't tell us what you want in the end (NO PUN INTENDED). Kinda sounds like you were describing a sleeper if you originally wanted a super-charged franken-engine but wanted to retain a stock '83 pickle look. If you want an older-gen street rocket I suggest an auto AWD transmission, but even that takes fab work. A simple task for some of us, not so for others. Even a small, decent, welder set-up is expensive. Not trying to discourage just being honest. I seriously considered swapping a full EJ series undercarriage and running-gear onto an ea81 series body and changed my mind, and I even have all the tools to do it sitting in my garage. I may still do it, but after investigating the underside of a Lego it's obvious that is no small task. I think the remaining ea81 bodies in the world deserve the effort you are proclaiming, but it is a helluva lot of work. I think you have the right idea of visualizing the end product you want even if that hasn't yet been fully described in this thread. Please do tell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 (edited) This will definitely be a learner as I go project. Gives me the motivation to learn how to weld, fabricate, and lastly excuse to buy lots of tools. Crazier things have been done. But don't you think you should start with a bit smaller of a project first? I could do what you are proposing in my shop with the tool I have now - I would want for an item or two still but I could do it..... just. That is to say I could do it safely and accurately enough that I would allow my mother to ride in it. I think you fail to grasp the magnitude of the project you are proposing. There is not one single part on your car that will be compatible or even close. You are talking about taking the entire drivetrain and suspension from an EJ series and transplanting your body on top of it. The right way to do this is to strip the pickle down to a bare chassis, stick it on a rotisserie (which I don't even have - I would have to "make due" with just my car lift ) and start adding and subracting to make the EJ front and rear x-members bolt up. This takes a LOT of precision measurement, a bit of trigonometry, etc. There will be many hours of just staring at the thing deciding what/how you want to proceed. Trust me - I'm building a FIA spec roll cage for a Brat right now. And what you are proposing will be just as intense if not more. So should I refrase my question as to what year has the best performance / ease of aquirement ratio? For what you want to do - wrecked WRX. Really what I am after is a parts list of sorts. I know what I want in the end, willing to pay for it, and wanting to learn. Parts list: 1. All of them Oh - and: Step 1: Buy something else to drive for the next five years while your car is stripped to the unibody. Also - personally I don't beleive there is enough additional benefits to the EJ suspension to warrant going to the trouble to swap over to it. Now that's just my personal feeling on the matter. The Brat I'm building a roll cage for is shortly going to be running full five lug using selected peices from the EJ suspension, some custom bits, and some from the XT6.... but not the full system. Still runs trailing arms in the back, etc. And it was a lot less work that swapping to the full EJ x-members. GD Edited February 20, 2012 by GeneralDisorder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
83pickle Posted February 20, 2012 Author Share Posted February 20, 2012 I tend to not to fully explain things out of trying not to go on and on. Ferox hit it on the head really. I want a street car. I'm interested in acceleration and handling over top speed. And at the same time looking stock but upgraded if that makes sense. I do plan to get a replacement car while the pickle is up on blocks. It will get stripped down, body work and fresh paint and trim. I plan this project taking 5 or so years. So with that I know I will have to outsource to professionals for things, but want to learn the things that are practical to do yourself. Hopefully that conveys the basis of the project I want to take on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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