January 8, 201115 yr Wow! That's some very nice work. I really love those wheels on the brat. I like the idea of awd too, especially with the bigger engine. Keep up the good work! It looks like you may have got something figured out for the pictures, but I'll tell you anyway: Google makes a pretty good program called Picasa 3. it's free, and it let's you do basic editing and whatnot and you can export the pics to a folder in whatever size you want.
January 8, 201115 yr Author Thanks for the complements! Always nice to have some encouragement. Anyway some more progress today!! All new timing components Turns out that the tensioner bracket is different between a 2.2 and a 2.5 so beware if you are making a Frankenmotor, the cam pulley will not go on if you have then one off the 2.5 Sweet new clutch!
January 8, 201115 yr Sweet! So the 2.2 tensioner bracket goes on the 2.5 block and the rest of the timing components are all 2.2? How much clearance do you have on the drivers side at the frame area? Can't quite see from the photos. Lots on the pass side by the looks of it. Edited January 8, 201115 yr by Crazyeights
January 8, 201115 yr Author Yep, the braket bolts right on the block I even used on off from a new style 2.2 like an 2002 and it was the same! The clearance is about the same on the drives side maybe a little less. -SB Edited January 8, 201115 yr by 1982gl4 wrong pic
January 10, 201115 yr Good luck with that AWD swap. It was much more of a challenge then I had originally thought, but way worth it. The shift linkage and drive line clearance is very tight so you'll have to get a bit creative when you fabricate that. I had to have custom axles and drive line built too. I tried just about every combination of axles to get it to work, but in the end I just had some EJ axels shortened. I went with 4.111 gears and my hatch springs off of the line with brute force. I hope to put a frankenmotor in this summer too. The EJ22 is fine and all, but I want more power without adding a turbo. I'd also like to move to a 4.44 gear set with a front LSD.
January 10, 201115 yr I hope to put a frankenmotor in this summer too. The EJ22 is fine and all, but I want more power without adding a turbo. I'd also like to move to a 4.44 gear set with a front LSD. Great minds... Jacob
January 10, 201115 yr Author Good luck with that AWD swap. It was much more of a challenge then I had originally thought, but way worth it. The shift linkage and drive line clearance is very tight so you'll have to get a bit creative when you fabricate that. I had to have custom axles and drive line built too. I tried just about every combination of axles to get it to work, but in the end I just had some EJ axels shortened. Yeah I knew it was going to be a project, but I wanted it. Plus I only have one five speed D/R and I really want that in my wagon! I was also prepared for the CV's being to long. My dad modified a set for his Porsche 914 with a 2.5 so we have a history with that sort of thing, and the drive shaft should be easy enough. It will all just take time. The fab work isn't really a worry to me, just the wiring Thanks for the input as always! -SB
January 16, 201115 yr Author More Progress today! Got the trans in! Looks like the mount will be pretty easy to make as well! The mount on the AWD five speed is really close to the location of the original Brat one! Oh and I started a bit of this today as well
January 23, 201115 yr Author Intake is somewhat together! And I got all the pinouts and such for the harness so I guess I'm really going to have to start in on that soon....
January 24, 201115 yr Author Got my clutch cable fitted. It was probably the easiest part of this whole project, I had to cut a little bit of the legacy mount and the Brats cable fit in the mount perfectly!
January 24, 201115 yr Author Sure am! It still works and the legacy trans has a bracket for it and everything! I bought a new cable last year for it as well, so I wasn't going to let that go to waist!
January 30, 201115 yr Author Made my own top engine mount today I also started to look at how I was going to make a trans mount and it looks like it is going to be pretty easy! I'm just going to weld a plate to the original brat mount and drill two holes in it!
January 31, 201115 yr I also started to look at how I was going to make a trans mount and it looks like it is going to be pretty easy! I'm just going to weld a plate to the original brat mount and drill two holes in it! Thanks for posting this. Any additional pics of your progress on the tranny mount would be appreciated. Also, have you considered using the EJ crossmember with different holes drilled into it? Jacbo
January 31, 201115 yr Author Thanks for posting this. Any additional pics of your progress on the tranny mount would be appreciated. Also, have you considered using the EJ crossmember with different holes drilled into it? I will post more pics as I do more work I have considered using the EJ trans mount, but it is oddly shaped for the brat. I'm sure you have seen one, but they are in an h pattern and it looked like it was going to be much simpler just to modify the brats original one due to how close they EJ mount is to the original location
February 11, 201115 yr DAM! You got a nice project going for being 19.I'd have to say youve been blessed to be able to do that, How do you find the time between school and what not to work on that lovely Brat. Well, good luck running that wireing harness
February 11, 201115 yr Author Thank's it is challenging, I haven't worked on it in a week now because I have been crazy busy, but I have this next week off so I'm hoping I can find a lot of time to work on it. Luckily I go to school about 40 min away from my house so the weekends give me some time. And thanks for the complements about the brat, it's been a long work in progress, I got to drive it some last year on the stock drivetrain, but then I decided I wanted to go in a new direction with it.
February 15, 201115 yr Author I'm looking at some new ideas for it this week. I want coil-overs in the front because I don't feel like messing with my strut towers and they look like they will fit much better then what I have in there now. I also have been thinking about doing stand alone engine management. I know it's more money, and I know I have the harness already to cut and splice, but it would just be so cool to have it It would give me such added tuning abilities. I have been looking at Megasquirt it seems like a good kit. If anyone has an opinion on these two ideas, I would love to here it!
February 17, 201115 yr I also started to look at how I was going to make a trans mount and it looks like it is going to be pretty easy! I'm just going to weld a plate to the original brat mount and drill two holes in it! That's basically what I did. Seams to work alright. I still need to clean it up a bit.
February 18, 201115 yr Author That's basically what I did. Seams to work alright. I still need to clean it up a bit. Did you have to bend then new mount up a bit so the trans cleared the brats x-member, or did it clear okay being flat? It looks like mine may have to get a bend in it. I most likely will be doing this tomorrow. (if I get motivated)
February 18, 201115 yr I just welded the 2 mounts together. If I remember correctly I did cut up the EJ mount and just welded it to the EA mount.
February 19, 201115 yr Author Got some more work done today, it shifts sort of, I have to do a little work and shorten the lower shaft still, but it works. And I started in on the trans mount. I'm going to strengthen it, but it's a start!
February 20, 201115 yr Just a warning about the shifter. I'd install your drive line first before you start to modify your shifter. It will save you a ton of time.
February 20, 201115 yr Author I eyed it up the best I could I used the brat drive shaft and a floor stand to hold it around where it needed to be. There looked to be quite a bit of clearance around it. Maybe the Hatchbacks had a different tunnel? I wouldn't think so being the both had the 4 speed d/r. Anyway it seemed to fit alright I will have to do a little more to it, and it's just bolted on to the trans right now two bolts and it's out again. I wont be able to finish it until next week now as I have to go back to school. I'm hoping I can get a driveshaft made up soon. I have a place willing to do it. Looks like the brat one needs to be lengthened a bit. I haven't done the measurements yet, but I'll let everyone know buy how much when I do!
February 20, 201115 yr Cool build! The Brat looks like an interesting chassis for a swap. Keep at it!
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now