mid mount roverv8 4x4 kombi

[roverv8bay]

G'day al some pics to start story.







this is the transmission set up





these are the parts to connect the transfer case to the transmission before assembly & after



assembled



where it's located



early mockup of front diff assembly



this is the rodeo spindle I have to spread the suspension tubes by 8cm's to fit it between the ball joints



front xmember & mounts for rear diff it's 3.08 ratio LSD



this is the adapter's to bolt the kombi cv's to commodore diff





test fit I will have to space hub carriers out by 12mm to allow movement on shafts to stop binding



the rear diff sitting in to check location



tailshaft for front diff just has to have front section shortened & a flange put on in place of slip yoke

[ChrisJC]

Welcome!
You're going to have to explain to us Poms what a Kombi is, and a Commodore.

Chris.

[roverv8bay]

G'day chrisjc. Thanks for being 1st reply. Sorry forgetting where you are. the kombi is better known to a lot of countries as a VW bay if you know what that is you will get an idea of what I'm doing. If you google VW 4x4 t2 you will see the factory version.
Next the commodore is a GM product built in OZ by Holden. In England you can buy a Vauxhall badged commodore ss or hsv. I have an SS sportswagon
6litre v8 6 speed auto in the atomic green google it as well it's the best thing since sliced bread as far as everyday drivers go bugger fuel prices just enjoy the power & being able to carry 5 people & shopping. What do you drive. when I look at some of the vehicles they seem to get on the road over there I cant believe it in some states over here we have yearly inspection for what I think you call mot this entails full inspection of body light's suspension & brake test's using a braking a tester if you fail the test the vehicle is knocked back until they faults are rectified. My build has to be presented in writing to our transport dept for approval I then have to get an engineer to approve the modifications as I proceed with the build. It's a long drawn out process that can take nearly as long as the actual build.

[scudderfish]

Holden Commodore == Vauxhall Omega but with bigger engines. When I was in Aus/NZ I think the smallest I drove was a 3.8 V6

[kiwicar]

Hi Mr fish
yes the comodore used to be an omega with a big engine, the newer ones, HSV and ss are now on the Monaro/vxr8 floor pan (actually it is the otherway around the monaro/vxr8 are on the comodore floor pan the floor pan was developed in Aus by holden and "sold" back to GM and is now the basis of things like the newer comaros, new GTO and VXR8 in the UK one of the best most adaptable "platforms" {in american auto speak} ever to be inproduction by GM) and in this case have an chevy LS engine in them, they also do them as a pickup with the LS3 engine in
Best regards
Mike

[kiwicar]

Hi
I never realised VW did a 4X4 Type 2 (what I would call a bus!) what an interesting vehicle was it normally fitted with a flat four hanging out the back?
This is a fascinating project now I have sorted out what it is you are up to very very cool and boy will it upset the VW purists. . . .
Best regards
Mike

[roverv8bay]

G'day kiwicar. So far the vw guys have been ok about it. The body condition would be called ratty. I don't get rat but everyone to their own. the car must have been used of road prior to acquiring it looking at the dust inside the fuel tank cavity & cut out rear guard's plus the electric fuel injection pump was a heavy duty unit unlike vw used. pic of it as from day 1 20 minutes to mark & cut initial hole for engine then the rest falls in to place.
ernie











this is a factory photo of prototype

[kiwicar]

Hi
looks in pretty good condition to me, you should see the state of the undersides of some of the T2s over here.
Best regards
Mike

[Ian Anderson]

Are you going to use it off road or actually need the 4 wheel drive?

If not and to keep it slightly simpler how about using a Renault UN1 or. Audi transaxle in mid engine and 2 wheel drive configuration?

I once saw a V8 mk3 bit it was left as rear engine and had an external radiator added on at the front. It was used for towing a car trailer to races in South Africa.

Ian

[roverv8bay]

G'day Ian. yes it will be used for recreational off road nothing a serious as rock climbing or extra tough stuff. I'm doing this as a matter of need no one has done anything like this as far as I know so just to do it for the kudos.
there are plenty using 4x4 chassis but most end up looking like excrement & the motor under front seats so all still heavy over front wheels. Thanks for taking time to log on.
ernie

[roverv8bay]

G'day all this missing link arrived yesterday this is the last piece of the drive train puzzle now I can start the final set of the mountings for the engine & transmissions It's a Dellow made roverv8 to Toyota gearbox bell housing this will take hi ace supra hilux alloy type 5 speed gear boxes this is a popular transmission in Australia behind a lot of different vehicles. also a McLeod concentric thrust race assembly to get rid of the throwout arm pivot ball & slave cylinder set up. I'm picking up a t25 to you or t3 to oz pedal assembly tomorrow to see if it will fit behind the dash assembly
ernie

[Rossco]

Is the transfer box a VW unit?

[roverv8bay]

G'day rossco. no it's a Nissan 720 it is compact but have been told it's good for 250hp. I don't think the rover will make that much in standard form.
ernie

[roverv8bay]

G'day all rear disc assembly worked out easier than expected.
a very slight skim on the vw hub carrier & the Mitsubishi caliper bracket then 4 holes drilled to allow bracket to bolt to carrier. being bolt up is by far better than welding from engineer's point of view. so here are some pics of the parts pre assembled & assembled. The vw stud holes will be filled with rod & welded then machined to tidy up appearance & strengthen
the bits

assembled

[roverv8bay]

G'day all. spent 1/2 hour welding engine transmission cradle today. so now it the wiring harness next then bolting it all together.