Drivetrains
There are a number of different drivetrains that are suitable for use in a kitcar chassis. When choosing a drivetrain for your car remember that your car will be lighter than the donor car and so the engine will deliver better performance than when in its original installation. Almost all of the 4 and 6 cylinder drivetrains from the front wheel drive cars can be used. Choosing one of these from a popular car that has good aftermarket support would be a good idea. These will mostly be transverse mounted drivetrains that will fit well within the confines of the bodies that were designed for the VW pan.
If you prefer the longitudinal mounting with the 4 or 6 cylinder engines or want to move up to a V8 there are a number of options. The smaller engines can be used with a beefed up VW or Porsche transaxle. KEP makes a number of adaptor kits for this use. The least expensive transaxle for use with a V8 is the Audi 5000. It will handle up to about 450 HP if not abused. There are a number of other transaxle options including the Porsche boxes or some of the aftermarket units such as those made by Mendeola. This is a rather lengthy subject and there are a lot of opinions on what is best. Contact us with some information about your ideas and how you car will be used and we can help you decide what would be best for you.