If I were in the US, as you say, the SR conversion would be the wisest.

The SR20 intake plenum would hit on a RHD brake master cylinder when you want a booster. This needs a fair bit of fiddlying about. As you will have a LHD, then there's almost no difference in fitment difficulty between the CA and SR. The gearbox lengths are very similar. You'd have less space for an intercooler in the front, but if you did a top mount water to air intercooler under the hood, then this isn't an issue. Otherwise you'll need to chop up your grill, and I think that most of us here agree that a chopped up 1200 grill looks pretty bad (not in the good sense).

We've seen that a SR20DE does fit in a 1200, so go for it. I totally agree with you about selecting an engine on parts availability, that's a huge differentiator.

The only issue is that you'll need to get a custom dump pipe made up, but that's only a small cost.
Hope to hear more about your project plans in the near future.

Chris.

So just how much more difficult is it to swap the SR20DET instead of the CA18DET into a 1200??? Here in the US, you can swap engines from newer cars into older ones, but you're not supposed to go the other way around. In any case, the 1200 is considered a classic and you can do anything to it you want. In my case I have been dreaming of an engine swap for many years now and have narrowed it down to either the CA18DET or SR20DET. Both have to be bought from an engine importer, but the SR20 has a HUGE following and lots of aftermarket support here, thanks to the Fartpipe/Honda/Fast and Furious crowd. So it would be wisest to do an SR20 swap, even though the CA is easier and more popular, but I still haven't heard any first hand accounts of the install here in the Club, even though I've seen quite a few with the swap already done! My coupe is an automatic with the wider tunnel, and since it's a US model, it already has a hydraulic clutch, so that should make a few things easier than the aussie swaps. Will the SR20 tranny fit the auto tunnel pretty good? I guess the gearstick hole needs to be recut and handbrake moved back, but that's about all I've heard. What about the firewall and radiator support? Is there a problem with space on the left/driver's side steering box/brake/clutch master cylinders and the turbo/engine? If anyone has done the swap I'd really like to see a write up of what all they had to do to get the SR20DET in, and I'm sure others would too!

-Andy

Sorry for misquoting you Andrew....40lb instead of 20lb...400hp instead of 450hp...Id rather have 450hp and 20lb boost over 400hp and 40lb boost anyday!!! Not bad pwr to weight ratio in a 700kg car. Ooops I might have misquoted that too....Andrews car is probably 550kgs!!!

My turbo.. a ball tearer..at the moment it's a nice piece of machining. Make a nice loungeroom ashtray..just kidding. I just bought a unit here in Sydney..as I told you guys a long time ago I was planning to, so the Datto should still be on track for a finish, just means less beer for a while..I can imagine Bent Axle Bob shaking his head in disgust. It's also changed from a full on show car. The paint will be nice, but I'll have to go for a cloth interior instead of leather. And maybe not a top of the line engine computer. And it may be a little while before I can get mega expensive wheels for it. My budget was heading for 30-35k.which was getting kinda silly anyway. I've got the good bits for the engine, brakes and driveline. After it returns from the painter, I'll assemble it and have some fun.

Chris

ouch, lucky i aint aiming for 400hp just yet

Depends how reliable you want it you could probably get that out of a stocker with big turbo bolted off the side and good exhuast and intercooler and engine management. Migth last a week or two LOL. To build a strong reliable Ca18det forgies ect expect to pay $5k upwards then the bolt on stuff. My engine would be close to costing me $10k mind you ive done a lot of probably uneccasary things.
Andrew

how much would it cost me to get 400hp out of a ca18det, pressuming i already had one

Dont think Ill be boosting to 40psi :) on 20psi is good for 400hp when I get it sorted and tuned I want to see whats its cappable of the turbo I have will be pretty maxed out at that I migth just borrow dattodudes huge motha :) looks like a 450+hp balltearer
Andrew

hey,
i have a 81 model 1200 ute, and i also have a s13 sr20det ready to go in. Their are a few guys running sr20det 1200's in canberra. To have it engineered, i was told (by the engineer who has done most of the sr20 utes in ACT) u have to cut the radiator support and move radiator forward, run discs on the front such as VL calipers and magna discs, and run bigger drums on the back, bigger master cylinder, and run a booster. The engineers name was ray spence, and works out at mitchell at a place called canberra motorworks. He said that was all i would have to do for him to ceritify mine. hope this helps

Talking to CA18_dat yesterday and his CA18DET will be able to boost to 40lb with 400bhp in a 1200 coupe. Nothing much beats that thing on the road or race track for that matter. I'mm pretty sure that will keep you smiling for quite some time. The SR20DET takes up heaps more engine room only or an extra 200cc....