Type 4 Drivetrain
For the builder that wants to radically change the handling characteristics of
His or her vehicle – the Center-Grav-Touring Series is the answer!
We feel that once a vehicle has undergone a radical change in its Center of Gravity,
it deserves a radical new identity!
Introducing...
Type III - CG-Touring
Mid Mounted Engine – Modified Corvette Automatic Transaxle (A Modified Corvette or Camaro 6-Speed Trans May Also be an Option)
To be classified as a Center-Grav or C-G Touring vehicle:
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It may be a car, truck or van manufactured in any year.
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It must have been converted to a mid-engine configuration (The engine mounted between the front and rear axles – and behind the driver’s seat – radically changing its Center of Gravity.)
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It must have been originally offered from the factory with a conventional front engine / transmission with either front or rear wheel drive. (Cars offered with a mid-engine configuration from the factory such as Fiero, Ferrari or Lamborghini do not qualify.)
Type 4
Mid Mounted Engine - Mendeola SDR5 Transaxle
(Or another Aftermarket or OEM Transaxle, capable of handling the Engine's Torque.)
With only 38” required from the back of the driver's seat to the rear axle centerline -
it will fit in just about anything – and nobody will even know it's in there...
If the 38” is still too tight for your application, you can even shorten that by a few more inches by mounting the intake manifold backwards and moving the differential slightly rearward of the axle centerline –
and the CV joints won't mind it at all!
Remember, all of our Corvette Interface Adapter Kits are identical -
(For Drivetrain Types 1, 2, 3 and 4.)
The widths are changed by narrowing the cradles.
The photo to the right exhibits why the Corvette transaxle requires an additional twenty inches in length compared to the Mendeola transaxle used in the Type 4 drivetrain configuration.
The C5 Corvette transaxle places the transmission in front of the differential, whereas the Mendeola places the transmission behind the differential.
Pictured above is the Type 4 kit with Porsche Axles, mounted on 2” x 4” Frame Rails.
This would be a great way to build your mid-engine swap - outside of the car!
Oh, what the Hell... How about a Sleeper?
Type 4 - In Depth
As you now know, the Type 4 drivetrain configuration stands alone, as it doesn't utilize the Corvette transmission, differential or axles. Instead, we designed this drivetrain around a Mendeola SDR5 transaxle.
The Mendeola SDR5 transaxle comes from the manufacturer outfitted with Porsche 930 CV joint output axle stubs, so the Type IV configuration also requires Porsche 930 axle conversion axle stubs (or hubs) for the Corvette spindles, along with a pair of 930 Porsche style axles and CV joints. Fortunately, these axles are the preferred axle for many off-road enthusiasts, so they are readily available, in just about any length, through several aftermarket manufacturers.
The Mendeola SDR5 transaxle might seem a bit pricey at first, but remember that this isn't only for the cost of a fully-synchronized 5-speed transmission, but also a limited-slip differential with a 10-inch ring gear built right in! Couple that with the fact that no adapters are required for Chevy engines or Small-block Ford installations and suddenly it becomes an incredible deal! Here's more:
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All 5 set speeds have 100% optimized tooth forms.
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10” spiral bevel ring & pinion (3.55 or 4.11 ratios)
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Ratios available (2,21, 1,50, 1.14, .89, .70)
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1-1/8-26 spline input shaft (Standard Corvette)
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External hydraulic throwout bearing
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All castings are A-356-T6 aluminum heat-treated
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Clutch plate style limited slip differential
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Chevy LS or Ford small-block bellhousings
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Bellhousings have a removable inspection cover
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930 Porsche axle stubs
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External hall effect speed sensor reluctor wheel
Just because we designed our Type 4 prototype around the Mendeola SDR5, doesn’t mean that you're limited to that particular transaxle.
Many other aftermarket transaxles or OEM units from Corvair to Porsche will work just as well with our kits.
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Transaxle Mounts
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Our Corvette Interface adapters do not incorporate any type of transaxle mounts. We use a simple, stand-alone, hanging mount that's just about as universal as it gets, as seen in the photos below.
There are a few additional things to remember when dealing with a mid-engine project.
Make sure you keep your rear frame rails far enough apart to fit the engine in between them. For instance, a cradle that is narrowed 6-inches brings the frame rail down to only 21.75” apart.
When we built our Chevy S-10, I would have liked to go with a bit narrower WMS to WMS dimension, but decided on the 6-inch narrower kit to give the engine enough room without notching the frame rails. The left photo shows the 3/4” clearance on the side.
Another thing that is of greater importance with the narrow Type 4 drivetrain configuration is where the bends in the frame rails are formed. The farther back the top rail began its downward section, the more clearance we had for the headers and other engine related components. The right photo shows the welded 60-degree drop in the frame rail.
Below is an overall view of our S-10 installation - before the front roll bar braces were added.
