GTI-6 engine conversion advice

[daymo]

Can anyone help me with some advice on doing a 306gti-6 engine conversion?
I've lined up a mk1 Berli van, planning on picking up a 306 or xsara 2.0 vts and transfering the rear beam, front suspension and motor into the van.

Also is it possible to fit rear seats into a van?

Hope someone can advise me if this conversion is possible and what I should be considering before diving in.

All comments considered!

[evdama]

Obviously insurance/MOT responsibilities.Plan your work to be redtape proof.

The loadspace floor is stretched over ,what was, the rear passenger footwells so the seat mounting points probably will be missing also.
Maybe you could put the seats on a subframe that bolts to the load anchor points?
Seatbelt points may also be incomplete.
Challenges are a-plenty but good luck -there are some really nice jobs of this type been done

[Chris86]

Lookied at doing this last year prior to buying my van if I just got a shed to mess about with.......

The only beam that will fit in is a 405Mi-16 or another berlingo one. I have an MI-16 beam that I am planning to fit but need to work out the arrangements for the handbrake cable as I am fairly sure they are different- otherwise its fairly straighforward- You will need to make up 2 brake pipes as well from memory..

Buy a Complete Xsara VTS and just drop the whole front subframe out and replace in the van- it should be a relatively straight swap. If you do a GTi-6 swap, bin the gearbox as you will struggle to get left hand lock on- use a 5 spd VTS one instead!- If you look for a VTS swap into a saxo or a 205 that sould give you a pretty good idea.

Chris

[daymo]

Thanks for the tips so far guys, can't seem to find much info on this swap!

[dbtints]

why struggle with left lock? the van is based on a 306 estate floor/chassis so surely the steering lock will be the same.

Me and my mate are currently doing this conversion and are a couple of weeks away from finishing hopefully

[PeteA]

The gearbox on GTi6's cuts into the inner wheelarch, which means they have bugger left hand lock. Mini-roundabouts and parking used to be fun with mine lol.

[dbtints]

oh is this a problem as standard on 306gti then

[Chris86]

Indeed- what pete said!

[Multi6]

It's possible!

I've done the swap to mine with the 6 speed in aswell.

Makes a great sleeper and the surprised looks you get sometimes are priceless.

Consider getting a whole car as a donor, the underside is totally different to the hatchbacks from the fuel tank rearward, a locked ECU and non colour coded wiring.
Finally when you've got it all figured out and hopefully now moving around under its own power again, upgrading the suspension even further, to help cope with the poor high speed stability and aerodynamics you'll now experience from getting a tall soft edged box to travel quicker than it was ever intended.

[Ol'Jeffers]

It's possible!

I've done the swap to mine with the 6 speed in aswell.

Makes a great sleeper and the surprised looks you get sometimes are priceless.

Consider getting a whole car as a donor, the underside is totally different to the hatchbacks from the fuel tank rearward, a locked ECU and non colour coded wiring.
Finally when you've got it all figured out and hopefully now moving around under its own power again, upgrading the suspension even further, to help cope with the poor high speed stability and aerodynamics you'll now experience from getting a tall soft edged box to travel quicker than it was ever intended.

Pics please!!