If you are itching to dive into someone else’s personal hell of a unique but 84% finished project, boy do we have a deal for you! This 1999 Kia Sportage has lost whatever sad sack engine powered it from the factory and it has gained a tried and true 350ci Chevy small block. No, not an LS engine but an actual 23-degree headed small block. It has also gained some gauges, a Mopar super stock looking hood scoop, and a twin snorkel air cleaner that has to be worth some serious power, because two. Anyway, we digress.
The Kia is for sale in Maine and frankly this looks about as Maine as it gets. We mention that fact because outside of the obvious stuff that needs to be spruced up so that you do not die in a n electrical fire, there’s the potential that this thing looks like the bottom of a lobster boat when you look underneath it. Maine = winter. Winter =salt. Salt on a Kia = a disappearing Kia. That’s some Yankee math for you right there.
The seller is asking about $2,700 bucks for the rig, which does run and drive. In the bonus points for honesty category we have statements like, “Not the cleanest job for sure,” and “Has electric cooling fan that doesn’t seem to move enough air, temp creeps up when driving in hot temps.” Again, credit where it is due to the seller for the full disclosure.
The big question now is how far could you beat the seller down and how much fun would this be when it was working right and looking less like a meth delivery vehicle and more like a sleeper. Hmmmm…..
EBAY LINK: 350CI CHEVY POWERED KIA
That thing is sketchier than a rerun of SNL. Plus you could build one just like it for half the money getting parts from CL locally.
I’m sure you can get him to down to $2K. Definitely needs a rewire, looks like spaghetti in the car.