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[Rocketman]

Im sorry, I still cant figure out why you need to flip the engine around 180 degrees. There's no reason to do that.

Leaving it at the 0* position, and moving it to the rear, gives you excellent weight balance ( almost all in FRONT of the rear axle then) and the only issue is the shift linkage. if using an auto - just need to make a custom selector cable.

If using a manual - I've shown you solutions in your other thread where you can use a rod linkage that runs 180* opposite of the stock location. Or make your own quadrant box and convert to a cable style shifter. The cable shifter can be moved anywhere.

There have been MANY mid-rear swaps, NOONE reverses the orientation of the engine. Shifting can be overcome many ways.

[CapriProject]

"There have been MANY mid-rear swaps" ... I know I'm not making my self clear on this point. I do not want to have a MID-ENGINE RWD set-up. I want the engine to be behind the rear axile.
The main question would be: Will the Capri 5-speed transmission function properly when it is mounted up-side down? Never mind how it's mounted to the engine or the suspension parts or the shifter... just, will the transmission perform when it's up-side down?

[Rocketman]

It might work okay, as long as you find a way to keep the fluid at a proper level like it is now. I doubt anything in it relies on gravity other than the lube.

Okay I understand now you want the motor behind the rear axle. That introduces a whole mess of new problems - traditional mid-rear wont work? I understand you "want" the engine over the back, but is this something you could compromise on? Is it a "need" for your design to work correctly? I haven't seen your design as a whole yet, so its tough for me to visualize exactly what you are planning.

[CapriProject]

I do appreciate the help on desiding to fliping the tranmission. Changing the fluid fill tube & stuff on the trans will be easy fixes. Good I can (for now) forget about switching to the Miata donor car.
My project vehicle isn't going to be a 3-wheeled Capri car. It will be a custom vehicle that will have several parts from the donor Capri car. If I can get the motor/trans working in the rear-engine RWD position I will greatly modify the unibody frame to work. In very general terms... The 'frame' will be spun around (there's the 180 degree part)to where the engine compartment will look simular to the stock one looks except it will be viewed from behind the vehicle.(radiator faceing the person behind the vehicle). The (now) rear suspension will be made 'non-steerable' and at the (now front) of the vehicle will be a single steerable wheel. The whole vehicle will be much narrower than the Capri car with modified doors (that are removable) & the convertable top modified to taper toward a different windshied.

[rcdraco]

Use the Miata transmission, with the miata engine, with the miata diff.

Spin the diff upside down in reverse, and it will work perfectly fine.

|Front End|-|Seats|-|Diff/Axle|-|Transmission|-|Engine|-|Rear Bumper|

I highly doubt the diff needs to be right side up as opposed to the rest of the vehicle.  Like rocketman said though you're reversing the oil flow, so you might need to switch to a high pressure system like in the corvette, to prevent oil starvation.

[CapriProject]

As far as right now I'm NOT going the Miata drivetrain route. I'm sticking with my 1991 Capri engine/trans powertrain. I'll just flip the Capri trans over up-side down & move it to the back to be RWD.

[rcdraco]

Then it won't work.  Mid engine would be FWD moved to the back, Rear Engine is Porsche/VW or nothing honestly.

Your design plan would completely ignore the idea that the oil would be starving every single time you hit the gas, and not to mention the problems of the entire gearbox running in reverse.

There's a LARGE number of reasons that people rarely build rear engine vehicles, custom or otherwise.  Even though it lends well to acceleration and off the line power, rear engine vehicles tend to be tricky to put around a turn.  And as you can see here there's very limited options outside of the companies who actually make rear engine cars, unless you're willing to build your own transaxle, or make one fit.

As my dad, and most people in real life, or even on this forum will probably tell you after this ordeal:

If you're not sure what you're doing, you probably shouldn't be doing it.

[Rocketman]

RC: he'd be clocking the gearbox 180*. Upside down.

It would NOT run in reverse.

He would still keep the engine Transverse. It would not run into oil starving issues. That usually only happens when you go from transverse to lateral, and make no changes to the oil pan.

CapriProject:

I've thought about it. Running the transmission upside down would make the axles sit almost impossibly high in your chassis.

Your original pictures you posted - a 3-wheel capri, engine in the trunk & one wheel up front? No good?

[CapriProject]

Those old pics were just rough thoughts. The actual finished vehicle wouldn't look very much like a Capri car. Most every donor part will be cut & modified. I'll look under the car tomorrow to see how much height change there would be to the axles... Now on this path I'll check-out what obstical there are then drop the engine/trans & work on the bolt-up adapter plate. Good point to check, Thanks

[CapriProject]

Rocketman... looks like your probably right on it the height issue with running the trans up-side down. Here's a pic of how it is now.   The old scetches was to get an idea of how it would need to be because I couldn't use the engine/trans in the rear as I originally wanted. Now I've got it to this point I see it really isn't what I want as a finished vehicle. It is just a 3-wheeled Capri car... not what I want. I don't know yet what my next step will be. Damn!!!@

[CapriProject]

Bump... Rocketman

[CapriProject]

Bump... Rocketman

[Rocketman]

What can I do for you?

[CapriProject]

The ECU in the stock 5-speed Capri, will it work with the automatic Trans out of a 1991 Mazda 323? If not what do I need to change or modify?