Has anyone any experience with coupling say... an automotive engine+automatic trans to a WC rearend... WITHOUT the WC transmission?

I'm considering a project that would basically be taking the remains of a WC (rearend and frame rails) and dropping a 4.3 V6 and it's automatic transmission in, with the output shaft U-joint coupled to the WC pinion shaft.

I'd use standard drive tire diameter, and wondering what my road speed would be with that auto trans output as 1:1, and the engine limited to say... 2800rpm or so...

If the tranny is 1:1 and you run 2800, it'd be roughly double the original speed.  4th is 1:1 on a WC as far as I know.  They were rated at 1400.  Might be turning a bit faster than that on the road with no load.

AaronSEIA

So... based on TractorData's info, looks like OEM ground speed at 1400 was 9mph, so I'd be in the vicinity of 20 or so... that'd be perfect...

Anyone ever coupled say... a 4.3L/200R4?

This is in contemplation of a somewhat 'odd' project... basically, a self-propelled boat trailer, using a nose-less WC rearend and frame, shortened, with a V6 and automatic, a brake disk on the pinion, and a hydraulic pump to operate both articulating steering... the 'half tractor' constitutes the front, while a boat trailer (with hydraulic launching features) constitutes the rear... and a swing-and-rotate pivot located just behind the axle's drive wheels, pivot beneath the axle and frame.

Wierd... but at 20mph, it's a 4-mile jaunt to the ramp, and it's be much easier to move it in and out of the building between use, storage, and stuff.  I just happen to have a pair of WC carcasses with viable rearends... 

Being a special-purpose machine, under 30mph, and since I live on a rural farmstead), it won't require being plated or tagged for operation, just appropriate lighting and SMV sign... easy enough.

I've got several, Mike... and I have two rearends, so concievably, I could make more than one, but haven't totally decided yet.

The two primary boats are a 22ft SeaRay cuddy, and an 18ft SeaRay runabout.  If I do this, I'll build the FIRST one big enough for the 22'er, as I could always place the 18 on it... but putting a 22'er on a chassis for the 18 would not work out so well.  If I do the backend design right, I could use a hydraulic circuit to set suspension height in such a way that I could lift a boat off a storage stand in the shop or barn, take it down to the river for use, then return... it'd also be incredibly handy for haul-outs of slip-stored boats in the fall.  If that were the case, I'd likely use it also to pull out my dad's 26' Wellcraft, and a few others.

It'll certainly be wierd looking, but hey, if it works, it'll be the cat's meow.  The path from my place to the ramp is, with exception of about 200 yards, all 'secondary' roads.  There's about a 250ft vertical climb of about 10% grade (climbing out of the river valley).  The 22 is about 3800lbs, I estimate this whole machine will be around 5800.  25mph is plenty fast... and with the WC's ratios and tire size, it shouldn't be difficult to make that climb with a carbeurated 4.3 and a 3spd automatic.  it might hafta drop down a gear and scream a bit, but I don't think the WC rearend would be highly stressed at that pull.

I'll certainly have foot brakes... one on the transmission/axle pinion, one on each wheel, as well as hydraulic brakes on the trailer.  Decending the hill is an important part of the trek, but being able to hold solid on the ramp while launching is extremely important.

Since it'll be steering as an articulator, I really won't need 'independant' braking of the drive wheels, the only reason I'd probably use them, is if I found a slick spot on the ramp on the pull out.

The trailing chassis will be a hydraulic adjustable system, able to spread and narrow to suit hulls of various widths and bottom profiles, and the tongue will be extendable, and the bow stop adjustable in such a way to accomodate longer and shorter hulls, as well as extend into the water farther, to facilitate easy launch, and also, to make it easy to back under and pick up boats sitting on workstands and cribbing...

Like all my other projects, it might take a while, or it might get done overnight- depends on circumstances, resources, and timing.  This past Sunday noon, I got our downstairs air conditioning system charged up and started, and by 5pm had it's twin brother, feeding refrigerant to the air handler in the attic.  We went all spring, and all last summer without air, and now we're much more comfortable.  A little more work on it, and I'll be able to get back to building the new shop... dunno if I'll be able to hit my landmarks for this fall, but if the winter is mild, I just might do pretty well... we shall see...