Learn me Zuki Swift

Or geo Metro, goal here is to get the lightest car I can. I don't care if its the 3 banger. Anyone on here race these cars or can give me a ball park of how light I can get it? Power items are not required, nor is a heater or AC.... or passenger seat for that matter. Also if someone could point out any diff between the first and second gens that would be cheap upgrade like bigger brakes ect. I can't dig up any relevant information, my google-foo is weak

Not a peep? I thought this car would have lots of fans around these parts....

I know there was a Chevy Sprint Turbo that was the little 1.0L with a turbocharger. I want to get my hands on one of those. LOL

I think you could make those cars purdy darn light.

I would not take the heater out of anything. You may need defrost capability due to rain etc. and you might be very sorry that you took it out.

http://www.teamswift.net/

the answers you seek lie within

I think they may have some popularity as cheap race cars in Mexico, but I don't have any references on that.

I would expect more activity in the countries where they sold the higher performance versions that didn't make it to the U.S. Have you tried searching on all the name variants? According to wikipedia, there are many names, here are some of them:

Suzuki Cultus, Suzuki Swift, Chevy Swift, Pontiac Firefly, Geo Metro, Holden Barina

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzuki_Cultus

I don't see them too often, but when I do, I always wonder the same thing I wonder about virtually every car now days: can an LS1/T56 fit in there?

The first gen cars are the lightest. you can put front brakes and uprights from a 1.3 sohc swift on one pretty easily. You can get some weight out of them, but not tons since interior pieces don't weigh much. There isn't much in the way of sound deadening and they didn't have many power options to begin with.

If I could find a stock turbo sprint without rust I would definately buy another one.

i made a recent thread about swift gt's. lots of good info in there, with pics of a totally badass metro iceracer.

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/opinions-on-swift-gt/30996/page1/

Evan wrote: ...I don't see them too often, but when I do, I always wonder the same thing I wonder about virtually every car now days: can an LS1/T56 fit in there?

Um - doubtful.

I'd bet you could swap in the 5.3L from the Impalla SS FWD in there, maybe put it in the back... Bolt it to a Chevy F40 6-speed from the Cobalt SS (heard they're tough as hell and bolt right up to the LS engines).

Sounds like fun?

I had a 3cyl 1990 metro. Completely gutted ( Including sound deadening, HVAC system..everything) I was able to get the car down to 1595lbs. That includes all glass and passenger seat. If you ditch both seats and replace them with a single Kirkey and swap some glass for lexan I bet you could get one close to 1500lbs.

Wow, that's Locost weight territory. Too bad the wrong wheels are being driven. I wonder what kind of RWD swaps have been performed.

Someone did drop a Buick GN engine in one and got a 9 sec. car. But in reality, what I did with my old 93 fo' door was this:

I found a Swift GT in a salvage yard, pulled the uprights, struts, springs, brakes and calipers. Wanted the engine too, but Ca. smog prohibited it due to cost of a coach. I couldn't use the rear swaybar because the factory didn't put the mounts in. I bolted it all in, but kept the rear drums so I didn't have to play with the brake balancer valve. I also gutted it all out except for the drivers seat and dash.
One other thing I noticed, I swapped in the optional IP from a 95 Metro with the tach, and I went from the 6500 RPM limiter of a non-tach car to a rev limit of 8K.
Made an exhaust from 2" pipe at home with the resonator and muffler removed with just a 3" Monza tip. It was too loud though, just so you know.
Took A/C out and put in plate from Factory non-A/C car, cut a hole in it, welded a bit of exh. pipe in, ran a small bit of flex tube between that and the intake and made a small ram air. I know it worked as I weekly removed leaves from the filter.
It made for a fun little car. If I have the coin, I'd buy another and do the same thing, but also run early 80's Toyota RWD wheels on it.

There was one for sale not long ago with a rotary swapped in.

had one, fun car, not much support and has a lot of built in issues to work around.

first gen is in the 1500's, 2nd 1700's stock 3rd 18oo's stock, dunno bout the 4th (94 up i think in us). seen some nice bike engined cars made out of them. love my swift gti, but its cheaply built.

4th gen is 95 up, even if they used the same under pinnings. Also, try this place for pieces..:

http://suzukird1.netfirms.com

I will admit I love the sound of the G13B at 8k..... it's like a high revving miata with balls....only even more obnoxious,

And GRM comes through! man you guys know everything about every car. I LOVE THIS PLACE!!!

my friends don't understand how such a low HP car can be fun, they must learn the ways of lightness

sorta on topic... its got a 'busa engine

Conquest351, How sure are you about that F-40 bolting up to any LS motor? A rather intrigueing idea.

Conquest351 wrote: I'd bet you could swap in the 5.3L from the Impalla SS FWD in there, maybe put it in the back... Bolt it to a Chevy F40 6-speed from the Cobalt SS (heard they're tough as hell and bolt right up to the LS engines). Sounds like fun?

the guys at GM Powerteain had to do a little work to get the 5.3 to fit sideways in the front of a W body..

the fwd version of the 5.3 is a little shorter overall than a regular LS engine due to the shorter front snout on the crank, and it uses the smaller fwd bellhousing pattern and flexplate instead of the bigger stuff used on the rwd LS engines. i think the Ecotec in the new Cobalts has a different bellhousing than the old fwd pattern- but it would be hella cool to have an LS engine sitting in place of the rear seat..

midknight wrote: Conquest351, How sure are you about that F-40 bolting up to any LS motor? A rather intrigueing idea.

It's what all the Fiero guys are using to put the LS motors in the back of those things. Apparently they hold up great!

Here's a race prepped one for sale for $2400:

http://www.roadraceautox.com/showthread.php?t=33374

The mark 1 cars are 1650 lbs, the Mk2, and 3 GT's are almost 1900 lbs stock.

I got my Mk1 down to 1450, but it was a lot of work. My Mk3 is at about 1750 right now, but it's pretty bare, and going on a stricter diet this winter. I weighed them both before, and after, but haven't weighed my Mk5 yet.

They're great on gas, quite reliable, and lot's of fun. The 95+ cars were the best built, and actually drive pretty good. 98+ cars got a 16V 1.3 SOHC. The 87/88 car IMO was the best platform for performance. The 89-94 cars were the worst of the bunch for a lot of reasons, but they got the good DOHC motor. They all make good project cars.