Corvette C5 to Subaru cv shaft conversion

Battlebotsrob

New member
Joined
Sep 7, 2015
Messages
2
Background:

My buddy brought his Morgan three wheeler over and I so wanted to try it. I couldn't fit in so I vowed to make my own rob sized 6'6".

As I began to develop the vehicle, I started to figure out I wanted to do something different. I work part time as a rally mechanic so I moved to the subaru drive train immediately and figured instead of welding the center diff, why not make the thing AWD. The front end use a McPherson strut and would work fine off the shelf, but it just did not look as good as the double a arm in the original. I started looking for a miata and other double wishbone cars to see if an off the shelf unit could be found. So, I went to ebay and found some damn good looking forged aluminum examples on the c5/c6 vette for reasonable cost. I also found out that the front and rear uprights are interchangeable for my driven steering wheel intentions.

On the front end, I am using the steering rack, lower cradle, lca, uca, mega spring and uprights. I am using a set of rear bearings so I can make the front wheels driven. I have not done the calculations yet, but I my gut says that the corvette sees more forces under braking up front than a subaru ever does under acceleration. Now to make a subaru transmission connect to a C5/C6 bearing and allow for the angle needed for steering.

A subaru cv shaft will allow a 30 degrees angle if you limit the extension and compression by keeping the travel parallel. I have no idea on the corvette shaft since it was never meant to have the compounded steer angle with suspension travel.

Option 1. Cut the subaru and corvette axle, big, bevel, and fixture them co linear and weld them. I would then need to straighten the axle and balance it. Cheap, but time intensive

Option 2. Have a custom shaft made with vette on one end, and subaru splines on the other. It would cost a few bucks, but solve the problem. the only variable in this is the cv angle on the vette may not be great enough for steering angle travel.

Option 3. Use Porshe 930 cv for the outer joint, get custom outer stubs from driveshaftshop and a custom shaft.

Option 4. find someone that can broach the subaru shaft spline and make a bushing, or complete new inner carrier that connects up to the vette outer stub cv.

Any other ideas I have not thought about? I can machine the splines on a shaft using a bullnose end mill without much issues, but I am not sure that that is the best answer.

Here is a photo of the parts mocked up as I am starting to figure out what the layout size will be. https://instagram.com/p/7lxc0BNMLD/

Rob
 
I think option 2 would probably be the most trouble free option in the long run. Sure it is a custom shaft, but the ends are off the shelf. That's probably what any driveshaft and CV shop would recommend as well. Nice concept photo, that's about how most of my projects get started as well. ;-)
 
You can only pick only 2 of the following:

1. Cheap
2. Fast
3. Reliable


Wow - if you can cut splines - I might have a shaft or two for you to do!

I'm kinda liking option 1 - then do it as a trial - then pick the final solution. If its your time - you price it - someone else = $$$$.

Like the PIC - reminds me of mine: 12695191903502410.jpg


Cheers - Jim
 
The robots are put to bed and back to this silly project. I purchased a corvette cross member with the thoughts of using it as a sub frame in the car. It ends up being about 4 inches wider than I want. I am going to fab a new front carrier instead of use the cross member. This one is for sale if anyone needs one cheap. https://instagram.com/p/8djfMkNMKO/?taken-by=robertmasek

Got the axles and holy crap are the vette stock ones beefy. I think the answer for the test bed will be to normalize shafts, machine a big chamffer, weld, and straighten. I will re induction harden them and pray.
https://instagram.com/p/8ZTiBstMG-/?taken-by=robertmasek

Bad picture, but it almost looks like it was meant to be.
https://instagram.com/p/81p2V7NMH7/

does anyone know the max angle on the vette CV shaft? I want to push the transmission back 3 inches to try and balance the car out.

Thanks!
 
Top