Soarer V8 into a Holden Gemini

[LEX-GEM]

hello all,

first off, well done on a well established website, i commend you on your hard efforts as this site looks amazing, congratulations.

i have pulled apart my gemini for spray painting and i would like to get a different motor to replace the old and tired 1.6 litre 4 speed izuzu drive train for a Lexus Soarer V8 with manual. I am a member of "Just Gemini's of South Australia" and everyone said that i am wasting my time with thinking about it ..... i have recorded down what modifications i want to do to my car and sent the list away to Regency Park (where the transplant will be checked over for roadworthyness) and i got a list back longer than Ben Hurr of body strengthening modifications that i have to do to my car. i really dont like 4 cylenders, (i got a mini - enough said) it seems like i have to max out rpm just to get anywhere towing a 40 foot boat, I have heard a great bit of information on the Lexus V8 and it seems like a cheap reliable engine that has torque to tow the forementioned boat.

my question is: Is it worth going through with the transplant of not?

if it isnt i will grab myself a rebuild kit for the G161z (gemini engine) and upgrade a few components to it ......

i have collected data from your site like
wiring diagrams
information on the install and uninstall of the engine
how-to's of engine placement in different cars
and
what happens when the engine goes "BANG"

:feedback: feedback will be greatly thanked in advance, thankyou for reading this and have a good day

 

[Bullet]

You tow a 40ft boat with a mini????

I'd like to see that... any pics??

 

[hi-lex]

or did he mean tow it with the gemini? just as crazy, I had a 253 v8 in a gem coupe as a burnout car, it was quite nasty, the suspension really wasnt up to it but anythings poss, crs do a kit to fit a commode v6 an hoppers stoppers do big brake upgrades, if you use a crown royal front cut it will be easy to wire with manual, all the info you need for that part of it is in here just a matter of looking, good luck

 

[deankdx]

I originally wanted to do this.

I spoke to Rod Hadfield about it about 2 years ago and he said forget it, They did one at CRS and had a lot of cutting, its a bit heavier than the V6 commo motor from what i hear.
Rod said the V6 can be certified with original brakes due to the weight of the conversion.
as mentioned and you should be aware, big brakes are available and Diff set ups have been designed with power in Mind for the Gem,
Be watching Posts from autronic on this site(sierra 4WD thread in swapp section) he wants to put one in a Gem also, but run 4WD and twin turbos, when you see his engineering skill you will see he can make it happen.

i'd like to see one done. the Motors go great, power a falcon along quite Briskly LOL(poor tailshafts)

as for the Question of what to do when the motor goes Bang, my answer is to Chuck it away and buy another, they are the cheapest part of the conversion.

Good luck, let us Know if you go ahead with it
Dean

 

[LEX-GEM]

i didnt want to tow the 40 foot boat with the mini, i wanna tow with the gemini. the gemini atm is running crud and motor defenately needs replacing (FACT)

the v6 CANNOT be regerstered with the standard gemini brakes. Kingsley from the gemini club has got a supercharged v6 in his pano and is rego'd he had to but disc all round and upgrade the diff .....

i just need to know where can i get a lexus crate engine or a stock engine thats done around 125,000km's or less thats in good condition (or easily fixed) the wiring loom will need shortening, and i will need a custom tailshaft and diff ....... i will try and install it myself (to the extent of a first year mechanic apprentice) and will fabricate parts of the engine bay so servicing and general tune up stuff can be done with ease.

only problems i can see are
where to put master cylender and brake booster
weather to have abs or not
weather to have traction control or not
weather to have cruise control or not
where to get a custom dash to fit the gemini that looks simular to the Soarer dash


phone numbers / part numbers / product codes / address's / websites / prices and other info are needed, i need as much info as i can abou the install before commencing or i will get knee deep in s#1t and wont get out .....

 

[hi-lex]

try importers, sa has some good ones like sss, look in zoom mag, should be able to get front cut crown around $1800-2000, I just got one with 87k for $1800, soarer is a bit dearer $2000-2800

abs no ,traction control no, cruise control maybe, way too complicated to figure wiring without diags even then all the extra crap needed sensors ect hardly make it worth it
40 foot boat behind a gem? thats downright dangerous if only because of the weight diff,
brakes wise you could use tilton top mount, that could come thru on bulkhead heater blower is? bare min you would have to upgrade front disk coz stock gem brakes are bareley enuf for 4cyl,

 

[Pro]

towing a 40ft boat witha gemini is not only dangerous - but illegal. i'm smelling a cowpat...

if you want to tow a boat then buy a commodore.

you do realise that a 4.0L quad cam V8 is not a quick fix to get a V8 under a bonnet of a car which SO MANY have tried and failed at...? it may be down a litre on the holden offering but it is equal to the power. most automotive engineers are WELL aware of this fact, and how easy it is to get prodigious power out of them to, so you're not pulling the wool over anyone's eyes.

it is also larger (700mm cube) and wider at the top than a "stock block" V8.

it is comparable in weight to the buick (holden) V6 but you will have an extra pair of cylinders over the front wheels. the V6 is a neat and compact fit whcih sits 85% behind the front wheels which is one of the MAIN reasons it gets passed more often than most other 3.0L+ conversions.

if you're chasing capacity - you're going about it the wrong way.

 

[LEX-GEM]

i will be leaving the engine stock as a log at all times, i just want a comphy cruiser the reason y i chose the quad cam is the fact that the buick v6 has been done and been done many times before, i want a car that is unique that can be dayly driven. unique being an almost one of a kind car that is legal and canot be defected when tyres are good.

brakes i will be upgrading to disc all round preferably big disc's at that cause im wanting 16 inch wheels for the car. bigger - better doesnt it? i will be getting HSV equivelant calipers and braided lines.

dude, if i wanted a commodore i wouldnt be here asking your advise on the install, if i wanted a commodore i would just move out of this house and get one without a car shed..... i would rather have something that i can look at and be proud of myself that "I BUILT THAT" instead of "THE FACTORY BUILT THAT". my mum has a vn commdore with a tow bar and i wouldn't even think of taking that puss box out ..... i would rather drive my car than someone elses and have something to do after work ...... if i just buy a commodore where is the fun and the excitement of finally getting "THE DREAM CAR" that a person always wanted. if i buy a car second hand and its modded up a bit, its the begining to someone elses DREAM CAR....... i personally dont want that..... and i am sure there are a few people here that agree with me, that was one of the reasons why i joined up to ask ...... but thankyou for your veiw.

 

[autronic]

LEX-GEM

I have taken some measurements of the engine bay of my Kadett, and it might be possible
to squeeze in the 1UZ if I remove the bottom part of the inner wings + remove a fair bit
of the chassis rails....

As I say, everything is possible if you want it enough and I haven't given up the idea yet....

 

[Pro]

i was SAYING if you want to tow a boat then buy a commodore - you can't tow a boat with gemini anyway unless it's no bigger than an alum dinghy....

try to keep things in context please - it makes for less posts.

maybe you should be talking to an engineer instead dude, from what autonic has posted it sounds like chassis mods are needed.

do you actually have a 1UZ on the floor of your garage...? it might pay to get a dead engine and dummy fit it up and see whether it's worthwhile after the engineer's advice.

 

[hi-lex]

I doubt you need to mod chassis rails as a 253v8 fits with minor mods to firewall, bigest prob is enginebay length an space to fit rad, gems dont have strut towers only little humps where shocks mount to an are rather wide, if I get a chance I will run a tape over one at the wreckers and seeing I have a motor sittin in the shop, lets face it its no more crazy than 1uz in a corolla ceptn they handle better than a gem, but you aint gunna be able to tow anything big you just have to face reality there

 

[sime]

Theres a guy in melbourne with a silver gemini with this engine in it. It has custom plates cant remember what they were now, but it was a very nice install with everything hidden. Never got to talk to the bloke tho

 

[deankdx]

Theres a guy in melbourne with a silver gemini with this engine in it. It has custom plates cant remember what they were now, but it was a very nice install with everything hidden. Never got to talk to the bloke tho

it could be the one Rod hadfield formally of CRS did, he said a lot of chopping was needed
where are the pics