If you could collect cars, what would be in your garage?

[me and my metro]

It is the 54 degree v-6 Opel engine. 3.0 liters. Dual ohc belt engine, GM put in Saabs, Cadillac Cateras and these Saturns here in the states. The Saab had a single low pressure turbo running off one bank of cylinders. The Catera is an Opel Omega a rwd car, and the Saturn is a Vectra B.

[freebeard]

cRiPpLe_rOoStEr —

https://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=86431

Here's an example: A Mendeola Brothers double-A-arm suspension on a [Super?]Beetle floorpan. Compared to torsion bars or Macpherson struts it more refined in anti-dive and anti-squat. Off-road racers eventually go to (long travel) A-arms.

The rear trailing arm is similar in geometry to the VW, but the torsion bar housing is gone and the shocks are no longer upright, but laid down in the trailing arm. That makes for more usable interior space. So far as that goes, I prolly want a 356 coupe.

Here's Gary Emory's:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/96742-question-porsche-what.html

Here's Dean Jefferies':

http://www.autobahnbound.com/2009/02/20/outlaw-porsche-356/

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by me and my metro

It is the 54 degree v-6 Opel engine. 3.0 liters. Dual ohc belt engine, GM put in Saabs, Cadillac Cateras and these Saturns here in the states. The Saab had a single low pressure turbo running off one bank of cylinders. The Catera is an Opel Omega a rwd car, and the Saturn is a Vectra B.

It's quite surprising to me that GM resorted to an engine made in England for the L-Series instead of something cheaper and locally-made. I know the Omega, and IIRC the Catera was based on its 2dn generation which is quite similar to the Australian derivative that was sold in my country as a replacement for the locally-made 1st-generation Omega.

Originally Posted by freebeard

Here's an example: A Mendeola Brothers double-A-arm suspension on a [Super?]Beetle floorpan. Compared to torsion bars or Macpherson struts it more refined in anti-dive and anti-squat. Off-road racers eventually go to (long travel) A-arms.

I've already seen pictures of Baja bugs with the double-A arm front suspension setup. Looks great, but due to the cost and my performance requirements being more modest for a recreational off-road rig I'd probably stick with torsion bars or eventually upgrade to McPhersons just for the space-saving. It would be enough for me just to go visit the relatives near the Brazil-Uruguay border.

The rear trailing arm is similar in geometry to the VW, but the torsion bar housing is gone and the shocks are no longer upright, but laid down in the trailing arm. That makes for more usable interior space.

I noticed the shocks were no longer upright, but didn't realise it could make for more usable interior space. Sounds perfect to bring more stuff from those shopping trips in Uruguay.

So far as that goes, I prolly want a 356 coupe.

I like the 356 too, and even though I'm usually more favorable to coupés I'd probably be more inclined towards a roadster.

[freebeard]

...but due to the cost and my performance requirements being more modest...

Wrong thread for that attitude.

The Mendeola suspension hub to hub, and front and rear, ran $7K while it was on the market. Inrekor tried to sell an electric urban car chassis instead of stamping out the floorpan they already had prototyped and selling it for the same price, and apparently went the way of so many others.

The Inrekor pan would be a good match with the Edison2 in-wheel suspension.

We're four pages into the thread and I hadn't mentioned this:



Basalt composite tub, basalt soft top, bagged suspension, four motors, two differentials*, Kia Soul EV battery pack, and twin hydrojets to replace the propeller.

Edit: *In software

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by freebeard

Wrong thread for that attitude.

If I were looking for a racing rig I'd probably look for a more advanced setup, but I was thinking about a simple Baja bug just to have some fun while visiting my cousins in the countryside. And a simpler layout may eventually be funnier for a recreational user since it would lead to more challenging demands for my driver skills. Why not? The same principle seems to apply to those people who enjoy older muscle-cars that are way more challenging to control than an Euro sports car, for example.

The Inrekor pan would be a good match with the Edison2 in-wheel suspension.

In-wheel suspension may have some advantages, but I still think it would not replace totally other suspension setups. At least not for off-road applications that require way more suspension travel than a no-frills city commuter.

We're four pages into the thread and I hadn't mentioned this:



Basalt composite tub, basalt soft top, bagged suspension, four motors, two differentials*, Kia Soul EV battery pack, and twin hydrojets to replace the propeller.

Edit: *In software

Hydrojets are often reported to be less harmful to wildlife. Even though I'm not sure about its overall efficiency, that already seems to be a good point to get rid of the propeller.

[justadude]

I've always wanted a 69-70 Mustang. But, truth be told, I'd drive pretty much any Mustang. I just love them!

[Stubby79]

Honda NSX
Honda Insight, 1st gen.
An '88 Fiero GT with a decent engine swap in it.
A 5th or 6th gen Corvette.
An electric(and/or serial hybrid) version of any of the above.

[ChopStix]

'49 Merc Kustom - EFI, overdrive, AC, 4 wheel disc brakes, flake paint, white leather interior

Kübelwagen w/hard top roof - stock military looking, stroker air cooled engine, EFI, 5 spd, AC, 4 wheel disc brakes, military drab grey paint

'70 Super Bee - stroker big block, EFI 6 pack, 6 spd, 4 wheel disc brakes, AC, lime green/black hood paint

'72 Buick GSX - stroker big block, EFI, 6 spd, 4 wheel disc brakes, AC, factory Saturn Yellow/hood tach, factory spoilers

'68 GT500KR Cobra - stroker big block, EFI, 6 spd, 4 wheel disc brakes, AC, white/blue stripes, factory spoilers

Tamiya Bruiser - completely stock in blue paint

Then restorations on a couple of my present cars to the above standards....

[jcp123]

Pretty much all classics. Mostly pre-'63 with a few later 60s cars.

58 Chev wagon period kustom, '58 Cadillac Sixty Special, Lincoln Mark II, '57 Chrysler 300C, Hudson Hornet, '49 Merc leadsled, a few Desotos, Ford Crown Victorias and Ranch Wagons, etc. 60s/70s stuff might include a Ferrari 250GTE, Lambo Miura, Maserati 3500GT, Mercedes 280SE 3.5, a few Alfas. And definitely a Superformance Ford GT40.

More modern stuff would be obscure things. Omni GLH, E46 M3, Z4M coupe, Olds Custom Cruiser wagon, SVT Focus, almost any VW TDi wagon, maybe an SN95 Cobra. Maybe see if I can get a Yugo and a UAZ (can't remember the model, was a basic SUV). The modern iron (plastic) doesn't interest me much.

[freebeard]

Just A Car Guy: Iso Isetta beach car

This with a 5th-wheel hitch and a tent trailer done in nanoglass-coated basalt fabric. Rear entry door like an Airstream Basecamp.

Edit: the Isetta gets 78mpg already, and uses an altermotor starter/generator. One could swap out for a Buick Lacrosse water-cooled 20hp altermotor and add a small battery pack to make it a tow rig.

Leather helmet and goggles.