Good Idea Or Crazy Idea?

"Where have all the lightweights gone?" (sniderjadam09) 04/03/2014 at 11:07 • Filed to: None

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I have had this idea for a car bouncing around in my head for quite some time now, and I am looking for some feedback.

I really dig the Pontiac Solstice's looks and simplicity, but I thought it could be so much more. I have seen the Mallett SBC conversion, and it got me thinking: Could you do a smaller motor AND add AWD? It could be the closest thing to a modern Group B rally car interpretation.

Originally I was thinking something along the lines of using the CTS's V6 and AWD system, slapping on either a supercharger or a turbo, and calling it a day. Another idea that would be the ultimate Frankenstein project would be to transplant a WRX/STi drivetrain into it.

What say you, Oppo? What level of feasibility do you think I'd be working with here?

CAR_IS_MI > Where have all the lightweights gone? 04/03/2014 at 11:11

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I hope you have A LOT of money to throw into it... That would be literally A ton of custom work and thousands of man hours to get it done. Cool in the end, though.

RazoE > Where have all the lightweights gone? 04/03/2014 at 11:15

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Eh not worth it. The transmission it already uses is very very very closely related to the R154 Toyota used (both aisin). As such it bolts up to the 2JZ-GTE. Now THAT is a swap I'd look into.

http://autoholics.com/2011/06/18/2JZ…

Milky > Where have all the lightweights gone? 04/03/2014 at 11:16

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I'm 99% sure it would be literally impossible to have a subaru (or audi) drivetrain, seeing how the engine would be sticking out of the front of the car.

deekster_caddy > CAR_IS_MI 04/03/2014 at 11:17

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Hmm. Physically I'm thinking grabbing the CTS drivetrain might not be as difficult as you would initially think. It's the electronics that make it a bitch.

ly2v8-Brian > Where have all the lightweights gone? 04/03/2014 at 11:17

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Anything is possible, but I would personally leave it RWD and 4 cylinder because it is a little roadster. A stiffer suspension would be a great start. GM 4-pots can handle power so there is room to grow there.

Where have all the lightweights gone? > CAR_IS_MI 04/03/2014 at 11:19

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If I ever expect to do this, I anticipate a 6-figure price tag.

Where have all the lightweights gone? > Milky 04/03/2014 at 11:22

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There's more room than you think. My logic tells me that if I can fit a small block V8 under the hood, I can theoretically do a full drivetrain swap with an STi or another AWD system from GM's parts bin.

Where have all the lightweights gone? > ly2v8-Brian 04/03/2014 at 11:24

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I'm well aware of this. This idea has been in my "it's a crazy idea, but will it work?" file for quite some time.

ly2v8-Brian > Where have all the lightweights gone? 04/03/2014 at 11:29

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Of course you can go bat-shit crazy on it.

Textured Soy Protein > Where have all the lightweights gone? 04/03/2014 at 11:30

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I highly doubt GM designed the floorpan and front crossmember to leave a bunch of room to just plop in a whole new awd drivetrain. I won't say it's impossible, but it would be a huge amount of fabrication.

The further question is: why bother? Personally, having owned both rwd and awd vehicles, I prefer my performance cars rwd anyway.

Milky > RazoE 04/03/2014 at 11:41

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just came across this

Milky > Where have all the lightweights gone? 04/03/2014 at 11:53

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But all that room is behind the front wheels.

Where as Subaru's AWD system has the ENTIRE engine in front of the wheel center line. Then you're talking radiator and bumper in front of that.

Cadillac's system would be a lot better for the Solstice.

Not trying to be an ass, just saying Subie's way of doing it wouldn't work in this application.

Twism > Where have all the lightweights gone? 04/03/2014 at 11:57

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Theoretically, it can be done. Just like you can theoretically send a grand piano on Mars.

Can you do it? Sure.

But why would you? It would be super expensive, would require 95% custom work, and you would end up with a car that you would be afraid to drive on the street and have some drunk idiot smash it.

...but let's daydream, I actually like the idea!

The Kappa platform was designed solely as a RWD, so fitting something else would be a bitch, drivetrain-wise.

Rear axle and diff is from a CTS, so you keep that in.

5-speed manual is from the Colorado, should be good... Also, you could get a transfer case from a hummer H3 or a Canyon...

the biggest problem is the front axle. Maybe scrounge something up from that Colorado/Canyon/H3 you stole a transfer case...

And for good measure, throw in a turbo 4 ecotec with some tasty modz.

You would end up with a selectable 4x4 , 350+hp, 100 000$+ solstice. Not a bad way to wrap yourself up a tree ! :P

Oh, and get a hardtop, they look much better!

Where have all the lightweights gone? > Milky 04/03/2014 at 12:29

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Originally I was thinking Cadillac—that looks incredibly compact! The Subie idea came to me today just as a lark—I thought it would be fun to pull up in a solstice with the sound of Subie's boxer 4.

Where have all the lightweights gone? > Twism 04/03/2014 at 12:44

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Originally I was thinking about the V6 and AWD drivetrain from a CTS, but this might be another option. If I don't go with the V6, the Solstice GXP already comes stock w/ a turbo ecotec 4 and would be a good base car.

As for the coupe vs convertible argument, I still can't make up my mind. They both look good, and having the option to put the top down in the summertime sound like a great option to me.

Twism > Where have all the lightweights gone? 04/03/2014 at 12:53

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CTS drivetrain could work too, but i'm not sure about all the computer reprogrammation needed to calibrate the whole thing...

But then again, if money is no object...

and speaking about crazy ideas, how about throwing in an EDAG shooting brake kit?

Where have all the lightweights gone? > Twism 04/03/2014 at 13:01

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I never knew such a thing existed! It adds to the sheer lunacy of the whole concept!