automatic...

[2088bob]

I hear you Molleur and understand it may not be suited to the layout of your kit cars but may lend itself to my installation in a rail it looks like it make for a very close coupled drive line package that may lend itself well to my needs finished weight of my new car should be under 1700 lbs

my current car is only 1180 with full tank of gas

i have a fair bit of experience with gm's 3.8 v6's and would consider that for powering the rail

 

[Jack]

The 3.8 V-6 is a great engine to play with. I'm not sure about the auto trans though. Maybe transplant a front drive unit. The Fiero automatic transaxles
are an easy hook up for the engine. Heck you could use the entire cradle. Some automatic units succesfully used were the original TH125C, and the TH440 or 4T60 which have better gear ratio's, IMO.

 

[2088bob]

Transplanting a whole transverse drive line out a pontiac grand prix GTP is also being kicked around

I made contact with Bartman but lost him thru my spam filter, have sent him another pm in the mean time i have been doing as much research about the chyrsler 42LE as i can, there are after market controllers available that even allow you to intergrate paddle shifters

it is a very tidy little trans i am sure adapting a set of 930 cv flanges on to it should not pose much of a problem

250 to 325 hp in a light weight rail makes for very snappy performance
my current car is 187 hp and at 1180 lbs it gives the 5.0 mustang boys fits

 

[Jack]

Interesting. I think I would go with the Pontiac unit anthough I believe the 42LE has been used on some middie installations sucessfully.

 

[Richard]

Been there done this... last project used the dirve train from an Intrepid

here are some pics of the build

 

[BruceA]

Oh my - now that does look good. Those pictures from 'true' above this post, what is the transaxle used there - what is it from? Intrepid ... ? hmmmm

 

[Richard]

Hi Bruce, Actually the trans is a 43le out of a LHS but it is the same as the Intrepid.. I have an Intrepid waiting to pull the whole drive package for another project coming up. works great and you can turbo the 3.5 easily as well as other performance upgrades.

True

 

[Richard]

OOPS that should read 42LE fat fingers don't ya know

 

[Bart Roberts]

The 42LE is still a good option. I've been testing mine behind a slightly modified LS. I built the LS based on an article in from the "engine Masters" magazine. In the article it dyno'd at just over 400hp. I have not dyno'd mine but based on performance, it is likely in that neighborhood. It is just a bare chassis right now and not enough wieght or traction to break anything. I made my own controller, after all you only controling a bank of solenoid valves that are 5Vdc. Is it a bullet proof, all out high performance tranny. No. But, it is a good option. My is auto/manual and I'm experimenting with when to lock the torque converter and when not to. My initial efforts were to only lock the torque converter in 4th. There is still alot to learn but if you'd rather not repeat my mistakes, give me a shout. Eric made a very nice adaptor for me and I hope to hire him to make me a small block Ford soon. A BMW V12 would be nice and the BMW and 42LE have the starter location in the same spot. Likely the adaptor for that combo could be thinner.

 

[Marty Scarr]

I realize it's been awhile, but was hoping there has been some others who have successfully used the 42LE. I know the TCM (transmission controller module) was integrated with the ECU in 2002, so was thinking the earlier TCM might be able to be used by providing it with the needed sensor inputs. I will do some more research on this.....

Bartman, can you provide some details of your controller? I looked into the Megashift unit but no seems to have adapted this to Chrysler products.

thanks
Martin

 

[Eric A.]

I don't know if Bart still comes to this forum. I made the adapter for him but last I heard he was having trouble getting the controller to work due to the programming that Chrysler uses. I made an adapter for someone else and they couldn't get it to work either. I am now doing adapters for the ZF 5HP19 that Audi uses. There is a controller for that and you can get information about it from Scott at Advanced Automotion. I think he can also supply a beefed up transmission.

 

[Jack]

What Eric said!

 

[Robert May Eng.]

Racelogic used to do a mapable ecu for auto boxes, the were used on things like the BMW with the paddle change system. Properly sorted I would have though it would be brilliant. Perhaps for a mid engine special but not a 40.

Bob

 

[Kevin S]

I know this is an old thread, but I'm new to the mid-engine bug.
I wish Bartman would have chimed back in to tell us what the issues were with the tcm or if us used something else until he could make his custom one work..

Kev

 

[Doug S.]

If my memory serves me well, between -64/-66 they used automatic once (in Le Mans?) in mk2.

After those words I`m brave enough to ask:
1) what type was that transaxle?
2) is there nowdays any -automatic transaxle- what you can use with higher outputleves; like 500+?

Yes, I know, automatic in 40 is almost unforgiveable, but I have my reasons to ask...

The GTO was a development of the Pontiac Tempest and IIRC in 1964 (maybe it was 1963, since the GTO was introduced in 1964) the Tempest used a rear-mounted transaxle, but I know that my '65 GTO had a regular transmission, not a transaxle. Could that be the type of transaxle you remember?

Cheers!

Doug

 

[Phillip]

If anyone is interested in the "switch-pitch" trans and explanations, the Buick guys use them. Easy to find performance parts and people to do them. I have a 1970 Buick GS455 convertible, but I put a 200-4R trans in mine out of a 1987 Grand National.

 

[Frank Clark]

Been there done this... last project used the dirve train from an Intrepid

Does that trans use gears or a chain to transfer the power over to the shaft going into the R&P?

 

[Randy V]

If anyone is interested in the "switch-pitch" trans and explanations, the Buick guys use them. Easy to find performance parts and people to do them. I have a 1970 Buick GS455 convertible, but I put a 200-4R trans in mine out of a 1987 Grand National.

Is that a true switch pitch converter or is it a lock-up converter?
The switch pitch fluid couplings and torque converters of long ago (50’s & 60’s) were fraught with problems and failures..
I’m sure engineering practices and technology of today could address those issues though...