We love a bonkers engine swap around here, and if it has to have four wheels, we’re also pretty partial to kei vehicles in the RideApart offices. So, when something like this Suzuki kei van stuffed with the drivetrain from a GSX1250F pops up, we are absolutely the kind of people who pay attention.
Let’s start with the van, which is a Suzuki Super Carry. It’s painted in Rizla Suzuki blue, and has both a rising sun decal in the rearview window and a Rizla decal elsewhere on the body. It’s rear wheel drive, as you’d expect, and the engine (which the owner says has been detuned, although he didn’t give details) is located slightly behind the passenger seat.
The fuel tank—also taken from the donor bike—is mounted to the floor behind the driver’s seat. This little Carry also uses the six-speed gearbox from the bike, which is mounted to a carbon fiber stick shift up front.
As with the donor bike, there’s no reverse gear on this little van. So, when the owner or anyone he lets drive it needs to reverse, someone has to get out and push. The owner says that he’s started a project to install a reverse gear in the past, but got frustrated with it and set it aside to do later.
It’s still on his list of things he wants to accomplish, but for now, he says that he’s happy to get out and push (or have someone else do it for him). Since the van only weighs around 1,000 kilograms (about 2,204 pounds), he says it’s not such an onerous task.
Hilariously, there’s a shiny Yoshimura motorcycle exhaust sticking out from under the right side of the Super Carry. The owner says that when you’re driving it, the only way to really hear it is if you open the window—because you’re too busy hearing everything else. (Don’t worry—there's definitely an on-board portion of this video, not just a verbal walk-through of the modifications.)
Then comes the test drive portion of this video—and this mad little Suzuki Super Carry goes pretty quickly. According to YouTube channel Calvin’s Car Diary, which created this video, the 20 to 70 mph time is just under 11 seconds. CCD mostly reviews cars, and although it isn’t the fastest, it’s also definitely not last on the spreadsheet.
The real reason to watch, though, is of course the sound. Be sure to hook up your headphones so you can get the full effect when they go out for their test drive of this kei custom.
