I have a wrecked fwd FX. Thought it would be fun to remove the rear independent sus and mount a straight axle...
Primary use/function would be for logging/dirt road adventures. Not worried about control loss for the most part.

Just wondering what anyone might have to say fabrication wise or thoughts/opinions on the subject.
FX could be fixed eventualy but I'm definitely considering a straight axle if enabling it to mount isn't too absurd.

Found the front sus can be 180'd for more castor, rally thinking ahead there

Done. Not mine but this person went the distance, definitely motivating.
http://m33.photobucket.com/albums/Kleem ... AE92%20RWD

Driver side

Pass side

Look under a mid '80s civic or crx, I think they had a beam in the rear, and are about the same size and weight.

90's tercel's had it too

More ideas would be to find an AllTrac Corolla.

i wonder if an ae86 rear could be made to fit, to make it either awd or rwd. now that would be an awesome sleeper

if you're dead set on the live axle.. try the ae95 4wd wagon which has a T series drum rear with 4x100 to match the fx. im thinking easiest would be to do a rear floor pan transplant which would then retain the oem ae95 diff mounting points. then cut out and transplant a driveshaft tunnel from whatever rwd/4wd car to suit the transmission choice. or similar option using ae86/te72 rear floorpan which may be a bit harder. fuel tank is another issue with a rwd tunnel.

If keeping the 4a mounted transversely, im not sure how well the 4wd transmission will handle being converted rwd only if somehow the front diff is locked including the transfer case and the front axles removed? if subaru's are anything to go by, the transfer box is not up to putting 100% power through it.

The other way could be a nth/sth mounted engine as per ae86. with a traditional rwd engine crossmember with rack and rwd front suspension grafted in and some modification of chassis around the lower strut area for clearance on rwd front suspension.
I'm thinking a 4wd fx would be easier to complete than a pure rwd conversion. using ae95/ae114 or more modern 4wd corolla drivetrain. or for something stronger, a hybrid celica gt4 E15# 4wd tranny with 4agze bellhousing (if this is at all possible?).

the 4wd tercel has a smaller 6" U-code live axle diff which wouldn't be considered reliable with 4age.

I think an easier option for the rear would be to make it IRS so that the factory macphersion strut mounting points are retained, with a swap to 4wd rear struts, then some rear floor pan surgery to mount up the IRS diff head from an irs rwd/4wd car. the likes of celica/rav4/altezza/cressida etc.

An evil side of me is telling me to graft gt4 running gear into my own ae82 fxgt. and although unique, is a hell of a lot of work only to have a fx gt-4 which i'd never really make use of on the street. it'd probably be dubbed the 'heavy hatch' too

Awesome, thanks for all the feedback.
Im definitely considering it still. The frame stamp alows for a driveshaft, may need some modification of course.
The rear subframe definitely has the ability to weld mounts for a rear axle, I like the idea of a IRS end.
If completed I would mainly put it to use on logging roads. I have seen 4wd crx's which is great idea.

Thanks again, onto researching ends.

http://m33.photobucket.com/albums/Kleem ... AE92%20RWD
Bump for whoever DID this project already.

Hey do u plan on parting the car??? Just wanted to know cause I might take a few things

If maybe you're not too concerned about the back seat, how 'bout an MR2 set-up for a mid/rear? Twin engine AWD?