95 euro GM minivan factory 1.9 diesel info?

[stillsearching]

I'm trying to track down information concerning something I stumbled across, hopefully there's some european readers here who might have a clue.

In 1995 the GM Lumina APV/Pontiac Trans Sport/Oldsmobile Silhouette (which by that time I think was only sold as the Trans Sport anymore) apparently came with a 1.9L turbodiesel in europe. It also had a 5 speed manual transmission only available in europe. I can find almost no information beyond the single lines of information wikipedia told me Pontiac Trans Sport - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia which let me post this.

After finding out the early Trans Sport had the best factory aerodynamic figure (apparently 0.30) which has ever existed on a minivan, I started wanting to clone one for US use. :)

I am trying to verify or find places to get the following information:

- What exact engine it actually was (though I am guessing a PSA XUD - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ) and what other cars this came in, specifically ones that made it to the US (in specific i'd prefer the 2.1 TD which being the same family I assume should be a bolt in replacement)

- What exact transmission was used in europe along which which vehicles THAT came in, specifically ones that made it to the US. I'm hoping I wouldn't have to import a european transmission but could simply find out the cars which came with them and use that here. Unless the Citroen/Peugeot engine bolts up to a US transmission like the Getrag manual from earlier lumina sedans or the euro transmission had some bellhousing used with a bunch of different engines i'm assuming I will be looking for a Citroen/Peugeot car.

- What forum/boards are specifically familiar mechanically with the 1st generation GM U-platform/GMT199, including in european trim. Specific information i'd need to track down is what other parts would be necessary for the changeover. I'm guessing european motor/transaxle mounts, clutch assembly, clutch/brake assembly at the minimum. I might be able to pull a clutch/brake assembly from a US lumina car with a stick though. It's possible I could improvise or adapt but part of the reason for eyeing the eurodiesel origin is to not have to fabricate or improvise. I'm hoping my first diesel swap to be... successful, instead of frustrating and abandoned.


There are ALOT of things I like about this potential swap option. Both the vehicle it would go into including it's spaceframe and plastic sides and handling of the Pontiac version and it's styling (I actually like the Dustbuster and always have, don't understand why US people rejected it... it looks futuristic to me NOW like a Star Trek space shuttle, though 20 years ago maybe it wierded people out) and the diesel engine itself, which many report to be one of the most reliable, powerful, economical, light, and yet reasonably inexpensive to fix diesels out there with endless praise - ahead of it's time. It's ALSO indirect injection, which means SVO/biodiesel experiments!

But I dont want to get too excited until I see how hard it is to even find the right info. Unlike the majority of swaps, this should in theory use all factory parts without fabbing, just finding the right parts to order and bolt up.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

You can use the pedals assembly of a Lumina sedan, no problem. If the transmission is a 5-speed Getrag, it also works with the Peugeot engine if you can manage to get one back there in America.