Has this been done before? I have an opportunity to pick up a complete engine from an HGT for pennies, and as there's a high possibility my punter will need a new engine anyway the swap seems like an interesting idea...

I know i would need the wiring loom, ECU etc. But would i need the HGT gearbox aswell, or will the existing one from the 1.2 8v fit?

And if I can get all the bits, will the engine be a relitively easy fit? Considering the engine bay is the same size etc.

Any thoughts or comments appreciated (besides 'it's too much work, just buy an HGT')

It would fit (as would an Alfa TS engine and box.. BUT you need
engine
ALL electrics from the firewall forwards plus the instruments
Exhaust (full system including cats)
gearbox
engine mounts
radiator
air intake
Different front suspension
Disk brakes all round

Dont forget the cambelt kit is £100 variatoir another £100 and it will almost certainly need a new water pump
If its ever blown its cam belt the bottom end could be damaged and (oh yes...) valves cost about £20 each

When you've done all that its a modified 1.2, 8V with a boring interior and poly bumpers so costs megabux to insure and worth 2.5p

Still interested?

WhiteSei said:

When you've done all that its a modified 1.2, 8V with a boring interior and poly bumpers so costs megabux to insure and worth 2.5p

Still interested?

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Ever heard of a sleeper! That would be a sick sleeper

ever seen a rover 600 TI. They're sleepers too. Esp when the turbos turned up omg! See one dust a Scooby P1 the other day at the lights pmsl.

It would be much easier to put 8V bumpers and wheels onto an HGT.

WhiteSei said:

It would be much easier to put 8V bumpers and wheels onto an HGT.

Click to expand...

BUT then that looks crap! Then again I know what you mean.

I wanna stick a huge engine in a reliant kitten! Preferably a bike engine! Now that' be a sleeper. With it only having a fibreglass body aswell so it's light as a feather

got new suspension going on it soon anyway. shouldnt be hard to get all the bits, it's coming out of an HGT that is being broken for spares, I could just nick everything i need out of it

i reckon it would make a cool project, but the reason i thought of it in the first place was because i'd like to do some serious bodywork to it, and after a while i reckon i would get bored of it being nice on the outside and slow as hell lol.

and yes, it would make A BEAST of a sleeper haha.

not too bothered about insurance costs.

You will need everything from the HGT except the body shell and glass.

The Kitten is only slightly better than the Robin. Total crap.

Far better use a Seicento and lightening it. Something like a Honda CBF1000 makes 100 bhp but isnt all scream and pipes like the R1 (which makes more like 150bhp). With less power (and a special differential) you can have stay with front wheel drive but enjoy the sequential gearbox with instant clutchless gearchanges and the soundtrack of a 10,000+ rpm engine.

WhiteSei said:

You will need everything from the HGT except the body shell and glass.

The Kitten is only slightly better than the Robin. Total crap.

Far better use a Seicento and lightening it. Something like a Honda CBF1000 makes 100 bhp but isnt all scream and pipes like the R1 (which makes more like 150bhp). With less power (and a special differential) you can have stay with front wheel drive but enjoy the sequential gearbox with instant clutchless gearchanges and the soundtrack of a 10,000+ rpm engine.

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oops think i just shot a load thinking about that!:devil:

Kitten looks ALOT nicer than both reliant and sei put together though!
Theyy are both UGLY cars! Had nicer looking things drop outta my ass

Oh yes trouser tenting stuff. But mega not cheap. You would need the whole bike and the diff is about £500 before you have made the special housing. The speedo is also an issue. The bike picks up from a gearbox sensor but it will read wrong as the gearing wont be the same as the bike. The bike gearbox may also need a special output shaft. One tyre wont allow full torque to dump into the road, but 2 car tyres and a special diff will increase the peak torque loads

WhiteSei said:

Far better use a Seicento and lightening it. Something like a Honda CBF1000 makes 100 bhp but isnt all scream and pipes like the R1 (which makes more like 150bhp). With less power (and a special differential) you can have stay with front wheel drive but enjoy the sequential gearbox with instant clutchless gearchanges and the soundtrack of a 10,000+ rpm engine.

Click to expand...

I like your thinking as I realy want this car or replicate it someday [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-_Hmjgjn7c"]YouTube- Fiat 500 with Kawasaki GPZ900R motor[/nomedia]

Would it not pass an mot tho emission wise?

snapyoursticks said:

Has this been done before? I have an opportunity to pick up a complete engine from an HGT for pennies, and as there's a high possibility my punter will need a new engine anyway the swap seems like an interesting idea...

I know i would need the wiring loom, ECU etc. But would i need the HGT gearbox aswell, or will the existing one from the 1.2 8v fit?

And if I can get all the bits, will the engine be a relitively easy fit? Considering the engine bay is the same size etc.

Any thoughts or comments appreciated (besides 'it's too much work, just buy an HGT')

Click to expand...

my thoughts are get an insurance quote before you think of anything else

WhiteSei said:

When you've done all that its a modified 1.2, 8V with a boring interior and poly bumpers so costs megabux to insure and worth 2.5p

Still interested?

Click to expand...

Hold up, is the HGT interior that much different to the 1.2 8v? I bet it's still as cheap and tatty.

But not quite so bad

WhiteSei said:

But not quite so bad

Click to expand...

Yeah the HGT has a few different bits... but main differences are obviously air con and sat nav (in some models)

The only thing i would be fussed about is the steering wheel, the HGT wheel is much nicer than the bog standard one.

Well by the looks of things i would need most of the engine bay, but shouldnt be too much of an issue i could rob that HGT for everything i need :devil:

Got a rough insurance quote for it the other day and it wasn't nearly as bad as i was expecting, it was about the same as what i paid on it standard when i first started driving

You will need the HGT car because the 8V brakes will be too weak and therefore dangerous. You'll also need the ABS and traction control stuff (if not in the dry you will in the rain). They all come as part of the package with loads of pipe work.

You can live without air con but The body shell, main suspension and some of the wiring are the same. Pretty much everything else is different.

There is an alternative way but its very illegal.