Looks good! I like the width at the base (open for access), use of the front engine mount, and general simplicity.
Do the two aft supports just tie in to the bell housing bolts?
I am curious if there will be any benefit adding a torque dampner to roll.

[QUOTE=titaniumdave;561944]
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1517877710.jpg

That’s a real man’s oil filter!:)

[QUOTE=Boxstard;561948] Even says MANN right on it!

The cradle picks up to point on the transmission bell housing. I'm going to pick up one more point on the front of the motor, where the 3rd motor mount used to be. There is a threaded hole on the lower corner of the cradle directly below that mount so it will be a simple strap with a couple of bends and 2 holes. That's the last bit before I try and stuff in in the engine hole in the car...

[QUOTE=titaniumdave;561966] I noticed after my posting, pun not intended:cheers:

Are you going to install engine mounts? The undampened vibrations may not help the fatigue issue.

Also...

http://i0.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/...akemymoney.jpg

I don't think there is an upside to more engine mounts. The concept is the have the motor/transmission assembly move as a rigid unit, the cradle is an extension of that. I added the front strut to the motor mount bracket and I'm pleased with how it's all working. I will make another for the driver's side once I get the belt run figured out and it will be good enough for testing/racing.

Test fit went okay. Cradle will work for my race car project, but there will need to be parts of the engine bay cut to clear the heads. I'm going to do some surgery, drop the motor 50mm more and try again to stuff it in. I don't know if it's possible to get the 40V AQH motor to fit with out beating on the engine bay. For those who are building cars they DO NOT care about cutting up the engine bay, I would say this is a winner.

Pics? no progress from my project either...

I will post some pics in the next week or so, I have the cradle mostly stuck back together. In the end I have dropped the motor crank centerline a total of 65mm at the front of the motor. This make the 4.2L oil pan sit at the same level as the 3.2L flat 6. I want to put everything back in and see how much the heads interfere with the body and go from there with pics so folks can see how this option will work in the real world(street car). The cradle clears the rear steel beam that goes between the rear suspension mounts too, uses the OEM rear 987 transmission mounts and it looks like I can run the exhaust from the Audi header down and follow the stock Boxster routing toward the rear of the car.

methinks you need to fab up a cool dry sump system so that you can get the engine lower.

If the fitment is similar to what I have, the tops of the timing belt covers contact the front firewall. Adjustment of the engine bay was needed, but minimal. With mine, I had no reservations about making some cuts and hitting it with a hammer. Moving lower would still be good for mine though for better reach of the shifting cable. From the start I have planned to fabricate a bolt-on top cover for the engine.
I'm really looking forward to the finished product becoming available. :cheers:

The cradle looks like it will sit very low. Mine is a similar concept, but sits much higher up, so the bottom of the cradle is level with the bottom of the sump. I am still a little worried about clearance (albeit a track car rather than a street car) and am fabricating a skid plate for it.

For your belt run, what accessories are you planning on using? I ended up using a tensioner from a touareg and cutting down the idler from the fan drive to make mine work with just an alternator.

Cradle tubes are just below the oil pan so it will be easy to mount a bash plate if need be...I want to do a full tray and diffusor for aero purposes so there will be some protection for the bottom of the motor.

For belt run I'm thinking I want to keep the PS pump but I admit I'm not sure how to get the belt to run clean if I keep the PS pump in OEM location. Your solution may be the best, alternator only and do an electric PS pump.

Electric PS pump from 00-05 MR2 has a reservoir built is, can mount in the frunk close to the battery. PS pump in the belt run makes no sense, so I will follow the lead and only run the alternator. What model/year Touareg did the tensioner come from?

consider manual steering - i've converted my rack to manual and w 245 tires on the front no issues. otherwise, i've an electric PS rig that i'd sell.

I used an electric PS pump from a mid 2000s Volvo s40. Cost me $20 from a junk yard and works great. Way easier to find than an MR2 pump. Hardest part was making the fittings for the rack. Had to silver solder AN fittings to the existing brass connectors.

The tensioner was from a 2004 v8 Touareg. Same engine, just slightly different layout with a shorter tensioner for better clearance. You may not need it, as I was trying to get away from needing the upper idler, but it put the tensioner on the wrong side of the belt that way and the clearance was really tight.

Thanks for the Volvo tip! Lines are easy, I build bicycle frame for a living so been soldering bits together for over 40 years;) I will look for that tensioner...

Plan is to run endurance races with a number of drivers, figure 2 hour stints. Anything I can do to make it easier to drive will make us faster and more consistent, plus we will be running 245's all around.

PM with what you have for PS rig.

I didn't realize that the factory flat 6 engine mount was retained when I wrote that post originally. So I agree with your idea to keep everything rigid.

If (when) you make these, what sort of price will you be looking at?