Date: Sun, 8 Oct 2000 20:56:47 +1200
Reply-To: Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject: Subaruvanagon list & Vanagon-Caravelle Stuff
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Chris, there's a list devoted to Vanagons with Subaru engines. To join egroups
<www.egroups.com/group/subaruvanagon> Egroups will reply with a message you
reply to to join the subaruvanagon list. It's a small but growing list
which was started recently.
Rod Hadfield at Castlemaine Rod Shop can do an adaptor kit for most engines
<rodshop@castlemaine.net.au> or ph (03) 5472-2853.
Try also Bill Croft <bill@pnc.com.au>, who offered to make a Subaru adaptor
to fit a Porsche trans.
An outfit in Sydney, Brookvale Spares, doubtfully may be able to help. Fax
(02) 9938-3331, ph (02) 9938-5555
You could also try NV Motors. I talked to Nick (a Greek?), who said they
have done conversions using the ER27 engine; they have not done an SVX.
Sydney 9331-5889.
As far as power steering conversion is concerned, I shouldn't need a pump,
as a Subaru unit will work well with the VW rack and won't need adaptation
to the engine.
What I would need is a good rack (don't know whether the powered/nonpowered
tierods are the same) and a full set of good hoses from rear to front of
van. Any special hose brackets, and rack mounts if different to nonpowered.
One Aussie wrecker offered me a rack for $1000...way too much, as they can
sell for $125 in USA (of course I can't use an LHD US unit). My Bentley
manual for 80-84 vans doesn't cover power steering, so I have no details
about hose runs, supporting brackets etc.
I don't know about WRX conversions, except that any Legacy/Liberty adaptor
kit will fit it and also that the VW trans will soon go crunch, especially
if it's a Japanese-market Type RA 290hp unit such as I was offered. The
only real problem might be clearance of inlet tract and placement of
intercooler. If you don't mind modifying the engine cover, as mine is,
adding a vertical extension, clearance should be easy enough. The
intercooler I would think can be mounted just about anywhere, I imagine,
and if necessary a thermo or manually-switched fan fitted. Transporter
Spares in England fits intercooled 1.9TDi units, with the intercooler set
off to the right side of the block (of course the Subaru has a bank of
cylinders there).
I would think that the WRX engine produces sufficient torque at lower RPM
to do a good job, and would certainly push the van along as fast (or
faster) as you might want! However the SVX makes almost as much power as a
Japanese-market (and probably quite a bit more than an Aussie-market) WRX,
and there is no turbo plumbing to mess around with; and it should sound
really great, unlike the disjointed throb of the WRX. Either way you should
be happy, so long as you replace that VW trans. A Porsche 915 trans would
do the job, but they give trouble with synchros; a G50 would cost a bit
more but these are bulletproof (you'd need the short 87-89 unit) and 930
CVs with thick adaptor axles and 930-pattern Weddell stubaxles. The 915
will take your VW CVs but the thin VW or 915 axles are prone breakages.
Sway-a-Way I think it was offered me adaptor plates to put 930 CVs on the
915 trans.
KEP makes adaptor kits for Subaru engines to fit VW, 915 and G50 trans; all
use the same adaptor plate, but different flywheels. These are
off-the-shelf items. I believe the Oz manufacturers would have to make one
for you but suspect the KEP unit will give better satisfaction.
I have investigated using a front-drive trans, but Audi and Subaru
transmissions don't have flipable diffs; a Subaru trans can't be used
upsidedown without adding a scavenge pump, I'm told, and doing so with an
Audi trans will drop your engine to groundscraping level. The Subaru diff
housing cannot be modified to invert the diff and the diff center is the
wrong height for the VW axles anyway. And I am told Subaru trans are prone
to failure, both manuals and especially autos; this includes WRX.
If you want a flat engine and heaps of go, go Subaru. If you're happy with
adequate but limited power the TiiCO Kit should be okay. "Affordable"
Porsche engines are all aircooled, so no heating. Another option, if you
want diesel power with go, is the 2.2 2C-T Toyota. Based on the 1C 1.8 and
2C 2.0 SOHC, this turbo unit can be found in some 90s Liteace vans but
these are upright and would need some adapting to fit. In the Estima
(called Previa outside Japan and for some reason Tarago in Oz) the engine
lies flat under the floor and should be a cinch to fit to the T3. I've
driven a diesel Estima, and it accelerated strongly in 4th up a goodly
slope from 60kmh. On the flat it ran up to 160 quickly and felt like it had
plenty still to go. If I hadn't gone for the SVX I probably would have gone
the Estima route, though I'd have had to have an adaptor kit made from
scratch. I know someone with a diesel Estima taxi and he swears it'll beat
any other taxi up a long slope...with a full load of passengers and trailer
full of airport luggage. Another good option: DOHC 3.0 Toyota V6 (avoid
Nissan and Mitsubishi engines, I'm in the taxi business and know that these
manufacturers' engines give trouble, whereas Toyota's don't). Shame the
twin-turbo Supra engine's not a V!
Regards
Andrew
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