Saab b204 conversion

[meritvalver]

I have recently started on my novas second build I had a c20xe In the but I have been thinking of a Saab lump for its comeback since seeing a b204 converted nova on the cover of January's total vauxhall. Can anyone on here give any useful knowlage or does lee Burkhill come on here? I know I'm gonna get some haters for cutting an A reg shell about but I'm bored of xe power and want turbo but Aint gonna shell out for a let when I can get a whole Saab for the price of my xe and do some engineering to get it in. Any help much appreciated.

[mowgli]

engine bay width is the challenge. the b204 is a bit longer than an xe.

i'd guess you need to move the engine & box to the left, meaning custom driveshafts too.

[Balley]

I believe you use a f20 in the standard position then jut cut a lot out the os leg. Obviously it will need strengthening up.

[meritvalver]

I have been looking and the leg is like a box right.... There is a hole where I can measure through to the other side of the leg. I have measured and I have 45mm extra if I cut the leg. I was then gonna weld a 6mm thick plate against the outer part of the leg and then the same on the inner arch wheel side. Then probs use box section for a bracing point for my mount. Has anyone on here completed this conversion? My only other thought has been to turbo my xe but I can see the cost spiraling the same as a let.

[Balley]

Sounds good, I would do something similar, Maybe trim it flush, weld so 2mm steel on the inside(the new outside) for looks and strength then maybe a few bit of small tubing or bar welded in to brace etc. Have a measure. cut what you need to, mount the engine and then try you hardest to add as much strength again as possible.

[Alex J]

MEGA chassis leg work on the offside

[meritvalver]

I reckon that's what I will do, use 2 or 3mm in the bay and then a thicker plate the other Side in the wheel arch. Some 50mm box or/and rectangle box to make a brace bar In the engine bay and for an engine mount point. My thinking is if i add enough thick steel in place of what i cut out it will end up being strong again and i would rather over engineer than have it fall to buts. I need to get my xe sold so I can go 93 shopping lol. Then I will know what Im working with.

[mowgli]

the trouble is that thickish flat plate is not structurally as strong as thinnish box section... a bit of 6mm will also have flexing trouble where its welded to the chassis.. then there isn't much room before you get to the suspension turret.

if you used a corsa length rh driveshaft, and a shorter lh driveshaft, you could push the box to the left & have enough room to fit the engine in. the gear linkage would have enough room to fit too

[MattBrown]

If I was to do it, I would pretty much do as Mowgli said, slot the front geabox mount, moving the rear mount over 30mm say.

Then cut the leg and use angle inside the cuts (hard to explain) then go from there.

But truth be told, i'd just buy a LET. Theyre not the most expensive engine going...

[Andy]

for a Vauxhall they are lol

[bazil]

Probably easier throwing a 3.2 V6 in it lol

Who was it that done this Saab conversion? I'm sure I've seen one in a nova before :-/

[bazzap8389]

^ There was one at pvs light blue iirc was cover car on total vauxhall a few months back aswell can't remember who owns it though.

[Hobbit]

Probably easier throwing a 3.2 V6 in it lol

Who was it that done this Saab conversion? I'm sure I've seen one in a nova before :-/

2.5 and nos if you want cheapy cheap speed imo. Nobbys is quicker then mine.

[meritvalver]

hmmmmm i think i really just have to go balls deep, buy the saab rip the lump out and see how much room i need. I have been having a think and whats to say i cant do a bit of both, move my gearbox mount a bit and trim a bit too?

And what about using box section in the wheelarch (wheelside) and a bit welded from the turret, down along the inner wheelarch to behind the headlight (inside the bay) aswell as the plating.

Its been done with the cutting and strenghtening method i just need to figure out how he done it. The car was at this years pvs but i was to busy running the strip in my mates orange track car gte rep to get a chance to look at the saabnova :-( .

And as for a let its simple out of the question when you see how cheap the saab lumps are and tunable, i did chat to a scottish guy in a mk3 astra b204 and he described let's as unreliable, overpriced piles of scrap ****e lol .

[meritvalver]

Probably easier throwing a 3.2 V6 in it lol

Who was it that done this Saab conversion? I'm sure I've seen one in a nova before :-/

The guy in total vauxhall was lee burkhill with his b204 nova on the cover of jan 13 issue and he is part of a company called custom conversions.

[Nobby]

The lad at pod said the B204 was **** and had blown once and was on his second engine lol iirc he was only running in the mid 14s, ive thought about going down this route the bottom end is supposed to be good for 400bhp but the top end is ****e and chains like to do abit of dancing around. For me the hassle vs time and cost compared to a proven C20LET id just go with the C20LET atleast then you have no real ****ing around until it blows but then the bits off the shelf are readily available. All depends what you want the car for really like hobbit said mines a 2.5v6 built for drag and would put stock C20LETs to shame lol

[mowgli]

i'd imagine that anyone who simply gets a scrapyard engine & fits it without any sort of replacement of parts or servicing runs the risk of blowing it up.