Auto trans questions

[Eric Eisenbeis]

So I'm getting ready to build our first fourseater dunebuggy for our family to enjoy I do a ton of drag car chassis and fabrication but my wife would like me to build this with a ls1 and a automatic trans what's the best way to achieve this I saw a old post with a guy doing mid motor wich I'm fine with and a turbo 350 and a Ford nine inch wich I used in all my builds but were can I find a independent rear kit I can graft into a nine inch housing ...look forward to hearing what's out there as this is the start of a new adventure for us

[raspadoo]

I usually see TH400s or powerglides. most of the TH400s are in cars running primarily hardpack.Some of the BIG horsepower guys run a manual trans with a torque converter. 

Edited September 26, 2017 by raspadoo

[FE135]

Probably the simplest setup is like the trucks use. A J-arm with solid axle. I've seen some rails in this config. Obviously, you would have to fab a frame for this from the start as it's not a normal sandrail setup. Robert Jones at Emery Sandcars in Fresno builds these type rails. He is a member of the Dune Masters old school club. Don't have a number but google should help. His personal car has this setup and it rocks the dunes pretty good.

[EY3BA11]

Stubby winters quick change w/ 934's and a power glide.  Drive shaft length can be a bit of a challenge depending on motor placement.  The narrow quick change has been used in the V8 Rails and ive seen a few others adapted to it in a Desert Dynamics chassis and a few others.  Definitely Doable.  If your going to keep it rear engine/mid engine like the old paradigm and Dunntech cars then go LS1 and with Jeff Fields Auto (If hes still around) they were based off an audi transaxle if I remember right.