Planning major renovations for 2002 coupe. Removing back seats welding in roll cage, and firewall, 30 gallon fuel cell behind. Envisioning longitudinal layout hooked up to Getrag 7 speed transaxle. Here's the big question. EngIne choice? Thinking Nissan 3.5L DOHC with blower. Other ideas?

 

How much money are you looking at spending here? What is your goal? A track monster or just something different.

I'd do a front engine rwd (possibly trans at the rear) turbo charged f20c. Then strip everything out of that baby and make it a featherweight. You are going to have to cut and reinforce much of the body to allow the transmission and drive shafts to fit. Getting the f20C in under the hood shouldn't be a problem.

 

Money is not the biggest issue in this build. We are planning to do most of the fabrication ourselves. The biggest expense will be the crate motor and trans. Planning integral roll cage, and full width firewall will help w/ stiffness. Using transaxle will help reduce necessary body mods. If we cut out the trunk floor, and reweld it a three inches higher, we get the help with body stiffness, and the Trans and drive shafts should mount below it in a cradle.

Too the trunk deck, rear quarters, B pillar,rear glass and roof behing the roll cage, and rear facia will be a single unit on a clam shell hinge, so we'll be fabricating a frame for it to rest on/lock on to.

Ultimate goal is fast as hell street legal GT road racer, rather than an autocross champ. Looking for power to weight similar to vette Z06, or caddie CTSV

 

i'd just get a miata and drop an LS4 in it.... I've seen one and he could spin his tires at any speed.... crazy

 

Well, you could do that, but then you still have the very significant front weight bias, that would make the thing plow/understeer while trying to corner at speed. That's why we are looking to go mid-engine. I LIKE the horsepower of the LS motors, but they are so BIG and so HEAVY, I suspect, that in the Accord, you need to add to so much strengthening/stiffening weight, that you wind up with diminishing performance returns. thats why I'm thnking 3.5L and Blower, as opposed to 5.0 or 6.2 L and Turbo.