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Per my experience with my Subaru engine .... you will not regret it
Wow Tom I was not expecting that from you. As you know I have been thinking about this switch for the last two years. Granted mine may be a brand new build...
I hear ya, my mechanical abilities are just above ... well zero. When I purchased my car in 2012 the thought was drive it to figure out what I want. Of course I (Carey) made tweaks over the winter, but the big one is a color change. If I am going Suby mine as well start from scratch. I am really partial to Stone Grey with wide fives and bumper overriders.
Tom, are you going to do the conversion yourself, or get someone else to do it?
Wow, Tom---what an idea! Listen to Tom Trahn---his Suby ended up great and is just a great power plant. And Carey sure knows how to out one into a Beck so it actually works.
I am anxious to ess the end result! Which model of engine would you use? David Stroud chose one of the most basic engines and used a single carb instead of EFI. It is still super fast and bulletproof---give Dave a call to discuss his rationaile for his choices.
Good on ya, buddy!
Jack
I'm just saying - wouldn't it be "hot glycol" running thru her veins?
As I mentioned a few days ago I'm re thinking my speedster. I've been contemplating the same conversion for a number of reasons. I've enjoyed the 1915 Raby Type 1, but I tire of taking my car 40 miles north to Ames whenever I need work done. I may let Tom forge ahead and then follow in his foot steps.
Tom what transmission are you thinking about using? I'd really like a 5th gear.
Would the suby conversion really be easier to own from a ownership and maintenance standpoint? I worry about having to troubleshoot and maintain a custom, modified, suby system. One nice thing about the air cooled setup is that it is simple and essentially stock. If it's really easy and reliable to own I'm sold...
Do you think a conversion is better route than just starting fresh?
Eager to learn more...
2110cc type 1 4sp vw 3:44 ,....now 2.5L nA subie & 5 speed subie tran Stock ECU!!! ...resulting in new tech and it should be less tinkering, ray
I look forward to the day my suby spyder shows up. I am praying that it really is as easy as turning the key, driving the car and doing oil changes.
Todd, turning the key and driving is pretty much the standard with a Suby engine under the bonnet. Oil changes are about all that are necessary to keep the hummer humming. With a mid-engine mounting, I have the stock M5 five speed installed as a tail shifter and with the "spyder" cables, the shift pattern is tight and precise. Actually, I sort of miss the three thousand mile service I did with the VS......NOT!
Yeah Hoss...that's what I'm talkin about! I am worried about shifting in the spyder. Seems to be the weak point from what I have heard...but Carey and I have discussed and I am 100% positive it shows up working perfect from his shop.
Beck and Intermeccanica both do well with Subaru implants in their cars.
I know Intermeccanica has sorted out this installation pretty well to perfection. I had seriously considered converting my 2004 Intermeccanica air cooled speedster (2332 c.c. CBPerformance engine) to a Subaru set up, before deciding to stay air cooled and go with a new 911 based build.
Although, I have owned my car for four summers now and have never had to touch the engine except for oil and filter changes (which I do myself) and valve adjustments (which I get done for me). The CBPerformance engine has run flawlessly and gives that completely authentic sound to the car.
A well built air cooled engine should not give you trouble or excessive maintenance demands.
Many of you know my Subaru powered car and have driven it. I'm now well into my third year of ownership and have had zero engine related problems. As I have dubious mechanical skills it's best for me to have a low maintenance car. I drive the car several times a week and it starts/performs like my daily driver .... I expect no less. Florida is getting hot so driving during the day is no longer as pleasant as during the winter. The only reason I stopped driving the car to work is because it would have to sit under the hot sun as we do not have covered parking. My only maintenance is changing the oil and keeping the car clean. The one annoying issue I have had with the car is with the clutch which we finally realized was due to faulty parts. I'm confident that has now been resolved. My decision to drive it or not is mostly weather related ..... not reliability.
Tom. Go with stock gearing and a 3.44 R&P and you'll be fine. 175hp will be an ample plenty. Spin wheels in first 2 gears easy.
TRahn. Glad you got the clutch straightened out. Take up on that clutch was MUCH too abrupt.
So that means a 5-speed? Do they have to swap the R&P? Anything fancy with the shift linkage?
The Subie five speed transmission is a joy to shift. My older Impreza has that, and it's great.
You will really like it, Tom.
So that means a 5-speed? Do they have to swap the R&P? Anything fancy with the shift linkage?
I don't think you can reverse the r&p, like in the type 1 and some type 2 transaxles. IIrc, there's an Australian company that has done a lot of r&d with transplanting Subaru engines and transaxles into other things, and has a reverse r&p made.
I was not aware that Beck was doing Suby trannies. I talked to Carey a couple of months ago about building me an outlaw suby and he did not mention it. I know IM is using suby trannies. Guess the shifter is the hardest thing to sort out since it is backwards from stock car.
I would think that a cable setup would be the easiest way to go there.
There is a company called Subaru Gears. They make a reversed R and P so the engine and trans can be installed Subaru backwards but Porsche/VW correct. They can build a trans or several places can install the new ring and pinion. Unless you find a 2wd trans, which are very rare, they also need to modify the 4wd mainshaft to work as 2wd. The mainshaft is actually two concentric shafts, for the front differential and the rear diff via a driveshaft. The mod makes the shafts lock together, thereby making a 2wd trans.
The conversion is $1900 in parts, plus the trans, plus labor, so figure $3k or so.
But IMHO, if you are doing a new build or a conversion, the ultimate way to go. The gearing is spot-on perfect for the engine, and it's a 5 speed(6 speed not available yet AFAIK). Plus it's already made for the Suby power, stock or modified. Also, you won't have any clutch woes or have to buy a Kennedy adapter($500-600). The Subaru trans has a neat little bolt-on clutch slave right to the bellhousing on top. It works VERY well, and it's cheap. One of the best shifting trans I've ever owned.
My 0.02
It makes sense to bolt a Subie engine to a Subie transmission and having 5 speeds is nice. The down side, of course, is the cost. Danny mentioned $3000, which I think is on the cheap side. I've seen prices as high as $5000.
A couple of years ago I took a water cooled IM (Audi turbo) for a short drive. I liked the engine/power, but I didn't think it went well with the VW 4 speed.
Hey, it's only a 'bit' more money. 
Great thread---smart stuff. Tom--I am certainly with you---anvil-like reliability is where it's at!
On the gearing, I am using a 4.12 R&P with a .82 4th gear with 25" tall tires. I feel as if I have the 5th gear that a 5 speed tranny would have, but with just 4 gears. I am loafing along at 3,500 RPMs doing 77 MPH. You have to have the torque to make this happen and most VW based engines don't provide the oomph to use such a combo. Most--certainly not all.
A tad off topic but I hope interesting just the same. I have taken my "new" Raby Type IV to the past 5 Carlilse events. I have recorded the MPG it is getting for each trip and it has gotten better each year;
2015, 2,685 miles, 29.2 mpg
2014, 2,653 miles, 27.8 mpg
2013, 2,943 miles, 26.4 mpg
2012, 2,626 miles, 26.0 mpg
2011, 2,584 miles, 25.0 mpg
With his new Suby, Tom will be seeing what Hoss sees with his Suby, 35-36 and sometines even more mpg.
Tom, your car is going to fly. I was working with Phil from Element tuning at the end of 2014. I got very close to pulling the trigger on this beast. I even gave the President of Stanistan an option to veto and to my surprise he did not. I then called uncle Henry in the NW and he talked me down from my street race aspirations into a mostly stock Legacy GT. There are good opinions on both sides of the fence. The younger guys lean toward the side of after market ECU and custom dyno tuning and the mature guys lean toward the side of caution and slightly modified stock ECU's.
The young guys IMHO are right(as this all matures) by having the abilty to really customize what you need and what you don't. The conservative approach will let you drive into any good mechanic and plug in and diagnose your engine on there computer. There is starting to be a lot aftermarket non stock performance support, but in the end, my comfort level fell with IM.
I can still get my new engine dyno tuned, it just won't have the race proven bits that are on this build sheet attached. 
Ron, you're right. It would be $5K for you guys, I'd buy the parts and slap them in myself, and save $3K......
Even cheaper, I could get the Subaflanges, which let you use VW or Porsche axles for $400, and $200 for the 4wd to 2wd lock. Then I could do a 5 speed(already have one) Suby conversion in my Spyder, no reverse R & P needed.
I hear ya, my mechanical abilities are just above ... well zero. When I purchased my car in 2012 the thought was drive it to figure out what I want. Of course I (Carey) made tweaks over the winter, but the big one is a color change. If I am going Suby mine as well start from scratch. I am really partial to Stone Grey with wide fives and bumper overriders.
That's such a beautiful combo why change it!
Rusty, that is not Joe's car. He has a Merlot Beck Speedster.
My Suby is mated with a Rancho Pro Transaxel geared for the Engine. +/- 3200 RPM @ +/- 75 MPH. I only miss a 5th gear because of all the years that I drove 5 speeds ..... must be muscle memory ...
This is my car, it most likely will be in Bremen over the winter and up for sale.
What are best color options for interior and top with stone grey?
SOCer out of NJ (Alan will know name) came to Pumpkin Run with a stone grey car with plum interior - great classic look.
