Since I am back tracking through some old forums looking for Vert info, for a new build that involves one of Richard's T3s, I thought I would start compiling all the great posts from him that are sprinkled throughout the various forums and post them here, to be a more useful reference for those of us who love these little ragtops.
they will be put up in no random order, so just read through them.
here is the first
you use the wikipedia (and in my opinion incorrect) designation of generation 2. more precisely, the vert was produced in the mk2 type, 90-91, and the mk3 type, 92-93. the hood, front fenders, and lights (the lsi trim level composite type as all verts were lsi trim) are the same as the comparable year hatchbacks. the mk2 had the lower (more masculine) dash and charcoal interior. the mk3 had the later style dash with the half moon gauge cluster and interior plastic in a light gray. the airbag type steering wheel was the same across all years as were the seats.
there was a very minor production change in the top which pretty much goes unseen. there's a strap that supports the floating bow above the rear light (window) which used a steel loop and a snap on the earlier verts. that changed to a plastic compression clamp on the later verts. the plasic parts would break, the snap was more robust.
the headlights are the kind with the flush mounted lenses, not the recessed type that used the sealed beam lamps however those can be retrofitted to the vert. some people like them better.
the verts had small styling changes to the front and rear bumper covers. the front bumper mounting had a very small change between the mk2 and mk3. the rear bumper had a major difference in mounting between the mk2 and mk3 body types which makes a direct swap of the bumper covers a no go. the mk2 used a different tail light assembly which had the license plate located between the tail lights which provided illumination for the license. the mk3 had the license plate mounted low in the bumper cover with a plate illumination assembly separate from the tail lights. also, the mk3 had a filler panel or reflector between the tail lights.
a swap of the rear bumper and lights is a major undertaking which requires swapping the steel bumper support and welding to the rear valance panel between the tail lights to fit the rear parts between the mk2 and mk3 verts. also, the dash mounts and wiring harnesses don't interchange between the mk2 and mk3 types.
the doors are considerably different from the hatchbacks as the top window frame is removed on the verts and the a-pillar is made in such a manner as to mesh with the fronts of the doors. also, the side window glass and lift mechanisms as well as the windshield are vert specific.
the dash, console, and door panels are similar to the hatchbacks in lsi trim. the interior door pulls are a little different.
there are more differences in the chassis than it appears from a quick look. since the verts lack any mechanical support from a roof, the insides of the rocker panels are considerably more busy. under the rocker skins there are trusses that are fabricated to provide extra stiffness and they actually tie the front of the car to rear. that's why rusted rockers are often the demise of a vert. the chassis will actually fold in half if the trusses, or beams, rot away. the inner rockers of the hatchbacks are straight up and down, the verts' inner rockers are at about a 45* angle to cover the fabricated beam that runs the length of the rocker. look at the outside rocker skin on a vert and you'll see a weld seam almost to the rear of the door. the hatchbacks' rocker skins are seamless.
the rear of the chassis behind the doors is much different, too. the b-pillars wrap into a cowl that crosses from one side to the other and the step, or ledge, behind the seats provides a stiffner in the floor pan.
pretty much everything else on the chassis - suspension, engine, exhaust, etc. can be exchanged with the hatchback. the verts came with upgraded, vetilated front disc brakes that use a rotor over hub design with larger wheel bearings. the front knuckles are vert specific as well to handle the upgrades to the brakes. the verts also came equipped with a "sir" system (supplemental inflatable restraint or air bag) on the steering wheel with that supported by the ecu which also makes that vert specific. the verts also had 12mm wheel lugs and 13" wheels. all verts used the 4.39:1 ratio manual transmission, the automatics were the same as the base model with changes made to the atcu to control shift points based on engine rpm. all verts (lsi trim level) came equipped with tachometers.
that's pretty much the extent of the differences to that specific model. as a variant of the suzuki platform, the verts will pretty much accept any swift or swift gt parts and drive trains with some modifications. i've swapped manual transmissions to automatic cars, swift gt dohc 16v engines into factory g10 cars, turbo3 engines to them, 8 valve g13 engines, gt suspension components, 4 wheel disc brakes, gt bumpers, side skirts, head lights, hoods, grilles - all that stuff and it's a pretty straight forward deal to mix and match.
they will be put up in no random order, so just read through them.
here is the first
you use the wikipedia (and in my opinion incorrect) designation of generation 2. more precisely, the vert was produced in the mk2 type, 90-91, and the mk3 type, 92-93. the hood, front fenders, and lights (the lsi trim level composite type as all verts were lsi trim) are the same as the comparable year hatchbacks. the mk2 had the lower (more masculine) dash and charcoal interior. the mk3 had the later style dash with the half moon gauge cluster and interior plastic in a light gray. the airbag type steering wheel was the same across all years as were the seats.
there was a very minor production change in the top which pretty much goes unseen. there's a strap that supports the floating bow above the rear light (window) which used a steel loop and a snap on the earlier verts. that changed to a plastic compression clamp on the later verts. the plasic parts would break, the snap was more robust.
the headlights are the kind with the flush mounted lenses, not the recessed type that used the sealed beam lamps however those can be retrofitted to the vert. some people like them better.
the verts had small styling changes to the front and rear bumper covers. the front bumper mounting had a very small change between the mk2 and mk3. the rear bumper had a major difference in mounting between the mk2 and mk3 body types which makes a direct swap of the bumper covers a no go. the mk2 used a different tail light assembly which had the license plate located between the tail lights which provided illumination for the license. the mk3 had the license plate mounted low in the bumper cover with a plate illumination assembly separate from the tail lights. also, the mk3 had a filler panel or reflector between the tail lights.
a swap of the rear bumper and lights is a major undertaking which requires swapping the steel bumper support and welding to the rear valance panel between the tail lights to fit the rear parts between the mk2 and mk3 verts. also, the dash mounts and wiring harnesses don't interchange between the mk2 and mk3 types.
the doors are considerably different from the hatchbacks as the top window frame is removed on the verts and the a-pillar is made in such a manner as to mesh with the fronts of the doors. also, the side window glass and lift mechanisms as well as the windshield are vert specific.
the dash, console, and door panels are similar to the hatchbacks in lsi trim. the interior door pulls are a little different.
there are more differences in the chassis than it appears from a quick look. since the verts lack any mechanical support from a roof, the insides of the rocker panels are considerably more busy. under the rocker skins there are trusses that are fabricated to provide extra stiffness and they actually tie the front of the car to rear. that's why rusted rockers are often the demise of a vert. the chassis will actually fold in half if the trusses, or beams, rot away. the inner rockers of the hatchbacks are straight up and down, the verts' inner rockers are at about a 45* angle to cover the fabricated beam that runs the length of the rocker. look at the outside rocker skin on a vert and you'll see a weld seam almost to the rear of the door. the hatchbacks' rocker skins are seamless.
the rear of the chassis behind the doors is much different, too. the b-pillars wrap into a cowl that crosses from one side to the other and the step, or ledge, behind the seats provides a stiffner in the floor pan.
pretty much everything else on the chassis - suspension, engine, exhaust, etc. can be exchanged with the hatchback. the verts came with upgraded, vetilated front disc brakes that use a rotor over hub design with larger wheel bearings. the front knuckles are vert specific as well to handle the upgrades to the brakes. the verts also came equipped with a "sir" system (supplemental inflatable restraint or air bag) on the steering wheel with that supported by the ecu which also makes that vert specific. the verts also had 12mm wheel lugs and 13" wheels. all verts used the 4.39:1 ratio manual transmission, the automatics were the same as the base model with changes made to the atcu to control shift points based on engine rpm. all verts (lsi trim level) came equipped with tachometers.
that's pretty much the extent of the differences to that specific model. as a variant of the suzuki platform, the verts will pretty much accept any swift or swift gt parts and drive trains with some modifications. i've swapped manual transmissions to automatic cars, swift gt dohc 16v engines into factory g10 cars, turbo3 engines to them, 8 valve g13 engines, gt suspension components, 4 wheel disc brakes, gt bumpers, side skirts, head lights, hoods, grilles - all that stuff and it's a pretty straight forward deal to mix and match.
