Subie conversion

Has anyone besides Rich--the chap in GB/UK actually done a conversion and is it as easy as sales people would have you believe. Two things about the 60 yr old VW powerplant. It is not real efficient and is a horrible polluter. Builders of Subie powered cars would have you believe that this is really the only way to go. My concerns are---the CPU, exhaust, cooling and adapter to the transaxle. (I heard Kennedy makes one) n And of course what about motor mounts. Are there factory adapters.
I know this might appear sacreligious but sometimes newer seems better.

There is a guy here in Oklahoma, a long time owner of a VW powered CMC, that is doing the conversion. Word is that he is doing a top notch installation (pics appear that way). I hope to see the car this summer. You can contact him through the Oklahoma Kit Car Club.
www.okkitcar.com/

ralph, go to "shoptalkforums.com", vw aircooled nuts.
search under "conversion perversions" for subie installations
there a couple of beauties. Also the inline vw rabbit engine
could be an option.

Bruce;
I found www.vanbran.com/bug/conversion_main.htm
on the site you recomended. I think i learned that as usual things are not as easy as they seem. When I need a new motor I will go that route but not b4. Thanks for the lead.
Ralph

Aw come on Ralph, its not a 60 year old engine --- its only 40. The ~1970 vintage you could say had 30 years of improvements. The T4 is propably the most refined version. The advantage is, of course, you can get parts anywhere in the world for low cost.

Yah Wofie!
But Subie's can give you 100k trouble free miles. TOday's cars routinely go 200k. A friend has a Miata with 296k on it---same motor. TOday's technology is better. But I wil run this little 1776 untill it gives out. Because I missed out on Knotts cause of a tech glitch I was really pissed but now I have forgiven her and all is well again in the family. One thing tho, don't you get tired of all the attention? I am in a hurry at a market the other day and a guy starts to tell me his life experiences with Porscehs. How do you end that spiel without seeming like a jerk? ANd today a teenager walking thru the crosswalk tells me I have a beautiful car and I just wave and he says "ANd you know it!" as if I am some conceited beauty pagent winner. No, I guess I am just tired of saying thank yoiu and I thouhgt a wave and a smile was an adequete response to his gesture.

Jim, send me your mailing address. I've completed your V8 conversion. Dale

Buy a Miata and get over the pain.

Dale, I told you "I could have had a V-8!" But I meant for breakfast at your place a couple of weeks ago. What I want in my Speedster is an old Hudson Straight Eight sitting center frame for a 50/50 balance, the cockpit completly smoothed over with no windshield, and me laying curled up under the gas tank driving by cameras hidden in the front and rear hives. Do you think I can get it titled in Utah?

Are you going for the dual carbs on the Hudson?

Actually John the twin H thing only came on the Hudson 6, the 8 was the hi torque cruiser for older gentlemen.

I had a Twin H Powered Hudson Jet when I was 14... first car. I rebuilt the 6 with parts from JC Whitney. It had the slush-o-matic, stick shift on the tree automatic. Sold it, bought a bug, then a 56 Chevy at 16.

Hey Jim:
I have a friend who has a 200MPH Miata that gets lots of attention. OVer 300 Super CHarged HP. Stiil a Miata and so not for me, but visisted with an engine builder that can get 500hp out of a Subie. I am thinking 200HP would be nice, biut it is in the future---after the roll bar. Then when any Porschephile says its not real, wave good bye as you turn 0-60 in about 5 seconds.
I spent the past week in San Francisco area where the weather was terrific. WHat a great place to have a Speeder. ANd now I am back in the rain looking at my garage Queen under her cover.

You want a scoobie builder? hp? what? These guys are fairly well known... their m3 was in the gumball 3000 and on the poster.

www.vividracing.com

I think my plan now is to throw my type 4 from my 914 into the speedster and put a subaru engine in the 914.

Our first Suby is getting there... supposed to be done today... we'll see...

We built the roller, and the EJ22 conversion is being performed in Colorado. I was supposed to head out today for the maiden voyage, but have TOO much going on so my father went solo.
I expect a report from him by the end of the week and will update as soon as I hear from him.

Best regards,

Carey

Carey:

You using a VW tranny and something like a KEP adapter plate????

That looks pretty neat, I have the same questions about how you decided to do it? Pictures, details we likey suby.

Guys,

I'll post more details when I have them...
Trans. is our standard Rancho Pro Street, most everything else has been scratch built. (i.e. exhaust, mounts, harness, sump, etc)

Carey

I've only done GM V6's in VW's, old skool technology and a lot of weight . . . but still a ball!

I'd LOVE to try a Subie conversion next, but I know nothing as far as the best engine to use, and such. Can they be converted to carburetor? How about aftermarket distributors and such? Can I repair the engine myself, or do they requite a dealer/tech/etc. to handle the task? Are they susceptible to exhaust length/diameter quirks and such like the VW's? Are there high performance parts available like cams and big bore kits?

Any help at ALL to help me move into this power plant arena would be a really great start and much appreciated. It's plain that these engines hold all the potential right now, I'm just wholly unfamiliar with them other than seeing them as a boxter configuration with a lot of mystery surrounding them.

Thanks ! !
TC

www.cobbtuning.com/tech/sohc/index.html

The main upgrades to a stock engine are the heads, cam, and turbo if you want to go that far? This guy is one of the largest tuners/modifiers

Steven,
Thanks for the site info.
When dad got to CO the exhaust wasn't perfected, and there were a few bugs to work out (3rd radiator selection, warning lights, etc).
Neither of us had time to make it back to CO since, and I believe the car has been dellivered to the customer. Everyone loved it.
The guys that did the swap couldn't say enough good things about it... soooo... I have an engine in route to my shop, and I will do a conversion myself, on my own car.
I have gutted my speedster (engine and interior) for some much needed upgrades and will tackle the EJ22 swap as soon as I have a spare moment.
I am dead set on having it finished while it is still warm out, so it is highest priority of all the "extra" tasks I get myself into...

Luke at BSC just e-mailed me some pic's of the conversion.
They test drove it this week-end. They were very impressed.
Mine will be done in 3 weeks. Can't wait!

Glen

http://homepage.mac.com/l.richards/PhotoAlbum1.html

very cool TUBARU