I keep having people ask why I went/am going for a Subaru conversion.
So to answer these questions I'd like to give a back story, in my 20's I did up/restored a old 71 superbug. Spent the big dollars and got a base 1916 built by a very reputable engine builder.
Drove the car hard but not abusing it (always warmed up, no burnouts and always meticulously serviced) I only got 38,000k's out of said motor before the previously virgin cases cracked everywhere. (never been split before or machined according to the builder) Was only a 1641 when I sent it up to him. For a not small amount of money that is entirely a miserable value for dollar figure for me.
Now the cost of getting another motor built by a ''expert engine builder" nowadays is absolutely ludicrous.

Not to mention I was never satisfied by the 'power' the motor put out, or the constant struggle and researching of finding replacement parts that actually fit out of the box and/or do the job for longer than 15 minutes.

So I am now going the path of Subaru. Yes it will not be cheap to convert but in the end I will have a reliable fuel efficient buggy that I don't have to carry a swagger of tools and spare parts incase this breaks or that breaks etc. And when I was looking at donors I had seen at least a dozen cars with over 400k on them. As mine has only 180 I will be stoked to not have to pull the motor three times a year to fix another failed part.
The gear box is also in the same category by the way so I am fitting a Subaru gears box to match the motor.
As for claims of soulless and lacks character... I call bull sh!t on that. I would rather arrive at said destination soulless without breaking down due to some pos Chinese parts failure. And not worrying if I will make it.
Besides as an atheist I have no soul anyway!!
Hope this helps someone to make a educated non rose coloured glasses view on driveline choices for your vw.

Amen to that!
I still laugh when people say they want to build a aircooled engine!

X3 Up to my 5th conversion.

Doesn't mean I'm anti air-cooled, but 4 dead WBX engines = big $$$ in rebuild costs. Also air-cooled performance = big $$ again.

Horses for courses

Suits some people.
You can certainly get big reliable power.
Others, like me, enjoy old school induction.
To me, nothing is sweeter than the sound of a big block being fed by the big mouth of an Italian set of IDA's

But especially for a buggy, T3, etc it makes so much sense.
So many quality after matket stuff
Trouble with air cooled is the rubbish for sale

so swapping back to aircooled isn't as good of an idea?
Would I be better going with a newer subaru compared to the brumby motor?
I like the sound of an aircooled motor over subaru but I like the performance of the subaru over the aircooled.

Yes I already have an ea81 but I am thinking naturally aspirated wrx or similar or just a 1600 aircooled but I am still not sure.
Would I need a different adapter plate or not Its just thats not my feild of knowledge.
I have a basic knowledge of vw motors and have rebuilt one in the past with help from my uncle and it is still going strong today in his buggy but he lives around 700ks away from me.

ok, here we go.....I've ad a few largers ok.....but.........

I'm a young guy in the eyes of true vw dudes I think, but its been atleast 20 yrs on n off of my life playing with air cooled. I loved the idea of working with my hands , deconstructing, going off to Volksrestore and hassling (early days), hanging around and learning cool shit about VW's when i was young with no kids and money to burn, but now growing older and the cash factor i have finally said "fuck it ,"I'm going water" is kinda cool.
i took my kombi to stanthorpe for xmas and fuck dude the temp and road heat almost killed it , fully laden with camp gear n kids, constantly looking at temps n listening for engine hiccups , i got there a nervous wreck. So after a cool xmas n fun i came home and the next day ....BOOM subi EJ22 in my garage ready to fit. I'm too old to play with carbs, set timing, sync carbs blarghhh blarghhhh.....

iI know, I want the best of both worlds. old skool vw street cred but reliability to suit.... so yeah .....shit everyone else is doing so will I. i am in the process of converting to water cooled and I'm pretty happy....

the money to build air cooled or buy water is crazy difference so i think for reliability over air built is a no brainer..... fuck ..if my 400 buck EJ22 shits it self i can find another one for same price and smash it in within the hour..... its simples......

so thats my take, maybe its age and laziness or just waking up to the new age... but i aint going back anytime soon......

Definitely ea81 but it is ceased and has a crack in the block so its a new motor either way and it also had 556,783kms on it.

I've also decided to fit a Subaru motor and gearbox into the t3
I've just bought the donor car (an 04 Impreza RS with an ej25 SOHC)
I decided to do this because I would like more power (reliably), and the dogleg into first gear which the Vanagon has, is annoying the crap out of me. I'm also liking the fact that the ej25 has 5 main bearings, as opposed to the 3 that the Wasserboxer has.

This definitely hits a chord, I previously was against the idea of Subaru conversions into bugs or other dubs. But the innovation and quality of conversion parts available now is awesome, not to mention the power etc... The ease of maintenance and cost too is hard to beat as well.

I still enjoy working on my type 1 motor, but since having it pepped up a bit with twin carbs, compression and cam it is less enjoyable to own than when it was stock, even though I've only done minor work. There still however is an irresistible allure of a full WOT 2.0L with twin IDAs but not many of us can have more than one bug or enjoy the compromise that is trying to have daily drivability in a hot type 1 engine, that still excites like a screamer. The Subarus have the cake and eat it.

Would love to see an FA20 into a bug, I think there is only a buggy with one here, maybe an FA20T.

Keep dubbin' no matter what moves you!

So what are you all doing with all your old now "obsolete" air cooled engines then ???

I think you should box them up and send them to me, I'll give them a good home

Quote:

Originally posted by sander288 Would love to see an FA20 into a bug, I think there is only a buggy with one here, maybe an FA20T.

Well I'm glad you asked ! ......I'm always after good dual relief, 8mm cylinder stud cases
no matter if needing a line bore or have standard cylinder bore or enlarged for bigger cylinders

I donated mine to the local ship yard for use as a boat anchor... 😂
In all seriousness I sold almost all the bits that make a vw go pretty quickly, the rest of it was stripped to be recased by a mate. Still have the gearbox and bits and pieces though..

Is the gearbox any good?

Yeah there was nothing wrong with it mate, just wanted to fit the matching Subaru gear box to the motor. It has a 4.37 r/p to help with the bigger tyres.

Where are you, and how much do you want for it?

Thanks Denver, Hornsby is where I work, I live at Menai though. 450, the ring and pinion cost me 600 alone. Then I replaced all the seals and bearings.

I got my conversion on the road waaaay back in December 2004. It has now done 280'000klm's.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hG-RqS0P24 

it still puts a smile on my face every morning when I take my daughter to the bus stop.

So mine is at the driving stage now, just waiting on the engineer writing the report and getting rego done again.
I am stoked! The thing hauls ass now, deceptively quick and nice and quiet with a awesome note if I do say so myself!
The 5 speed makes it a pleasure to drive as does the torsen diff I had installed from Mr subarugears.
I even have a working proper heater now!

Hi,
I haven't posted in this thread for a while, but I have removed the EA82 and have now decided an ej20 will be a good cheap way to get my car going as my painter says it needs to be drive-able in and out of the booth so ej20 it is.
Any tips would be great and thanks in advance.
Thanks