For Sale: 1989 Improved Touring B Suzuki Swift GTi





Background

I bought this little Suzuki Swift GTi as a street registered vehicle back in May of 2002. I had every intention of turning it into an SCCA legal road race car, of which it now is. The guy I bought it from had the same intentions, but redirected his "race addiction" to karts, as he was able to compete with his young son.

Much like him, I am now redirecting my time (and money) to several other worthy causes... Such as fixing up my crappy little house, spending time with my girlfriend [edit: now wife + child], riding mountain bikes, and riding my motorcycle. But my loss of time, space, money, and desire to wrench on an almost 20 year old car can be your gain!

With the exception of the major rollcage structure (installed by RalliSpec), the engine machining operations (various engine machine shops), and several small additional jobs, all of the work was done by myself.

The car is a blast to drive, and the rarity of it inspires lots of comments from observers and fellow racers. It has an SCCA logbook, which was last issued an anual inspection in 2006.

Videos







Specifications


Model Year 1989
Make Suzuki
Model Swift
Trim Level GTi
Chassis Code AA34S
Engine Code G13b
Engine Size 1.3 Liter
Valvetrain 4 Valve, Dual Over Head Cam
Fuel Control Hitachi Multi-Point Fuel Injection
Spark Control Distributor w/Electronic Advance
Transmission 5 Speed w/Reverse
Final Drive Ratio 4.39
Wheel Size 14x6
Competition Weight (SCCA) 1895 lbs
Actual Weight (w/out driver) 1765 lbs


Results


2003 Weatherly Hillclimb 3rd Place
2003 Duryea Hillclimb 3rd Place
2003 Giant's Despair Hillclimb 2nd Place
2004 Fall Weatherly Hillclimb 1st/2nd Place, Record
2004 Fall Jefferson TT 1st Place, Record
2004 Duryea Hillclimb 1st/2nd Place
2004 Rose Valley Hillclimb 1st Place
2004 Giant's Despair Hillclimb 1st/2nd Place, Record
2004 Spring Weatherly 1st Place, Record
2004 Spring Jefferson TT 1st/2nd Place, Record
2005 Duryea Hillclimb 1st/2nd Place
2005 Pagoda Hillclimb 1st/2nd Place, Record
2006 Duryea Hillclimb 2nd Place




Current Records Held



This little Suzuki Swift racecar currently still holds the following records [edit: since first posting, some of these records have been lost... a perfect opportunity for the new owner to win them back!]:

Weatherly Hillclimb (First set by myself, later beat by my co-driver Tony Powell)
Duryea Hillclimb (Set by Tony Powell)
Giant's Despair Hillclimb (Set by Tony Powell)
Pagoda Hillclimb (Set by new co-driver, Todd Sorzano)

As a side note: Yes, beaten by my friends in MY car! :(

Additional Descriptions



I'll try and go through each section of the car.

Safety: Car has a 6 pt SCCA spec (1.5"x0.095" DOM) rollcage, custom fabricated and installed by RalliSpec (Hainsport, NJ). RalliSpec also installed the custom seat mount rails. Currently the newly mandated second door bars are only partially installed (fitted and partially welded in). Driver's side belt guides were added for the HANS specific SCHROTH 6pt 2"/3" camloc driver's harness (good for a few more years), passenger side has expired Sparco 3" 5pt camloc. There are two seats included with the car, one is a bottom mount fiberglass MOMO seat (passenger side), of which I do not know the model or certs. The Driver side seat is currently a Sparco Rev (FIA certified). Car is equipped with the minimum dry chemical handheld fire extinguisher, and a passenger A-pillar mounted master cut-off switch (with alternator bleed down circuit).

Drivers Stuff: Custom water jet cut dash board display with large Autometer tach, and smaller Autometer water temp and oil pressure gages. The display also has two idiot lights, one signaling ECU codes, and the other signaling charging system problems. A +12V/Ground power supply is present in the lower passenger footwell to power accessories (I used it to power a wideband O2 sensor, which is NOT included).

Suspension: Custom front coilovers with 300lb/in (2.5" diameter, 8" long) springs currently installed (if I remember correctly), and Koni Sport yellow adjustable dampers (internally adjusted). Rear suspension consists of stock style Koni Sport yellow damper (again, internally adjustable) and custom altered springs (roughly 450 lb/in). Front anti-roll bar is stock, rear is the larger bar from the Chevy Metro sedans. All control arm bushings are SSGTi.com polyurethane units. The rear toe link has custom made Delrin bushings (which have NOT been tested yet). Front coilovers include Noltec camber plates.

Transmission: Currently installed transmission was rebuilt about 3 years ago with new seals, springs, and roll pins. All synchros and gear assemblies were in good shape and work well today. 4.39 final drive was installed (stock is 4.10). Differential is an OPM limited slip conversion. I have not had much luck with it in the past (lots of wheel slip), but also have not run the car since upgrading to the higher springrates listed above.

Engine: The engine is an IT spec unit with about 2 partial seasons of hillclimbs and track events. It probably isn't super competitive at the club racing level, but it still podiums at hillclimbs. It was a complete rebuild, with a 1/2mm overbore (about 0.020"), new pistons, new rings, new bearings, new water pump, new oil pump, all new seals and gaskets, new valves, new valve guides and seals, and new timing belt. Emissions control equipment is removed. Cheap Ebay air filter and MAF adapter. Remote oil cooler from Turbine Tech. Engine management is via an OCC ("Tom's") stage 2 chip, but I also have 3 more chips (Stage 1, Stage 3, and the Rally chip). Exhaust is a 4-2-1 mild steel Genie header that is welded to a flex coupling, and then connected to the 2" stainless "straight through" exhaust via a slip joint. Currently there is a shorty stainless SuperTrapp muffler installed (the car is amazingly loud if left with an open exhaust). Fuel system is stock except for fuel pump, which is a stock DSM turbo unit (purchased new).

Brakes: Goodrich stainless braided teflon hoses front and rear. Porterfield R4 compound pads with stock rotors front and rear. Parking brake lever and cables deleted.

Wheels: Currently have 4 sets of wheels. Stock wheels with no tires mounted. Stock wheels with crappy all seasons mounted (for moving the car around). Konig 14x6 wheels with almost new (but several years old, stored in black garbage bags in heated basement) Kumho Ecsta V700's. Cheap "Rage" alloys with no tires.

Partial List of Spares



2 complete long block engines
1 complete short block dissassembled
1 set of head "internals" (ie, all the valves, lifters, etc.... but no head... the engine builder lost it. If it ever turns up I'll have it shipped to the buyer)
2 engine/dash wiring harnesses (not perfect, but good condition)
1 ECU
Full set of Koni Sport yellow dampers (I must admit that I believe one of them needs a rebuild)
Full set of control arms
Full set of uprights (knuckles) and brakes (no rotors)
Full pedal box assembly
Full set of axle spares
Starter, Brake booster/MC, MAF's, Injectors,
Brand new 1/2mm overbore pistons (including wristpins and rings)
Full engine gasket kit
Misc new engine bearings, transmission parts, etc.
2 Factory Service manuals (one original, one re-printed from PDF file, which is also available)
1 Factory Parts manual
2 SCCA Logbooks from other junked Swift racecars (not sure what value they have, but I kept them because they are interesting to read through).
3 Spare transmissions (2 stock, one equipped with newly locked differential and never used since rebuild)
A handfull of other stuff including hardware bits, misc spares, and some sheet metal and glass.

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PRICE



Offers for entire car + spares package, as well as offers for individual components will now be considered. The car/spares package will be put onto Ebay during the beginning of spring, 2010 with no reserve, so act now if you want something. I need to make room in my garage and basement. Act now... operators are standing by.

15 foot Dively Econotrailer (dual axle, electric brakes) also available.