[Enok82]

I have stumbled across a somewhat beaten up GT standing in the far end of a garage and i think i get a fairly good price since i know the owner =)
I've always wanted a small RWD Turbo powered car to punish on the tracks here in sweden.
And since the GT already is small and RWD it's only the Turbo power thats missing.
I for one can't come to think of any better turbo engines than the SAAB AERO ones!
So do anyone here have any experience with the combination Opel GT and SAAB Turbo engine?

/Enok

 

[baz]

first problem is the saab engine points forward not backward if you are looking at the older ones (slant 4 engine ) so when you turn it to mount it in the gt the fuse box is where the head wants to be , same as when you use the lotus engine as i used to ,so you need to rework the inner wing /fuse box area .
next problem is getting a gearbox to fit it ,the saab engine is loosely based on the triumph slant 4 from the dolomite but i dont think the dolly box fits the saab block , you might get an adapter made but in the land of steel and ikea i would think its going to be very big prices
you can get the cam in head engine from the gt to put out high bhp if you do some work on it have a look for posts by "rallybob" and "nobody" for non turbo and turbo work in the performance section

 

[Enok82]

I have seen more than one...

conversion from FWD SAAB to RWD SAAB engine with BMW gearbox!
i.e: A Ford Sierra and an Opel Ascona A

So the problems that occur when turning a SAAB engine has been overcome before... and an adapter between the SAAB engine and the BMW gearbox is not to expensive either!

I'm thinking i should get a rusty SAAB 9000 Turbo and butcher it for parts and sell the rest of the carcass as spareparts, and when the rest of the project i finished (do they ever get really finished?) i can upgrade the engine as they are not very different from the newer ones.
I can probably get a 9000 with a decent engine for 300-400 €

/Enok

 

[baz]

ut still leaves you with the problem of a 45deg slant 4 into an engine bay for an upright 4
i know ive done this with a lotus slant 4 from an esprit and you have to rework the body to fit it as every thing you want to move is what you can not because its all the pedal bits

 

[Betta Carotene]

baz are you talking about the engine bay of a Gt or all opels? I have thought about a jensen healey DOHC in a larger engine compartment but has noticed its a 45deg slant 4

 

[Ghoofy]

If you use a SAAB engine newer than -94 it uses the same bolt-pattern as Opel C20NE/XE engine (newer saab engines is basicly Opel/GM engines with som tuning) and then you can use the gearbox from an Opel Omega and voila!

there might be som fitment issues with the limited space in the Opel GT engine bay, but if it is rusty old object I'm sure a big hammer and a grinder can solve that
then there might be some issues with the engine mounts and oil pan but that should't be to hard to figure out...

Du kan nog hitta mer info på http://www.opelsportclub.com/forums och http://rejsa.nu

Kul med fler svängiga Oplar!

/Ola

 

[baz]

allen the jenson healey engine is the lotus 208 with diff cam covers (even has lotus on the block) and for the us came with 2 stromberg carbs and 160 bhp
yes it goes in but you have body work to do try to offset the engine as much as you can to the passenger side when doing all the work
the front of the gearbox tunnel needs to be opend up by 3-4" to get the bell housing in (its the 1 for the slant 4 vauxhall gearbox from a chevette, victor or viva) so you loose a bit of foot room for the driver just where you need it ,to clear the cams you need to take 3" out at the top from where the brake rod assembly runs forward upwards and back in to the fire wall mounting to the stock cradle is ok with fabed up 1/4" plate mounts (or you might be able to rework the jenson ones i could not get the jenson ones so dont know ),use the jenson gear box as it will take for ever hear to find you a 2.3 viva/chevette one , clutch is cable and on the otherside i think (been a while since it was in mine (85-7)the jenson exhaust manifold is ok for fit and a crossover ipie will get you hooked up to the stock exhaust , the stock rad will cool it here but you might need the 3 row core fitted over yours (you have to suffer hotter weather than i do poor thing )
i would go with bigger front brakes for safty sake but found that for normal road use the stock ones worked ok throttle needs to be made to take cable so i made a new peddle compleat for mine as where it used to come out is gone with the mod to clear the cams
+side its very quick you will see 153 on a straight road ,0-60 is in the 7sec area
-side stuff for that engine costs an arm and a leg
to make 200 bhp you need a new manifold and 2 45 webers or stock its dellortos to make more see pic

btw this motor will drop straight in to the manta/ascona as the jenson uses the same front suspension

 

[baz]

If you use a SAAB engine newer than -94 it uses the same bolt-pattern as Opel C20NE/XE engine (newer saab engines is basicly Opel/GM engines with som tuning) and then you can use the gearbox from an Opel Omega and voila!

there might be som fitment issues with the limited space in the Opel GT engine bay, but if it is rusty old object I'm sure a big hammer and a grinder can solve that
then there might be some issues with the engine mounts and oil pan but that should't be to hard to figure out...

Du kan nog hitta mer info på http://www.opelsportclub.com/forums och http://rejsa.nu

Kul med fler svängiga Oplar!


/Ola

goofy the saabs from 94 on are opel vectra's floors with asaab body on . dont tell these folks that theres red tops in the states they will go on a feeding frenzy

 

[Enok82]

I think i have made my choice!

I it is going to be a B204E Saab 9000 engine from -94 and newer.
The NG (new generation) -94 and newer 9000 engines are a bit shorter than the older ditos!
It's a 2.0 L "generation 4" Turbo and the E tells us it's a 150 bhp engine.
But those numbers is only for the registration people to look at =)
I'm hoping to get somewhere between 250-300 bhp when "finished".

Behind the B204E i am thinking about a BWM gearbox, haven't put my mind into wich one yet, one thing at a time!
I will of course upgrade brakes and suspension, they will probably be overdimensioned when done but rather that than the other!

Do anyone have the dimensions of a Opel engine that could be fitted in the GT i'm thinking to get?

I found this image of a similar (same exterior) engine to the B204:
http://www.lowbudgetrides.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=112

/enok

 

[baz]

get a box from an omega it will bolt right on is 5 speed the ratios are good for the torque curve and the thing is opel so you can get all the bits from the same place

 

[meg]

How many BHPs (and how much torque) can the Omega gearbox handle? Are there different gearboxes on the Omega depending on the engine (like the V6 models for example)?

Would fitting a Omega rear axle be a major issue in a GT? (I assume it need to be shortened due to the Omega being wider?)

Regards,
Mathias

 

[baz]

have a look at the "crate motor part deux"

http://www.opelgt.com/forums/general-discussions/14065-crate-motor-part-deux.html


theres some talk of the box from the omega in it and fitting to a gt. size and power ability would depend on which box you have

i have not looked at the rear end from the omega but as with all things if you can throw enough money at it , it should work ( if track is only 4"/100 mm or so different then you may want to look for conrero wheel arches to save changing width )