I replaced the window today. I also used my fender roller to to get the fender most of the way back in shape. I also put on the other aftermarket rear lateral link that I had been waiting on installing. Something else is way off on the alignment. I'm sure the rear lateral link needs to be extended, but I'm thinking there is something bent on the rear left control arm. I should have a spare that I can pull off a Metro parts car. I will pull the hole corner this weekend an inspect. I think the rear bumper is actually intact, but I still will need to pull some of the chasis out to make everything line up.
92 Black GT
- Thread starter GT4LIFE
- Start date
I got the rear bumper, bumper support off yesterday, and removed braking components. I'm going to pull the control arm, knuckle, and strut for closer inspection. Bumper and bumper support are okay. I just need to make a few plastic repairs on the mounting tabs and it will all go back together just fine. I'm looking at stud pullers to get at some of the areas I cannot reach from the inside. I can grab my tail lights from the gt I just picked up if I don't have a tail ligthts in a bin somewhere.
Glad you are okay.
Good luck repairing.
Thanks. Broke a rib, but it will heal.
The control was pretty badly tweaked. I grabbed the control arm from a parts Metro I have. It was in good shape other then some surface rust. I cleaned/sanded down and sprayed it with Duplicolor rust barrier and then Duplicolors 1K clear coat. I would powder coat if I had more time. It came out way better then expected. I got the poly bushings switched over only after having to sanded back through the paint coats on the rear bushing stud. I forgot how tight the tolerance is on that. I can install the control arm today, and get the knuckle and rear lateral link back on with brakes. Then it will be driveable where I can get it to the farm shop to do the dent pulling after sanding. On its way!
She is a rolling car again. Alignment is not spot on but good enough to drive down to the shop. The wheel specialist I showed the pictures of the wheel to said absolutely not fixable. I went on Ebay to see how much I could get a comparable set of te37 and it was a staggering $3800+$500 shipping. No, no, not happening. I found a replica te37 15" 4x114.3 x6" 45+ offset (two wheels) that will work for now for $375 +$100 shipping and tax. The ones I have are 15" 4x114.3 x 6.5" 45+ offset, but I will switch out both rears leaving the real ones up front where it matters a lot more. I'll keep an eye out for a random loner te37 that matches; it might take a few years to find one. The only other option would be to convert to 4x100 which is a decent amount of work. It would increase the likely hood of landing one dramatically. The front spindles can be off set drilled to 4x100, but the rear cannot be. The only way to do it would be to get a hold of the company that makes the rear bearing/spindle and see if they would sell a blank that isn't drilled. I don't have the broken tail lights in a bin but I can take from from the new GT I picked up and replace them with some I buy later. I'm working on a set that is not too far away.
Koni Yellow Right Rear Damaged
I realized yesterday that it wasn't just the ground slant and the bag of tools in the back that the Koni yellow strut was damaged also. I order up a set of KYB excel-g and they will be here in a few days (temporary).
BC Racing BR Coilovers
I also ordered up BCracing BR coilover default spring rates (daily driving). I also paid for front Swift springs (not to be confused with our car these are the Japanese spring company; it appears that they don't offer the swift spring for the rear. This is most likely because our rear struts and springs are divorced (not one piece). All the Swift springs from BCracing our 62 mm inside to fit their coilover struts.) These will take 4 to 6 weeks to show up. They do sell DS, RM coilovers but upon research realized for daily neither one was going to be proably good ideas. The DS I gathered is only different from the BR in the low speed strut being digressive and not linear (faster low speed response). The RM inverts the piston (larger on top) which can have performance pluses but not recommended for daily driver sense they a prone to failure quicker then the other way around and require rebuilding more often.
Swift Springs
"What is special about Swift Springs?
What makes Swift special is their unique construction and precision design. They are engineered to stay consistent under heavy loads, unlike many standard springs that can fatigue or change rate.
BC Racing Swift Spring upgrades improve suspension communication, steering feel, and traction. Their lightweight design reduces unnecessary strain, allowing the coilovers to perform well in both everyday driving and competitive environments, making them highly valued by performance drivers.
What is the difference between Swift Springs and regular springs?
The main difference is in weight, durability, and performance. BC Swift Springs are made from a proprietary alloy that allows thinner coils without sacrificing strength. This reduces unsprung weight, giving coilovers quicker response and more predictable handling.
Regular springs often lose consistency over time, but Swift maintains a linear spring rate. Many enthusiasts choose to pair BC Coilovers with Swift Springs because they deliver both comfort and performance, unlike traditional suspension springs.
Can Swift Springs make your car faster?
While a Swift upgrade does not increase horsepower, these springs can improve lap times and driving speed by enhancing suspension efficiency. The springs allow the car to maintain better contact with the road, providing more grip in corners and stability at high speeds. By reducing weight and improving suspension response, these springs give drivers the ability to carry more speed safely through turns, making cars feel quicker and more controlled.
Where are Swift Springs made?
Swift Springs for BC Coilovers are manufactured in Japan, where the company has more than 90 years of spring engineering expertise. This heritage ensures that every upgrade is built to exacting standards of quality and durability. Japanese production techniques focus on precision and consistency, which is why these products are trusted worldwide. Enthusiasts value these springs as a reliable upgrade built for long-term performance. " (SpringRates, found on their faq pages.)
I bought through Springrates.com (they have a section of their site that is bcspringrates) them because they are cheaper then ordering direct through the BCRacing, and they have the ordering system setup no to charge you customization fee ($150 something) for adding Swift Springs, and they knew that you could not order the rears (which again would charge you another $210). You can order Swift spring through them; they cannot justify adding $150 to something they sell separate. For the rears I will compare the BCracing standard spring with the length and diameter of my H&R springs. If the H&R is the same diameter and length I could go with either or for the spring. H&R doesn't ever list their spring rate while Bcracing default spring rates is what ever you order. I went with the softest set for daily driving for the Swift springs for the front 4K, but for a reasonable amount of money I can order a higher spring rating for a 62 mm inside/178 mm length Swift spring (example 5K to 10k for around $240 for a set of two). Looking at the specs from their website you can see that the our rears should be 104 mm inside diamete & a length of 96 mm. However, the spring rates are listed wrong. I believe the rears standard spring rates is 5K.
I realized yesterday that it wasn't just the ground slant and the bag of tools in the back that the Koni yellow strut was damaged also. I order up a set of KYB excel-g and they will be here in a few days (temporary).
BC Racing BR Coilovers
I also ordered up BCracing BR coilover default spring rates (daily driving). I also paid for front Swift springs (not to be confused with our car these are the Japanese spring company; it appears that they don't offer the swift spring for the rear. This is most likely because our rear struts and springs are divorced (not one piece). All the Swift springs from BCracing our 62 mm inside to fit their coilover struts.) These will take 4 to 6 weeks to show up. They do sell DS, RM coilovers but upon research realized for daily neither one was going to be proably good ideas. The DS I gathered is only different from the BR in the low speed strut being digressive and not linear (faster low speed response). The RM inverts the piston (larger on top) which can have performance pluses but not recommended for daily driver sense they a prone to failure quicker then the other way around and require rebuilding more often.
Swift Springs
"What is special about Swift Springs?
What makes Swift special is their unique construction and precision design. They are engineered to stay consistent under heavy loads, unlike many standard springs that can fatigue or change rate.
BC Racing Swift Spring upgrades improve suspension communication, steering feel, and traction. Their lightweight design reduces unnecessary strain, allowing the coilovers to perform well in both everyday driving and competitive environments, making them highly valued by performance drivers.
What is the difference between Swift Springs and regular springs?
The main difference is in weight, durability, and performance. BC Swift Springs are made from a proprietary alloy that allows thinner coils without sacrificing strength. This reduces unsprung weight, giving coilovers quicker response and more predictable handling.
Regular springs often lose consistency over time, but Swift maintains a linear spring rate. Many enthusiasts choose to pair BC Coilovers with Swift Springs because they deliver both comfort and performance, unlike traditional suspension springs.
Can Swift Springs make your car faster?
While a Swift upgrade does not increase horsepower, these springs can improve lap times and driving speed by enhancing suspension efficiency. The springs allow the car to maintain better contact with the road, providing more grip in corners and stability at high speeds. By reducing weight and improving suspension response, these springs give drivers the ability to carry more speed safely through turns, making cars feel quicker and more controlled.
Where are Swift Springs made?
Swift Springs for BC Coilovers are manufactured in Japan, where the company has more than 90 years of spring engineering expertise. This heritage ensures that every upgrade is built to exacting standards of quality and durability. Japanese production techniques focus on precision and consistency, which is why these products are trusted worldwide. Enthusiasts value these springs as a reliable upgrade built for long-term performance. " (SpringRates, found on their faq pages.)
I bought through Springrates.com (they have a section of their site that is bcspringrates) them because they are cheaper then ordering direct through the BCRacing, and they have the ordering system setup no to charge you customization fee ($150 something) for adding Swift Springs, and they knew that you could not order the rears (which again would charge you another $210). You can order Swift spring through them; they cannot justify adding $150 to something they sell separate. For the rears I will compare the BCracing standard spring with the length and diameter of my H&R springs. If the H&R is the same diameter and length I could go with either or for the spring. H&R doesn't ever list their spring rate while Bcracing default spring rates is what ever you order. I went with the softest set for daily driving for the Swift springs for the front 4K, but for a reasonable amount of money I can order a higher spring rating for a 62 mm inside/178 mm length Swift spring (example 5K to 10k for around $240 for a set of two). Looking at the specs from their website you can see that the our rears should be 104 mm inside diamete & a length of 96 mm. However, the spring rates are listed wrong. I believe the rears standard spring rates is 5K.
Features for BR Series BCRacing Coil Overs
- 30-level simultaneous compression/rebound damping adjuster
- Mono-tube damper with linear piston and hardened chrome shaft
- Ride height adjustable independent of spring preload
- Upper mount hardware varies by chassis — camber plates, pillowball, or reused OEM mounts. See the Specifications table for what's included on your kit.
- Swift Spring and custom spring rate upgrades available at checkout
- Custom damper valving paired with custom spring rates on request
- Fully rebuildable — replacement parts available from BC for the life of the shock
- 2-year manufacturer warranty against defects
Specifications
| Part Number | L-18-BR |
| Part Name | BR Series Coilovers |
| Vehicle | 1988-2003 Suzuki Swift |
| Drivetrain | FWD |
| Chassis Code | SF |
| Damping Adjustment | 1-Way (30 levels) |
| Ride-Height Adjustable | Yes |
| Spring Rate - Front | 4 kg/mm |
| Spring Rate - Rear | 180 kg/mm |
| Spring Size - Front | 62-180-4K |
| Spring Size - Rear | 104-96-180K |
| Swift Springs - Front | 62-178-X |
| Camber Plates - Front | Included |
| Camber Plates - Rear | Not Applicable |
| Suspension Design - Front | True Coilover |
| Suspension Design - Rear | Divorced |
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I worked on pulling dents with the H&S Auto Shot 5500 stud welder all day. I got pretty good at it. I should have ordered up the thing that allows you to combine studs and pull a large dent all at once. I have the upper part of the fender close to being back in shape enough to fill. However, the lower rear part of the fender will require me to figure out a way to lock the car down and use a come along to bend some major stuff out. I will need to lightly weld some stuff after, but I'm making progress. The two replica te37c showed up and they are hard to tell the difference without inspecting the backside. New tires should show up next Friday.
I also pulled the bumper and bumper support off the new maroon gt to haver as a reference. Boy is there rust. I had to drill out almost every bolt. I can fix the rear rust as it has not fully gone, but I need to get the carpet out to see how much work it will be the salvage the body. I might be transferring all the goodies on the maroon one to my 90 white gt that got hit by a tree. I think with the stud puller I can pull out a lot of the dents on it. I need to do some engine testing to see what shape the engine is in, but it actually sounds good. I think that would be less time intensive option. If the maroon one is too far gone I will pull everything and box all the spare parts and scrap the body.
I also pulled the bumper and bumper support off the new maroon gt to haver as a reference. Boy is there rust. I had to drill out almost every bolt. I can fix the rear rust as it has not fully gone, but I need to get the carpet out to see how much work it will be the salvage the body. I might be transferring all the goodies on the maroon one to my 90 white gt that got hit by a tree. I think with the stud puller I can pull out a lot of the dents on it. I need to do some engine testing to see what shape the engine is in, but it actually sounds good. I think that would be less time intensive option. If the maroon one is too far gone I will pull everything and box all the spare parts and scrap the body.
How is your broken rip healing?
Great to read your making progress.
Must be awesome to find a new (old) donor car.
Good luck repairing.
The rib is healing slowly, but if you ever broke a rib before I can now find a good spot to sleep on so it is healing.
I test fitted the replica te37. They fit and mount the same way as the actual te37. The color is a bronze paint instead of anodized, but I'm amazed they are as close as they are to the real. I was a little concerned with the center bore diameter but they are the same at 73.1 mm. The new Potenza re71rs are in and I will get one of them mounted on the te37 this weekend. I will have to get them to dismount the broke wheel and swap over the rays gun metal valve stem. I ordered up another matching valve stem so I can keep the other real te37 as a spare. Because the replicas are 6" instead 6.5" I will need to run both of them instead of one real on the rear. I'm actually pretty certain the fit will be better. I also got in the KYB struts in which I will throw on instead of waiting the 4 to 6 weeks for the BC BR coilovers. I will most likely use the KYB struts in the rear of my 1.o Turbo red car after the coilovers come in.
After that I can get back to dent pulling. Related to the dent pulling but something I have been eyeing for a while is the a Miller Multimatic 220 welder. This would allow me to more precisely do not only the fender repair and fix the maroon car if I choose to but also make parts.
I test fitted the replica te37. They fit and mount the same way as the actual te37. The color is a bronze paint instead of anodized, but I'm amazed they are as close as they are to the real. I was a little concerned with the center bore diameter but they are the same at 73.1 mm. The new Potenza re71rs are in and I will get one of them mounted on the te37 this weekend. I will have to get them to dismount the broke wheel and swap over the rays gun metal valve stem. I ordered up another matching valve stem so I can keep the other real te37 as a spare. Because the replicas are 6" instead 6.5" I will need to run both of them instead of one real on the rear. I'm actually pretty certain the fit will be better. I also got in the KYB struts in which I will throw on instead of waiting the 4 to 6 weeks for the BC BR coilovers. I will most likely use the KYB struts in the rear of my 1.o Turbo red car after the coilovers come in.
After that I can get back to dent pulling. Related to the dent pulling but something I have been eyeing for a while is the a Miller Multimatic 220 welder. This would allow me to more precisely do not only the fender repair and fix the maroon car if I choose to but also make parts.
I mounted the one of the two replica te37 today. I weighed it before mounting the tire. It is just under 10lbs. It looks great with the new Potenza on it. The 6" actually fits better. I was surprised that it weighed the same as the authentic te37, but it is also made in Japan. I did see an article about Rays faking their own original wheels. The date on it is from 1999. It balanced out really nice. I also saw an article of people trying to figure out what the te37c is which is the actual sticker label. Some thought it was concave, but it is identical to the original in that respect. The only thing I see different is the center bore is 73.1 all the way out where the original came in for authentic rays center caps. I think the c might be Rays label for copy. I will check tomorrow to see if it has the same rear writing.
I also installed left rear KYB. I also switched out the outside solid poly bushing end link with the one of the orignal heim joints from the set that got broken. It is the same size and it fits better. I would have to bend the stud in from the knuckle to get the poly bushing to install flush. I still need to do the other side. I happy about this as I didn't like the angle of the solid poly bushing end link. I'm waiting on the authentic Rays valve stem that I ordered before getting the 2nd replica mounted. It has shipped. Damn things are expensive $50 for one with cap.
I attached an image of the replica te37c. This was the ebay photo. I purchase the set for $375 which was $125 off the list price. I didn't need or want the tires so I asked him to keep those so he could save on shipping. On top of that savings the only reason these were so cheap is that the seller had a miss matched set of wheels 4x114.3 x6 that I bought and 4x100 x 8 that he was selling separately. He had them on a Suzuki kei car. The Potenzas look great on them. I will post photos when I get a chance of everything else.
I also installed left rear KYB. I also switched out the outside solid poly bushing end link with the one of the orignal heim joints from the set that got broken. It is the same size and it fits better. I would have to bend the stud in from the knuckle to get the poly bushing to install flush. I still need to do the other side. I happy about this as I didn't like the angle of the solid poly bushing end link. I'm waiting on the authentic Rays valve stem that I ordered before getting the 2nd replica mounted. It has shipped. Damn things are expensive $50 for one with cap.
I attached an image of the replica te37c. This was the ebay photo. I purchase the set for $375 which was $125 off the list price. I didn't need or want the tires so I asked him to keep those so he could save on shipping. On top of that savings the only reason these were so cheap is that the seller had a miss matched set of wheels 4x114.3 x6 that I bought and 4x100 x 8 that he was selling separately. He had them on a Suzuki kei car. The Potenzas look great on them. I will post photos when I get a chance of everything else.
Attachments
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I got the 2nd replica Rays mounted with a new Potenza with the mostly matching Rays valve stem. There appears to be a slight color differences in their sets of gunmetal valve stems. I'm sure it will UV out to the same in short order. I had to go back to the tire place when I saw they didn't put back on my Ray's valve stem cap. It was $50 for the valve stem and cap. I got it back, but damn I was not happy. Tomorrow I'm hoping to get the other one one the car moving them both to the front. I'm going to measure to see if there is any actual tire contact width difference. I bit the bullet and ordered up a Miller Multimatic 220. I have wanted one for a while. This will give me the ability to make some one off parts and fix the newly aquired maroon GT.
I'm thinking:
Top Strut Bar
Mid cross bar
Front lower frame rail (detachable)
I'm thinking:
Top Strut Bar
Mid cross bar
Front lower frame rail (detachable)
Ohw a Miller welding machine.
That is a nice choiche.
I used to use that at my old job.
That was a great welder about 300 amps.
Anyway enjoy making more parts yourself.
I got the BC Racing BR coilovers in. I need to swap the front spring for the Swift (Japanese spring company) spring. I'm also thinking about buying a set of rear Cusco pillow ball top mounts. These do not have a camber adjustment on them. However, there is a guy on this facebook site that is manufacturing adjustable top mounts, but they are poly bushings and not pillow ball mounts. I'm thinking about going with the Cusco since I don't really need to adjust the camber, and I know from past threads that there is some clearance issues with trying to adjust the camber inside our narrow rear suspension tunnels. I also go the Miller 220 today, but didn't get to try it out yet. I put together the welding cart and that was as far as I got today. I might be welding a whole different lower left rear fender piece in instead of try to straighten it. I'm also thinking about painting the car this summer.
I had to buy new wheel spacers to mount the rays te37c (replicas). I'm not exactly sure who made themd. They are stamped with the 2000 correct stamp for REFG (Rays Engineering Forged). My earlier rays says rays engineering forged, but I believe after 2000 this is the correct stamp. It also has the correct
VIA numbers, and made in Japan. They are the correct weight for 15" 4x114.3 x6" forged wheels at under 10 lbs. There are no casting lines that I can see either. The only real issue with them is that they have been bronze powder coated and are not anodized and they don't have the original rays center cap diameter, but are the correct 73.1 cb. I did find that the offset is a true +45, unlike my other 1999 te37 which say they are 45 but when I tried to accurately measure from the centerline they are under +43, but I'm pretty sure they are closer to +40. I ran them with a hub centered 60.1 to 73.1 10mm spacer, and with the change of offset I'm had to buy 15 mm hub centered 60.1 to 73.1mm spacers. Luckly the arp wheels studs I left long with the dura aluminum rays lug nuts I used and they they still do 9 rotations. I was not happy about adding extra weight of the 15 mm spacers as they showed up at 1.332 lbs. I drilled them out using my 10 mm wheel spacer as a template where I drilled out 16 total 9/16" holes. This lightened the wheel spacer to 1.094 lbs. This is only 0.25 lbs heavier then the 10 mm spacers. I believe overal I shed .25 lbs at each front wheel. However, these te37c are 6" and not 6.5" and they again a +5 more offset. I believe I will also pick back up a little more turn radius.
VIA numbers, and made in Japan. They are the correct weight for 15" 4x114.3 x6" forged wheels at under 10 lbs. There are no casting lines that I can see either. The only real issue with them is that they have been bronze powder coated and are not anodized and they don't have the original rays center cap diameter, but are the correct 73.1 cb. I did find that the offset is a true +45, unlike my other 1999 te37 which say they are 45 but when I tried to accurately measure from the centerline they are under +43, but I'm pretty sure they are closer to +40. I ran them with a hub centered 60.1 to 73.1 10mm spacer, and with the change of offset I'm had to buy 15 mm hub centered 60.1 to 73.1mm spacers. Luckly the arp wheels studs I left long with the dura aluminum rays lug nuts I used and they they still do 9 rotations. I was not happy about adding extra weight of the 15 mm spacers as they showed up at 1.332 lbs. I drilled them out using my 10 mm wheel spacer as a template where I drilled out 16 total 9/16" holes. This lightened the wheel spacer to 1.094 lbs. This is only 0.25 lbs heavier then the 10 mm spacers. I believe overal I shed .25 lbs at each front wheel. However, these te37c are 6" and not 6.5" and they again a +5 more offset. I believe I will also pick back up a little more turn radius.