SAAB B204 Into Calibra SE5

[marianv]

i spoke today with guy who did this mode on his calibra few years back , he told me that he used front section of exhaust from saab and hand made rest of it. so sorry for bad info.

[Miscbrah]

Roger that, James is on the case.

And is very grateful we have a plan B in Andy!

[DanSE4]

i spoke today with guy who did this mode on his calibra few years back , he told me that he used front section of exhaust from saab and hand made rest of it. so sorry for bad info.

That's what angle grinders & welders are for!

[marianv]

jup

[Miscbrah]

i spoke today with guy who did this mode on his calibra few years back , he told me that he used front section of exhaust from saab and hand made rest of it. so sorry for bad info.

Thanks for that. Yes this seems to be what I'm discovering to be the case for most. If there's no bolt-on option I'mma need to start learning how to weld or sharpen up that dialling finger and phone Dan's pal Andy!

Okay nobody tell Dan until I've had chance to buy him some lager...

[Miscbrah]

So, updates on Dan's OP seem to be coming in. So far I've uncovered:

1: Engine mount(s)

...will the offside engine mount from the SAAB mount directly to the chassis in the right place?

A Cavalier Saab-swapper used the Vauxhall one and assumes it to be the same on the Calibra.

2: FMIC

Will need to cut the front bumper up a bit to accommodate this but that's not a problem, how will this mount to the Calibra front end & will the pipework from the SAAB be sufficient or will we have to look into having some custom pipes/bends made to make this work?

Std Saab parts fit with a bit of bumper chopping, a pipe or two needs trimming.

Early days yet, but some answers at least.

[DanSE4]

A Cavalier Saab-swapper used the Vauxhall one and assumes it to be the same on the Calibra.

What engine came out of the Cavalier though?

Reason I'm asking is the front, offside mount will attach to the side of the block so what we'll have is the one from the donor SAAB & the one from your NE. If the Cavalier Saab-swapper used the original mount from the Cavalier, what engine was it originally attached to?

[Miscbrah]

Oh yes that'd be helpful to know huh! Lol.

PMed the gent and he's replied - yes it was the C20NE. He did recommend changing that mount though as his was a bit tired, so might order up a spare just to have. He actually used the F16 box with his swap, brave soul.

[marianv]

v6 brakes are 288mm i think but brakes from omega with same engine are 308 i think that same was mounted on a cali turbo so if you found does it will be the best combo . mine vote goes for 308 from cali turbo or omega v6

[DanSE4]

You have 4 stud hubs. The V6 Calipers (early 284mm or later 288mm) with carriers will fit directly to your suspension legs. The disks on the other hand will be a: 5 stud & b: have a larger central bore which will be too large to fit on your hubs as they currently are.

If you want bigger brakes without going down the route of converting to 5 stud (if you do that, your alloys will no longer fit) then you can do what I did & have a pair of spigot spacers made up for the disks to the hubs & I had M-Tec drill a pair of 288mm disks to a 4x100 pattern for me.

You won't crash & die with the current brake setup but it's certainly advisable that you do go larger in the not too distant future.

The exhaust side of things all depends on where the SAAB downpipe sits in relation to the end of your current centre section. It would be handy to know this in advance as if it's miles out then you'll have an SE5 sitting in Milton Keynes until it's rectified but if it's a case of a very minor bit of bodging to get it together then I don't really have a problem with that so you can get the thing home.

Someone like Powerflow could make you a cat back exhaust (they bend the pipes as they go along) if it turns out easier & possible to use SAAB downpipes & just have the rest of the exhaust changed.

[Miscbrah]

Ok, thanks for taking the time to write that one Dan. I'll check out the exhausts and see how close they are, then we'll see what options we've got. Brakes then I'll get sorted after it's running.

[rips]

Brakes then I'll get sorted after it's running.

Cleaning the caliper sliders should give a noticeable improvement. That will be a minor task when changing the engine.

[Miscbrah]

Thanks Ian! Btw good seeing you Saturday. That 3.2 shifts huh!

Ok, will do that. Also mentioned in a previous incarnation of the project that it'd be prudent to get the fuel pump done if it was anywhere near needing it, so that's being done separately to this next week along with new lines and filter. And sender fixing but that's another story *grumble mutter*.

[Miscbrah]

Just to check back in, there's no bolt-on option for the exhaust so gonna need to fabricate or cut > persuade > flexi and I'll get something made up once the car's out of the way. Have two places here in the deep south who can do the job (as in they make/repair exhausts professionally) one of whom is a friend's brother, so setting them on it once it's moving.

Think the Saab pipe is 2.25" and not sure on my sporty, stylish 4-2-1 manifold wot I've got, but will measure.

It's nice people in the know about these things are reading btw! Thanks everyone.

In other news Nige P (the man the legend) is sending my ECU back right now, so that's the Saab getting a run soon. Acquiring plug and play loom bits was, if you'll pardon my French, a right BELLEND to do but FINALLY found the last one on the planet and mailed that off, so a made-up loom should arrive with a few weeks to spare.

This weekend I will be mostly getting my act together and trying to anticipate gaskets, sealants and other bits and bobs needed. Oh and writing that "part 2" intro post I meant to write.