brain fart on a traction related level....

[SuperHO]

Okay....the V6 side has covered the AWD question many times....however, I just had a epiphany this evening....



Hear me out....crazy though I may be, I think this has a shot...




okay....the SHO V8 is essentially a 2.5 Duratech with a couple of extra pistons slapped on, some weird heads and an even weirder intake, right? Now...the 2.5 duratech and the 3.0 duratech are essentially the same block with a slight bore increase, correct? Going by that logic, why can't we use the AWD setup from, say, a Ford Escape with the 3.0 (duratech) and AWD???? Granted, I don't think it'd work in a SHO body without some major modification, but it's essentially a transaxle with a transfer case built in, similar, I guess, to the AWD DSM drivetrain.

Now, I've not been able to take a gander at one of these drivetrains sitting on the ground, but if it works with the duratech, why can't it be made to work for a V8 SHO?


Discuss....

 

[hoboprodigy-]

Nobody has had the balls to waste that much money yet.. but it could probably be done with a deep enough wallet and enough patience.

 

[SuperHO]

I'm not sure how it could be so expensive...>I mean, there's gotta be a boneyard SOMEwhere that has a drivetrain chillin from an Escape/Tribute/Mariner. It would just be a matter of picking one up, finding out what mods would need to be done to the chassis (mechanical all wheel drive needs no computer aids) and the rear suspension to make it work. For Crying out loud, someone put a friggin 4.6 out of a Lincoln continental, but no one wants to try for an AWD SHO???

Damn this lack of money....damn damn damn....

 

[shoteen95]

on that train of thought. Jag X-types have AWD and manual transmissions

 

[hoboprodigy-]

well.. for all the trouble.. an AWD v8sho wouldn't really be that impressive.. so now you're going to want to fab up some sort of giggle juice/fi setup on top of that.. now you're looking at enough money to buy about 20 stock SHO's..

 

[Porkchop]

another reason it doesn't happen because there are NO transmissions that will directly bolt up to the v8 motor without work.

Might be BASED off the same motor, but it is far from the same

 

[Ian Macoomb]

Why bother? It's not like the V8 has any traction issues and with a good set of snow tires the SHO is pretty good in the snow. If you want AWD get a Subaru. I personally think that AWD is overrated. Very few people actually need AWD.

 

[somedude_001]

on that train of thought. Jag X-types have AWD and manual transmissions

take a look at the rear suspention style/setup on a jag it shares NOTHING with the taurus platforum. I don't think our chassie is reinforced in the right places to be able to use that style of suspention + the suspention on the jag is where our gas tank is.

 

[98TRSHO]

Why bother? It's not like the V8 has any traction issues and with a good set of snow tires the SHO is pretty good in the snow. If you want AWD get a Subaru. I personally think that AWD is overrated. Very few people actually need AWD.

AWD is not gonna keep you from sliding on the ice and snow anyway...it's all on the way you drive. I drove my V8 last year in the snow and I'll say right now I'm not the best winter driver but I have good snow tires and I was fine.

I don't know why he's ranting about this..... must have been a slow night at work...

 

[SuperHO]

Yeah, I didn't think there'd be much of a following on this. Liek I said, the thought struck me tonight looking at the pumpkin under the ass of an Escape at a stop light....figured I'd get some feedback from the more technical members of the board.


hmmm....maybe I'll throw this over in the V6 discussion.....

 

[NebraskaSHO]

I think he's just spit ballin for ideas. I never thought of that before. Now I have something to think about the rest of the day, Thanks!

 

[Silvapain]

Do any of the Mazda6's come with AWD? IIRC, Scott was using a Mazda6 manual tranny for his rowboat project, so it would reason that any AWD system they have would swap over, too.

As far as functionality, I don't really see a need for an AWD SHO. I can barely make enough power for two wheels, let alone four.

 

[luigisho]

As far as functionality, I don't really see a need for an AWD SHO. I can barely make enough power for two wheels, let alone four.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[nik97]

I always thought a V8 escape would be pretty sick. The V6 AWD escapes are actually pretty peppy. I do think this would only be a reasonable project if one had an AWD escape without a motor and a 3.4 sittin' around. Other than that it would be quite a hassle for 35 extra hp... Cool as **** tho IMO.