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SOLD: 1992 Suzuki Swift GTI rally car, tow dolly (Read 7003 times)
Alexei S
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SOLD: 1992 Suzuki Swift GTI rally car, tow dolly
04/23/14 at 06:24:58
 
Edit: car has been sold, leaving rest of ad up for historical reasons.

Although it pains me greatly to do it, I'm putting my 1992 Suzuki Swift GTI rally car up for sale. It's been a great little car, but life events have meant I won't be able to run the car for 2 or 3 years at least, and I'd rather sell it then let it sit.

The crown jewel in this car is a Kalmar Motorsports 5 speed H pattern dogbox, with a Gripper LSD clutch differential. The price I'm selling the car for is almost just the cost of this part of the car alone. It makes the car a ton of fun to drive, and it's the best investment I made in the car. In the hands of the right driver, the car can be competitive.

The car had 2 good finishes in 2011, which was enough to get me + the car the 2011 OPRC G2 championship. This car is one of the original 10 built by Four Star Motorsports back in the 90s. I ran 10 rallies in it and had 4 mechanical DNFs, not the best ratio but 1 was for a silly windshield issue which is no longer a problem, and 1 was a freak center halfshaft breakage. The other 2 were for rear knuckle issues which I detail a bit later.

So, let's start with the good:
- Kalmar Motorsports 5 speed H pattern dogbox + Gripper Clutch LSD. The LSD has an updated crosspin design and was recently refreshed. Fresh bearings in the gearbox as well.
- 3Tech custom camshafts, very aggressive and let the 1.3L DOHC engine rev like mad.
- Rally chipped ECU, supposedly it's a Suzuki Sports chip.
- Almost brand new exhaust from Rally/Race developments, only 1 event on it. It makes the car sound awesome, and I think it is 2.5" or 2.25" for extra oomph.
- Great cage design.
- Hotbits front coilovers with a camber plate/solid pillow ball mount
- Innovative Motorsports LC-1 wideband O2 controller + gauge.
- Gauges for oil pressure, water temp, voltmeter
- OMP driver's seat, Sparco co-driver seat
- Adjustable Fuel Pressure Regulator and a nice Strider high flow fuel rail.
- Walbro GSS-341 255 LPH fuel pump with Integra fuel filter. Rebuilt fuel lines on top of the tank.
- Nissan 60mm throttle body, intake manifold ported to match.
- Cone air filter
- Fibreglass light pod with 4 Hella lights, 2 beam, 2 fog/wide patterns.
- Poly bushings in the front control arms which are also reinforced. The front control arms are also special ones I bought off a guy from Costa Rica with replaceable Pontiac 9000 ball joints. This is important since the stock Suzuki ones are welded in Sad
- Rear toe links have been replaced with sturdy heim joint links. Rear control arms have been reinforced.
- Spill kit
- Current CARS log book
- Terratrip 303 rally odometer/computer
- Manual steering rack with a quickened ratio, back roughly to Power Steering type ratios.
- Lots more stuff I'm probably forgetting to mention.

Now, a bit of explanation as to why I'm selling it at the price I am i.e. the bad:
EDIT: See the next post: - The engine needs to be replaced, or rather the block. All the mounts on the timing belt side sheared off the block at Black Bear 2013 and it's resting on the skidplate right now. I have 2 spare complete engines that are suitable. A gasket kit is available on RockAuto, and you can still get crankshaft bearings as well if they need to be replaced. There is also a 3rd engine disassembled, but if I remember right the block may have a sheared mount somewhere as well. I was going to take the most recent spare engine, strip it down to the block, replace all the internals with the current engine's and swap the head on. If no one wants to buy the car in this state, that's what I'll do.
- The rear suspension is responsible for 2 of my 4 mechanical DNFs with the car. It is currently a Hotbits rear coilover, but my best advice is to talk to a rally shop about going back to a spring and shock setup. The rear knuckle breaks at the mount and I believe a coilover is too much for that location. Someone who is good at fabrication may be able to retrofit a different knuckle/suspension setup into the rear as well.
- The rear left wheel well will need some love with a wire wheel and paint. When I was towing back from Black Bear 2013 a repair didn't hold and a blowout occurred. So, there's some cleanup that needs to occur in the wheel well. The rear bumper should be replaced as it got damaged during the blowout, I have 1 white spare and 1 turquoise spare ready to go. You'll need to make a new mudflap for that side, and to be honest both rear mudflaps should be replaced as they were kind of small to begin with.
- The driver's seat expires sometime in early 2015, and I believe the co-driver's seat will expire in 2016. I don't remember the expiry date of the belts at the moment, but I think they're end of 2015.
- The two fire extinguishers will need to be recharged or replaced. The rules state they need to be done every year effectively.
- I think in the 2014 rules you must have seat belt cutters for both driver and co-driver, so you'll probably need to add one, they're cheap though.
- I'm keeping my Peltor intercom, because some people want Stilo instead. So you'll need to buy an intercom system.
- Emissions is a bit rough at idle due to the camshafts, I have stock ones in the spare engines and we can talk about it.

So, with all that, I'd recommend that the buyer be somewhat mechanically inclined. If no one wants to buy the car in the current shape it's in, I will be fixing it but I'm going to take my time and the price will go up if it's fixed.

Here are some pictures from various rallies of the car:
http://www.cdnrally.com/gallery/gcfr-2012/car-12-alexei-stapinski-jeff-hagan-692...
http://www.cdnrally.com/gallery/tall-pines-2012/car-47-alexei-stapinski-jeff-hag...
http://www.flagworld.com/photos/v/2012/2012-11-24/2012-11-24+-+Samedi/Michel+Dan...

In my YouTube channel, I have videos from almost every rally I ran:
http://www.youtube.com/user/StimpyBoy/videos

So, what spares do you get? I have spares of almost everything except the rear control arms, front struts (I have stock ones, but I don't think they'll fit the strut tower anymore), the radiator, windshield (I have one but it is cracked, unsure if it's saveable) and hood. There may be a few more missing, but you get a lot of spares:

- 2 complete engines, 1 more in various pieces.
- A roof for the car, cut off at the bottom of the pillars.
- 2 rear hatches
- 1 rear glass for each side + 1 more for one of the sides
- 2 or 3 pairs of halfshafts. 1 spare center shaft, perhaps 2.
- Alternator, starter, etc.
- A pair of doors, front quarter panels. The doors are a bit rusty but servicable.
- Somewhere around 12 to 14 wheels/tires in 14". Some Swift alloys, some steelies. One set of 15" Accord alloys as well with some old slicks on them. None of the gravels are in the greatest condition, but they're adequate for a testing day or similar to get you started.
- An almost complete spare stock transmission, I just borrowed the shift interlock bolt for the dogbox.
- Many, many stock transmission parts. The previous owner ripped apart 2 or 3 gearboxes. A spare case as well.
- A lot of spare clutch plates and a spare ramp, spare cross pin (original design) for the Gripper.
- Spare front bumper, rear bumpers, side trim pieces. Spare headlights, taillights.
- And lots more

I'm asking $4500EDIT: $4000 CDN for everything, and I'm not willing to part out at this point. I want it all gone. The car will be sold as is. This is far less than I paid for the car, and it didn't come with the dogbox.

EDIT: Tow dolly was sold. Additionally, separate from all this, I'm selling the tow dolly I used to tow to events. It's a good option for someone who doesn't want a full trailer, but I recommend having a full set of rear suspension spares if you use it. It will come with 1 spare tire, a set of straps + ratchets to secure the car and magnetic lights to stick onto the car. The dolly has wiring + lights, and a hand winch which is handy if the car can't move under it's own power. It also tilts and has a locking pin, so it's easy to load the car onto it.
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« Last Edit: 11/15/14 at 13:43:42 by Alexei S »  
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Alexei S
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Re: FS: 1992 Suzuki Swift GTI rally car, tow dolly
Reply #1 - 10/10/14 at 20:47:52
 
A bump, and more info:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFXmHKDbUOE

The car now has a freshly rebuilt engine. New crankshaft, conrod, and thrust bearings, all with good tolerances. New front, rear main seals, camshaft seals, o-rings, headgasket, intake and exhaust manifold gaskets, and other gaskets throughout. Basically a full engine gasket/seal set was used except valve stem seals, but they were fine already. New timing belt. New water pump.  All the lifters were disassembled and cleaned.

I'm also dropping the price to $4000, because I have a kid on the way and would really like to get this car a new home before then. I'll keep the car otherwise and pick it back up in a few years.
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BTDT
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Re: FS: 1992 Suzuki Swift GTI rally car, tow dolly
Reply #2 - 10/11/14 at 07:36:57
 
Congratulations on the bundle of joy on it's way.  Good luck with selling the car as well.
Donna
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Jeff_Hagan
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Re: FS: 1992 Suzuki Swift GTI rally car, tow dolly
Reply #3 - 10/18/14 at 16:20:55
 
This is a fun little car.

To possibly help with the sale: if you're thinking about this car, but you're thinking "I don't have a co-driver", one's available.  Smiley
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dan sprongl
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Re: FS: 1992 Suzuki Swift GTI rally car, tow dolly
Reply #4 - 10/19/14 at 12:52:27
 
The Suzuki is a great entry level car, fun, cheap.  Not hard on tires, not hard on fuel either.

The dog box and LSD make this car a fun toy to play with against more advanced cars.

Nobody believes the experienced rally people, when the offer up a 2wd car to start your rallying campaign.  Buy an entry level car, rally it for 1-2 years and then upgrade to awd flame throwing gravel digging beast.

Make sure you enjoy the rallying, the car and save your money and learn all the basics in a 2wd car, rather than compensating with power and awd.

What can you buy for $4000?  Rally it, ice race it, rally cross it, all on a budget.    Someone should buy this for Pines or Perce Neige.

(especially if rally sprint develops)

Just my afternoon opinion.

Dan Sprongl

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Alexei S
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Re: FS: 1992 Suzuki Swift GTI rally car, tow dolly
Reply #5 - 10/19/14 at 13:11:35
 
Thanks for the vouching Dan! By the way, I sent an email to fourstar@fourstar.com re: rear suspension spring options for the Swift. Can you take a read of it or give me a call at 647-863-7358 sometime during the week?
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Alexei S
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Re: SOLD: 1992 Suzuki Swift GTI rally car, tow dolly
Reply #6 - 11/15/14 at 13:44:24
 
The car has been sold. Sadly, this is the end for #2 as a rally car. It's going on to chump car and parts of it to support a time attack car. Thanks for looking.
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