LS engine & Trans "upfront", Mustang IRS in the "rear"

I'm new to this forum and would appreciate hearing from anyone that has swapped an LS engine and transmission upfront into a 944 with a mustang 8.8 IRS differential in the rear.

I know there are some that will object to this type of conversion, for all the obvious reasons, but I have a '84 944 with 200K on the OD that I purchased new. I hate the noisy closed driveline and would enjoy a challenge  to make this machine go again....

Thanks,

Prof D

there is a member here working on a 3.8l gm v6 in full cali emissions trim. he is using a gm t5 and a ford 8.8 solid axle. i think that would be the closest to what you want to do.

if you can fab and do sheet metal work it wont be an issue. plan to cut much of the floor out, and your gonna lose the hvac system. your also going to lose significant amounts of legroom, these cars are quite small and the torque tube allows the tunnel to be very narrow allowing for a lot more room. eliminating putting a transmission in the front makes things tight.

what are you looking to build? a drag car? if so, go about it the way your thinking. if your looking for a comfortable street car i would reconsider putting the trans up front.

Yes, if I could contract that person with the 8.8 rear end, that would be great.

Also, thanks for your suggestions. I had not considered how a trans upfront would restrict leg room. I'm already a little cramped with the stock leg room.

I mostly want a street/daily driver. I know there will be lots of fab work, but that's the fun of it all.

With an aluminum engine I've read that the weight upfront will decrease by about 100lb and adding a tans will add about 100lb, keeping the front end weight about the same. Going to an IRS rear end, I'll lose the weight in the rear.

Prof D

an aluminum block ls is very close to the same weight completely dressed as the 2.5l turbo is completely dressed, the end result is the weight in that case will be very similar. you for sure will not lose 100lbs off the nose doing any v8 swap. by the time most swaps are complete the cars have gained a little nose weight, with an aluminum block engine its neglidgeable, with an iron block ls its close to 100lbs.

putting a trans on the back of the engine will put around 2/3rds that weight on the front end. i think by the time you eliminate the torque tube and transaxle, rear suspension and replace it with a solid axle you will be a wash on rear weight. if you want to run irs, just use the stock rear suspension with an 8.8 irs diff from an explorer.

if its a street car i just dont see the attraction to going this route. with 450+ hp v8, a turbo transaxle with a stiffening plate will hold everything but launching on sticky tires at a dragstrip.

I did a lot of mocking up of an 8.8 IRS before ultimately deciding to switch to a solid axle 8.8.

Here on this forum I didn't get into much detail about why I gave up on the IRS 8.8. But here is a link to another forum where I did get into more details:

Linky de Link Link

That will take you the page where I started hanging the 8.8 diff and looking at how it would work with the stock 944 suspension. Post 209.

I have put a 4.3 Lexus V8 in a 928, engine and transmission at the front, Wisache retained , with a borg warner 3.08 LSD at the back in a custom cradle, custom drive and half shafts..
Tunnel had to be enlarged to make room for the trans, engine and trans weighed just under what the 928 engine only weighed, Borge warner was about 1/4 the weight of the transaxle, no noticeable difference in the cabin with the wider tunnel, still using the original tunnel  trim, slightly modded shifter surround.  
Balance close to original 50/50, now 53 front, 47 rear. car approx. 200 pound lighter. no reason why an LS with trannie up front , and IRS would be any harder in a 944.  
can post a few pic's if you are interested
Russ

Thanks for all the insight and suggestions, especially Sparkydog with all the pictures and the play by play. I'm still sold on the idea of putting an Mustang IRS in the rear with a LS engine and tranny up front. I have the 944 setting in the yard waiting for me and recently I bought a 8.8 IRS pumpkin off craigslist. After reading Sparkdog's battle with the Mustang metal graft into the 944, I think I'll just scrap the entire 944 rear suspension, transaxle and torsion bar thing as well (even though I love TB suspensions). My first thought is to design and build a 4 link subframe with coil overs and holder for the pumpkin, outside the 944. Once all the suspension parts are installed on the subframe, I'll then whack into the 944 rear frame/body. I suspect I'll need to pretty much cut out all the sheet metal and other things in the way. I don't like making major mods under the car, so once the rear floor pan is gone, I'll be able to work from above. These are all just thoughts at the moment and I need to get my wife's rav4 engine rebuilt to make room in the garage for the 944.
Prof D