Nice! Essentially what I did with my 1985 Lebaron convertible, and now my 1986 after the 1985 was hit right rear by a Mercedes ML320. I used a 2 piece intake and ran the 1985 using 1987 LM and PM with a custom 14 psi tune. Engine is a junkyard score, 1988 T2 service long block, forged crank, T2/2.5 turbo rods, 1989 Garrett that uses a 2.5" exhaust. I put a 1989 J body Lebaron 2.5L turbo coupe front K member (convertibles have the big brakes up front) and used the rear axle and disc brakes from the 89 along with the valve and master cylinder. This one has an SBEC as they are sequential injection. My floor on the 86 was rusted out, friend grabbed a 1988 Reliant and he put that floor in. I painted the floor with truck bedliner and bought a new carpet which does not have the rubber backing. A413 was built using the 1987 donor vehicle transaxle the engine was pulled from and built using a bunch of 3.0L innards.

Next phase on mine, hybrid 2.5L with PT Cruiser Turbo DOHC head Venolia Forged .5 mm over pistons for the 2.5 + 2.4 DOHC head combination. I will still keep my remanufactured Garret but have both the 1989 Mitsubishi from the Lebaron coupe and an SRT4 Mitsubishi integral manifold one.

 

How hard was it to run the SBEC harness off that bulkhead connector? I'm doing the same thing on a 88 Reliant the exact same bulkhead.

 

Updates.

Got some time+shade so swapped in the

GLHS Stage? LM No Dice
GLHS stage 0 LM worked though no codes iac runs off speaker wires
804 injectors swapped in
Autometer AF gauge ghetto install (wideband cost more than the car)

Test drove and boost cuts 15psi then drops to 12psi=LAME

before 11psi was the cut so an improvement.

Current issues to solve.

Need a breather and the double stacked TB bracket nonsense needs to go. The cam was hitting it.

After that mess open nipple off the compressor housing (maybe boost spike source)

Aftermarket junk tank seeps over half but stalls under half. Can't win....

No idea why the GLHS Stage 2 according to PN or Stage 1 (marker writing on it) doesn't work.

Pcb looks ok

The stock T1 LM had water flooding up to the MAP sensor and still worked fine.

After that crap still have to do
muffler
Downpipe flange
Oil change
Top
Hvac box
Maybe zener diode for Map sensor

With LW rods and 86 A413 don't want to push past 16psi anyways....

 

Got some time so swapped in the new top the car came with. Shops wanted over $1000 to install.

Took 4 hours then a hour fighting it to get the top up (it needs to stretch) back window is boat glass cost $30 (better than $300+)

Pretty easy no instructions needed just remove all staples, unbolt 3 rear bars, side mirror ramps and front metal plate, run old cables though sides. Hardest part is the rear 3 bars u gotta staple then drill holes and bolt it all up.

Still have to tighten the rear window and drill holes so the drain hoses dump on the ground not in the frame which rots it out.

Also there's a sash that goes in the back might do that eventually.


Next steps are a OEM gas tank, cold start injector (if I can find one), grippier tires, camber, hvac box, and probably way more to do....

 

Looks good! Gas tank, I believe any K-based (G and J I know will) body gas tank will work. Good luck on finding a two piece intake, I was lucky, I was given one with an adjustable FPR. On the Throttle cables, mine sits possibly a little differently due to having a two piece intake. Here it is from the transaxle end:

The shiny piece is a home made brace that was used on the two piece intakes. Cold start injector? They never used one. I found out most later EFI engines bank fire all injectors on a cold start, mine goes almost too rich, but I don't any exhaust system beyond the 2.5" down pipe on the turbo.

 

Old school mod was to add a cold start injector so you could run more than 15PSI boost I already have a zener diode so I can run as much boost as I want on the stock computer. Just gotta add more fuel maybe drop timing.

I have 2 2 piece intakes planning on porting them for 52mm Throttle bodies along with ported head,exhaust manifold and a 2.5 bottom end down the road.

 

I have gone to an SBEC for (a) true sequential injection (b) ability to easily run a 3 bar MAP sensor. I was running my old LM/PM system at 14 psi, for roughly 200 HP out of my 2.2L T2 setup. Son had it to an indicated 121 mph near DC and still pulling when he let off it. Scary when you look at the rear brakes on these cars. That's why these:

1989 J turbo coupe rear bakes.

 

Is that solid or vented rear?
I'm going to hit the junkyard and try to see if I can modify Honda/Subaru struts and Maybe Acura TL calipers using our rotors. No one makes good pads for the 4 wheel disc cars anymore.

 

Solid, with internal drum parking brakes. No one makes any decent brakes for older vehicles since asbestos was banned. I also used the 1989 K member and lower control arms.

 

Solid, with internal drum parking brakes. No one makes any decent brakes for older vehicles since asbestos was banned. I also used the 1989 K member and lower control arms.

That's why I'm going to bring one of our front struts and front rotor with me to the junkyard and see what I can do about using Honda Subaru or whatever brand brakes and struts.

Struts should be as easy as just hog out the bottom holes. Modern cars use Macpherson struts they all look similar just gotta test fit one on a knuckle.

For the brakes going to look for a similar sized rotor offset and close enough braket holes. Would be nice to use 4 piston Brembo calipers off a Acura Tl type S and some low metal racing pads.

 

FWIW, the convertibles and wagons used some of the biggest brakes fitted to the K based cars. If you can find a set of the brakes used on the DOHC shadows and some of the J body cars, they are for 16" wheels and are even bigger than the factory convertible front discs.

Keep in mind, the K cars and their "offspring" are heavier than a Honda or Subaru. Look at some of the Ford stuff, Taurus SHO, Lincoln Continental 1995 up, they have some big brakes and are Macpherson strut and on some of the Continentals, air springs (I have a 1995).

 

Not anymore the cars in the past decade are actually very heavy even the civic weighs as much as a Lebaron coupe.

And the Subaru Sti Weighs as much as the Maserati Tc

Dodge Aries only weighs 2500Lbs
Dodge 600 Convertible 2600Lbs

I think the Maserati Tc and the Dodge Lancer are the only ones that really get over 3000 pounds.

Modern cars are required to have 10 air bags and a bunch of extra technology weighing them down.

 

Updates
Ended up using the aftermarket fuel tank. Designed a way for a proper return so no more stalling in turns. Made a FYI thread already. Also replaced and cleaned seals so no more fuel tank leaks.

This way the return fills the sump

Guy who worked on it last used a ripped filler neck seal, smashed the vent hose, and put the filler neck in wrong. He somehow had the neck on the outside of the body.

Drove great then this happened...

Looks like he used generic fuel hose not Fuel Injection hose.

Replaced the fuel filter because I had one lying around. good thing too it was full of brown sludge.

Now it's ready for next spring 😆