1988 Yugo Budget Autocross and Dragon Slayer

I am new to the forum, but I have stopped by a few times before and this seems like the place for a crazy budget oriented build. A bit about me, I am a senior in college working on a degree in Art with a graphic design emphasis. My works deals primarily on automotive subjects and related genres. Since I am a student and I currently have another very long term build, I want to keep this car as cheap as possible. My budget will hopefully stay below $2000 to stay challenge friendly.

Onto the car, I am buying a 1988 Yugo, probably because I might be crazy, for a mere $100. The car as be passed around a few times amongst our group of friends. I does run, but that doesn't matter with my plans. I'm interested in this car since 1) it's just $100 and 2) it weighs nothing. Curb wieght is 1800 lbs. I figure by the time I gut and cage it, it will weigh around 1600-1700 lbs. My plan is to do an engine and suspension swap with a Honda, Volkswagen or other import. My target power would be 150+ hp (factory is 50 hp). My current question is which swap will be best? I want a good availability of aftermarket parts so mainstream would be good. Before I start ripping the car apart I would like to get a plan together. I have found this to be the best method for staying on budget.

The cutting edge of Serbo-Croatian technology!

Here are some pictures of its current state.

How much power could be made with a 1500 from an x1/9 with a turbo? Something that mostly bolts together like it is meant to be that way might be cool instead of major surgery for a swap to something totally different.

D series honda. I think what you want is the d16y8. Look for an ex civic, sunroof is ths giveaway.

So cheap. Parts are readily available.

Or the Fwhatever beans is building, probably just as cheap and he used junkyard parts.

Hard not to recommend honda engines, if they can fit them kn an old school mini, im aure theyll fit in a yugo.

There have been a couple of cool Yugos on this board. Jonny Pruits turbo challenger and the YFH (Yugo From Hell). I vote for upgrading and turboing the stock mill as well.

I will look and see what is available as far as X1/9. I know there are several d series hondas at Pull-A-Part here. My concern with a turbo engine is lag. I would like the power to come on around 2500-3000 rpm. The last time I drove on the Dragon, I spent about 95% of the time between 2nd and 3rd gear. The entrance speed isn't very high on many of those corners.

That looks pretty free of rusticles! I've always secretly wanted a Yugo, which usually gets me labelled as some weird fringe hippie type.

For a Honda swap, do you end up swapping engine and trans as a unit, or is there some way to overcome the backward-turing-ness of the Honda?

My thought was swap the engine, transmission, axles and subframe all as one unit. That would give me the added benefit of a suspension that with readily available parts.

I am the former owner of the YFH (Yugo from Hell). It did reasonably well at the Challenge, and was a really fun autocrosser.

IIRC, the Honda swaps are pretty hard to do, because the Yugo Brake booster is squarely in the way of anything Honda.

The X 1/9 is a direct bolt-on. In fact, anything X 1/9 is a direct bolt on- an X 1/9 is essentially a Yugo with the drivetrain moved to the middle of the car driving the rear wheels.

The 1500 is a nice choice that revs incredibly. Great NA choice, with boost potential as well.

But if you are looking for something more ambitious, the sky is the limit:

Twin engine Yugo

Lancia Delta Integrale Yugo- YugoGrale

Twin Caddy V-8 Yugo

What will you be using the car for? AutoX?

In reply to draco_auto_designs:

I am not sure how I feel about a swap that means swapping the suspension (even for readily available parts).

The reason is that it changes the geometry, and violates what a Yugo does best. Handling is it's forte, but learning how to tune it's suspension is a learning curve (because it is odd, and does things in ways otehr cars do not).

So, for example, the rear suspension is a transverse leaf spring. Aint no way to "swap some coilovers" without major surgery. But I got my hands on a 2nd OEM leaf spring, and added a 3rd leaf to the spring- what a difference!

Flex is part of the game with a Yugo. When cornering, it happily lifts it's inside rear wheel about 8" off the ground- but it is really good at it. Corners like on rails.

So, consider your goals carefully. It was one of the most fun cars I have ever owned, but I really grew to appreciate it for what it was, and was happy I avoided major surgery solutions. I just learned what I could from the Italians!

My main use would be autox and driving on the Dragon (US 129). I haven't actually looked closely at so a swap from another car may not be my best option. I will look into finding a X1/9 engine for it. I do know that there are other issues with this car such as needing brakes and several suspension bushings. Looking at the size of the brakes, I am a bit concerned about them getting to hot under aggresive driving. The Dragon is 11 miles long and you are on and off the brakes constantly.

In reply to draco_auto_designs:

I've driven the Dragon many times.

I REALLY wouldn't want to do it in a Yugo.

That's why I am thinking of just treating it has a lightweight shell and building it up with parts from a Golf or Honda. I'm sure that the factory is fun to drive but I'm will be looking for stiff and planted. I realize that will not be a bolt on affair.

For the time being though I may just get it driveable. Lose any unnecessary wieght and just use it for some run around town fun.

I don't think parts from a Honda or Golf will make it more tolerable on the Dragon. May make it undriveable.

The Yugo excels at sharp cornering and radical switchbacks. My daughter once 360'ed the car INSIDE an autocross gate without touching EITHER cone. It is twitchy, and responds instantly. It is a combination of the steering ratio, the wheelbase, the chassis, and the suspension.

The Dragon isn't like that. OK, there are some switchbacks. But it's not a twitchy road.

And the shell is both flimsy and top heavy. There is no frame, and no real pan to speak of. The glazing up high makes it want to roll on hard street cornering.

As a dedicated autocrosser, you can get all that weight out of the top, and use the twitchiness to your advantage. The flex looks weird, but feels fine. It's a 3 wheel cornerer.

Another alternative is to stiffen them up- then they are good Italian road racers.

The best cars for the Dragon are responsive cars that dig into corners. Not twitchy cars that jump through the corners almost by accident.

I've driven the Dragon in a MINI Cooper S, 3 different Subarus, an NSX, a Miata, a Golf, a motorcycle, and an F-250. I have also towed a trailer through it, and driven a 50 year old El Camino through it.

Of all those cars, the Yugo is the last I'd want to drive through the Dragon, including the F-250. Well, OK maybe after the Elky.

I am not trying to discourage you, I just don't want you to spend a huge amount of effort trying to make a Yugo into something it is not, then being disappointed.

It is truly exceptional at some things. I don't think it would be the best choice for the Dragon.

In reply to SVreX:

I appreciate your insight. I think my immediate plan will be to make it streetable and go from there. Once I get used to how it reacts then I can make plans for improvements from there.

That sounds like the best thing to do. There are a few vendors that have parts for this car. Not a lot but better than nothing. The motors are pretty robust and take kindly to the normal modes for power. Very surprising what a decking of the head will do with a good cam and dual carbs. That's if you don't want to open the motor to change the pistols. Also with the stock compression a aftermarket turbo kit will work well if sized correctly.

I finally got the yugo home today. The car has not seen the road since 2001 so naturally we decided to drive it 50 miles home. The fenders have more rust then I thought but I can't argue with a titled running car for a $100. Like many people on here said, this car is amazing fun to drive. Tomorrow, my brother and I will look it over well and make a definte plan for this car. I believe I will stay with the Fiat engine. The main issue I have at the moment is the transmission wants to stick in 2nd and 4th. It also pops out if I'm not careful when putting it in gear.

If you plan on keeping that engine I'd recommend you put a timing belt on it immediately. That's half the reason why these cars were perceived as badly as they were, interference engine with a very short timing belt interval, and no mention of it in the owner's manual.

We checked it today. It looked in great shape. The car came with 2 more also. What is the service life of one?

Something like 3yr/36k, the thing about timing belts (on any car) is they can look fine and then snap or shear the teeth off tomorrow. If the included ones aren't fresh I'd toss them.