Why JUST swap a motor...?

[Hubris]

I've been spending part of my week off watching old episodes of Top Gear. In 2003 they did a couple shows talking about 'hot hatches' where the Focus RS does reasonably well, but they hate the front differential in street driving.

Another car they test (I think it was a Renault?) was a mid-size hatch of a similar size to the Focus, but they removed the engine from the front...converted it to RWD and installed a large-ish V6 in the space previously occupied by the rear seats and the front of the hatch. Enormous power...great weight distribution...the only real problem would be that we couldn't transport things anymore.

There have been many engine swap threads over the years...some like putting a v6 in the front....others go further and switch to rwd and drop a big v8. Is the reason nobody has considered a mid-engine hatch mod simply because the amount of custom fabrication would be too much?

[Sponsor]

[t_bone_c34]

Most likely yes. That would involve insane amounts of time and money to do something of the sort. Not to mention the fabrication on the power distribution to the wheels and so on. And btw, its Renault! (not trying to sound like an a$$)

But its a great idea yes, just WAY too much time and coin.

[Foci_Fosho]

Mid engine Rear wheel drive cars are too much labor intensive, for something that needs way too much custom fabrication, etc.

The best swap is a turbo 2005 Duratec engine rated at WRC spec. To have a Focus of that class is just amazing. Liquid cooled, 4 piston brakes designed to operate most efficently at 1200+ degrees, a Sequential Manual transmission, with that awesome carbon fiber shaft, darbon fiber dash, with all those neet little switches that I have no clue whatsoever for thier actualy purpose.

and all whell drive, I am dreaming too much. I want a rediculously expensive focus.

[VAfromMN]

A company out in Arizona, I believe, made a few of these RWD Festiva's, using the Taurus SHO 3.0 V6 mounted in the rear. I know Jay Leno has or had one.

[VAfromMN]

And here's the rear seat installation!

[Hubris]

Hmmmm...SHO had good output, but too many reliability issues for me. I'd be happy with a turbocharged 3 to 3.5L V6 from any of the current modern platforms....should be good for 300+ hp without becoming too heavy or twitchy.

[T-V]

In a Focus Fanatic magazine a while back, someone built a widebody V8 SHO-powered Focus. The engine was placed in the middle of the car, inside a plexiglass case of some kind so you could see it from the inside. It was also RWD.

Best Focus ever.

[al007ex]

Another good mod is the current Duratec rear mounted longitudanaly with stock 5 speed. The Gearbox becomes a transfer case. Install a rear and front diff.... Easy AWD.

Can you say fun.

Ford used the same process on the RS200 to save cost in the 80's... Could have been one of the best Rally car if not for the fact that Group B died.


Still expensive for the do it yourselfer.

[Kepp]

Originally posted by T-V
In a Focus Fanatic magazine a while back, someone built a widebody V8 SHO-powered Focus. The engine was placed in the middle of the car, inside a plexiglass case of some kind so you could see it from the inside. It was also RWD.

Best Focus ever.

Actually that was the SHO v6 that VAfromMN was talking about. I think the person that made the mid engine focus said he was actually inspired by those mid engine v6 fiestas

[gump1114]

Originally posted by Kepp
Actually that was the SHO v6 that VAfromMN was talking about. I think the person that made the mid engine focus said he was actually inspired by those mid engine v6 fiestas

yeah and boy is that one ugly focus!