Scott's f8c conversion

[xlent_24]

Hi all, I'm pretty new to the forum, so as the story goes I've bought a pair of mighty boys, one decent car and one is a parts car, there both f5a autos, the good car had a smokey engine so I had swapped it with the parts car and happy days, after reading through a few build threads here It got me thinking about a few upgrades, I've since changed rims and tyres, (15 inch rims with 165,50r15 tyres) and just a few small things, now your up to speed with all that it's time for the engine conversion......

[xlent_24]

Currently how the mighty boy sits

[xlent_24]

So I've purchased a 2000 model daewoo matiz front cut from the wreckers, missing a few minor things but most of the important stuff is there still, I've decided to do the conversion into the parts car that way I can still drive my mighty boy to work etc..

[xlent_24]

So I set off removing the old f5a and auto out of the parts car, removed the engine out of the matiz, I now have the f8c sitting in the mb reading through a few threads I have used drivers side engine mount off of the f5a engine, and after dicking around get the engine to sit where I want I made up the rear engine mount bracket (against the fire wall) and the lower transaxle mount, the rear mount against the fire wall I used the original mount and then bent up some 5mm flat bar which has been welded to th he back side of the shifter cable bracket and then a gusset underneath the flat for support, the transaxle mount I made from some 2x1 box section cut out and welded to the subframe, again using another rubber mount from the f5a engine

[xlent_24]

So now the engine is sitting on it's own mounts, I have used the matiz drive shafts, the drivers side fits perfect no mods needed, the passengers side I'm going to have to get shortened, I've also used the matiz front hubs and struts but running the mighty boy springs and strut tops

[xlent_24]

So due to the the ugly intake manifold and how high it is it's going to stick out the bonnet around 60-70mm so I'm thinking I may cut the bonnet out and build somthing like a xr8 style bonnet bulge to cover it, I will worry about that later,

[xlent_24]

So onto the alternator, I'm wanting to run it on the firewall side as I'm considering running somthing along the lines of a garrett gt12 on the front down where the alternator used to sit on the f5a, anyway so I had to take off the drivers side engine mount and trim it out a little and also cut the lower section of the alternator bracket as in the matiz it has a engine steady rod that bolts to the alternator bracket, so now it all fits, its tight but does j.v ave clearance all the way around it

[Zuffen]

The Matiz alternator is on the firewall side from the factory.  Why would your's have been on the front of the engine?  That's where the air-conditioning compressor usually is.

You can get the engine to sit low enough that chopping off the alloy protrusion on the top of the T/b lets the bonnet shut without any mods.  Well our's does.

Whilst I haven;t checked would a second driver's side driveshaft fit in the passenger's side?

You really need the fuel pump unit as it talks to the ECU and you may get a CEL if it isn't used.

This swap makes the car so much nicer to drive.

[xlent_24]

Yes correct the alternator is on that side I just had a few issues with fitment using the f5a mount, can you shed abit more light on what you have done to the intake to make it fit under the bonnet?

[arklan]

So due to the the ugly intake manifold and how high it is it's going to stick out the bonnet around 60-70mm so I'm thinking I may cut the bonnet out and build somthing like a xr8 style bonnet bulge to cover it, I will worry about that later,

dunny lid here we come

[Zuffen]

Making the intake clear the bonnet begins with getting the engine in the right location, being as low as possible.

We have our's dropped around 30mm on the engine mounts.  Because we used the whole Matiz front end it was quite easy to lower the mounts as against locating and lowering the mounts.

Once we had the engine low enough we found it still didn't clear the bonnet by about 20mm.

If you look at the manifold and throttle body you will see it has a raised section of plastic and alloy that has the top mounting bolt in it.  

We cut this bit off and drilled and re-tapped the manifold to secure the throttle body.

No idea how much clearance we have but suffice to say the bonnet closes and we're happy.

Our Boy looks stock (except for the paint scheme and flares) even though it's probably the most highly modified legal Boy in the Country.

[xlent_24]

Thanks zuffen, I'll definitely look at cutting that section off and re drill and tap a new thread for the throttle body

[xlent_24]

Bit of an update for you all the matiz engine has made noise in the mb! I have wired it up and had a make do fuel system setup sitting on the ground, I've used the most basic of wires to get it running, the only other wiring I'll put in the mighty boy will be the diagnostic plug and a engine light just so I can keep track of whats happening, then just mate the two harnesses together mainly just temp gauge and using the mb key for ignition power etc, fuel system wise I'm running a external Bosch 044 pump and adjustable fuel pressure reg as the matiz fuel system only has one delivery port on the fuel rail, I don't think I'll bother mounting the reg and pump and making fuel lines in this car I'll just do all that in my good mighty boy

[xlent_24]

My little hatch turned up today, mainly wanting the 3 leaf rear end and the manual pedal box for my mb build

[xlent_24]

Radiator support put back in and radiator sitting in lower hose will be easy the upper hose a may build a alloy hose and just join with rubber at either end just due to the angles needed, I think I'll run
A aftermarket thermo as the original fits but theres barely and room around it