Choosing a donor car

[PhoenixGG]

Hi Guys

I am starting a new project this year. I need assistance in choosing a donor car for my project. Is it better to start with a car with a longer or shorter wheel base? I realize its probably the same amount of work to lengthen or shorten a chassis. My question is which will be more stable? How accurate does the wheel base have to be? Is 30mm too far out or is it not that important?

[RHK]

That's a pretty loaded question! Is it front engine? Rear engine? What kind of performance are you looking for? stock 4cylinder ok, or you aiming for 500 horsepower?

30mm doesn't sound like much to me - actually most of the murci replicas are an inch shorter wheelbase than the real car. Check out the DNA Ferrari replicas - they look amazing, but are actually 4 inches short iirc.

I wouldn't consider shortening a wheelbase - the engine bay on most cars is small enough as is, and you wouldn't want to make the cab any smaller.

Tell us more about your project and I'm sure you'll get a lot of opinions on choosing a donor.

[Casper]

I would think that it would be a little easier to shorten a car. Only because you would just have to shorten all cables instead of replacing all when you stretch a car. And the chassis would only have a chunk taken out instead of trying to fabricate a piece to match the chassis when you stretch.
I have never done either, but that seems logical to me.

[waleed90]

I actually knew about most of this, but having said that, I still thought it was useful. Nice job!

[PhoenixGG]

The car body I have has the following measurements:
Wheelbase: 2479mm
front track: 1441mm
rear track: 1422mm

The Z3 I'd like to use is very similar
Wheelbase: 2446mm
front track: 1412mm
rear track: 1430mm

But seeing as they are so expensive, I was thinking of using a more available E36
Wheelbase: 1700mm
front track: 1422mm
rear track: 1444mm

Would the z3 work or will it be better to go the E36 route

[PhoenixGG]

That's a pretty loaded question! Is it front engine? Rear engine? What kind of performance are you looking for? stock 4cylinder ok, or you aiming for 500 horsepower?

30mm doesn't sound like much to me - actually most of the murci replicas are an inch shorter wheelbase than the real car. Check out the DNA Ferrari replicas - they look amazing, but are actually 4 inches short iirc.

I wouldn't consider shortening a wheelbase - the engine bay on most cars is small enough as is, and you wouldn't want to make the cab any smaller.

Tell us more about your project and I'm sure you'll get a lot of opinions on choosing a donor.

It will be a front engine, rear wheel drive vehicle. Currently I have not put too much thought into the engine. I do plan on using a BMW power plant.