Old School 2 Seat Alumicraft Rebuild

wesinls

wesinls

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Picked this car up today with plans to rebuild it over the next few years. Planning on a 3.5 Honda, side panels, and an ongoing list of to-do's.
Ive been wanting to find a car of this generation that needed an overhaul for sometime and finally found one...it's rough now, but in the end it will hopefully be a clean fun duner.
Plan to track my progress on this thread.20241125_171255.jpg
 
Sweet! Keep us posted on the progress, it looks like a nice little duner.
 
Awesome. Congratulations and cant wait to see it thru with you.
 
That will be a fun ripper. Did it come with a VW motor and trans ?
 
You will find that to be a great duning car. Cooley recommended an additional tube at the upper front shock mount to eliminate some potential issues.
 
After talking to 2 owners with similar alumicraft frames over this last trip (one turbo honda on n/a), I'm now wondering if converting the car to a mid-engine is a better path forward. Turbo guy said he can't keep the front wheels of the ground, and non turbo guy mentioned after doing a few things to get more weight up front the car improved...this of course is subject to debate on driving style etc., but it got me thinking.

Given I need to change the motor and trans mounts anyway (going to get a 2D) - moving to a mid-engine is relatively the same cost. The car will be driven by my wife and a wheelie on a tall dune would just scare her...a mid-engine duner seems like a good option. I'd somewhat copy my existing car - radiator location, exhaust, etc..

Thoughts?
Here's some pictures of a car with a honda engine and 2d trans setup...according to the owner Alumicraft built it...it kind of matters to me that if i do a mid-engine it's what alumi craft could have done back in 2001ish.

1733060877807.jpeg
1733060917029.jpeg
 
I had a early 2000 AC that came with a VW drive train. Swapped it to a Turbo Honda / 2D and had no problems keeping the front end on the ground. I would not cut up that car if it was mine.
 
wesinls said:
After talking to 2 owners with similar alumicraft frames over this last trip (one turbo honda on n/a), I'm now wondering if converting the car to a mid-engine is a better path forward. Turbo guy said he can't keep the front wheels of the ground, and non turbo guy mentioned after doing a few things to get more weight up front the car improved...this of course is subject to debate on driving style etc., but it got me thinking.

Given I need to change the motor and trans mounts anyway (going to get a 2D) - moving to a mid-engine is relatively the same cost. The car will be driven by my wife and a wheelie on a tall dune would just scare her...a mid-engine duner seems like a good option. I'd somewhat copy my existing car - radiator location, exhaust, etc..

Thoughts?
Here's some pictures of a car with a honda engine and 2d trans setup...according to the owner Alumicraft built it...it kind of matters to me that if i do a mid-engine it's what alumi craft could have done back in 2001ish.
Click to expand...

Dude...you already have a mid engine car, why are you asking this question...you already know the answer... :ROFLMAO:

I would HIGHLY recommend converting it to a mid engine. A light/ultralight car with a rear engine will be a wheelie machine. A mid engine car will also be a better handling car. You won't have as much fear of rolling it or tipping. Mid engine cars just stay planted and the handling will be much better. I seem to not have to worry about getting stuck. The car does not dig down as the weight is distributed more evenly between the front and rear. The only negative might be that she hears more engine noise or the turbo blowing off.

Lastly, DEFINITELY make sure it has turning brakes. A mid engine without turning breaks seems like a sin. It's just way too much fun to rip it around and turn on a dime and get out of tough spots.
 
If you leave it alone, keeping an eye on moving heavy items forward as much as possible will definitely help keep the front end down. Battery up front, seats farther forward, radiator, fuel tank, etc, right behind the driver. Hell, might even be able to put the turbo in front of the engine.

Also: H pattern mid engine doesn’t shift as well as rear engine.

The rest of wheelie control can be done with tire pressure (more) and watching the right foot in certain situations.
 
wesinls said:
After talking to 2 owners with similar alumicraft frames over this last trip (one turbo honda on n/a), I'm now wondering if converting the car to a mid-engine is a better path forward. Turbo guy said he can't keep the front wheels of the ground, and non turbo guy mentioned after doing a few things to get more weight up front the car improved...this of course is subject to debate on driving style etc., but it got me thinking.

Given I need to change the motor and trans mounts anyway (going to get a 2D) - moving to a mid-engine is relatively the same cost. The car will be driven by my wife and a wheelie on a tall dune would just scare her...a mid-engine duner seems like a good option. I'd somewhat copy my existing car - radiator location, exhaust, etc..

Thoughts?
Here's some pictures of a car with a honda engine and 2d trans setup...according to the owner Alumicraft built it...it kind of matters to me that if i do a mid-engine it's what alumi craft could have done back in 2001ish.

View attachment 130737
View attachment 130738
Click to expand...
Mine has a V8 in it and only wheelies if you want it to. It's not really an issue.

I thought about converting it to mid-engine also. Now I'm glad I didn't.
 
wheelies can be controlled by good modern electronics and boost control.
 
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