Stick with FWD or convert?

blacklineninja

Track Warrior
Points
162
It's been a while since I asked a silly question and this just won't do. Not at all, let's face it, if I'm not saying something stupid, I'm sitting in the corner silently, again. :sad2:

Suppose I decide to soup up my Grande rather than buying a new car. Cue fantasy shopping list in head.

Bigger engine - check.
Tuning said bigger engine - check
Uprated suspension, anti-roll bars, bump stops, poly bushes and braces - check.
Lairy respray - check.
AWD or RWD conversion - hmmm... maybe I'd take the car on more track days, but it would still remain my daily driver so fuel economy is still of major concern. But would the improvement in handling justify the increased running costs? Or should I just be happy with all the money poured into top-spec carefully planned suspension mods?
 
I like your plans, a RWD conversion will be awesome but I suspect it will cost a small fortune to put right. Is there a tunnel through the car for a prop shaft to run along? If not you'll be looking at an interior rework as well as all the mechanical stuff underneath plus the gearbox and engine are probably transversely mounted.

I think you'd be much better of buying a different but RWD car to play with.
 
converting to rwd or awd is even more grief than fitting a turbo.................(maybe we need a thread about this as well waynne :toung:)
 
Perhaps... my inspiration was the 4WD (AWD?) S2000 Rally Grande Punto. That way I'd be able to use my car for different types of racing events... then again, do I really want to be rally driving my daily driver?

I looked up the specs for the S2000 rally Grande. I was surprised to learn that it's engine is transversely mounted too! I can only surmise that it uses the Prodrive hollow shaft system and gearbox, but I could be wrong. The Abarth website kept exact details close to its virtual chest.

How does AWD handling compare to RWD? I don't want to ask how it stacks up to FWD...:embarrest::confused:
 
Don't assume that a car being RWD or 4WD instantly makes it better handling than a FWD car. A car can handle well or awfully regardless of which wheels are driven and changing a short-wheelbase like yours to RWD will probably result in a difficult drive, whilst all the FWD Grande's fly past you on track.

As for AWD compared to RWD, it's totally dependant on the car in question.
 
Instead of a crazy expensive RWD conversion I would just get a proper LSD to handle the power you want. Then your very well chosen suspension and tyres will get the power to the road. Don't forget the brakes though ;). Are the rear brakes discs or drums?
 
Instead of a crazy expensive RWD conversion I would just get a proper LSD to handle the power you want. Then your very well chosen suspension and tyres will get the power to the road. Don't forget the brakes though ;). Are the rear brakes discs or drums?

Drums as standard, but if i'm modifying it properly I want Brembo's :-D
 

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