I have a 1997 Jetta Tdi which I bought three years ago with the intent of swapping the engine. I am looking to have a winter commute 4WD vehicle that has reasonable off-road capabilities. I just bought a F250 truck which will help me haul in the recipient vehicle as well as provide backup transportation while the swap is in progress. My Tdi is almost brand new under the hood -- the engine is a crate from Germany with low miles and I have a new OEM head, rebuilt injectors, and a new OEM turbo. However, the rest of the car is approaching 400K miles, the electrical has not functioned properly since I bought it, the struts are worn and I'm not sure how much longer it will hold together.
I keep seeing these threads that go on and on about swaps. I am hoping to do something that moves fairly quickly (assuming I have all of the parts together). I am planning to buy a custom wiring harness and an adapter kit from ACME.
Originally, I was thinking about a Tracker or Samurai, but the realities of regular driving are swaying my decision. I'm not sure if I want a tiny two seat vehicle with no storage, no A/C, and no insulation for long-range driving. Plus, most of the ads I see are beat to crap and seem to have a lot of needs.
It would appear my best options would be a Suzuki Sidekick or a Toyota 4-Runner. Basically, I would be looking to buy a complete one with a straight body and decent interior but blown engine and then tow it in with the truck. One large limitation is there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of Sidekicks and 4Runners available, so I may be limited to whatever I can scrounge up.
I think the 4Runner would be about 2000 pounds heavier than the Sidekick, so it would probably be more gutless and get worse fuel economy. I think Toyota probably has better parts support, although both have a lot of aftermarket options. It seems like a lot of Sidekicks had automatic transmissions, which I don't want.
Aside from the ACME kit and custom wiring harness, I am planning to buy a new radiator and starter motor. What else should I plan to get started?
h.ubk
I keep seeing these threads that go on and on about swaps. I am hoping to do something that moves fairly quickly (assuming I have all of the parts together). I am planning to buy a custom wiring harness and an adapter kit from ACME.
Originally, I was thinking about a Tracker or Samurai, but the realities of regular driving are swaying my decision. I'm not sure if I want a tiny two seat vehicle with no storage, no A/C, and no insulation for long-range driving. Plus, most of the ads I see are beat to crap and seem to have a lot of needs.
It would appear my best options would be a Suzuki Sidekick or a Toyota 4-Runner. Basically, I would be looking to buy a complete one with a straight body and decent interior but blown engine and then tow it in with the truck. One large limitation is there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of Sidekicks and 4Runners available, so I may be limited to whatever I can scrounge up.
I think the 4Runner would be about 2000 pounds heavier than the Sidekick, so it would probably be more gutless and get worse fuel economy. I think Toyota probably has better parts support, although both have a lot of aftermarket options. It seems like a lot of Sidekicks had automatic transmissions, which I don't want.
Aside from the ACME kit and custom wiring harness, I am planning to buy a new radiator and starter motor. What else should I plan to get started?
h.ubk
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