Ed Higginbotham
Ed Higginbotham Associate Editor
12/21/17 7:03 a.m.
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Love weird, fast hatchbacks? Forum member cardinaljimenez autocrosses this modified Suzuki Swift at his local SCCA events thanks to a laundry list of upgrades harvested from a range of other cars.

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Charade_Life
Charade_Life None
12/26/17 4:15 p.m.

So I guess this is somewhat close to my project of turning my Daihatsu into an autocross car.

airwerks
airwerks Reader
12/26/17 4:33 p.m.

Sorry, nope. The Swift at least has some sporting potential. laugh

Bobcougarzillameister
Bobcougarzillameister MegaDork
12/26/17 4:38 p.m.

I did too! I had a 94 Swift GT I built for ST(formerly STS). the numbers were good (1700lbs, 100hp, 4whl disc brakes, narrower than the Civic Si etc). Reality on the other hand...... For ST it was a terrible idea. IT needed an LSD and a tube frame. 

Robbie
Robbie PowerDork
12/26/17 4:40 p.m.

awesome

TheRX7Project
TheRX7Project Reader
12/27/17 8:08 a.m.

I live for weird stuff like this

stroker
stroker UltraDork
12/27/17 6:46 p.m.

Couldn't you put Aerio/SX4 AWD gear into something like that?   Surely someone here knows how to put a hp engine on that drivetrain....?

airwerks
airwerks Reader
12/28/17 2:32 p.m.

That chassis Swift had an AWD counterpart overseas with a much stronger transmission. There are a couple AWD cars constructed here in the states from half cuts. The biggest problems are you need to weld in a new rear floor pan and move the steering rack mounts from the donor car. I looked into it pretty heavy after popping the 5th transmission on my old boosted 94 GT. Transmisions are definitely the weak point on these little guys.

They don't need an engine swap- I'd much rather run the G13B over any of the J series suzuki stuff.

Bobcougarzillameister
Bobcougarzillameister MegaDork
12/28/17 2:42 p.m.

In reply to airwerks :

I still talk about my swift as a fantastic engine in a E36 M3 chassis. I was lucky enough to have lucked into an engine with the Suzuki Sport valve springs. They were used in their AWD rally engines and rated to 10,500rpms. I liked to shift mine around 8800.... the racket it made at those rpms with 2.25" open exhaust. Holy mother of gawd. It was obnoxious like a straight piped miate, but revved like a Honda and beyond. IT was glorious and is likely part of the problem with my hearing.

airwerks
airwerks Reader
12/28/17 4:38 p.m.

In reply to Bobcougarzillameister :

That's why I'm swapping a boosted G13B into a 77 Colt (rebadged Mitsu Lancer) with a 2wd sidekick 1.6 trans. You'd be surprised how much a turbo calms the obnoxiousness that motor can have with an open exhaust.

I remember your car from my Teamswift days..... it was the reason I side-piped mine. laugh

Bobcougarzillameister
Bobcougarzillameister MegaDork
12/28/17 4:49 p.m.

In reply to airwerks :

I still want a G13B in a Lotus 7 chassis with the sidekick trans. 1000lbs, 110hp. 9500rpms. 

 

mfvmx
mfvmx New Reader
1/17/18 11:01 a.m.

In reply to Bobcougarzillameister :

I have been planning the same thing. In my garage I have an extra G13B, Samurai trans, Miata rear end, and misc Miata suspension components that I hope to one day turn into a <1000lbs locost.

Bobcougarzillameister
Bobcougarzillameister MegaDork
1/17/18 11:04 a.m.

In reply to mfvmx :

nice! I kinda wish I'd kept the spare G13 that went with the car years ago.

 

Suprf1y
Suprf1y PowerDork
1/17/18 11:07 a.m.

In reply to airwerks :

The stock 1.6 in those Mitsu's (love those cars, BTW) were every bit as stout as the G13. Excellent motors with a few of the right mods.

I've modded and raced both.

That J series is also very capable, but nobody really does anything with them. I had plans to drop a J series in my 01 Swift, but got distracted by a really clean 93 GT so I built that instead.

MazdaFace
MazdaFace Reader
1/17/18 11:09 a.m.

Well thats pretty neat

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