Weekend Edition: Swift Possibilities Looming

Antti Kautonen

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Comments

swift_edited
I’ll cut to the chase: does anybody have a wiring loom for a Suzuki Swift GTi just hanging around, doing nothing?
Alright, maybe a little back story is required here. My friends, often of wrenching sort, acquired a Suzuki Swift cabriolet for last summer’s roadtripping around Europe. You know, the Geo Metro kind. The German-market Swift came with an eight-valve, 1300cc SOHC powerhouse that produced maybe 60 horsepower, and the gearing was ridiculously long. I mean, highway speeds had the engine turning over at 2000rpm, and Nürburgring laps were done in second and third for most of the time. I’m not kidding, the blue-wheeled, tribal-striped white droptop did a good number of Bridge to Gantry times on two glorious days.
Of course, later on it was deemed the Swift needed a burst of MORE POWER. For a not unreasonable sum, a powertrain for a Swift GTi was spotted in Berlin and then we sort of drove there across the country to pick it up. Back at the garage, it was noticed that despite the seller’s claims, the engine is not electrically a straight swap. The short-ratio GTi gearbox obviously bolted on the 8-valve engine and did its part to help, but the 16-valve, 100-horsepower engine needs the correct GTi wiring loom to make the transplant work.

swift_edited_2
Look at that sportiness. Also, 5-speed.
swift_edited_7
This all should come out.
suzuki_engine
This should go in. How hard can it be?
Or in the words of Mikko the wrenchman:

I would request help to find either wire loom for 89-91 Swift GTi (or Geo Metro/Pontiac Firefly/Suzuki Cultus etc), or I would assume any 100hp wire loom with the ECU. And if finding more complete cars, I could use the rear disc brakes and ARB as well.

So, I’m turning it over to you, LeMons, Chump Car, racing and engine transplant professionals. Does anybody just have a suitable wiring loom for this possibly unprecedented Swift GTi Cabrio build to happen? If you do, how would mailing it to Germany sound like?
swift_edited_6
The Swift in its garage near Frankfurt.
swift_edited_3
Hey, maybe you know this one.
swift_edited_4
Yeap, the sticker’s been earned. Proof:
[youtube width=”720″ height=”480″]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svEXodIUy8c[/youtube]
 [Images: Copyright 2015 Hooniverse/Antti Kautonen]
 

About

Antti Kautonen

Antti Kautonen

The resident Finn of Hooniverse. Owns old Peugeots and whatnot, writes long thinkpieces on unloved cars. These two facts might be related.

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  1. Manic_King Avatar
    Manic_King

    Would y. 2000 Baleno 1.6 i 16V, 1590cm3, 72kw have similar engine loom? There’s 1 in junkyard nearby.

    Reply
  2. Lokki Avatar
    Lokki

    Row52 (a scrapyard search website shows one in Alberta Canada as of 15 March 2015…. I can’t be sure that it’s Swift Gti but it’s listed as a “Swift +”. Might be worth an email
    http://row52.com/Search/?Year=&V1=&V2=&V3=&V4=&V5=&V6=&V7=&V8=&V9=&V10=&V11=&V12=&V13=&V14=&V15=&V16=&V17=&LocationId=0&ZipCode=&Distance=500&MakeId=227&ModelId=4303&Page=1&IsVin=false

    Reply
    1. Lokki Avatar
      Lokki

      And here is a listing in Arlington Washington that doesn’t say GTI but does list the 16 valve engine
      http://row52.com/Vehicle/Index/JS2AA35S3K5103227
      You can make arrangements through Row52 to have parts pulled for you.

      Reply
      1. Manic_King Avatar
        Manic_King

        Trim: GTi is mentioned and engine seems right one too (1.3L L4 DOHC 16V).
        But black bumpers on a GTi? And it’s very far away from Frankfurt.

        Reply
        1. julkinen Avatar
          julkinen

          If it’s just the wiring loom, it can be shipped pretty easily I think.

          Reply
          1. Manic_King Avatar
            Manic_King

            Buy this for a 1000 euros, swap motors and sell on for a 700 eur. 🙂
            http://suchen.mobile.de/auto-inserat/suzuki-swift-1-3-gti-meschede/208152554.html?lang=en

    2. Maymar Avatar
      Maymar

      Sadly, that Alberta car is a rebadged Daewoo (also sold here as the Chevy Aveo), and shares approximately nothing with the good, proper Swift.

      Reply
  3. Scoutdude Avatar
    Scoutdude

    car-part.com has a couple of listings for a DOHC computer though they are either a 1989 Federal emissions with an automatic or a California emissions with the 5sp. If they have the computer they may have the wiring harness or they may not. Engine computers are one of those things that they will pull and stick on a shelf before crushing the car. Many of the wrecking yards on car-part.com will ship parts. I’ve done it a couple of times with good results but there are hundreds of wrecking yard on that system and just because I found a couple that were good to deal with doesn’t mean that the one with the parts you need will be.
    The Row 52 thing is worth a try too.

    Reply