Easy one is the 2ltr or 2.6ltr Rodeo engine. Almost a bolt in. Personally, if I was going to the trouble of a cert required repower, I would go Commodore V6
tarshao,
May 9, 7:15pm
with the rodeo 2.6 do you just use the gemini box!
berg,
May 9, 7:27pm
No,its a bit on the light side. Use a 2wd Rodeo box. If you could find a Gemini turbo box it would be beafy enough. You could always track down one of those bloody awful Piazza things and use the turbo running gear.
julian.walls,
May 9, 7:44pm
According to a friend of mine - who worked for GM Holden Trentham as one of production engineers in the 70s and 80s they experimented by putting a 6 Holden into a Holden Gemini/Vauxhall Chevette Hatch hybrid as a potential rally weapon but the bean counters at GM NZ put an end to the moonlighting! -Webos book on NZ Assembly industry does not highlight that fact because they interviewed a lowly engineer very much done in food chain -who was totally clueless.
as for Chevette Hatch it was converted to 1.3 engine and now resides in Kapiti - It escaped the wreckers -its white with a Gemini front end and Chevette 3 door body!
It does not suprise me to hear that Isuzu Ute engine would just bolt in! I also wintnessed in 1977 in Paraparaumu 2 Vauxhall Chevette 2300HSR being built here for Rallying they were brand new Vauxhall Chevettes from GM in NZ taken to a workshop in Paraparuma totally stripped and Lotus engines installed
There was a High performance Gemini produced in 82 called 1.8ZZ which i understoof really flew and one was for sale recently in Classic Driver
tarshao,
May 9, 9:41pm
what other than wiring and new mounts is needed for sr20 shorter d shaft
princessserena,
May 10, 10:47am
2 litre rodeo motor is the easiest to do. Few parts to changes its not exactly a power pack though. With a good motor and a few breathing mods it would be a different car. Remember a gemeni is light so it doesnt need bigpower to make a difference
bubbles52,
May 10, 3:22pm
+1 my thoughts exactly
_peas,
May 10, 3:28pm
A guy I knew when I was in the industry was throwing a Piazza Turbo engine into a Chevette. Just throwing it out there. but he seemed to think that it wasn't a massive job.
phillip.weston,
May 10, 3:32pm
Opel C20XE is another option for high performance N/A, will trump an SR20DE easy, and unlike the SR20DE there are parts which allow the C20XE to bolt in if you keep an eye out for a Manta being parted out.
tarshao,
May 10, 4:56pm
yea i am thinking of the 2L rodeo engine as i dont want extreme power as yes they are very light i jus want somthing that fits in quite easy with a bit more skid power. would all the gear ratios be up the shit with a rodeo box!
berg,
May 10, 5:47pm
One of my ex bosses had the ex Barry Robinson Chevette powered by a dry sumped 2.3 with the Bill Blydenstein twin cam head. That thing was a rocketship. There was also a 3.5 Rover powered one in Nelson for a while. Almost brought it but a heap of the good bits got stolen from it. I would still be looking 3.8 V6. Small engine physically but with plenty of power for a small body shell
jasongroves,
May 10, 6:19pm
Yep, Rodeo re-power seems to be pretty common in Oz. I'm sure there's more than a few forums dedicated to the wee buggers with plenty of good info from those that have done the transplant themselves.
tarshao,
May 10, 7:28pm
anyone got more info on the 2L or 2.6 rodeo conversions! a link maybe!
would an sr 20 de fit into an Isuzu ute which had a 2.6 engine.
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