Geo Metro Sport

I have wanted to build my own ear-shattering tire-killing moto-powered car since my introduction to the Diablo Smart car – a Hayabusa powered tire slayer . So when a Geo Metro showed up on Kijiji with a worn out engine I pounced. The Metro is a domestically re-badged Suzuki Swift weighing in at less than 1600 lbs (pretty lightweight). “You have a Hayabusa?!” – No, but a relative – Suzuki Katana GSX750F. With 97hp and 12,000RPM redline motorcycle screams. An adequate replacement for the flaccid 50hp 3 cylinder Metro lump.

The previous owner (PO) had removed the original engine, which I presume was “miled” out (300,000kms on the clock) and installed a G10A (similar engine but from a mid 80s Suzuki Swift). It was a carburetor variant and did not have all the same ports for sensors and such. So the PO just left them out. Needless to say it did not run well and when I finally got it to run briefly, the front crank seal spewed oil out like there was none. Clearly this wasn’t important as the whole engine was about to get the boot. (I just felt less guilty about it)

My Challenge now was to decide how I was to get the power from the sprocket of the GSX750F to the wheels. Chain drive setups, though they are simple, lack reverse. I wanted to retain a stockish car feel to the interior so I opted to devise a way to run the power through the Metro transaxle. I get reverse and a standard shift pattern.

Before I dove into that I when thru all the ratio options based on desired tire size and engine redline (30 forward gear options and 6 reverse), I concluded that 6th gear on the motorcycle would be reasonably streetable while using the Metro 5 speed to shift. I mean reasonably because first gear might be mostly uselessly too low and top speed would be around 160kph. No speed records here, but it is about how much fun not how fast…

With this in mind I lined up the output shaft of the motorcycle to the input shaft of the transmission and made a subframe that captured the GSX engine mounts and bell housing similar to how the original engine was mounted. Cut the center out of the clutch disc and took the sprocket and a piece of tube to a buddy who expertly machined a coupling to mate the abomination together.

I fabricated a clutch plate to actuate the GSX clutch via a cable to the existing foot clutch in the Metro. Next up is to run the wiring and the other necessities such a throttle cable, exhaust and proper venting…