Just thinking out loud - what are the options in longitudinal engine+FWD layout with the transmission ahead of the engine and the engine centered? IIRC Audis, VWs, GMs and Mopars are engine forward. Saab 99/900 are flywheel forward but the axles come out further aft. The engine lists but maybe reflects half a Lycoming 288.

Alternatively, what does it take to make a transmission spin backwards - practically, not theoretically? I read that aircooled VW trannies can be made to spin backwards, but this dream doesn't involve a clutch pedal.

Sixto
87 300D

Audis do have the motor forward, VWs Passats based on Audi platforms do as well.

What about the Accura Vigor? Don't Honda engines rotate backwards compared to other makes? Those had a front longi engine and front wheel drive.

-J

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1991 350SDL. 230,000 miles (new motor @ 150,000). Blown head gasket

Tesla Model 3. 205,000 miles. Been to 48 states!
Past: A fleet of VW TDIs.... including a V10,a Dieselgate Passat, and 2 ECOdiesels.
2014 Cadillac ELR
2013 Fiat 500E.

Here's a cord drivetrain. Front is to the right. Does the flywheel drive the fan??? -



Sixto
87 300D

I guess it's not that difficult to make a GM transaxle spin backwards - 1936 CORD 810 Lot 75.3 | Barrett-Jackson Auction Company

Sixto
87 300D

My friend Eric's comments:

so, any automatic used in a 911 is the correct orientation
the 3-speed auto out of a VW Typ 4 is the correct orientation

The 010 automatic used in the VW Type 4 is a 3 speed non lockup, but is very reliable and simple.

-J

__________________
1991 350SDL. 230,000 miles (new motor @ 150,000). Blown head gasket

Tesla Model 3. 205,000 miles. Been to 48 states!
Past: A fleet of VW TDIs.... including a V10,a Dieselgate Passat, and 2 ECOdiesels.
2014 Cadillac ELR
2013 Fiat 500E.

I'll ask the mandatory question...

...do you own a Cord?

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"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

I was 5 numbers away from the recent $636M lottery jackpot so not yet Besides, if I can't get a modern AT in a Cord, I won't get a Cord The Barrett Jackson car looks good at $40K but I'd need to get it at $15K to allow for a change of color and a more original looking interior. I can't imagine what an original gear selector costs

Sixto
87 300D

I think any transaxle can be used by reversing the sides of the ring and pinion which IIRC is fairly simple to do.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

how about a engine trans combo from an olds toronado.79 up use a 350 engine and the halfshafts are about dead center on the engine front to back.

I've been scratching my head over what they mean by '82 Eldorado subframe in the link in post #4. The Eldorado and Toronado you mention use the TH-325, right? The Cord is an oddball mid-engine FWD - the engine is completely aft of the axle. In the first picture, the radiator is just about above the front axle. The engine can't be over the axle to keep the proportions correct. On the other hand, there might be room for a VW flat 4 under the apron ahead of the coffin nose allowing for a forward trunk

Sixto
87 300D

The fan belt appears to be off the flywheel but the pulley ratio would make it turn very fast.. This judging by the entrance to the bellhousing angle of the belt. If you look carefully there may be a pulley just at the enterance point of the bell housing so it may be a funny belt driving setup.

that looks like an awful setup to maintain. Struggling changing belts on a saab with them jammed against the firewall makes me look at that belt coming out of the bell housing with fear.

"You need a serpentine belt, that'll be 15 hours labor and $2200 dollars in parts. Why so high? while we are in there, there are 32 different things that we should replace at the same time sir."

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It might be an optical illusion. The fan might be driven off a pulley at the end of the cam rather than the flywheel.

Sixto
87 300D

Here's a link to an engine cutaway that shows a pulley on the flywheel end of the cam - Engine . I can't tell how the belt is tensioned. Maybe ala aircooled VW? I'll bet you'd wish it were aircooled when the water pump quit and dumped coolant all over the clutch. Maybe it's a safety feature Fancy intake manifold!

Sixto
87 300D

Cords were built as repos in Tulsa, Broken Arrow and Mannford, Oklahoma for a few years. The same guy was building them. He just kept changing locations.

He used a Corvair engine and transmission, so if you could get one of those to work it would solve the whole automatic problem.

There should be a bit out there on these cars as a few owners used to meet monthly in Tulsa.

Glenn Pray, originator of the replica Cord, dies | Hemmings Daily