944 tranaxle question...

So what would it take to bolt an engine to a 944 transaxle for use as a mid engine platform...? Some sort of bellhousing/adaptor? Or could this even be done. Or maybe it is not worth doing...

Just a "what if" I thought of driving down the road...

The simple answer: because 911 and boxster transmissions already exist.

Seriously though, you could probably mate up to the trans bell housing with an adapter plate of some sort. Then you'd need to figure out how to do the clutch, since the 944 has the clutch on the engine end of the drive shaft. The drive shaft to trans coupling has a bellhousing of its own and simply connects with coupler. that joins the two shafts.

I believe (not sure) the 944 transmission was used in some of the larger Audis, and they would have the trans bolted to the motor. There may be a way to do it with the Porsche unit.

noddaz wrote: So what would it take to bolt an engine to a 944 transaxle for use as a mid engine platform...? Some sort of bellhousing/adaptor? Or could this even be done. Or maybe it is not worth doing... Just a "what if" I thought of driving down the road...

It's an Audi 016. The input shaft splines are different, but other than that, it's just an Audi 016. Lots people have mated the Porsche version to Audi fives and sixes and eights. Bellhousing adaptors exist to mate most American engines to this trans. (As I understand it, though, they're not that great, being far thicker than they need to be)

The Boxster trans is an Audi 01E, as well.

They're more popular for use in mid-engine applications than the actual Audi units because the majority of Audi 016 and 01E were AWD units. The only place you find FWD 016 transmissions in the wild are 5-cylinder applications, IIRC. So some Coupe GTs and a few very rare 5000/200s. But all AWD Audis up to about 1988 were 016 and they used that trans up until 1992 when they made it stronger and renamed it 01E.

You would have to figure out how to make a clutch work as the clutch on the 944a s is in the bellhousing at the front. There is only a coupler at the rear and although there is what appears to be a bell housing back there I don't think there is and provision for a clutch. I think you would also have to figure out starters.

Also you would want a 951 trans (either open or LSD) as they have hardened R&P gears. The standard 944 gear set is more fragile and although it can take some decent HP it does not play well with jack rabbit starts and dropping the clutch as compared to the 951 trans.

Only the Turbo S and S2 transmissions have hardened R&P's. The regular Turbo tranny's don't.