The plan is to put it together with a lot of weight reduction and a 202 Holden straight six for drag racing and burnouts. A bit of a fun car really and something to use as a way of teaching my kids how to work on cars - sure beats playing with dolls.
I managed to sell the original G161 4 banger engine and the tranny for $280 and some of the other parts to completely reclaim the cost of purchase (against 13 for 1300 rules I know). Have also purchased some complete engines dirt cheap (no more than $25 each) and sold off the bits I don't want for well over what I paid. At the moment I am actually $400 in front on total expenditure so far.
Here are some pics to better explain things:
The original 4 banger engine. Went ok, although it didn't have power steering, which was a bitch when getting it home from Pakenham (East of Melbourne) to Norlane (near Geelong).

My work bench... cos I can

Some of the goodies I plan to use, including the two brand new in box genuine tail lights that came with the car.

The damage to the top of the bootlid.

Replacement bootlid.

Damage to the tail light

Bit of jack the dancer under the battery tray. Won't be needing it anyway as I am relocating the battery to the boot.

Rough job of cutting the cancer out from the battery tray. Thinking maybe using it to fit some sort of inlet duct or something.

Engine removed and about to do some dummying up of a six banger in the engine bay.

Dummy fitting a 202 with my head, pipes and manifold.

Dummy fitting a coil and fuel pump. The fuel pump is actually a small block Chev unit, which is a straight bolt on.

Not a lot of room for a radiator. Tossed up over this whether to use methanol, thus eliminating the need for water pump, thermostat and radiator. Might play around with fitting a radiator in front of the support panel intercooler style.

Plenty of sump clearance with the HZ unit. Tried a HG sump earlier and it didn't clear the steering rack.

Plenty of clearance for the pipes, although the G161 engine mounts will be disappeared.

Pipe clearance here too.

One tonner diff I picked up for free from a speedway racer, who only wanted the 3.55 centre and axles. Looking for a 3.9 or 4.44 centre for it when the time arrives. Will obviously be cutting it down.

The head I will be using. Not too much or too little shaved off the face. Have seen some people go too far and lose shitloads of power.


A factory inlet port with the big fat post for the head bolt. These heads were asthmatic on a 149, let alone on a 202 and anything you do will improve the shit out of them.

Hence the removal of the post and replacement with a steel tube. This was done by Yella Terra as it started life as a 161 unit, done to stage 4 specs.

Stock camshaft on the left and the SigErson unit I am using on the right. SigErson cam has a little less lift than the Crow unit I usually use but still has a big lump and a great spread of power delivery.

Roller rockers. Very similar to what is used on the 3.8 Holden V6s.

SAAS Racing seat which I got for $15 on Ebay, 5in Tacho with shift light ($25 on Ebay) and old school B&M shifter that was pulled out of an old Holden at a wreckers.
