1999 Kia Sportage - Gambler 500 Ride

While in Virginia over Christmas I sold my brothers on doing the Florida Gambler 500.  I should note that I should be working on any number of my RX-7s, V8 RX-8 project or barracuda but this is something new and should be easy so I jumped on the internets.  At first I found an easy button gen 2.5 Montero but they wanted an Amigo or something convertible and I like oddball vehicles.    

I found a 1999 Kia Sportage convertible 5 speed 4x4 on FB Marketplace and bought it.  Initial evaluation found the synchros are crunchy, the shocks are blown, the body mounts are gone, it needs an alignment, and it leaks oil. Also the dash lights didn't work and the heater core is bypassed. 

Greg Voth said:

Initial evaluation found the synchros are crunchy, the shocks are blown, the body mounts are gone, it needs an alignment, and it leaks oil. Also the dash lights didn't work and the heater core is bypassed. 

  

Wow, it sounds like a gem!  

PS: it also looks like the front clip is not the original and the front bumper has been replaced too.  Alloys are mis-matched. 

Inspiration:  

First order of business was changing the fluids.  I tried some redline NS in the trans which is supposed to help the crunchy synchros.  It didn't. 

I relocated the ECU off the passenger floor, and extended the rear axle breather up behind the rear tail lights.  Also bypassed the dimmer switch to get the dash lights working again.

I picked up a set of TJ rear springs for $20 from the local Jeep shop and threw them in the rear along with a set of new TJ front shocks that have been sitting in my garage for ten years. 

I was looking for cheap body mounts options found a set of Monte Carlo urethane body mounts on Amazon for about $25 which ended up working out surprisingly well. 

You can see where the body was sitting and bouncing around on the shock mount.

In reply to John Welsh :

You are correct. No real damage. Some splitting on the fiber glass bumper support and I did an epoxy fix on the grill and headlight mount.  

I've got a theme in mind... The colors are nearly as offensive.

I ended up ordering a front struts spacer from upyourkia.com to lift the front.

I also found a set of rims for $125 and tires for $220. They don't recommend anything larger than a 31" but the tires were like new and cheap so I ended up with 32x11.5 r15 mud terrains. 

Turns out your can't fit 4 rims, 4 32" tires and two ladders in a Chevy Cruze.

 In the meantime I installed an idler arm, the front lift spacers and new KYB stuts and Moog springs which left it looking like this. 

Simultaneously raising a Kia and lowering property values. The tarp is because the rear window is busted and the top leaks. 

This is where it gets interesting. I had the tires mounted and balanced then threw them on to find that I can barely turn the wheel. 

​​​​​

​​​​This is with the wheel about a quarter of a turn. 

This is where I am sitting at now. I've removed the front fenders and liners.  The plan is to cut and hammer.  Also possibly try a small body lift. 

Also made this little sheet metal diverter around the air intake to hopefully keep water from pouring in while fording water.  Time will tell if it works.  

At first I thought the tires you got were too big.  But then I figured, no, it's the body that is at fault.  

Interesting project.  Curious what it ends up looking like.

I really like how this is going. Is it sawzall time?

Sawzall/cutoff hammer time for sure. 

This is the clearance I am dealing with with the fenders removed. 

I don’t think i knew these existed.  

In reply to Patrick :

I was aware of them but mainly because the block is related to the Miata motors and the front diff is a cheap way to get a 4.77 small Mazda rear end.  

They are full frame with a real transfer case. Kinda fun to drive in a Geo Tracker, Samurai kind of way.  It is essentially the size of a Miata.

Didnt they have a horrible crash rating or something?

Do some Google searching on what Toyota Tacoma guys are doing to solve tire clearance issues. I'm pretty sure they have the same issue on those trucks when running 35"+ tires. I think they cut the front corner of the cab off and weld in a piece of flat plate to cover the hole. Should be easy to do on a cheap Gambler rig that you don't really care about. Then trim the fenders to clear as well.

Greg Voth said:

In reply to Patrick :

I was aware of them but mainly because the block is related to the Miata motors and the front diff is a cheap way to get a 4.77 small Mazda rear end.  

The FE3 motor is a Mazda piece but not related to the Miata engine. It's closer to the B2200 truck and Probe F2T motors. Interestingly, we never got that engine here in the US in any Mazda products, only Kia Sportages. This motor has been swapped into Miatas but was never popular, due to the fact that the engine is fairly rare, the swap is pretty involved, and the engine in stock trim makes the same as the later Miata BP 1.8Ls (Some guy mixed and matched parts to build a 2.3L FE3 and made a whopping 160 crank horsepower, or a whole 20hp gain). Some people insisted that the FE3 was better for boosted applications, but guys make 300hp on the BP family frequently and there are 400-600hp combos running around, and even an 800+hp BP-4W with stock block and crank

Greg Voth said:

In reply to Patrick :

 the front diff is a cheap way to get a 4.77 small Mazda rear end.  

 

Veteran Cheater advice, there.

A little bit of cutting hammering and trimming.

As opposed to the uncut side....

I might be a little ocd so I had to smooth the fender cut radius.

It might need more cutting anyhow since I quickly found out it's still making contact on the passenger side when turning. 

Next step is an alignment to see how much bigger of a hammer I need or of its time to cut/weld.

That clearance will change as the suspension articulates as well.  And as it articulates and is in 4 wheel drive and the front wheels pull the suspension around. 

Hammer away!

When and where is this Florida gambler 500 you speak of.  How much is it?

Loosen body mounts and see if you can shift the whole deal back on the frame?  

pimpm3 said:

When and where is this Florida gambler 500 you speak of.  How much is it?

Search Florida Gambler 500 on Facebook (if your on it). If not it I can send you the info. It is a free event through the Ocala National Forrest on April 13 and 14.

In reply to Patrick :

Good idea! But I think I'd have to open up the holes. There's no adjustment in there currently.  

pimpm3 said:

When and where is this Florida gambler 500 you speak of.  How much is it?

Lifted from Facebook:

The start and finish are at the Hard Rock Cycle Park at 6849 NW Gainesville Road, Ocala, FL 34475. Camping available Friday & Saturday night for $10 per tent. Registration is day of and free. The majority of information necessary is on the Gambler 500 Florida page. Look over the announcements, scan the posts, phone a friend for a lifeline, or just come out and figure it out. Fun>Rulez.

Saturday, April 13, 2019

6:00 AM - 7:30 AM

Registration opens at dawn at Hard Rock. Early registration available the night before. Day/01 checkpoints available.

8:00 AM - 8:15 AM

Drivers meeting, day/01. MANDATORY. 29.2603, -82.1747

8:30 AM

Parade to first checkpoint, Ocala Downtown Square. Hooptie points assigned. 29.1866, -82.1364

12:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Lunch at Lake Mary (optional). 29.0732, -81.8325

9:00 PM

No Saturday cut-off, but really? Are'nt you ready for a beer?

Sunday, April 14, 2019

6:00 AM

Day/02 checkpoints available.

7:00 AM

Drivers meeting, day/02. (optional, but encouraged). 29.2603, -82.1747

12:00 PM

Lunch at Lake Delancy (optional). 29.4266, -81.7896

4:00 PM

Course cutoff. Head back to start.

5:00 PM

Deadline to surrender point sheet to Judges.

6:00 PM

Awards ceremony. 29.2603, -82.1747

This looks like a job for the TrailerParkCet.  Just add some swamper tires.   

Oohh that would be awesome!  Unfortunately the engine is sitting in my garage in preparation to go in my s10.

Can I use my wrangler or is the whole point driving off road in something ridiculous.

In reply to pimpm3 :

my understanding is they're all 'independent events'... but this should give a flavor:

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/feel-lucky-the-2018-texas-gambler-500/136980/page1/