Racing transit

[deckerz]

ok so there is a race track about half an hour drive away from me called harewood hillclimb (its a sprint track that slowly goes up hill) and people come with there caterhams, formula ford cars, v8 chevys from the 30s and 40s that have been tuned, skylines ect but i was thinking, now im old enough to get the required liecence for that place i can build somthing

this is the design i came up with its only in its simple stages but i have some contacts for all the stuff all i need to do is come up with the cash.

[AJB32690]

...why a transit?

[taiwanesekid05]

So wait, if the Transit is FWD, why would you put a spoiler that would be more beneficial on a RWD car? You'll probably need a splitter more than a spoiler.

[AJB32690]

Originally Posted by taiwanesekid05

So wait, if the Transit is FWD, why would you put a spoiler that would be more beneficial on a RWD car? You'll probably need a splitter more than a spoiler.

Judging from the picture, I think hes planning to mount a V8 inside the van and attempt to rework all the steering and suspension.


Deckerz, this would be a cool plan, if it were feasible. The amount of work that would go into that would be insane, you might as well build a car from the ground up. Not to mention that most of the work would require somebody who REALLY knows what they are doing. Someone who has done years of custom fab work. I doubt you have the knowledge to do have the work here.

[kungpow420]

hahahahaha that van looks funny as ****!!!!!

[kendallcschm]

a transit? and thats gonna cost an arm and a leg.. if your gonna spend that kinda cash just get a ford raptor

[greekone]

Honestly, you need to come to your senses.

[XMDrifter]

if you're gonna do that, just build a tube-frame racer because the amount of work you're going to put in the transit could possibly be more, and the money you spend would really add up. you'd end up spening more. i honestly think it's not a good idea, it is a transit after all, and vans don't race on racetracks.

[monsterhunter]

Originally Posted by XMDrifter

i honestly think it's not a good idea, it is a transit after all, and vans don't race on racetracks.

See thats the point tho, To be different, and since you never see that kinda stuff you would never expect it, i mean really would you ever suspect a Transit to spin the tires and blow past you off a stop light? No, I say go for it if thats what your aiming for, it would be pretty cool in the end. Or at least i think so.

[greekone]

Originally Posted by monsterhunter

See thats the point tho, To be different, and since you never see that kinda stuff you would never expect it, i mean really would you ever suspect a Transit to spin the tires and blow past you off a stop light? No, I say go for it if thats what your aiming for, it would be pretty cool in the end. Or at least i think so.

He's 16 years old, unless he's rich and his parents don't mind him wasting money, I don't see this happening.

[monsterhunter]

Originally Posted by greekone

He's 16 years old, unless he's rich and his parents don't mind him wasting money, I don't see this happening.

To me imo, it isnt really wasting money, but thats my opinion, and it could more simple if he just goes rwd too. and could be towards the cheaper side of things, it really just depends on how, and what he wants done, and what kinda motor and trans he goes for. Theres always a way to keep it lower then 5k(not including the price of the car) if not a little less, theres many possibilities.

[deckerz]

remember i would only use on a track though.
the transit is RWD and i know its hard to read but iv put that it would be converted to 4wd.

i know it look kinda stupid but nobody has done it before and once the engine (one of my friends dad has a jaguar v8 taken out of a range rover) is mounted in it will be easy to work on, either slide the side door or go in the back lol.

i also have a guy who works at a scrapyard who gets loads of transits in and hes my dads mate so i can get a year 2000 ford transit for £300 which isn't bad.

Also i know what il be doing with the engine because iv just finished my national diploma in mechanics. (went to college once a week for the last 2 years i was at school to do the course)

[kungpow420]

What did you plan on using for the 4wd conversion and do you have a machine shop in your garage because if not you would end up spending a **** load of money. How do you plan on paying for everything just curious?

[XMDrifter]

really, even if you get it all together, it's not going to be as cost effective as building a tube frame chassis-ed racer. and it most likely won't blow past anything but some random civic on the track. and converting to 4wd/awd with nothing to take the 4wd/awd drivetrain from will cost unheard of sums of money spent on a VAN.

race-worthy awd drivetrains come from things like audi's, subaru's, mitsu's, nissans, and misc automakers. if you're really bent on awd, get it out of an awd SUV. but it won't be very good, still will be expensive, and still will require extensive mechanical skills, welding skills, fabrication skills in general, as well as an extensive knowledge in suspension dynamics and physics along with design to accommodate the half shafts going to each wheel. you're better off just building a race car from scratch if you're going to get the funds to do that. good suspension is also expensive, 1000 dollars for decent coil/strut combinations, and possibly more for your application because it'd be custom. you have to have the right engine mounts, subframe, the support holding the engine up has to be able to take the strain, good brakes are a must in racing. that'll run 2000 or so buying a kit and setting up the brakes, and that's not all. wheels and tires that are meant to be raced on are 200-500 dollars per wheel. tires are around 100-200 per tire for only decent ones. getting things machined, which your idea will require a lot of is expensive.

messing around and modifying real life 1:1 vehicles and doing custom work is serious business. takes time, money, more money, more money, skills, knowledge, more skills and knowledge, strength and stamina, and did i mention time?

[deckerz]

i was going to get a caterham kit chassis but then after i saw them at harewood i decided no because they kept spinning out but iv never driven one so i dont know if im good in one.

i wanted to build somthing unique so thats what im going to do. once i get the van and engine im going to see if its possible to cut out part of the flooring in the back and bolt and weald the mounts to the chassis and obvs strengthen it too so i can get cooling through the bottom like a normal car instead of cuttting holes in the sides. also strip out the interior and build it specificly for racing dont know to keep aircon in because the max it gets in the uk is 30 degrees C and because it weighs alot.

oh and btw it will stay rwd because i though 4wd for more grip cause no weight in front after engine being taken out but i could put a long range fuel tank there or move the stock one.

the original van for the diagram was going to be a 97 transit but couldnt find side view. so iv shortened this one to about the same length as 97, there will be a wicked paint job and decals to finish the racing look but dont want to get to far ahead now.




and you guys were probaly wondering how im going to come up with cash ?
i have a part time job that doesn't pay alot £5 a hour and i work 5 hours 3 times a week so £75 a week + when i start college over in the uk we have EMA and i get paid £30 a week to go to college. so £105 a week or for you americans on the forum $172.

[winner]

chopped top and chassis for lower COG (better steering) and areodynamics

lol wtf? no matter what you do the COG is going to be terrible. same thing with areodynamics no matter what, its still going to be as areodynamic as a brick...

[monsterhunter]

Originally Posted by winner

lol wtf? no matter what you do the COG is going to be terrible. same thing with areodynamics no matter what, its still going to be as areodynamic as a brick...

Never undterestimate the bricks... Dodge ram SRT10 is the fastest production brick(truck) still so, even bricks can fly.

[texan_idiot25]

That's not enough money to do what you think your gonna do. The plan is not thought out at all.... Do you have the skills to chop the top of this van? How about the fabrication skills to move the motor to the middle? Have you ever tried working with a Jag V8? Their trash. Get a small block chevy or something. It's cheap, simple, and reliable and very potent. Unlike any Jag motor worth mentioning that's cheap. Have you considered the weight ratio from moving it towards the center, and how the chassis will like it? Mind you the entire chassis is designed with a certain balance in mind. Then have you thought about transmissions and driveshafts, and the linkage and cooling needed for them. Then you'll have to manage to make it pass NCAP or what ever the hell inspection.

These sort of tasks require skills and thought not learned in a class. Takes a level of engineering to get it done right. I'm all for different projects but I feel this will go the way of your Mini Cooper project from earlier this year....

Geta Caterham chassis, build it right, and learn to drive. They spin because they require lots of driver skill and control. No ninny-ESC-computers bull crap. But it will be faster, cheaper, and much much more fun then some cobbled together Van. This is a hill climb, it's a very serious race. Taking some ghetto van up is not a good idea.

And the Holden Ute HSV Maloo is the fastest truck in the world. Not the SRT10

[winner]

Originally Posted by texan_idiot25

That's not enough money to do what you think your gonna do. The plan is not thought out at all.... Do you have the skills to chop the top of this van? How about the fabrication skills to move the motor to the middle? Have you ever tried working with a Jag V8? Their trash. Get a small block chevy or something. It's cheap, simple, and reliable and very potent. Unlike any Jag motor worth mentioning that's cheap. Have you considered the weight ratio from moving it towards the center, and how the chassis will like it? Mind you the entire chassis is designed with a certain balance in mind. Then have you thought about transmissions and driveshafts, and the linkage and cooling needed for them. Then you'll have to manage to make it pass NCAP or what ever the hell inspection.

These sort of tasks require skills and thought not learned in a class. Takes a level of engineering to get it done right. I'm all for different projects but I feel this will go the way of your Mini Cooper project from earlier this year....

Geta Caterham chassis, build it right, and learn to drive. They spin because they require lots of driver skill and control. No ninny-ESC-computers bull crap. But it will be faster, cheaper, and much much more fun then some cobbled together Van. This is a hill climb, it's a very serious race. Taking some ghetto van up is not a good idea.

And the Holden Ute HSV Maloo is the fastest truck in the world. Not the SRT10

+1 no offence... deckers

[deckerz]

i know what you guys mean but like i said its only in early stages and i already posted that i would strengthen the chassis anyway.

also you might not think its alot of money but the plan isnt exactly to build it quickly, im going to build it over time, its sort of a side project when i have nothing to do on my car (dont worry not a project like this for those of you who dont like it).

EDIT: i wont have to chop the van because the 1997 transit roof isn't as high as i expected.

Remember tex this is only in planning stages atm and what mini project i dont remember making one?. i think i will only use this on circuits anyway like a silverstone track day or somthing.
Anyone seen that topgear ep when sabine takes a stock transit round the nurberg ring? im no king of the nurberg nor have have i ever been but if a stock one can overtake porsche gt3's and superbikes imagine what a custom one 'could' do.

if all else fails i could just but a used 350z and tune that which is a possiblility....