Re: Rear engine/DeDion

[Will Owen <nashwill912@domain.elided>]

Ron Ewing said:

"Paul - I looked into this sort of thing a few years ago and concluded it
was too much trouble, esp with a DeDion IRS, as IIRC, there really isn't
enough room back there to make everything fit around the engine trans combo.
I'm sure others will chime in on this, but I'm not aware of ANY mid engine
setup that has ever used the DeDion IRS."

Auto Union GP cars of the Thirties had mid-engine placement and DeDion axles, or at least the ones that didn't have swing axles instead. If memory doth not fail me, at least one of these cars used a lower trailing link on each side, an upper one in the middle, and a sliding block arrangement for lateral location. The great big problem with using the Alfa's axle in an
application such as this is that central balljoint wants to be right up in the middle of where the engine sump would be. I guess you could dry-sump it...

However, with all the difficulties piling up, I'd say get over worrying about that driveshaft whirring next to your jewels - like, put a scattershield or something in there if you must - and make yourself a nice, vintage-style front-engine toy, and have fun with it. Hell, shove the engine back far enough and you're only gonna have 3' or so of driveshaft anyway.

Will Owen
...frankly envious in
Pasadena, CA
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