87 B2000; Project...Something-or-Another...?

This is a "second phase" build. The first one was getting the truck together in stock form with all new wear items. It had sat as a bare shell, bare frame, boxes of parts in my shop's attic for 8 years. Drug it all out to go to Slamsession a couple years ago...Built it in the 5 weeks before the show...But a bad fuel tank kept me from going.

Here is the build of "Phase 1"


And a slideshow/video clips:


And Thus begins Phase 2

Project plans:
*Add long bed to cab plus frame
*Mercedes W203 (C230 Kompressor) 5-link Rear Subframe
*BMW M3 rear LSD diff, or find a Merc LSD)
*Audi 2.7 Biturbo or 1.8t drivetrain with a 6 speed quatro tranny with the center diff welded to make it RWD. (My original/optional plan was a Volkswagen VR6 engine mounted longitudinally and adapted to fit the Audi 6 speed tranny with 034 Motorsport's kit)
*Bags or coilovers
*Euro interior and exterior styling
*Somewhat shaved and clean engine bay.

Not too many interior or body mods. I'm mostly going for a sleeper and all out clean, reliable performance and suspension tuning.

Whats the Hold-up!?
Well it was my BMW.



And now my its my VW Rabbit truck project.



Coupled with my two jobs:
DWP and
ALC, building these:


And lack of motivation...Plus the crazy weather...With freezing one day and 70 degree weather the next...with rain and frozen ice the next day. Its hard to get in the mood to do anything outside.

But some progress is being made; Enjoy for now:

And here are a few teaser pics until I go back and post the building pics.

Hey my truck was in that video haha










-Justin

i would like to know what year kia motor is that and what was needed to do this swap wiring harnes ,tranny, motor mounts ext. i wood like to do this swap just want to get a heads up on what is needed and how much fab work is involed to do this swap i need to do the head on my truck and buy weber and header for it and i think i can get this swap for about the same money or just a little more

100 posts! YAY!

Umm..anyhow

FE3 swap is really simple.
95 to 2002 Kia Sportage...Its the Gen 1 Sportage...Before they did the new body.

Bolts to the Mazda trans.
Either put on your Mazda oil pan or cut and drop the cross member to clear the Kia oil pan
Put on your Mazda engine mounts
Measure, mark and drill hole in the mazda bellhousing for the crank angle sensor
Use the entire Kia engine harness and computer.
Wire up power and grounds and 2 relays to run the engine harness
Wire in gauges and warning lights
Modify some coolant hoses for the Rad.
Make new heater core lines
Have high pressure hose made for Power Steering
Have exhaust made.

I usually get my engines from Pick-n-Pull junkyards..when they have 1/2 off on engines. Pick it up for under 200 bucks (prices are consistently going up now, though)

I may do a full DIY on one. I plan to be doing a swap for LSUMazdarider in the coming weeks, so I might document it.

Its really a great swap. I average 28 to 33 mpg and it has quite a bit more power than stock. And more torque for hauling. Takes to turbo charging nicely with new engine management and a custom manifold.

To clear things up, I will shortly be making a separate thread dedicated to my other Mazda with the FE3 swap in it.

Yay! Im glad ur posting this up on here!

thanks alot just one more ? how many pounds of boast you think you can run on stock kia motor safe with high risk of pop in it

Its a low compression, stout engine. So I'd say it will take 10 psi easily WITH a good tune...Then I think the weak point would be the head gasket and bolts. I think 1 bar boost would be easy with a better clamp on the head gasket. Fredio54 did a monster turbo setup on one...I think he was running 2 bars or more before he spun a bearing or something. MX6.com has a lot of info on FE3 turbo stuff.
More on my FE3 truck:


Anyhow...

It begins long ago in a city far, far away...

Got a long bed and frame from LSUMazdaTruckin in exchange for me helping him with some wiring on his current project lowrider.




What better way to make your neighbors scratch their heads than strap a truck to a tree?


Mercedes W203 rear subframe from a C230 Kompressor. Its a 5-link setup. Damaged in a collision. Using it for initial mock-up


Frame setup and removing stuff in the way and no longer needed.


Neatish shot


Sitting...Waiting for bearings and parts for the rear subframe.



Some progress! I got another hub and wheel!
Not sure why I don't have pics of the subframe tacked into place before I threw the bed on..But here is a video I took!



Bed test-fit. Frame on the ground. Frame is not notched. Bed is not cut or tubbed. Cool, eh?




More updates this weekend. I'll get more pics and explain a little more what I'm doing to the frame. I don't have good enough pics for some reason.

Here's what I've got.



Mercedes subframe tacked in pretty centered. Its sitting 1/8" closer to one side. Its hard to get square measurements, because it is slightly tweaked from a collision.




The three links on the bottom are on. I've got the two top links out, because the contact the Mazda frame rails.



I plan to cut away the Mazda frame rails between the two subframe mount points. Using the Mercedes subframe as a frame connector on the truck frame. Bracing the area as needed. That will allow me to use all 5 links and keep the stock geometry of the Merc. suspension.




I also plan to recess the subframe up another 3 inches for extra clearance for axles and diff. It will also get me closer to a neutral suspension position at ride height.

I still need to get a diff and axles to make sure I have no clearance issues with it laying frame. Also I want to check to make sure I've got the subframe parallel with the frame and getting a good pinion angle.

If I use narrower wheels and tires and smaller diameter wheels (17X8.5's on it now) It will lay frame without me cutting the bed's wheel wells, or cutting out the bed floor for a notch. The front will be another story, though!

So I need to get a diff and axles mounted in. Check for issues. Raise it up another 3 inches into the frame, flush to the bed floor. Then start cutting and making mount points for the subframe and the other suspension springy, shocky stuff.

Anyone know of a C-class Mercedes being parted out or in a junkyard TELL ME! Or any Audi Quatro's.

Video:


Video of me yanking the old 2.2L out of my B2000.

Cutting the un-needed harness bits out and starting on the FE3 install. The truck needs to be mobile, So its getting an FE3 for now. And once I'm ready for the next engine..I can sell the FE3 and transmission and whole harness to someone who wants a drop-in KIA FE3 in their Mazda.

I plan to do a full write up of the FE3 install...With using the KIA harness and computer.

Stay tuned!

Yes, I still plan on using the long bed frame
Yes, I still plan on using the Mercedes rear subframe
Yes, I still plan on using a European drivetrain.

Holy Sabbaticals batman!
Now after reading some Tom Clancy and his character Jack Ryan driving a rabbit I wondered "WTF is a VW Rabbit". Now you've mentioned the same, so I submitted a question to the great lord google... and it turns out it's a golf.
I am tuned, I shall stay that way, oh not so great lord SD.