Been a while...  2 years off the road (yet still paying registration and insurance for 2 years) due to crushed-in firewall at the clutch cable mounting point from a stiff clutch cable.  Have no clue how to fix this first to get it started drivable again.  And once it's drivable, there is also the fact it has run like crap for a year before that, even after some top end work that was done;, after multiple crankshaft keyway fixes it still wobbles, the AC uses R12 which is impossible to repair in California anymore, the engine runs hot in the summer now... bottom line, there is a long list of under-the-hood related items that could be solved with a blank-slate approach.  Been wishing a long time for a VW diesel swap but no clue where to start especially since I live in CA, what would be required to make it exempt so that it is still street legal.

To top it off, in October 2015 I picked up a new Ram 1500 Ecodiesel and have been spending too much time on that forum.  This truck has also got me addicted to diesel and turbo noises now.
Been reading up lately on a 2014-2015 Chevy Cruze 2.0TD to drive around, to satisfy that hunger and help me stay out of trouble with the G8 GT I currently drive around. 
As of late, I have also started wondering how this engine would perform in a 4x4.  That LUZ engine seems like a good powerplant and lightweight enough for a Zuk,  comparable to a VW.
Now, there is a complete donor vehicle 2hrs south of me on Craigslist, 19k miles and dirt cheap.

Anyone seen one of these frankenstein'ed into a Tracker/Sidekick/Samurai?  Looking for some thoughtful input.