2000 Suzuki Swift build

The 2000 Swift is a car you know nothing about.

My current daily driver is a 93 Swift GT. It's a fun car, but not a great car. It's fairly modified, eagerly revs to 8500, makes all the right noises, and is generally a blast to drive. People who have driven it have all said the same thing. This thing is insane. The problem is, it rides like E36 M3, the windows don't always want to roll up-or down, the dash jumps all over the place when you're going down a rough, (or sometimes smooth) road, the front end intermittently sounds like it's about to depart, and the reality is, that as crazy as the car feels, it's not really all that fast. When you're in your 20's, all this personality in a car is a good thing. I'm in my 50's and looking for something a little more comfortable.

Enter the grocery getter (pics from the actual sleazy used car dealer ad)

In 95 Suzuki and GM (Metro) released the new body style on the old platform and fixed all the little things, actually building a decent little car. They ride nice, they're quiet, the windows and wipers actually do what they're supposed to, and the build quality is much better. This body style seems to be love it or hate it. I love it. In 98 they came with the 1.3 16V motor available everywhere else in the Jimny and Baleno (Esteem). 79 HP at 6000 and 75 lb/ft of torque at 3000. They're a good car, but whoever said it's more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow wasn't talking about this car. With that power and the 4X4 stance, they're commuter for sure.

This thing IS low mileage and clean. I've missed out on a few like this in the last few years, so even though I wasn't crazy about the colour, when I saw this one I jumped on it.

More to come.

There is one set up as a pretty fast ministock at our track. He's running some kind of Geo 4 cylinder I think

Awesome! I love these little cars. That one looks to be in really nice shape.

Also, do you have a build thread on the Swift GT? :)

In reply to bearmtnmartin:

If your track has a proper weight rule, these cars can compete. It's likely either a 1.3 8V or 1.3 16V SOHC, and there's a good chance it might have one of my cams in it.

So the goal here is to build a comfortable, reliable daily driver that looks good handles well, goes like stink, and surprises anybody who cares to notice. I don't have a budget, but I paid $2500 for the car on the road (not bad considering how clean it is), so it should come in well under $4000.

Choices for springs are H&R and B&G. I could cut the stockers. I've done that before, and it's worked out fine, but I have H&R's on the GT and I'm really happy with how firm the ride is, how well the car handles, and they're not expensive. Tire rack had the best price, but it was an extra $100 to my door. By accident I found Essex distributors , apparently Canada's largest distributor of H&R springs. The price was the same as Tire rack, and shipping $20. They're on their way. With only a 1.4 drop, I may have to do a little trimming to get the look I want.

For rims, my choices were Stock GT 7 spokes, Saab Ronals, or some Kent wheels I've had in the barn for the last 10 years or so. The GT's are about 9lbs, and nice, but only 14". I was thinking that this wheel well wanted a 15".

These are the Ronals.

The Kents

The silver one in the background has a set of 7 spokes on it. I tried them on the blue car, but the colour didn't work.

I settled on the Kents, and started prepping them for paint last night. I'm thinking silver rim paint with a light over coat of one of the near match light bronze metallics, then clear coat. Should look good with the blue.

So I have a few questions for the collective.

Question 1. Rubber.

My choices in 195 50 15 are

Falken ZE 502

Falken ZE 912

Cooper Zeon

Tires are typically crazy expensive here, so I was going to go with either Tire rack, or Discount tire direct, then pick them up at a shipping depot across the border. I found a local guy that will sell them installed and balanced for what it was going to cost from either of those places. Score!

Question 2.

The car has new pads and rotors. The pads don't feel very good, and are probably bargain basement brand.

I can get Apex ceramic or EBC green stuff pads. WWGRMD?

Good choice on the Kent wheels. That was my pick also, before I saw your final choice. Unfortunately I have no input on the tires or pads.

I don't LIKE any of those tires, but i'd choose the 912s if a gun was to my head.

I tend to run the GreenStuff pads on my street cars. I likes 'em. They dust a lot, but stop hard, and seem to last forever.

Zomby Woof wrote: Tires are typically crazy expensive here, so I was going to go with either Tire rack, or Discount tire direct, then pick them up at a shipping depot across the border. I found a local guy that will sell them installed and balanced for what it was going to cost from either of those places. Score!

Have you tried the 195/45R15 size? Might have some choices there and you can get a better tire. As mentioned, all of those are pretttty lackluster

Nothing is available locally in 195 45, and I was only able to find Toyo proxxes' on ebay. I want to avoid buying stuff across the border if I can. If you buy locally, and have problems, it's a lot easier to correct. I know none of them are high end rubber, but this is still somewhat of a budget build, and not a race car. The silver car in the background has 912's on it. They wore fast, but worked especially well for the price. If I don't hear any different, I'll go with them. My close personal friend Per has nice things to say about them

My only experience with EBC Greens was about 10 years ago, on the front of my '98 Tercel, a car I loved for the same reasons you love the Swift(93hp of doom!). Figure ~2400lbs with me(200 at the time), a full tank, and some odds and ends in the trunk.

They were great pads if you flogged the car mercilessly, and worked fine when cold, but it was a momentum car and I just couldn't keep heat in the brakes AND keep my license. They'd eat rotors for breakfast as a result.

Unless this will see track time, I'd go for good quality stock pads, better than OE fluid and lines, and leave the rest alone. Just my $.02.

Sweet car, reeeeally looking forward to seeing more.

When are you going to box flair it?,I actually quite like the look of these cars(much better than previous gens imo).I needs to be lowered asap.

kevlarcorolla wrote: I actually quite like the look of these cars(much better than previous gens imo).I needs to be lowered asap.

This body style is definitely a love it or hate it thing. Of course I love it, and always have. My kids used to say they looked like a cross between a lady bug and a jelly bean. They're not wrong, but they've each owned one and been converted now.

H&R springs are on the way, and I can't wait to get them in. Rims have been prepped and will be painted in the next few days. Since I haven't heard anything bad, I will be ordering the 912's tomorrow.

I tried the nite shades stuff for the first time, and decided to try it on a spare light. Good thing, because I totally screwed it up. I learned from my mistakes and got it right the second time. Three very light coats. It looks far darker than it does in the pic.

Turbo manifold is partially done, with the weld el's on order. I made a spare flange to use as a template for all you 1.3 16V guys out there looking for a turbo manifold Turbo is an IHI RHB 5 from an Isuzu Imark. It was originally a 1.5 8V motor with 70 HP stock, and 110 or 120 with the turbo. The numbers are in line with my plans. 10-12 psi boost and 125-140 HP and similar lb/ft of torque should get the job done. If it's not enough, I have an RHB 5 from an MX6. It has the same turbine, but bigger compressor. Swap the small turbine housing from the this one, and it's horsepower city.

The stock cam in these motors has 184 degrees duration at .050" and .280" lift. It's no wonder it feels so good down low, but runs out of steam at 5000 RPM. About 7 or 8 years ago I spent a lot of time developing this cam, thinking that this motor and car would replace the Swift GT in the community, and I couldn't have been more wrong. Regardless, there are enough of them out there that it's not been a complete waste of time. It's a big improvement at 192 degrees intake, and 198 exhaust, with .340" lift. With those numbers, it will spool early, and pull HARD to the stock computers short 6500 fuel cut. More on that later.

Wait... you developed your own cam for these things??

pres589 wrote: Wait... you developed your own cam for these things??

Mike is only kind of sort of "THE" guy when it comes to these cars in North America. People are crazier than him across the pond and in Aussieland, but he thrives on the oddball stuff while everyone else stuck with the MK2/MK3 GTi

Wow! I didn't expect to see this car in a build thread! How cool. Definitely staying tuned... :)

Did you end up ordering tires? If by some chance you haven't, I'd consider 195/55s, I think the extra sidewall would look nicer on these wheels and probably ride a bit better without an appreciable loss in handling.

HiTempguy wrote: Mike is only kind of sort of "THE" guy when it comes to these cars in North America.

It's easy to be THE guy when nobody else is doing it

Max_Archer wrote: Did you end up ordering tires? If by some chance you haven't, I'd consider 195/55s, I think the extra sidewall would look nicer on these wheels and probably ride a bit better without an appreciable loss in handling.

Too much tire for that wheel well. 185 55 14's look good on these cars when lowered, so a 195 55 15 would be way too big. That aside, I can't afford to lose any gear. Stock 3.79-1 final drive will work ok, only because of the boost, and low RPM redline.

Had a few hours last night, so the rims are done with some "custom" center caps

Springs are here,. I'd like to install them, but might pop for some KYB GR2's at the same time. The GR2/H&R combo on the GT works really well.

This place is so bad for me. Every time I log in I want to buy another car.

In reply to MrJoshua:

What he said ^^^^

In reply to Billy_Bottle_Caps:

Ditto. This time I can't believe it is a Geo though.

I just received the wheel adapters for mine to go 4x100,opens up the options for wheels to a huge market as opposed to sticking with the 4x114.3.The adapter is 1" thick so low offset are needed unless you flair it,I just had a set of 13x6 -13 bmw wheels and 205-60 R888 bolted on for a look.Very meaty fitment with my flair job. Keep up the good work,I will continue to watch.

Lol thanks Zomby for keeping me thinking about one of these...

Oh and got another one of those cams laying around or tips as what to look for? Still thinking about building one of these after new years.

anjaloveshervw wrote: Wow! I didn't expect to see this car in a build thread! How cool. Definitely staying tuned... :)

:D again, welcome to GRM!

Spinout007 wrote: Oh and got another one of those cams laying around or tips as what to look for? Still thinking about building one of these after new years.

The cam cores are getting easy to get, and I can grind one with a few days notice.

How to hotrod your 98-01

Son's 01 commuter

They're not very fast, (15's with mods) that's why I'm going turbo with this one. They are incredible on fuel, even with the mods, and still without a turbo, a lot of fun on a budget, once you've made a few changes. Build quality and reliability on these newer cars is very good.

kevlarcorolla wrote: I just received the wheel adapters for mine to go 4x100,opens up the options for wheels to a huge market as opposed to sticking with the 4x114.3.The adapter is 1" thick so low offset are needed unless you flair it,I just had a set of 13x6 -13 bmw wheels and 205-60 R888 bolted on for a look.Very meaty fitment with my flair job

The Saab rims had similar offset to stock, and were a little wider. The Kent's are another 1/2"-1" wider still, and stick out about as far as I would want without any cutting. Once lowered I suspect it will have a nice stance with these rims.

I'm kind of stalled on the suspension, and turbo bits right now, so maybe I'll tear the interior out tonight. A set of GT seats, front and rear will make a it a lot more comfortable. The stock seats in these car are awful.

Since my son stole my last 4.4-1 final drive trans for his Swift, I'm stealing his interior

This is really awesome! I definitely want to see how this turns out. Best of luck!

I haven't updated this because I kind of got into bike mode since I bought that Husky. Then my son said he wants to race next season, so I've been doing all the winter maintenance on that bike too.

Anyway, the rims are done. and have the new Falken 912's installed. I remembered a rant by a regular poster on here about how stupid and ugly unilug rims are. He was right, and that gave me an idea.

I ordered these trim panel clips on ebay

Painted them up the same colour as the rims, then glued them into the unused holes.

That looks a little better

While I was doing the springs, and tightening up the retaining nut on top of one of the struts, it turned in my hand. It looked like it wasn't running true, so I pulled it back apart, and measured it with a dial indicator. The strut shaft was bent and running out .300". There is no damage to the car, so it may have been bent since new. Luckily I had a spare set of struts, and they turned out to be KYB GR2's. While I had it apart, I replaced the cheap auto parts store generic pads with Apex carbon fiber pads.

I put the rims on before I was finished, to see how the height was with the new springs. At first I installed the springs without the 1/2" rubber insulator on top. but it was too low in the rear

The stance is perfect, and the wheels stick out the perfect amount.

So I have a question.

See the B pillar, how it's blacked out? I bought some matte black vinyl to black out the C pillar on the hatch. It's not Matte enough, and I don't want to paint it if I don't have to. At the same time I ordered some carbon fiber look vinyl for my bike frame. The matte is perfect. Would it be too ricey to use the carbon fiber stuff on the pillar?