This started out innocently enough. I was fixing the driver's side output seal for the CV axle. I kept cleaning more and more parts and finding new little leaks.

Eventually I decided to borrow my buddy's cherry picker and engine stand to gain easier access. Heck, this thing is more like working on a bike than a car... and it was built by suzuki so some things look familiar in design/assembly.

Once it is back together with a new clutch I think it will pull a bike just fine.


The Mighty 3 Cylinder 55hp monster!


Nasty Trans from all the leaking gear oil.


What have I done

quote:

Originally posted by Auzzi152:
dont worry about it bro neither does anyone else...

Someday Auzzi152 I hope to know.

My brother in law pulled his jet ski on a trailer for years with his Geo Metro. He thought it worked great. Should have seen the looks he used to get...

in 01 when I got back into this I towed a 3 rail trailer behind my lowered jetta on custom wheels.

I still get people who remember my rolling in. Worked great.

FOGLOL I'm sorry but that was funny seeing those photos of the gutted car that is suppose to haul your bike.

quote:

Originally posted by ted:
FOGLOL I'm sorry but that was funny seeing those photos of the gutted car that is suppose to haul your bike.

Hmm, FOGLOL ? Falling on ground, laughing out loud ??

Yeah, it is also supposed to haul my butt to work so that makes it less funny The worst part is that I was driving it to work for about a week before I decided to start "fixing it"

Oh well, I'm off to work on the little red machine right now......

Nap. Are you riding a bike to work for now? That couldn't be too bad.

Ha Ha, no I wish I could pedal to work but it is a 60 mile round trip

I have not sold my truck yet. I am keeping it until the old Geo is certified reliable for 100% duty with no "back up vehicle"

I've got to get it done though.... I was saving a ton on gas for the few weeks I drove the little Geo. No truck payment and 50 mpgs will be sweet

Nate, respect dude love the pics-N-words especially the part about cleaning and more parts. Sounds all to familiar.

Pulled into my first MX track pulling a 1976 Maico (Coffin tank) behind my 1965 GTO (stuffed a 1970 400ci motor and followed it with a turbo 400 tran) into Goldbar (extinct track). It was memorable even 30 years later not for the car (everybody in da hood had one) but because of the race. Temps, Peeps, Buds, Life...it was all there.

A peek at your engine pics and I'm transported back, back, back to my day's of doing the same.

Big grins, good days, fixed memories of days gone by. They were the good'uns, those days, but all us ole guys say things like that. Good to see some traditions still live.

quote:

Originally posted by Workman #21:
Nate, respect dude love the pics-N-words especially the part about cleaning and more parts. Sounds all to familiar.

Pulled into my first MX track pulling a 1976 Maico (Coffin tank) behind my 1965 GTO (stuffed a 1970 400ci motor and followed it with a turbo 400 tran) into Goldbar (extinct track). It was memorable even 30 years later not for the car (everybody in da hood had one) but because of the race. Temps, Peeps, Buds, Life...it was all there.

A peek at your engine pics and I'm transported back, back, back to my day's of doing the same.

Big grins, good days, fixed memories of days gone by. They were the good'uns, those days, but all us ole guys say things like that. Good to see some traditions still live.

Yeah, pulling and rebuilding a car engine must be some sort of male right-of-passage or something. I've done it before, but never by myself on one of my own cars. Sure it is only a tiny little 1.0L 3 cylinder but sometimes you have to start small and work your way into it. My wife's car needs some work done that I've been avoiding, but once I'm done with this project I won't be as worried about tearing into her car.

What I'm trying to figure out is a trailer or dolly set up. I've got to find out if it is legal to "Tow" the bike on a dolly or not. Here is my idea:

The rear of the car can't support the weight of a sideways trailer receiver bike carrier so that option is out. I wanted to build a small platform with a wheel chock on it that fits in a trailer receiver for the front tire to sit on and the tie downs to hook on. Then I wanted to make a 2 wheeled dolly for the rear tire to sit in. The bike's shock would act as the dolly's suspension and there would have to be some sort of stabilizer bar (with flexible joints) running from the front of the dolly to the back of the car to keep the dolly platform level. The steering stem on the bike would act as the pivot for the dolly. I don't think using the bike's rear shock and steering stem would really hurt anything because I'm sure the forces put on those parts from towing is nothing compared to the forces that MX puts on the bike...

It probably isn't legal but I'll have to find out. It would be so skinny that it wouldn't even block the car's lights so I don't think any lighting would be needed except maybe a single brake light or something on the tail just to catch people's attention at night.

Blah, Blah... I had to toss a tarp over the car yesterday and put it on hold for a week or two because I'm getting too far behind on my milling machine work, so...... to be continued.

Nate! You need to start looking at your time as a measure of value! You don't have any kids yet do you?

quote:

Originally posted by Aaron:
Nate! You need to start looking at your time as a measure of value! You don't have any kids yet do you?

Sometimes I think it helps a person to take on a silly little project like this and see it through to the end. It is nice to have that feeling of accomplishing something or "winning" something.

I agree that I never should have bought the car now that I see what I've gotten myself into but I'm just going to see it through and get it done. In the end I'll have an old car that is paid for, gets about 50 mpgs and is of known reliability.

Without having a car payment or spending a bunch of money that I don't have this is the only way I can own a car that is reliable. Call me crazy but if I'm going to drive an old POS car I want to know that it is going to hold together and get me where I need to go.

I agree about the time management though. Yesterday I put all the car parts on the shelf and cleared off the benches for production work over the next few weeks on my bike parts.

Nate, If I had a way of bottling up the desire you show and sell it, I'd be a ga-billionaire.

Don't stop.

Well, I don't have a bike anymore but I've managed to finish the silly little Geo in my "Spare" time.

This is the last pic I took when I was putting it together. It wasn't completely done at the time but it was getting close.



And this is how deep I got into it



Ahh, the insanity!
Bored the block
new pistons, etc
crank ground and all new bearings

rebuilt head, new exhaust valves, new lifters, cam grind

New clutch and CV axles

And for good measure I put new bearings, seals, and a few syncros in the transmission. (because the input shaft seal was leaking the transmission cases had to be split anyway)

Ok, now start making fun of me....... I really do deserve it on this one