After taking some time away from the drivetrain side of the project, I’m now back to that aspect of it. Found on craigslist as a ‘for parts only’ deal was this 1999 Kia Sportage. The licensed-from-Mazda FE series motor has a 2.0L displacement and a 16 valve, twin cam head. From what I can find, hp and torque numbers are right around 135, which should provide more than enough oomph. (especially when compared to the 90hp of the stock 1.9L motor.) Preliminary measurements have the motor and tranny fitting well, though there might need to be a ‘power bulge’ to clear the head. And something will definitely need to be done in order to reroute the intake.
