Transaxles

[Poncho-V]

Does anyone have experience with trans-axles? I just got the car of my dreams and have all sorts of ideas for it. It's a '63 Pontiac Tempest and it has a manually shifted trans-axle and I'm thinking of yanking the factory running gear and putting in a late model Corvette trans-axle and suspension with a full roller Pontiac V8 with EFI.

[Thumpin455]

What do you want to know? I havent even seen under a late Vette, but as long as you can get the track width right you can put about anything under the Tempest with enough money or fabrication.

[STINEY]

Mendeola will hold whatever you throw at it......if you have a deep enough wallet that is.

Are you thinking keeping the engine up front, or doing a midship setup? Midship could be done on the cheap with a Eldorado drivetrain, just about everything else I can think of requires cubic dollars.

[William Wilson]

Does anyone have experience with trans-axles? I just got the car of my dreams and have all sorts of ideas for it. It's a '63 Pontiac Tempest and it has a manually shifted trans-axle and I'm thinking of yanking the factory running gear and putting in a late model Corvette trans-axle and suspension with a full roller Pontiac V8 with EFI.

How much does that thing weigh?

Because you could just go right off the reservation and drop a subaru flat 4 or 6 in the back.

Almost like Factory 5's new 818 but hidden in a much nicer package.

[Poncho-V]

I want to keep the Pontiac V8, front engine, rear transaxle layout. The front to rear weight ratio would be much closer to 50/50. The cost can't be much different than replacing the entire floor pan and trans. tunnel, and putting in a traditional solid rear end. The Corvette transaxle from either '97 or '98 and newer are practically bullet proof from what I hear and the car is already set up for that layout.

[Loren]

"Already set up for that layout" will help as far as some floorplan shape but that's about it. The Tempest swing-axle suspension ain't nothin' like the Corvette and you will be needing to fabricate what would essentially be a subframe to handle the Corvette multi-link and nest into some solid structure of the Tempest body, presumably much of which you'd be cutting away back there. Tempests also have that super-low floor which they bent the driveshaft path to fit so, more fabrication. Also (again...there will be a lot of "also"s here...), without having any actual dimensions on-hand, I'd say 'Vettes may be a good bit wider than the Tempest so either you're going to have some tires sticking out (even if ther're skinny ones) or plan on narrowing the 'Vette shafts and links, and coming up with something for a spring.

Or, did you mean just using the transaxle and keeping the stock swing-axles? That would be simpler if you could live with them.

Anyhow, a cool idea.

[Poncho-V]

So far from what I can find, the Tempest and Corvette rear track width is within 2" of each other. Fabing mounts for the Corvette multi-link suspension and doing away with the old swing axles is the plan. The Vette trans axle, torque tube, and suspension can be had for around $1500.

[oldsman496]

I'm conflicted here...... You want a Full roller EFI Pontiac.....(not low budget)... but yet you want to spend less than a couple g's on the entire drivetrain and half the suspension.... ummmmmmm. hmmmmmmm. I really like the idea. I love those cars. There is a convertible close to my house that I have been drooling over for a year...

If you do start hacking and welding on this project, please post pics and text showing what was involved. I for one would love to watch from the sideline. Good luck with this and I'm hopin' you got big pockets and big stones, cause it may take both..... That would be really cool car.

[Monk]

Yeah those things were sweet
Sounds like a great project

[Scott Liggett]

A Jag rearend setup might fit easier. It's a drop out unit and they made the same setup for more than 40 years. The only rear difference is that the later ones have outboard brakes. My friend is building a '68 Jag XJ6 and we found a bunch of parts from a late 80's sedan at the self service yard. Much cheaper than buying from a street rodder supplier.

[Poncho-V]

I'm still new at this site. How do I post a pic?