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We (X-Eng) have bought a Jimny to build something interesting out of it!
Although X-Eng is mostly Land Rover based, we built a comp-truck out of an old Vitara - and I have to admit I've kind of fallen for Suzuki's. A Jimny seemed the obvious choice for the next build - and this seems to be Jimny Central!
The plan is for something completely road legal, but avoiding the requirement for an IVA test but also fully MSA compliant, the combination allowing it to enter any winch Challenge in the UK. My current Suzuki is neither and there's not much it can enter these days.
I have a 1999 Manual Soft Top and it's going to turn in to an auto. I also have Toyota FJ80 Axles and Fox-Air shox and some unorthodox suspension geometry plans.
My first question is, I have a Vitara Auto Box which I plan to fit with the original engine. Has anyone done this? Do the change points in the gearbox match up reasonably with the auto box fitted to Jimny's?
It will get Megasquirt so there is some potential for mapping the engine to the box if not.
I dare say I'll need a bit more advice along the way - and in return, I'll do my best to contribute what I can to the forum.
I don't know of anyone who has done what is effectively the reverse of what a lot of others have down. They have fitted a Vitara engine to a Jimny Gearbox rather than fit a Jimny Engine to a Vitara Gearbox. I will have to leave this to the others comment apart from asking what engine you have in the Jimny, is it an M series or a G series? This is because you could be making things even more challenging by mating an M series engine to a G Series Auto box.
Certainly mating a G Series Vitara engine to a G Series Jimny Gearbox is reasonably straight forward (in fact, you can use a bodge method of a large drill and some bolts to join the two). But other combinations get more difficult. I would have thought it would be easier to source a Jimny Engine/Autobox or Suzuki Baleno Parts if its an M series set up. My "dream machine" would be to source a Diesel Auto from a European Jimny. I keep being told that due to "scrappage schemes" there are a lot of parts available in Germany, but have yet to get around chasing it up.
Martin
Martin
2003 M13 early KAP build.
3" Trailmaster lift with 1.5 Spacers on front
Customised winch bumper and roll cage
235/85R16 Maxxis Bighorns on 16" Rims, 4:1 Rocklobster, Rear ARB locker and on-board air
Corrected arms all-round, rear disks, Recaro seats and harnesses
What? Me? I've mostly been on the dark side (Land Rovers) - but have seen the light!
The 1.6 Vitara engine seems to have 19G cast on to the back - so I'm guessing it's a G series?
My reason for doing it this way round is in order to keep the same vehicle identity. Each part of a vehicle has a number of points associated with it:
chassis or body shell = 5 points
suspension = 2 points
axles = 2 points
transmission = 2 points
steering assembly = 2 points
engine = 1 point
And you need to keep 8 points worth to retain the identity.
So, Chassis=5 + Steering = 2 + Engine = 1 => 8 Points
Axles, suspension and transmission all need to change - so I have to keep the engine!
Otherwise, I would just transplant the whole engine & transmission inc twin transfer box conversion into the Jimny.
The twin transfer is important because in high range, the SJ box divides the ratio by 1.6 which means that it's geared about right for 37" tyres. If the Jimny Engine cannot mate to my G series auto-box, I'll have to machine an adaptor so a Jimny Auto can drive the Vitara Transfer box, then in to the SJ.
Where would be a good (read cheap) source for an Auto box?
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