# SR20DET powered geo metro.....opinions???



## Blu200SX (Jul 22, 2002)

the time has come for a new project, im talkin about a do what it takes project. Over the years people have always hated on the geo metro for its poor qualities....am i right? The thing is...the team and i are good fabricators for custom work needed which seems to be a chunk of the issue. What if you drove an sr20det powered geo metro? What would be the reaction of others?....i think its priceless...anyhow...i wanna get all your opinions on the difficulty of the project....do you think it kicks ass or do you wanna flame? its up to you.

*money is not an issue


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## Zac (Mar 10, 2004)

Hell yea buddy!!!!! Me and my buddies are hooking up a Tracker soft top. Soon we can start having Geo meets. No one and I repeat NO ONE would see that comming if you rocked an SR in a Geo. My question, would it fit very easily?


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## Blu200SX (Jul 22, 2002)

i havent researched anything on clearance issues and what not....but i wanna do something drastic because i always like to be different somehow. Traction issues are a big concern also....that car is so light.


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## ReVerm (Jan 13, 2003)

Blu200SX said:


> i havent researched anything on clearance issues and what not....but i wanna do something drastic because i always like to be different somehow. Traction issues are a big concern also....that car is so light.


Haha. You're insane.

The Metro is a little more performance oriented than a lot of us might expect. After all, the Metro does share platforms with the Suzuki Swift, which is a very popular front drive rally car. My question is though, wouldn't it just be easier to swap an Ignis engine in there? Or did that not fit at all (I forgot now).


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## vector03 (Nov 12, 2003)

I think I'd be really cool to do a project like that. Pull up to a light with a "3 Cyclinder Lawn mower" and roast 'em! :thumbup:


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## Blu200SX (Jul 22, 2002)

ReVerm said:


> Haha. You're insane.
> 
> The Metro is a little more performance oriented than a lot of us might expect. After all, the Metro does share platforms with the Suzuki Swift, which is a very popular front drive rally car. My question is though, wouldn't it just be easier to swap an Ignis engine in there? Or did that not fit at all (I forgot now).[/QUOTE/]
> 
> or.....if your a nissan fan then put a nissan motor, I am impressed with the GA's strength but the sr20 has the power.


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## TheVodKA (Sep 19, 2002)

I think there was a guy on the sr20forum boards who swapped a n/a sr20 into a geo metro, but its been a long time since I've been on those boards. You should go and look it up though, might help ya with the decision and fitment issues.


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## myoung (Apr 15, 2002)

ReVerm said:


> The Metro is a little more performance oriented than a lot of us might expect.


Step back, take a deep breath and think about what you just said.....lol


1.0-liter SOHC 3-in-line, 55 hp; 1.3-liter SOHC 4-in-line, 70 hp


psttt.. that's hp at the crank..not at the wheels..


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## ReVerm (Jan 13, 2003)

myoung said:


> Step back, take a deep breath and think about what you just said.....lol
> 
> 
> 1.0-liter SOHC 3-in-line, 55 hp; 1.3-liter SOHC 4-in-line, 70 hp
> ...


Read the rest of what I said.

I'm disappointed. I expected a response with a little more thought behind it from you, Mr. Young.

For those of you who don't know what to search for to figure out what I'm talking about, scour the web for "Suzuki Swift GTi", "Suzuki Swift GT" and "Suzuki g13b g16a".


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## Blu200SX (Jul 22, 2002)

so mike, are you for or against a turbo charged SR20???


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## myoung (Apr 15, 2002)

ReVerm said:


> Read the rest of what I said.
> 
> I'm disappointed. I expected a response with a little more thought behind it from you, Mr. Young.
> 
> For those of you who don't know what to search for to figure out what I'm talking about, scour the web for "Suzuki Swift GTi", "Suzuki Swift GT" and "Suzuki g13b g16a".


sorry was in a bad mood last night..

but you did say Metro... nothing about the metro was performance oriented or even suggested.



ReVerm said:


> The Metro is a little more performance oriented than a lot of us might expect.


Sure you can dump money it, like the GA platform Sentra/200SX, but that didn't make it performance oriented for the get go. hope that makes sense.



It would be an interesting project.. not knowing the measurments my first thought would be that I doubt it a SR20DET would fit.




ReVerm said:


> Mr. Young.


Mike... Michael... hey you works fine..


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## myoung (Apr 15, 2002)

Blu200SX said:


> so mike, are you for or against a turbo charged SR20???


I'm not against it, It's not something I would do, simply because I don't like the looks of a Geo Metro... If I were to spend that kind of money I would find a beater 240 and rebuild it with the DET.

but that doesn't mean that I wouldn't be interested in reading about it or seeing the progress. It would be original, no doubt about that.


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## ReVerm (Jan 13, 2003)

myoung said:


> sorry was in a bad mood last night..
> 
> but you did say Metro... nothing about the metro was performance oriented or even suggested.
> 
> Sure you can dump money it, like the GA platform Sentra/200SX, but that didn't make it performance oriented for the get go. hope that makes sense.


It's ok. We all have bad days.

However, despite the fact that Chevrolet did not suggest anything about performance when they marketed the Metro, the platform is performance oriented. If you've ever seen one stripped down, you can tell the car was built with something other than your average commuter in mind. 

The dampers are long, have lots of travel for a car its size, and are mounted on a very rigid base on both ends. The suspension geometry in general is actually very well balanced, with everything lining up perfectly with a 1" or drop in ride height. For a hatchback of its size, chassis rigidity is quite decent, and there's ample room to bolt in a roll cage. The brake system is more than adequate for a car of its size and weight and there's plenty of room to work in and out of from any angle on the car. In terms of engines, even the SOHC thing they have in both Metros are very well balanced, and the g13b is incredible. I'm sure I don't know enough about engines in general to really appreciate the beauty of it, but just by looking at it you can tell how much time they put into making sure it is perfectly balanced.

Now take that seemingly underpowered economy platform and put a few dollars into it, and you have a surprisingly fast machine. If you need power, there are plenty of options. $500 will get you a new g13b 1.3L (100hp stock) or the g16a (~130hp stock), both of which will bolt in with a minimum of hassle (the Swift GT had the DOHC g13, and they had a 1.6L Metro/Swift in Canada). There are numerous cams for it, as well as inexpensive turbo kits that have known to take it (it being the g13b) up to 250hp. And if you're concered about reliability, you don't know Suzuki very well. Despite the joke of a car lineup they have here in the US their motorsports division is one of the most feared in rally stages worldwide.

Springs and dampers are somewhat costly (you'll have to skip the lowering springs and go straight to coilovers, since the only people who tune these cars are those people who are serious about racing them), but no more than what you'd see for our cars. Drop $1500 on a set of good coilovers and you're set. Brake hop ups are cheap too. Most people who race swifts/metros apparently don't even bother moving up to bigger calipers/rotors becuase of the car's size and weight, but apparently it's easy to convince brake companies to manufacture parts for swifts.

Give the remainder of the vehicle a once over with the usual reinforcements, protection, safety equipment, and whatnot, and you've spent no more than $9000. This is for a race setup, not a street setup. There's a reason there are nearly 10 independant touring car series across Japan dedicated just to this car/platform, and why rally drivers all over the world are buying up used Metros/Swifts.

So yeah. They're pretty scary cars.

EDIT: How did I forget to add this? I apolegize to Mike Young for the relative harshness of my last response. Sorry. I posted after about 36 hours of no sleep thanks to my bizzare sleep schedule and having to take my sister to a placement exam for her school at 6:30 in the morning.


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## Nico Flax (May 3, 2003)

Well yea... ReVerm has a point, all that stuff he said, I really wouldn't know but what I do know is I use to own an old Metro with a Toyota engine, I was young at the time so I can't tell you what motor but it said Toyota on it, I don't know if it had been swapped since it came from a junk yard, but anyway in third gear that thing pulled like crazy, I'm a bit scared to say but I think it was probably faster then my stock GA16... as sad as that may be, everything ReVerm said sounds about right, that car was so light it use to fly, and never gave me any problems, most reliable car I've ever driven, course that was my first car and the Nissan is my second so... here is to my old Metro! ^_^


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## koroshiya (Dec 28, 2002)

*screw the metro....*

Do a Chevy Chevette/Pontiac T1000, I'm not sure, but I think that I read somehwere on the NET that some models might of been rear wheel drive. The car is about the same size as the Metro. There is your monster waiting to happen. 400hp Turbo Chevy drift car. 

Just another option for you! I say go for "it", what "it" may be!


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## Nismoist (Oct 18, 2002)

What about the 1.3L Hayabusa engine? I've heard from a few people that they've swapped in the motor cycle engine..and with some extra work (turbo, headers, etc.) they had some mean power in the Metro. Also, from what I've heard..it's the same size as the 1.3L 70hp engine option. I'm no expert, so this could all easily be wrong. But figured I'd throw in my bit. Good luck with whatever you go with. =)


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## SE-RtinMI (Nov 3, 2002)

You have no idea how little Fabrication it will take to do this swap. IIRC The hardest part will be relocating and fabricating one motor mount. I have seen an empty engine bay of a Metro at Ben Davis' house (The guy who started the SR20Forum) he was going to do an NA swap but ended up having a child and the majority of his time was spent wrenching on his classic and do Multiple motor swaps for people. Like 30ish in a couple years. Contact him and he will be able to tell you exactly what you need to get started. He lives in Kokomo indiana. I used to have his phone number but lost it. His SN on the sr20forum is BEN . Good luck and post up when your done!!!!


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## Asleep (Jan 19, 2003)

i say hell yeah go for it.
there was a suzuki swift or something of that nature out here that one of the performance shops gotta hold of some time back. had a v8 in it with a cage and slicks out back. that thing sounded like it was doing about a grand at 45 mph. im all for the kewl little swaps, go for it.


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## Katana200sx (May 13, 2002)

another option would be to just somehow mount it in the rear. since you seem to want a challenge why not make it rwd..or do like someone did with a tiburon and put an engine in the back and in the front...awd baby! some crazy suggestions..but why not


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## FourN2ner (Dec 10, 2003)

DO IT i think its a great idea its such a sleeper !!

I did the VW rabbit with the gtir motor :hal:


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