It will be interesting to see how it drives and steers. Good Idea with the roller bearing as the steering might get quite heavy with big tyres and small steering wheel
Now the MB Build thread
Bolt pattern and shaft length.
If you get it to work i'd be interested in it.
Also could you do a very detailed description on the sf struts on the mighty boy?
I have a gti here im wrecking, would be good to use the brakes as there in good cond, plus ventilated.
If you get it to work i'd be interested in it.
Also could you do a very detailed description on the sf struts on the mighty boy?
I have a gti here im wrecking, would be good to use the brakes as there in good cond, plus ventilated.
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Have you considered the clearance of the "flipped" rod ends to the chassis once you've loaded the engine and dropped it back on the wheels? Chances are you'll end up with bent steering after the first speed hump. If you're keeping the standard ride height then you should have just enough room.
Also with the front suspension, I know you've done all the work now, but the front end from an SA GTi pretty much bolts straight in, springs and all - and the discs are ventilated.
If you're keeping the standard ride height then you should have just enough room.Also with the front suspension, I know you've done all the work now, but the front end from an SA GTi pretty much bolts straight in, springs and all - and the discs are ventilated.
F8B EFI turbo - Three pots and a snail.
Brayden, I have checked the clearance but as you said I won't really know until I get it loaded up. The other issue that it likely to raise it's head is the fact that the steering rack and lower control arm are no longer parallel and as such I might get some bump steer. Worst case I will reem out the stub and sleeve it so that I can run them the correct way.
Billie, I am not too sure what else you want me to add with regards to the details as for all intents and purposes they bolt up will little fuss if you do as I have listed above in the photos. The ideal way would be to convert to Coilover springs to get best results. You will not get the brake to bolt up without the hub because they mount completely differently and as stated the scrub radius is difference as is the King pin angle. I have no idea on how all this is going to affect the handeling of the car and will advise once it is all in and running.
Lastly I just want to make the point that I realise that this may seem a little odd to some of you but I got the complete car for $150 so it really is an exercise to see how much I can swap over for the newer gear. It has cost me nothing at this stage other than the initial cost of the vehicle if needs be I will source other parts later if required.
Thanks again for the interest and I will keep everyone up to date as I progress.
Billie, I am not too sure what else you want me to add with regards to the details as for all intents and purposes they bolt up will little fuss if you do as I have listed above in the photos. The ideal way would be to convert to Coilover springs to get best results. You will not get the brake to bolt up without the hub because they mount completely differently and as stated the scrub radius is difference as is the King pin angle. I have no idea on how all this is going to affect the handeling of the car and will advise once it is all in and running.
Lastly I just want to make the point that I realise that this may seem a little odd to some of you but I got the complete car for $150 so it really is an exercise to see how much I can swap over for the newer gear. It has cost me nothing at this stage other than the initial cost of the vehicle if needs be I will source other parts later if required.
Thanks again for the interest and I will keep everyone up to date as I progress.
Yeah I figured as much, just thought I would point out the issue with the rod ends to potentially save you some heartache later.nelpd96 wrote: Lastly I just want to make the point that I realise that this may seem a little odd to some of you but I got the complete car for $150 so it really is an exercise to see how much I can swap over for the newer gear.
You mentioned using SF coilovers on the front to get around the issue of spring diameter and clearance. You're right in terms of clearance, but the spring rate would be way too high if using typical SF springs (400 pound or so) - a custom set of springs would be absolutely necessary. I'm currently working on an upgrade using SA coilovers and the springs are VERY stiff. I highly doubt it will be streetable at all, so I'm getting a set of standard SA GTi struts/springs to swap in for the street (because it is easier than changing springs on the coilovers.)
F8B EFI turbo - Three pots and a snail.
Brayden, They don't make coilovers for the SF you would have to buy 45mm threaded tube with the spring perches and make them yourself (which I did for the Sprinter) that coupled with the Koni insert should make for a very good package although the cost would run out to about $1000 for the lot.
I am not too sure where you got the 400lb spring rate from but that is nearly 8kg/mm and way higher that I would put in the MB. I only run 6kg/mm on the front and 4.5kg/mm on the rear in my race car and it is hard as buggery.
You can order 65mm id coilover springs in just about any free height that you want with spring rate as low as 2.5kg/mm from whiteline or King springs. They are not even that expensive usually around $200 for a pair. I doubt that I would run anything more than about 3.5-4kg/mm on a MB due to the lack of weight.
Cheers
Paul
I am not too sure where you got the 400lb spring rate from but that is nearly 8kg/mm and way higher that I would put in the MB. I only run 6kg/mm on the front and 4.5kg/mm on the rear in my race car and it is hard as buggery.
You can order 65mm id coilover springs in just about any free height that you want with spring rate as low as 2.5kg/mm from whiteline or King springs. They are not even that expensive usually around $200 for a pair. I doubt that I would run anything more than about 3.5-4kg/mm on a MB due to the lack of weight.
Cheers
Paul
Paul, there are a couple of manufacturers of coilovers for the SF Swift - Hotbits are one.
Thanks for the advice on the coilover springs. I'll suck it and see with the current springs and see how it handles on the track. If that works out then I'll stick with the plan of refitting standard SA struts for the street, which wouldn't be often.
Thanks for the advice on the coilover springs. I'll suck it and see with the current springs and see how it handles on the track. If that works out then I'll stick with the plan of refitting standard SA struts for the street, which wouldn't be often.
F8B EFI turbo - Three pots and a snail.
I got the sf gti brakes on the mighty boy, pretty nice fit. I will need to load it up to check clearances. Struts are fine as of the clearance. I see what you mean by the tre, i thought it would hit the subframe but because you have to reverse it, it could hit the rails sort of thing going down the side. Just taking a guess but the part that it could hit is a thin bit of metal. If that was cut and welded would it decrease the strength of the car in any way?
Havent got it on the ground yet, need to put the leafs on the back but i can take pics if people want.
I'm not using sf struts btw
Havent got it on the ground yet, need to put the leafs on the back but i can take pics if people want.
I'm not using sf struts btw
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OK bit of another update, I started playing around with the drive shafts today. The good news is the that SF gearbox splines will go onto the MB drive shafts the only issue with this is that the oil seal is a different size which I can fix if I get some different ones.
The other option that I have since the ones from the swift are near new is to put them on the MB shafts. The question that I have is that every manual that I have read says that you cant pull them off but you can buy replacement ones. Is it just a case of pressing them off? If I can get them swapped then i really will be good to go for the engine.
I have paired back the wiring loom for the engine from the swift now as well to just that which is required. I am going to take the fuse box across as well to give me room for expansion if/when I go to EFI on the engine. I will get some more photos tomorrow of it in the engine bay and talk you all through how I plan to do the engine mounts.
Cheers
Paul
The other option that I have since the ones from the swift are near new is to put them on the MB shafts. The question that I have is that every manual that I have read says that you cant pull them off but you can buy replacement ones. Is it just a case of pressing them off? If I can get them swapped then i really will be good to go for the engine.
I have paired back the wiring loom for the engine from the swift now as well to just that which is required. I am going to take the fuse box across as well to give me room for expansion if/when I go to EFI on the engine. I will get some more photos tomorrow of it in the engine bay and talk you all through how I plan to do the engine mounts.
Cheers
Paul
Have you got yours on the ground?
I have no engine in atm, but there is no give in the front, i cant get it to push down by pushing haha. Bumpy ride i guess. And by flipping the rods over my wheel alignent is way out, one wheel is pointing sort of off to the right when the other is straight, easy fix.
If my shocks stay like they are i wont have the problem of the steering arms smacking on the chassis, but probaly hundreds more with the rock hard shocks.
I have no engine in atm, but there is no give in the front, i cant get it to push down by pushing haha. Bumpy ride i guess. And by flipping the rods over my wheel alignent is way out, one wheel is pointing sort of off to the right when the other is straight, easy fix.
If my shocks stay like they are i wont have the problem of the steering arms smacking on the chassis, but probaly hundreds more with the rock hard shocks.
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Mine has no engine at the moment but I should be ready to drop the G10 in tomorrow if only to get some load in there to check clearances.
I have managed to get the ends of the Swift drive shafts to switch over to the MB ones it should go together fine the only possible hickup in that the MB is a press fit and the Swift has a clip but I will have a look at it all in the morning and see how that is going. Other than that the loom on the swift engine is sorted I have had it running out of the car with just a couple of wires hooked up. Just in the process now of getting rid of all the extra stuff such as the EGR and other vacume stuff that is on the carby to simplify things a little bit. The engine cleaned up ok as well which was good. I was going to use the swift mounts instead of the the MB ones but I think that I might end up using a combination I will just have to see how I go. the other thing that is going to be a pain is that I am going to have to swap the speedo drive over as well because the ends are different.
Cheers
Paul
I have managed to get the ends of the Swift drive shafts to switch over to the MB ones it should go together fine the only possible hickup in that the MB is a press fit and the Swift has a clip but I will have a look at it all in the morning and see how that is going. Other than that the loom on the swift engine is sorted I have had it running out of the car with just a couple of wires hooked up. Just in the process now of getting rid of all the extra stuff such as the EGR and other vacume stuff that is on the carby to simplify things a little bit. The engine cleaned up ok as well which was good. I was going to use the swift mounts instead of the the MB ones but I think that I might end up using a combination I will just have to see how I go. the other thing that is going to be a pain is that I am going to have to swap the speedo drive over as well because the ends are different.
Cheers
Paul