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[CapriProject]

If someone was going to use the motor out of a Capri in a front 'engine/rear wheel drive' set-up (like as in a Miata) what donor cars have the transmission that will bolt-up to the Capri engine?  Yes, the Miata does but what other donors cars are there that also would fit?

[Rocketman]

For a RWD specific car, it would only be the 89-97 Miata.

One of the Mazda B series trucks may have a "compatible" bell housing, but its a truck transmission w/ crappy gearing.

You'll have to look around and do some reasearch, but the 95-xx Kia Sportage had a 2.0 F-series mazda motor which has a "compatible" bolt pattern, at least to the BP motor, and those were front engine/rwd/4wd. (longitudally mounted IIRC) but I suspect it'd be very similar to the Miata trans.

89-94 Miata is your best bet though, its made for the 1.6

[CapriProject]

I know this isn't CAPRI tech information but I just thought I'd pass-on what I learned...
It looks like the automatic trans that's in the early Miata (with our 1600 engine) is the L4N71. A 4-speed automatic transmission from Nissan Motors that also was used in other cars (different bell housings).
1983–1984 Nissan Maxima
1984–1988 Nissan 200SX
1984–1989 Dodge Conquest
1984–1986 Plymouth Conquest
1984–1988 Mazda RX-7
1984– Mitsubishi Starion
1986–1989 Nissan Pathfinder
1986–1989 Mazda Pickup
1986–1989 Nissan pickup
1987–1989 Nissan Van
1989–1995 Mazda MPV
1990–1993 Mazda Pickup
1991–1997 Mazda Miata

[CapriProject]

I've looked at a 1993 Miata (with auto trans) and the 1.6 engine looks the same as my 1991 Capri except for the FI unit (facing forward not across engine). Is that the only difference between these engines? Would the ECU need to be swapped along with the automatic trans or would the stock Capri (w/man. trans) ECU still work?
Thanks

[rcdraco]

The ECU is definitely different, no miata has a distributor as far I know.  They all use optical with the older models using twin coils.

I don't understand what you're trying to do though, a miata is way smaller and a bit lighter then the capri.  The driveline alone would make the capri slower, and without a turbo you basically end up with a tail-happy slug.

[CapriProject]

understand the confusion... (I confuse my self some times)... I've been converting the Capri into a 3-wheeled "motorcycle". The original plan was to modify the FWD set-up to be a 'RWD-rear engine'. Then the issues with reversing the final drive rotation to allow the motor to be in a true 'rear engine' position changed my plans to keep the stock FWD set-up and change the 2 rear wheels to a single wide wheel. I've done that & am working on the body work now. Problem is it's such a compromise to my original plan for this project that I'm now looking at using some of the pieces of the Capri on a Miata donor car to make my original planned 3-wheeler with RWD using the Miata drive train. I would like to use the Capri's engine because it was re-built not long ago & is in better shape for the long run. Because doing this project is my hobby I'd prefer any future time & expense be spent on what I want & not some compromised version of what I'd want to have. As a 'hobby' it has kept me busy but I'd like to switch over to the other layout from now on.

[Rocketman]

Why would you have to reverse the final drive? You're not turning the engine totally around are you? That wouldnt really work. The engine still faces forward but moves to the back of the car. Been done many a time, and is how the Fiero, MR2, etc are setup. Its Mid-Engine, RWD.

Unless you go to a true Rear-engine style transaxle like the old VW bug or Porsche, where the engine sticks straight back out of the car. That can be done with adapter plates, but I think everything would be too long then.

The Miata has *totally* different ECU & harness. It uses a CAS & coilpacks for ignition instead of a distributor.

As for making a Miata a 3-wheeler: I dont think its possible, really. The engine sits in the center of the engine bay (setup like a traditional RWD car), and low, there is no room for a wheel in the front.

[CapriProject]

OK, what I'm going for is a little more 'car-like' than the Stallion Trike currently being offered but simular enough to maybe show you what direction I want my project vehicle to go it. Here's a link with pictures (one with their frame set-up) mine vehicle would have a (narrower-than-stock) convertable top & removable doors w/electric windows for foul weather times. A 3-wheeled 'car' that's licensed & registered as a motorcycle. (not a go-fast sports car) Link: http://dfwtrikes.com/index.html

[Rocketman]

If you're using a Miata I believe it would be impossibly long to get the wheel in front of the motor

Their motor seems to be pretty underpowered for being a 2.3L

[CapriProject]

The ideal set-up was to be the Capri engine/trans (if auto) with the final drive rotation reversed so it could be in the rear. Unlike VW,Corvair, Porsche the Capri engine would not be such a huge weight hanging off the trans. It would look just like it does under the 'trunk lid' as it does now under the hood. With out a way to effectivly reverse the rotation that's not going to be the solution. The 'normal' set-up like the Miata can be altered by shortening the drive shaft (keep in mind I'm not keeping the body in it's stock shape or size). Here's a link to a picure of the Miata's bare drivetrain... http://flyinmiata.com/projects/installation_photos/IMG_6843.jpg

[Rocketman]

You dont need to reverse the final drive.

[CapriProject]

If the Capri's engine & trans is used as a "rear-engine RWD" it would be turned around 180 degrees from stock "front-engine FWD" position. If the final drive rotation to the wheels was not reversed the 'project vehicle' would have 5-reverse gears & 1-forward gear. Because of the Capri's engine/trans set-up the engine's center of gravity is only about a foot off of the center-line of the wheels... unlike the old VW type trans where the whole engine & half the trans weight is off the center line. Big difference & why I originally wanted a Capri set-up for this conversion. The shifting issues of a manual Capri trans put in this rear position was why I was looking at a Capri Auto trans until I couldn't resolve the reversed final drive rotation issue. With those issues & no longer happy with the compromise idea of just keeping it in a stock FWD set-up, I'm now looking at what issues are involved with a Miata donor car and give-up on the project vehicle being rear engined. If you know how I can reverse the final drive rotation of the Capri trans so I can use it in a true 'rear-engine' set-up that would be the best news for my project. Unlike the 'ring & pinoin' gears of a differencal, the FWD trans isn't set-up that way so I don't see how it can be done.

[CapriProject]

Rocketman... Do you believe the stock Capri 5-speed would function 'up-side down'? I was thinking if the trans (without the engine attached) was rotated to an up-side down position & a adpter plate was fabricated so the engine would again bolt-up to the trans. This 'new' engine/trans set-up could then be rotated 180 degrees around to the 'rear-engine' position & the shifter linkage would then face the new 'front' of the vehicle. Did that make sense? Would the trans work in a 'up-side down' position?  Thanks for any help on this!

[rcdraco]

Miata transmission, and flip the differential.  Haven't you ever seen junkyard wars?

If the diff is oriented 180 degrees around it rotates the opposite direction.

[CapriProject]

I understand how this subject is confusing... I'm not looking to reverse the final drive rotation of the Miata set-up. The Miata was only being looked at as a donor if I couldn't reverse the final drive rotation of the Capri donor I already have. If I can't use the Capri set-up as a true rear-engine set-up then (& only then) would I switch over to a Miata set-up & give-up on the rear-engine position on this project. If the Capri trans will function in an up-dide down position then I could work out the other issues to make it a rear-engine project vehicle.