Thoughts on Euroswifts?

[tlong]

Hello, was curious on peoples thoughts on Euroswifts. I have found one in my local area that sadly has been sitting on a shelf wrecked since 2007 at a friend of the car owners shop. Being of the tall and wide group I was able to fit in the car but would need to extend the roll hoop.

I don't have to any details on the cars internals all I could see is that it has a steel head and I would assume none of the other updates.

the damage from the wreck consists of the entire right rear corner missing, not sure if the upright was ok or not forgot to ask, The back of the frame took a hit and a bar would need to be cut out and replaced. I know the car would need a complete ground up build so.. is it worth it with these cars? I'm not sure if it has any spare gears. I think it has one set of extra rims.

[TimH]

A running Euroswift with midlife Ivey is a good deal in mid-teens USD, and completely competitive with a Van Diemen of the same vintage. Getting what you describe up to that standard will take quite a bit of time and $, so it may be worth more as parts, and not a lot at that.

[old 59]

What year is the car?

[Purple Frog]

As one who has taken "barn finds" and done frame-up restorations on them ... It can be done. It can give you a sense of satisfaction. It can provide one with a good education and a sound starter car. If attempting to do it for resale, it pays somewhere between $3.50 and $4.85 per hour.

Marshal Aiken (Porter Aiken's father) started his career with a very regionally competitive Euroswift. If you you are doing it for yourself, go for it. But, realize there are a lot of expenses. e.g. engine refresh, new fuel cell, new belts, new master cylinders, hard to find parts, etc. etc.

YMMV

[tlracer]

Depending on the exact model/year, there is a decent amount of crossover between US Swift and Euroswift, especially around the rear end where you mentioned this one needs work. Parts are available from various sources, new and used, but sometimes need a bit of digging (and cajoling!) at times. That said, things like the lower rear wishbone, upright, etc. aren't 'handed' which makes life easier.

Tube damage - depending on severity and if anywhere else has been tweaked as a result - isn't a dealbreaker to repair/replace. Fortunately it won't be 4130 which makes welding a whole lot easier as post-weld heat treatment isn't a factor. Either T45 or 15CDV6 both weld nicely and have good mechanical properties.

As the great purple one said, it's very satisfying to do but don't expect to retire on the proceeds!

Might be worth you posting the model and any pics (if you have them?) to assist helpfulness of comments

[CGOffroad]

If attempting to do it for resale, it pays somewhere between $3.50 and $4.85 per hour.

I have brought a few 'unloved' cars back to being competitive. I found that my labor was for -$5.00 per hour when I resold.

[Purple Frog]

Gibby Gibson told me one time that a frame-up restoration takes him at least 200 shop hours... and he works faster than me.

[Rick Kirchner]

IIRC an early euroswift is essentially a US swift with different front arms to move the wheels forward to meet euro foot protection rules.

Somewhere around 1990-ish the cars changed quite a bit - the mid radiator was replaced with a pair of side rads, the shear plates at the front were replaced with some machined aluminum blocks. I have quite a few pics of one of these I was considering to buy.

They also got the LD-200 and the bodywork lost all of it's "Swiftiness"

[TimH]

Shortly after that they went pushrod.

[tlracer]

The alloy front rocker mounts appeared on the 1988 car (called FB88 here in the UK). Otherwise it was very similar to the US design. For 1989 the bodywork was restyled but underneath it was still based on the US cars.

1990 saw the first fully 'Euro' design and move away from the mid-radiator configuration.

[Gary_T]

For the '88 SE-1 (FB88) there is more than just the rockers/a-arms, the chassis footbox is ~2" wider than a DB-1 (12" vs 10", I think), so bodywork doesn't cross over either.

Suspension geometry is different too, mounting locations on uprights, think the suspension to bellhousing mounts are in a (slightly) different location.

I rebuilt one out of a chassis and a bunch of tubs of bits, big job, good fun if you have time/skills. There are a few older threads about the differences on here somewhere.

[Pragmatist]

I have brought a few 'unloved' cars back to being competitive. I found that my labor was for -$5.00 per hour when I resold.

But that includes health insurance right?

[tlracer]

I rebuilt one out of a chassis and a bunch of tubs of bits, big job, good fun if you have time/skills. There are a few older threads about the differences on here somewhere.

I'm going through the same process in the other direction - in the UK, rebuilding a US DB3.

If I remember correctly, the footbox widening was because of minimum cross-section.

The original Euroswift oil tanks were identical to US ones, but slowly evolved away - the clutch slave changed to a separate cylinder instead of running direct in a bore in the tank casting. Suspension pickups were cast-in as per US, then they were raised along with separate brackets. Some tanks were modified with welded-on pads for these, before the casting pattern was changed to include them. The change from Mk9 to LD also needed changes to the oil tank, but I don't know how that timescale worked with the pickup point changes.

Rear uprights 'evolved' as you mentioned...differences in lower pickups - wider base, then separate bolt-on brackets instead of cast-in boss.

I understand the rear pickups changed on US cars too (DB3-89?) so I wonder if there was still discussion across the Atlantic at that time?

[tlong]

The car is 1993 SC93F, here is a couple photo of the damage. I don't won't to put up to many photos I don't feel good about posting someone's crashed car.

[chrisw52]

IIRC an early euroswift is essentially a US swift with different front arms to move the wheels forward to meet euro foot protection rules.

Somewhere around 1990-ish the cars changed quite a bit - the mid radiator was replaced with a pair of side rads, the shear plates at the front were replaced with some machined aluminum blocks. I have quite a few pics of one of these I was considering to buy.

They also got the LD-200 and the bodywork lost all of it's "Swiftiness"

The '89 car got the LD-200 (I think)
The 90 car was the first with the side radiators, but used the '89 suspension (DB1 compatible)
I owned a 91 car which was more like the '92 car frame wise with more bracing around the cockpit. Still a rocker arm suspension, but with the '92 rear uprights.

[tlracer]

Parts for the SC93 are available from Swift-Cooper. If you go onto their website and click the 'Technical' drop down you can download all the drawings & part numbers, etc.

www.swiftcooper.com

[TimH]

The car is 1993 SC93F

Let me know if you decide to sell suspension parts...

[Larry H]

I own an SC93 and did OK, for my first year of racing FF since the late 70's but I'm far from an expert on FF technology. The car was well tuned before I got it, so that might account for why it is very well balanced, very predictable and doesn't have any ugly handling characteristics. My understanding is the chassis is made of chrome-moly and is TIG welded, so it's robust. The chassis is very well triangulated above and below the upper frame rails and uses the latest push rod concept that is still being used today in all new FFs.

It's certainly worth reviving if you enjoy tinkering and have the facilities to restore it yourself and even then I think you'll have in it what it can be sold for or worse but done right, you will have all new pieces, which will minimize on-going maintenance. The maintenance and operational costs to race the car will eventually dwarf the cost of the car.

I would be foremost concerned about the motor.

[tlong]

What year is the car?

its a 93