Should I build the orphaned Pick-up?

Well, I almost have the powers that be convinced to take on what should be a VERY interesting project that I can feature here as we make progress!  We have an orphaned Mini Pick-up shell in FIBERGLASS that was custom-ordered with a bit of an “Extra Cab” and correspondingly shorter bed… Only about four inches, so not drastic, But a nice bit of extra room for seat adjustment for my six foot frame!   I have a few ideas, and welcome any of your suggestions as to what to build!

One thought I have is to look for a Suzuki Samurai donor, and build a Mini “Monster Truck” 4 wheel drive!  This is a totally new aftermarket body shell that has a bit of shipping damage too, so I shouldn’t have any griping about “ruining” an original rare pick-up.  There is a thought about doing a Honda VTEC, justifiable for the same reasons, but for some reason, those have not particularly appealed to me!

I have been considering building a “998 on steroids” if you will….  the availability (actually the lack there-of!) of 1275 units to build these days has me rethinking the viability of a serious 998!   I’ve always advised people to build a 1275 if they are going to bother….  just plain old more bang for the buck!   A tiny engine still has all the same parts, and if you’re spending several thousand dollars, you’d much rather end up with 70-80 HP over 20 -30 from a 998!

So maybe I can go BIG with some .130″ oversize pistons that are supposed to be for the 1098 from Australia, which was supposed to have extra-thick cylinder walls!  I know they break right through the walls of the INLINE 1098…. we had someone try them, but apparently the 998 A+ might accept that piston!  Let’s see  2.54 + .130= 2.67 (hmm, only .110″ smaller  than a 1275 standard bore!)…. So even with the nice short stroke of a 998….  Volume = pi x r-squared x stroke x 4 cylinders, so that’s 67.16 cubic inches or right at 1100cc!

Why not just go with a 1098?  It has a horribly long stroke… same as a 1275!  IMHO, the worst combination of any of the A series engines for performance use.  The silver dollar pistons just don’t allow any valve size, so (again IMHO) just a terrible combination unless your objective is to cross the outback – slowly!  And, a bonus with the way overbored 998, I can fit the standard 1275 aluminum head without any block mods!

Lets go have a look at the poor truck, tarped up outside….  My personal feeling is that you would rather get progress updates about a project like this over endless emails about the “greatest sale ever”