Help Khyber(swift) 1990 restoration and modification

[blackzerosourcing]

Dear friends
I'm a total novice so please pardon any naive comments or requests below.

I learnt to drive on this 1990 swift/Khyber and my dad just gave it to me as he has no use for it. The car is not a total waste. The engine is OK and it is driveable though there is a lot of choon chaan.

For the sake of nostalgia, I want to get it into tip top condition and I also need some modifications for driving comfort. I have done my research on PW and YouTube and have a pretty good idea of the things that I need to do. However I'm a bit confused about the sequence of things as well as the selection of service providers.

Here are the things I need:
1. Fixing of some dents and repairing some rusted parts.
2. Fixing multiple issues in suspension.
3. Installing EPS preferably while keeping the original steering column intact.
4. Fixing door lock pins, getting better locks (the current ones open with a screwdriver)
5. Installing power windows, retractable side mirrors and remote door locks.
6. Installing some sort of AGS or automatic transmission. I understand this might require an engine swap.

So yes this is the wishlist. The questions are:
1. Is it advisable to start all of the above mods/repairs at once, or can I sequence them as in getting the body and mechanical repair work done first, then driving for a bit, then coming back for EPS and so on.
2. Is there a workshop in Lahore, preferably DHA/Cantt that can serve as a one stop shop for this adventure, or will there be khajjal khwari? Any recommendations for full or partial services listed above shall be highly appreciated.
3. Since most of the stuff involved is likely to come from Bilal Gunj, I shall be grateful for vendor recommendations or buying guides. Again if there is a reliable workshop that helps one source these parts, recommendations will be highly appreciated.

Thank you so much and best regards
MB

[pwuser166331039855]

New workshops don’t take the cases of old cars like yours. Because they see there is lot of time need to spent on them and their profits are minimum. So you have to find some old mechanics & old denters who can do. I know one guy who takes such types of projects but his workshop is in Model Town Q-block. His shop was near ground and now that ground is covered by society and hence its space has become very tight. But still he is does all such works.

[blackzerosourcing]

Thank you so much boss. I think I know an old fashioned workshop like that in Nishat Colony which is close to my house. He sure does resotarions but not sure about modification. If he doesn't work out, I'll trouble you for the contact info of the model town guy. Thanks again!

[blackzerosourcing]

OK so as predicted by @pwuser166331039855, mechanic nay saaf inkaar kar diya. Searching through these forums, two places keep coming up for these projects, one named Carigar Restomods and the other named Project11. Does anyone know if these guys work with my kind of car and requirements?
Also, since both of them seem to be in the JT area, any similar experts on the DHA/Cantt side?

[brownrose78]

@blackzerosourcing
This is the guy.............

https://www.facebook.com/caristaniyan/

https://www.facebook.com/watch/caristaniyan/

https://www.facebook.com/caristaniyan/videos/overheating-issues-continue-ac-fixed-vlog/341302048144978/

[dayrider]

Doing all of this and doing it write will cost you around 8 lacs, you can use that money. Along with the khyber money to buy another car which has most of your desires in it already, instead of wasting away on this. Alterations seldom work well. And if done right, they cost an arm and a leg

[blackzerosourcing]

Thank you so much brother. Got in touch with Mr Surkhail. He will give me an initial consult InshaAllah in a few days.

[blackzerosourcing]

You are absolutely right boss. This is going to be a big pain financially as well as in terms of time and fatigue. I would have done exactly what you advised had I actually needed a car. But the whole point here is to restore and enhance my first car for purely sentimental reasons even though there is no need for it. Dimagh ka keera practical logic ko kha chuka hai 🤣

[dayrider]

Leave the auto gear bit out, and focus on everything else, that way, once you are done, you will be able to have a decent reliable vehicle.
No eps, hydrolic power steering

[blackzerosourcing]

Yes the auto thing is quite low on my priority list. As for the power steering thing, everyone seems to be suggesting EPS. It seems like there is a motor that can be fitted into the existing steering column and it also has speed sensing.
Could you please share why you prefer hydraulic over electric in this case?

[dayrider]

All electronics require a close circuit to work, you will probably need to modify the speedo as well. Too much effort, for little gain. A hydrolic will be done simply and complication free

[blackzerosourcing]

Alright friends so I am back with updates. I found an enthusiastic pair of mechanic/electrician who inspected the car thoroughly and there was some rusting along the fenders. Denter is working on that and will also take out minor dents. Paint and body were generally fine. Suspension was also mostly ok, though the "kanghi" needs some repair and the bearings needs to be replaced along with some bushes.

As for EPS, several vendors are available in the market who are doing it in the 14-15k range. Basically they replace your old steering column with the column and motor of a japanese car and also install the japanese speed sensor kit. On the other hand, I could not find anyone who provided or even recommended hydraulic. So while I agree with the reasoning provided by @dayrider, I could not proceed with his suggested solution.

As for the engine, for now I am getting it in order, it just valve changes and some head related work. The radiator assembly was in bad shape so I am replacing the entire kit. AC surprisingly is intact and some servicing will inshaAllah bring it back to life. I'll also change the tyres and the battery. Electrical system is fine, I just need to add relays to some connections that have been made direct.

So once these above things are done, the next step will be to add power windows, central locking and retractable side mirrors. Can anyone suggest a good place for that? There is this ZACars.pk that has lots of videos on youtube. Has anyone experienced working with them?

Thanks for the guidance and thanks in advance for future suggestions

[dayrider]

Best of luck with the project. First sort out all your mechanical and electrical things, before going into the cosmetics. Surprising that you didnt find anyone who does that, because it used to be quite a norm in the scrapyards

[blackzerosourcing]

Alright biradraan, I pleased to inform you that the car has been restored quite successfully. The following things have been done:
1. Complete repair of the floor. All rusted pieces replaced, new namda, carpet and rexine.
2. Replacement of all ruated pieces from trunk and engine bay.
3. New General (GTR) tires installed
4. New bumpers and grill
5. New poshish and sound system
6. New bearings, brake leathers and brake shoes.
7. Kanghi and ball joint repair.
8. Reverse camera installed.
9. New clutch/pressure plates.
10. Armrest and console has been ordered and will be installed in a few days iA.
11. Local wide angle side mirrors installed but they were very flimsy so made them stronger using elfy and mud
12. AC serviced and gas refilled.
13. New maintenance free battery.
14. New radiator and fan.

All of the above and many small things such as minor dents, qalam, wheel balancing alignment etc cost a little under 2.5 lacs. Which is not bad at all. A comfortable car with working AC, new tires etc itnay main aa gayi jitnay ki CG125 bhi nahin aati.

I had initially thought of getting power steering and brake servo but frankly both the steering and brake are very receptive in stock condition. I have decided not to alter those for now.

So now that the car is in perfect driving condition, here are some questions for further steps:
A: The current mileage is too low (8-9 per liter). People are suggesting a Mehran carbeurator. Can anyone with experience share a review please?
B: Seat belts are in pretty bad shape. Besides they are old style. Does anyone know of a place where I can get the retractable ones installed?
C: The headlight switch is free. Like headlight turns on when I press it but it turns off the moment I lift my finger. For now I have got a Desi switch for it. Does anyone know of anyone who can repair the switch?
D: Bonnet opener is working but the dashboard is cracked near the lever so the lever comes out and looks ugly. Any chance it can be repaired?

I shall be super grateful for your feedback and support.

[dayrider]

A: get it properly tuned, it will improve, changing to a smaller carb would decrease performance.

B: bilal gunj will have quite a few options

D: garam kar k jor do

[blackzerosourcing]

Thank you so much. Got the carb tuned by almashhoor Asghar Butt. It seems much better now. Have given up on the headlight buttons. Got an electrician to install a desi switch that gets the job done. Bonnet lever wala kaam is tricky as the dashboard is broken behind it. Thinking of going to the bumper wala in chauburji to see if he can mend it.

As for the Bilal Gunj part, the place is like an ocean and almost impossible to navigate for a "mummy daddy bacha" like me Can you please share the contact info of any decent shops? Even more important than the seat belts are the door rubbers which have shrunk and cracked so all the rainwater comes in the car.

[dayrider]

Somebody from lahore can probably help better

[pwuser166331039855]

have to visit bilal gunj in person.
there are few shops who deals with suzuki parts. you can find plenty of them.

if someone can restore the 25+ year old car, then he is not mummy daddy any more.