Escy

I'm living in Brazil and i'm going to be buying a Chevrolet Chevette which is basically an Opel Kadett C.

I'm going to swap the engine for something decent. The options in Brazil are really expensive and not particularly good so i'm thinking about importing something.

I'm open to suggestions. I have access to a machine shop so fabrication isn't an issue although I don't want anything too mental. Budget will be around £500-1000 for the engine and box (i'm likely to get hit for 50% tax on anything I do import)

Power wise i'm not sure, probably around to 170+

Escy

I'm thinking 2.3 Saab Turbo with an Omega gearbox may be a decent shout.

RstAaron.

Was going to say that earlier. Go for it, dirt cheap and good engines. Mine pulls well in my 9000

Escy

Also thinking CA18DET from a S13 200sx

stevieturbo

By the time you pay postage and any duties...is it really going to be cheaper than sourcing locally ?

Bound to be some old Volvo turbo engine/boxes or something ? Or some old Mercedes engine/box you could slap a turbo onto ?

What sort of range of older vehicles would they have there ?

Cossie Sean

Mercedes Cosworth, readily available and very very strong, wont suffer with heat problems like turbo cars for power loss and heat soak


scrap cars are also cheap, i gave £200 for my last one

Escy

There's really not much about. Brazil is the worst country ever for cars.

Basically 4 manufacturers here, GM, Ford, Fiat and VW. It's all pretty much shite. Even old yank V8's are thin on the ground and mega expensive. They have big old Impala's here that use 4 cylinder engines, it's a joke.

There's not really any old Merc's or BMW's about and what is here is stupid prices. You'll pay about 5k for an old E36 banger that'd be about £500 in the UK.

There is a VAG 1.8T from an Audi A3 for sale in my city, works out at just shy of £3000 and i'd probably need to import a gearbox suitable.

The other reason I want to import something is so I can try and screw them on the value. Get a nicely built up lump from the UK, can add a new turbo, stainless manifold, bigger injectors, etc and I won't get shafted on the massive taxes they apply to everything you import, plus i'd put the value lower.

Not sure a Merc Cosworth is enough power to be worth the hassle importing. Could get similar power out of a 20V 4AGE which is smaller and lighter.

stevieturbo

Really...if you have any half decent 4cyl car there around 2.0 or thereabouts.

Some rods, pistons, slap on a turbo and ecu...job done.

It wont be difficult to make decent power.

Cossie Sean

As stevie says, really!

the 1.8T is MASSIVLEY tuneable and will mate to a RWD gearbox no problem, same bolt pattern as all VAG stuff, so will take volvo RWD M50 gearbox etc, scrap yard cheap and easy sourced, bolt in 300bhp no questions

Cossie Sean

Also for those that dont know, this is for a "vauxhall chivette" Kadett c

easyest would be finding a dead manta then surely mate?

i should read full threads lol


Manta gearbox, Xe or even a manta CIH engine/box would be very sufficiant for now, the as Stevie said, Turbocharged......... reliable, low boost fun!

stevieturbo

And shiny stainless manifolds dont always make you go faster...they're just shiny.

You'll make power just as easily with a cast manifold if you can adapt one.

Escy

They do have zetecs over here. Mainly 1.8's but have seen a 2.0 (blacktop 130bhp) for £1000.

Thing is, anything I import, the tax is 100%. So a set of rods will cost what, £250 so £500, Turbo, £500 so £1000 etc.

If I was to bolt all those things onto an engine, under value it and import it, it'll work out much cheaper, even including the cost of shipping. (the bastards also tax the shipping costs)

I don't think i'd find a RWD Ford gearbox over here anyway, there are no Sierras or any late 80-mid 90's RWD Fords here.

There aren't any Manta's here either. It really is a load of old shite here. Mainly Beetle's, Corsa's, Panda's, etc

stevieturbo

Just exactly what sort of power are you after ?

I just said rods....chances are unless you're making big power, standard rods will be fine.

pistons...depends entirely on original design as to how suitable they are for boost.

And same importing to the UK, they tax you on everything including shipping costs.

I'd say shipping for an engine/box could easily run you £1k

And surely engine tuning parts are available within Brasil ?

Certainly over on the Haltech forum there are ecu suppliers and tuners in Brasil building all sorts of cars.

Cossie Sean

so fit a standard engine and a 100bhp nitrous kit, job done

Escy

Just been reading up about the common 8v 2.0 N/A VW engines people in Brazil fit into Chevettes. Aparently if you turbo one, drop the compression and run a bar of boost you get about 160bhp.

That doesn't float my boat, i've had stock 1.6 N/A engines with more power. Hope you can see why I want to import something. I want to be different and i'll have a better engine for my money.

stevieturbo

Must be pretty bad tuners if they can only achieve 160bhp.

Even a crappy old Volvo with about 8psi boost will do that....I have one.

caprizetec170

Is a kadett c not front wheel drive??

big_wig_074

seems to be all sorts of tuning going on over there, look here for loads of links to tuning companies, surely its easier to tune what you can get over there
http://www.dragsterbrasil.com/

russ rs

C20let it!!! Me mate done it and was awsome

Escy

Been looking into the Brazilian options a bit more and there is a decent supply of 2.0 16v Duratecs over here and they aren't that expensive either.

Will look into those although I might struggle for a RWD gearbox, don't think there is anything that uses a type-9


Brand new engine in a crate here for £1150 (I did read something about a flooding issue and a re-call, will have to check it out)

http://produto.mercadolivre.com.br/M...de-fabrica-_JM

big_wig_074

dont mazda mx5 boxes fit the duratec?

Escy

Can't get MX-5's here