VW or Subaru transaxle with your Subaru, Soobie, Sooby, Subi , Suby engine?

Depends on the car you are installing the Suby engine? I have used and will be using a special built VW based 4 speed transaxle that Rancho builds that was designed and geared to match the Subaru power and torque curve. I had great results with this in a Speedster. The trans. is called a Pro Comp Suby transaxle and is built in a new rhino case with special taller gearing. Carey of Special Edition has gone to 5 speed transaxles of some type in the cars he produces but they build the frame and car to accommodate the non VW transaxle. I am sure you will get other posts with additional info.

I prefer the Subaru transmission when the chassis or suspension allows for it, but there's nothing wrong with a PROPERLY built and geared VW either.  The problem with the VW route is that is takes about $5k worth of parts/gears to do it right, and many won't spend that.  I've had 2 clients use a standard "pro-street" VW box against a Suby motor, one made it 6 months, the other about 18 months, but both grenaded internally.  With our Pro-Suby (pro-drag with custom gearing to match the Suby motor) we've only had 2nd gear slider failures (common issue that is now corrected, hopefully for good), and the common gear whine (from straight cut gears, just like a cup car).

We use the Subaru 5 speed against all of our Subaru builds except in 2 cases.  1) Spyder.  Our spyder will likely always be swignaxle and therefore will use the VW type transaxle.  2) a big turbo build.  We can build a stronger VW box than we can a 2WD Subaru box in most instances, so for a big turbo motor I prefer to see them against a VW, custom geared, as it is stronger and will likely last a lot longer.

Just keep an ear open for that 5th gear bearing.

We're now requiring that all mid engine Subaru gearboxes be rebuilt, so hopefully that takes care of any gear/bearing issue.  Unlike the converted rear engine boxes, the mid engine boxes are just converted to 2WD so there should be no oiling issues in the gears do to reverse direction and oil flow.

A suby transmission in a car without a frame built for it, like with VW frame horns, moves the engine back and up, which doesn't work in a Speedster.

@chines1 posted:

We're now requiring that all mid engine Subaru gearboxes be rebuilt, so hopefully that takes care of any gear/bearing issue.  Unlike the converted rear engine boxes, the mid engine boxes are just converted to 2WD so there should be no oiling issues in the gears do to reverse direction and oil flow.

What's the gearing of the Subaru boxes you're using, Carey?

@chines1 posted:

I prefer the Subaru transmission when the chassis or suspension allows for it, but there's nothing wrong with a PROPERLY built and geared VW either.  The problem with the VW route is that is takes about $5k worth of parts/gears to do it right, and many won't spend that.  I've had 2 clients use a standard "pro-street" VW box against a Suby motor, one made it 6 months, the other about 18 months, but both grenaded internally.  With our Pro-Suby (pro-drag with custom gearing to match the Suby motor) we've only had 2nd gear slider failures (common issue that is now corrected, hopefully for good), and the common gear whine (from straight cut gears, just like a cup car).

We use the Subaru 5 speed against all of our Subaru builds except in 2 cases.  1) Spyder.  Our spyder will likely always be swignaxle and therefore will use the VW type transaxle.  2) a big turbo build.  We can build a stronger VW box than we can a 2WD Subaru box in most instances, so for a big turbo motor I prefer to see them against a VW, custom geared, as it is stronger and will likely last a lot longer.

Thanks Carey,
I'm ignorant. I didn't realize the difference in Beck and Vintage Spyders rear suspensions.
I've also just combed through some other internet posts,
So I'm assuming a Subaru transaxle doesn't work with a Beck VW torsion assembly for rear suspension, which is more close to the original 550 Spyder?


I screwed up the initial post;
my question should have referenced the Subaru transaxle being used in a Beck 550 Spyder with a Subaru engine.

@Jimmy V. posted:

Depends on the car you are installing the Suby engine? I have used and will be using a special built VW based 4 speed transaxle that Rancho builds that was designed and geared to match the Subaru power and torque curve. I had great results with this in a Speedster. The trans. is called a Pro Comp Suby transaxle and is built in a new rhino case with special taller gearing. Carey of Special Edition has gone to 5 speed transaxles of some type in the cars he produces but they build the frame and car to accommodate the non VW transaxle. I am sure you will get other posts with additional info.

Thanks,

I screwed up the initial post;
my question should have referenced the Subaru transaxle being used in a Beck 550 Spyder with a Subaru engine.

Suby in my book.

Luddite question: Can you flip an adapter and use a Suby trans on a VW engine and get a cheap 5 speed out of the deal? With the required chassis mods that is.

BITD, it was a popular upgrade to a 2002 to put in a 320i 5 speed. But relatively few mods were required.

Subarugears.com does the reverse ring and pinion. It isn't cheap though. None of the well-built and lasting options are.

@americanworkmule posted:

Thanks,

I screwed up the initial post;
my question should have referenced the Subaru transaxle being used in a Beck 550 Spyder with a Subaru engine.

Not an option.

We have just over 300 miles on our Speedster #2 with Subaru engine and Subaru 5 speed transmission, if you are doing a Subaru Engine I prefer the Subaru transmission for multiple reasons. 1st the gearing is just right for the engine 2nd 3rd and 4th are really fun gears it just works right . 2nd reason is the proper engine mounting with the Subaru gears kit in a VW chassis no "ass dragging" as I call it when you bolt a Subaru motor to a stock VW engine mount set up in a VW chassis even with a shortened oil pan it hangs down to much and I have seen oil pans get damaged . 3rd the use of the stock Subaru clutch, Starter no adapter plate needed.

Greg

@VSpyder posted:

We have just over 300 miles on our Speedster #2 with Subaru engine and Subaru 5 speed transmission, if you are doing a Subaru Engine I prefer the Subaru transmission for multiple reasons. 1st the gearing is just right for the engine 2nd 3rd and 4th are really fun gears it just works right . 2nd reason is the proper engine mounting with the Subaru gears kit in a VW chassis no "ass dragging" as I call it when you bolt a Subaru motor to a stock VW engine mount set up in a VW chassis even with a shortened oil pan it hangs down to much and I have seen oil pans get damaged . 3rd the use of the stock Subaru clutch, Starter no adapter plate needed.

Greg

Thanks Greg,
I'm ignorant. I didn't realize the difference in Beck and Vintage Spyders rear suspensions. The internet posts I was reading appears to be owners putting Subaru transaxles in their Vintage Spyders

I screwed up the initial post; I don't know how I got this under the Topic of Speedsters Mechanical.
My question should have referenced the Subaru transaxle being used in a Beck 550 Spyder with a Subaru engine.

@americanworkmule posted:

So I'm assuming a Subaru transaxle doesn't work with a Beck VW torsion assembly for rear suspension, which is more close to the original 550 Spyder?

correct, Suby is IRS, which is standard in our Suby Speedster and Coupes, but not an option for our Spyder.  Yes, the Beck rear suspension is an exact copy of the original 550 suspension, with the addition of heavier torsion bars, delrin/urethane bushings and adjustable spring plates.

@americanworkmule posted:

was there ever a consensus on which terminology would be preferred when referring to a Subaru, Soobie, Sooby, Subi , or Suby?

Any of those are acceptable. Just not "Subbie."

The guys I used to race with always called their cars Scoobies 🙂