Lexus V8 with NOS in a Renault Espace - yeah lets do it !
Discussion
Had a good couple of days stripping the Espace , got the engine and gearbox out eventually after a small trolley jack 'moment' , i just had to weigh it 429 lb or 195 KG , i have removed all the front and rear suspension , fuel tank , exhaust and all the brakes .
I have a few more interior parts to remove and then i would like to weigh the shell again , im still in shock at the weight of the Lexus , so will need to look at how much weight can be removed from both cars.
I have a few more interior parts to remove and then i would like to weigh the shell again , im still in shock at the weight of the Lexus , so will need to look at how much weight can be removed from both cars.
lexspace said:
After seeing a 'body' transplant on a tv show where the running gear and floorpan of a new car had the body of an old car transplanted onto it , this route has been favorite (thanks rhinochopig)
Would that of been Custom My Ride, where they got an old Dodge Charger and put a new Dodge Charger floorpan and running gear on to it? If so I watched that aswell and thought it was a brilliant idea.lexspace said:
...will need to look at how much weight can be removed from both cars...
There are two operands in a power to weight calculation. Mr Toyoda kindly arranged for the 1UZ manifolds to be swappable left to right with the exits pointing forwards. Is there room for reversed exhaust manifolds and a turbo or two? The plumbing should be easy compared to lining up and welding the Espace body to the Lexus floor pan.
gareth_r said:
There are two operands in a power to weight calculation.
Mr Toyoda kindly arranged for the 1UZ manifolds to be swappable left to right with the exits pointing forwards. Is there room for reversed exhaust manifolds and a turbo or two? The plumbing should be easy compared to lining up and welding the Espace body to the Lexus floor pan.
Think thats what the N2O is for! Mr Toyoda kindly arranged for the 1UZ manifolds to be swappable left to right with the exits pointing forwards. Is there room for reversed exhaust manifolds and a turbo or two? The plumbing should be easy compared to lining up and welding the Espace body to the Lexus floor pan.
Am I the only one looking at this thinking .
It is probably unfair, but the OP doesn't seem to have much of an idea what he's doing, other than pulling the cars apart (apologies if this is not the case OP, but it's how I think your posts on here are coming across).
I'm all for interesting and novel conversions, but OP, please don't build something that's going to kill you because it's held together with baler twine and chewing gum. If you need proper help with the engineering aspects, I'm sure there are plenty of guys on here who are more than capable and who'd be heppy to assist/advise.
However, I shall give the OP the benefit of the doubt, and look forward to the updates.
Do you have any plans to make the finished car road legal or is it just for track/shows?
It is probably unfair, but the OP doesn't seem to have much of an idea what he's doing, other than pulling the cars apart (apologies if this is not the case OP, but it's how I think your posts on here are coming across).
I'm all for interesting and novel conversions, but OP, please don't build something that's going to kill you because it's held together with baler twine and chewing gum. If you need proper help with the engineering aspects, I'm sure there are plenty of guys on here who are more than capable and who'd be heppy to assist/advise.
However, I shall give the OP the benefit of the doubt, and look forward to the updates.
Do you have any plans to make the finished car road legal or is it just for track/shows?
A pic from today showing the emptyness and also vastness of an gutted Espace , the bulkhead is totally standard with the 2 holes showing where there was a steel panel bolted that housed mountings for pedals etc
The Espace body now weighs in at 585 KG which considering it is bare of all running gear leaves it quite heavy i think, there is lots of glass though.
Hopefully within the next couple of weeks (work depending) i will get started on the 'chopping' of the body , and some serious structural work .
As im now committed to using this Espace im left with a little dilemma of wheelbase , I could shorten the Lexus floorpan so the rear axle line is in the correct place and the Espace will continue to look 'standard' from the outside OR as in the photoshopped pics below (forgive me for the quality) move the rear axle line backwards and have a really short rear overhang.
I think i quite like the look of the second one now
The Espace body now weighs in at 585 KG which considering it is bare of all running gear leaves it quite heavy i think, there is lots of glass though.
Hopefully within the next couple of weeks (work depending) i will get started on the 'chopping' of the body , and some serious structural work .
As im now committed to using this Espace im left with a little dilemma of wheelbase , I could shorten the Lexus floorpan so the rear axle line is in the correct place and the Espace will continue to look 'standard' from the outside OR as in the photoshopped pics below (forgive me for the quality) move the rear axle line backwards and have a really short rear overhang.
I think i quite like the look of the second one now
paulrussell said:
lexspace said:
After seeing a 'body' transplant on a tv show where the running gear and floorpan of a new car had the body of an old car transplanted onto it , this route has been favorite (thanks rhinochopig)
Would that of been Custom My Ride, where they got an old Dodge Charger and put a new Dodge Charger floorpan and running gear on to it? If so I watched that aswell and thought it was a brilliant idea.lexspace said:
paulrussell said:
lexspace said:
After seeing a 'body' transplant on a tv show where the running gear and floorpan of a new car had the body of an old car transplanted onto it , this route has been favorite (thanks rhinochopig)
Would that of been Custom My Ride, where they got an old Dodge Charger and put a new Dodge Charger floorpan and running gear on to it? If so I watched that aswell and thought it was a brilliant idea.See this lads project for pictures of what I mean...http://www.pistonheads.com/xforums/topic.asp?h=0&f=47&t=1167010&i=0&mid=99346&nmt=C2+Evolution
lexspace said:
so 2580 lb in my language = 1172 KG
Thats for a car with no interior whatsoever , no doors , no bonnet , no boot , no bumpers, no lights, no windscreen , no rear window , no wiper motors, not much at all really only a bodyshell with running gear , quite surprising i thought, i know it has a big v8 and auto box with big heavy brakes and suspension but i did expect and hope for a little less.
It makes you realise how much of an achievement something like the McLaren F1 is weighing in at about 1000 KG
excellent project btw... I thought about doing exactly the same but with a Chysler voyager and a BMW 750 (V12)... so looking forward to seeing how this turns out.
Super Slo Mo said:
Am I the only one looking at this thinking .
It is probably unfair, but the OP doesn't seem to have much of an idea what he's doing, other than pulling the cars apart (apologies if this is not the case OP, but it's how I think your posts on here are coming across).
I'm all for interesting and novel conversions, but OP, please don't build something that's going to kill you because it's held together with baler twine and chewing gum. If you need proper help with the engineering aspects, I'm sure there are plenty of guys on here who are more than capable and who'd be heppy to assist/advise.
However, I shall give the OP the benefit of the doubt, and look forward to the updates.
Do you have any plans to make the finished car road legal or is it just for track/shows?
Totally +1 on this. This is a major undertaking, I'd be gobsmacked if it goes as planned.It is probably unfair, but the OP doesn't seem to have much of an idea what he's doing, other than pulling the cars apart (apologies if this is not the case OP, but it's how I think your posts on here are coming across).
I'm all for interesting and novel conversions, but OP, please don't build something that's going to kill you because it's held together with baler twine and chewing gum. If you need proper help with the engineering aspects, I'm sure there are plenty of guys on here who are more than capable and who'd be heppy to assist/advise.
However, I shall give the OP the benefit of the doubt, and look forward to the updates.
Do you have any plans to make the finished car road legal or is it just for track/shows?
OP: Best of luck but do be careful. The only option re the wheelbase situation is to go for the shorter version, making the Espace rear panel again would be basically impossible to do with any decent level of finish.
Shortening the Lexus would just require a shorter driveshaft.
The fact of the matter is that stuff like this should really be obvious and I'd concerned the OP hasn't thought this stuff through.
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