Discreet but capable

Hi, I've had my 05 vvt for about six months and have decided to sort the tired (64k) standard suspension, I rallied mini's in the past and have always liked giant killers. That's what attracted me to the jimny in the first place.
I'm 51 now and bombing about in a machine that looks ready for the Paris-dakkar isn't what I want but I do want to be able to use the car with confidence, so my approach is this.

New standard height springs
15mm proflex seats
+25mm AVO adjustable dampers
Rough country steering damper
215/75x15 BFG AT KM2's on jlx alloys.
Quaiffe ATB diffs front and back

Everything bar the diff's are on order and should be fitted over the next few weeks, the diffs are the thing I'm waiting for...... not available for a few months yet. I've run them in mini's and if they transform the ability and grip of the jimny anywhere near what they did in my minis, it should be quite something both on road and particularly off road.

Spring selection has been a nightmare and I've decided on KYB, stiffer springs are not really warranted as my off roading will be limited to a bit of green laning and the odd play day. I've started at 15mm on the spring seats but may well go to 25mm.

I will be looking at adjustable drop links and a combination of poly bushes / rubber bushes to try and get a good balance of on road manners, with that bit more off road than it's standard appearance will give it credit for thanks to the diffs and tyres, it should be a fun drive.

I remember seeing a few Swift's on tarmac rallies and they were absolute screamers and putting out silly horsepower numbers for a N/A car 120-130hp in clubman classes. So engine next, make it breath properly, fueling and exhaust first, cams and head maybe but only for drivable power.

I know the platform will never be a high speed go cart but I hope one day to be able to accelerate out of a T junction without the fear of falling over.

That's the plan......

sniper

That's almost what I have done with mine exception being the off road stuff. For road work standard height is tall enough. I too am waiting for the atb to become available, more grip, more of the time!

Hi sounds like some good plans for what you're after, though the consensus of opinion regarding engine tuning seems to be rather than spend money trying to improve the performance of the 1.3 swap it out for a 1.6. I've not done this myself but there are plenty here who have and will give you al the info.

A productive day looking at exhausts and fuelling, I've found a piper exhaust for a swift that would be readily modified for rear wheel drive, bit pricey at £458 so a full stainless system it is at around £500 with a cat. Also found an outfit called danST in shipley who do a bike throttle body conversion that starts at £750 for a basic kit.

Those two with ECU etc. and fully mapped set up will be around 2k and liberate 120hp + with a torque curve that can be manipulated for best purpose.

I'm happy going down this route as replacement 1.3vvt lumps are readily available should I push one too far, £300 and a weekend on the spanners would see a lower mileage lump than existing, fitted.

Yes, the fun of a screamer when I want it but also tractable power when pottering about.

Funds will be the time limiting factor but I hope to get most of the work done over the next year, I will post pictures (as soon as I figure out how...) and results/reviews of the gear and progress made.

I hope some of you guys will find it interesting, I know tuning the 1.3 makes little sense when the 1.6 is readily swapped but I have spent many years messing with small cc engines and I love em. Writing this up will also sooth the anorak in me and hopefully instigate exchanges of information that I and others will find of interest and benefit.

Regards,

Sniper

Go for it
How about a super charged jimny?

Sounds like a good plan. I stumbled across the DanST throttle body kits the other day and was surprised he included Jimny's in the listing! I've never heard of anyone fitting ITBs to one before.

I know what you mean about smaller engines. I had a 1.6 in my old Jimny and whilst the extra power undoubtedly made it better, the longer stroke engine was much less rewarding to drive hard. Above 5000 rpm it was a bit flat whereas the 1.3 keeps pulling. I'm sure the throttle bodies and exhaust would fix that though. and seeing as they engines are so similar you could always switch to the bigger motor at a later date anyway if you fancy another 30hp or so.

What ECU will you be using?