1.1i to vtr conversion help

  1. Regular Poster Joined: Apr 2009 Sheffield Posts: 315 03 JP4 VTS
    #1
    i own a 1.1i desire and am looking to swap in a vtr engine as i kind of project for me...i was thinking of choosing a vtr rather than a vts because they are cheaper, more readily available, and insurance will be cheaper (please correct me if im wrong) i ideally would have liked the vts performance but i think the insurance will go through the roof for an 18yr old with 1 years no claims, is this the best idea?
    my main question was what exactly does doing the engine conversion entail...
    do i need to weld new mountings or will the 1.1 mountings work
    what body modifications will i have to do to make it fit
    will i need a vtr gearbox or can the 1.1 gearbox and drive shaft handle the increased torque
    what cooling system do i need to keep it running cool
    what electrical modifications will i need to do to the loom and everything else
    what components will need upgrading i.e. brakes, suspension, steering,
    is there a full guide to the electrical modifications and wiring i will have to do
    what is an estimated time frame for an engine conversion like this with.

    any other additional help will be greatly appreciated and if theres anything ive overlooked please point them out to me. cheers
  2. Saxperience Addict Joined: Jan 2007 Aylesbury, Bucks Posts: 12836 Yeaaahh Fiesta
    #2
    best option for you is sell the 1.1 and buy a vtr. will cost more to do the conversion than to buy a vtr really. also insurance will be higher on the 1.1 with the vtr engine in it.

    also you will need to upgrade brakes and suspensions etc. just buy a vtr
  3. Regular Poster Joined: Apr 2009 Sheffield Posts: 315 03 JP4 VTS
    #3
    what is the kind of cost your looking at for the conversion...you can pick up engines for about £100-£200 off ebay and if you can work the 1.1 gearbox which may or may not be possible what other costs are there other than the suspension & brake upgrades, so comparing this to the cost of a good nick vtr which will probably be around £1300 i dont see how the conversion is going to be more costly
  4. Infrequent Poster Joined: Nov 2006 glasgow Posts: 151
    #4
    what i always wanted to know is how the people who have done this and not told the dvla mot the car? the emission levels are different? so wont a vtr engine fail emission tests set on a 1.1?
  5. Saxperience Addict Joined: Jan 2007 Aylesbury, Bucks Posts: 12836 Yeaaahh Fiesta
    #5
    emission levels are across the board not individual cars
  6. Regular Poster Joined: Nov 2008 newcastlle Posts: 286 1989 astra gte 16v turbo
    #6
    as above just get a vtr much easyer and cheaper in the long run
  7. Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Mar 2009 Uppingham, Rutland Posts: 9569 mk1 JP4'd VTR, '16 Fabia Monte Carlo
    #7
    its a pretty easy swap it will fit straight in no body modifications at all im no expert on electrics tho and yea obv if your fitting a vtr engine then you gonna want to upgrade the brakes and suspension to vtr/vts standard if i was doing this conversion id get 4 stud hubs, the apex front and rear dampers and front springs, 106 gti rear beam its got a thicker arb over the vtr/s, while your changing everything fit some poly bushes in the engine and suspension and then finish it off with a supersprint zorst and maybe a manifold
  8. Saxperience Addict Joined: Jan 2007 Aylesbury, Bucks Posts: 12836 Yeaaahh Fiesta
    #8
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Jac000001 View Post
    what is the kind of cost your looking at for the conversion...you can pick up engines for about £100-£200 off ebay and if you can work the 1.1 gearbox which may or may not be possible what other costs are there other than the suspension & brake upgrades, so comparing this to the cost of a good nick vtr which will probably be around £1300 i don't see how the conversion is going to be more costly
    its the engine mount you have got to make and weld on, the engine, driveshafts, gearbox, suspension and brakes, possibly new wheels if its 3-4stud conversion, wishbones. all the fluids involved, damages caused along the way. the fannying about aswell which isn't worth it really.


    £1300 for a vtr is now quite expensive

    you can pick up minters for around £800

    add up the cost of a conversion plus £100 for bits that go wrong

    now add up the sale cost of the 1.1 and remove it from £800

    buying a new vtr is more cost effective

    also legally now all engine conversions must be done in a garage by qualified mechanics who themselves have to be assessed aswell as the vehicle when completed costing pennies
  9. Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Mar 2009 Uppingham, Rutland Posts: 9569 mk1 JP4'd VTR, '16 Fabia Monte Carlo
    #9
    but then your gonna want to fit a vt kit so overall cheaper to just get a vtr and like someone already said the insurance on a vtr powerd 1.1 will be more than just a plain vtr
  10. Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Mar 2009 Uppingham, Rutland Posts: 9569 mk1 JP4'd VTR, '16 Fabia Monte Carlo
    #10
    i thought all the engine mounts were the same maybe not ...
  11. Saxperience Addict Joined: Jan 2007 Aylesbury, Bucks Posts: 12836 Yeaaahh Fiesta
    #11
    nope not in the 1.1's
    1 user thanked this post:
  12. Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Mar 2009 Uppingham, Rutland Posts: 9569 mk1 JP4'd VTR, '16 Fabia Monte Carlo
    #12
    learn summit new every day lol oh yea tom did u hear about farrars car? we were changing his clutch and we got two one for the pre 2000 engine and one for the post2000 engine the first one the clutch fitted but the thrust bearing wouldnt then on the second one the thrust bearing fitted but the clutch wouldnt lol take a look on my progress thread there are pics on there soz for the hijack lol
  13. Saxperience Addict Joined: Jan 2007 Aylesbury, Bucks Posts: 12836 Yeaaahh Fiesta
    #13
    haha the flywheel change over always catches people out. that thing really is a shed
  14. Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Mar 2009 Uppingham, Rutland Posts: 9569 mk1 JP4'd VTR, '16 Fabia Monte Carlo
    #14
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Sparco_Tom View Post
    haha the flywheel change over always catches people out. that thing really is a shed
    what fly wheel is it then? cus we the locating pins dint line up with the holes in the clutch? which clutch does he need lol pm me if u want so we aint talkin over this thread lol
  15. Saxperience Addict Joined: Jan 2007 Aylesbury, Bucks Posts: 12836 Yeaaahh Fiesta
    #15
    providing he actually got a vts flywheel he wants the opposite clutch to what he bought
  16. L-plater Joined: Jun 2008 Torfaen Posts: 62 Saxo vtr, Saxo 1.1i
    #16
    i was thinking about doing this with my 1.1. i just would like to stay side by side with a zetec s in what he/she would think is a 1.1 lol.... i did look it to doing it abit, you can use the 1.1 gearbox, apparently it will give you better acceleration but a lower top end speed. if you are able to do it yourself it is much cheaper to do the engine convesion than buy a vtr. But if you put the engine in when you come to get a M.O.T the engine number and all will be different but if you know someone on who does M.O.T's then they may be able to fiddle it abit lol
  17. Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Mar 2009 Uppingham, Rutland Posts: 9569 mk1 JP4'd VTR, '16 Fabia Monte Carlo
    #17
    it all depends on where u go i got a mate with a quicksilver with a dimma kit and a gti engine in it and the garage didnt batter an eye lid im not saying the garage is dodgy they just dint pick up on it he told them it had an engine change tho didnt say it was a 1.4 to start with lol and he said it was a pre 1992 engine so he cud keep his de-cat pipe on it does sound really dodgy tho lol and yea any g/box from any saxo will fit my mate pictured above did have a 1.1 box onb it but blew it up lol it wont handle the power for to long