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Subie into split (spubie?)
matt510 - August 7th, 2012 at 07:56 AM

Hi guys - Long time lurker first time poster here on aussieveebubbers. Love the site, lots of awesome info.

Getting to the point, ive got a 63 split and am looking to convert to a subie powerplant for a couple reasons (reliability, noise, power, reliability etc). I have a donor suburu liberty RS (early non-turbo version) for the powerplant. Im not worries about the ECU or electronics (i've already got a Haltech ECU from a previous project that will work just fine).
I have an adaptor plate and flywheel to mount the kombi trans to subi engine already.

Ive done a few engine swaps in the past, but im a total VW novice so id love to know whats available as far as engine mount kits (i see tons of info for later model vans, not much for the splittie though) and radiator mounts. How much (if any) cutting am i going to need to do to the engine bay area?

The reduction gears have already been removed and i have bay IRS up back already (and front disks) if that makes a difference.

What about exhaust kits, anything available or am i going full custom?

Thanks in advance for the knowledge guys !


ian.mezz - August 7th, 2012 at 09:06 AM

try boof , i think his did a bus,


pete wood - August 7th, 2012 at 10:35 AM

el-concreto got a subaru EJ22 I think. It's a singlecab ute, but it got minimal trimming with the SOHC engine from memory. I'll try and find the thread for you.


pete wood - August 7th, 2012 at 10:40 AM

here it is....

http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=81708&page=1 

BTW, as to where to put the radiator, I took a pic under the nose of my bro's 67 split a few years back and concluded it was the easiest place to fit the rad. You'd need some ducting and the like, but it should work well there. Can't give you more specifics than that tho as he never went ahead with the engine swap... coward. :no:


matt510 - August 7th, 2012 at 01:40 PM

Thanks Pete. There looks to be plenty of room between the rails to fit a nice rad so i'm not too worried about where to fit it, was hoping there might be a mount kit out there for the engine though. Also do you think it too much to ask to have functioning AC and heater in a split....I mean all the parts are right there in the subie....someone must have done it before.


ian.mezz - August 7th, 2012 at 01:56 PM

try boof

http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=55627&page=1#pid536791 


pete wood - August 7th, 2012 at 02:51 PM

no kits. Splits are a one off thing. I just looked at that thread too. Been a LONG time since I've seen Boof now.

But trust me when I say, having it hangin down is not the answer. You need a long duct behind it and a gurney flap at the end hanging down a little. The hot air expands in the duct and the flap creates a vacuum to draw the air out. Modern car makers do the same only it's the wheel wells that hot exits from.

But basically the longer you can make the duct, the better it will draw and cool.


Bob down - August 7th, 2012 at 07:25 PM

kombibob is your man, was only talking to him about this a couple of days ago.


Joel - August 7th, 2012 at 07:29 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by matt510
Also do you think it too much to ask to have functioning AC and heater in a split....I mean all the parts are right there in the subie....someone must have done it before.


Not too hard, I've done it in a bug, the hardest part would be A/C condenser placement if you had a belly mount rad.

There is a whole range of heatercore and A/C-heatercore combo units out there.


hellbugged - August 7th, 2012 at 08:30 PM

"klaus"

Has done them. Was a thread on one, back a few years now tho.


tar76 - August 7th, 2012 at 08:34 PM

But upright donks sound sooo good! Oh well each to there own.


matt510 - August 8th, 2012 at 03:59 AM

haha how to get an upright donk to sound like its misfiring like a flat 4 though???

The rad i had planned on laying flat between the rails underneath with a big thermofan on top to suck air through, maybe give it a touch of angle to allow for better horizontal airflow.

So no one makes an engine mounting kit for a split hey.....bummer, looks like the CIG might have to be busted out.

With that in mind, whats involved in mounting the engine?


pete wood - August 8th, 2012 at 08:34 AM

matt, no one makes an engine mount kit for anything much. the only one you can buy is for Bays and only one workshop in Aus makes them. bust out your welder. it's part of the fun...:yes:


matt510 - August 8th, 2012 at 10:19 AM

Weld one up it is then.

On a totally seperate topic, does anyone in oz run/sell the red 9 design front end replacement kits (UK - http://www.red9design.com/buswishbones.htm  ) they look pretty sweet with adjustable coil overs, rack and pinion steering and a nice mounting point for a brake booster...with a strong aussie dollar it looks tempting. OK maybe i'll repost that question elsewhere...


ian.mezz - August 8th, 2012 at 01:03 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by matt510
Weld one up it is then.

On a totally seperate topic, does anyone in oz run/sell the red 9 design front end replacement kits (UK - http://www.red9design.com/buswishbones.htm  ) they look pretty sweet with adjustable coil overs, rack and pinion steering and a nice mounting point for a brake booster...with a strong aussie dollar it looks tempting. OK maybe i'll repost that question elsewhere...


try Al

http://dasrestoparts.com.au/ 

tell him ian told you.


Klaus - August 8th, 2012 at 07:59 PM

did one in a type 3 , about to o a ej22 in 79 panel with rad under the floor or extend the bulkhead under rear seat somehow


matt510 - August 10th, 2012 at 04:29 AM

i think a nice thin ali rad between the frame rails with a decent thermofan on top will do the trick. Maybe a i'll fabricate a scoop of sorts to duct air to the cavity above the rad, heat rises so as long as i can get some airflowing above the rad it'll cool no worries at all.


pete wood - August 10th, 2012 at 10:44 AM

Scooping is the opposite to what you want. Is doesn't work. Trust me I tried it. You want the air rushing past the car to DRAW the air through the radiator. Modern cars do this with engine covers that go as far back as possible and the wheel wells draw the air through the radiator. Which is why you get such small grills, but effective cooling systems. Like I said before, the trick is to create a vacuum.


Subarugears - August 11th, 2012 at 05:43 AM

Twin Honda Civic radiators, one in each of the back corners. Ensure fresh air is fed to them from the intakes, seal the radiators up to the sides of the bus real well so fresh air HAS to go through them. The standard Liberty fans and shrouds bolt to the back of these radiators - again, ensure they are sealed up well and the air HAS to be drawn through them when the fans are turned on by the Subie ECU.

Great photos of it in an orange bus on my website - it's proven to be enough to cool a 3.0 6 cylinder in a bus in all conditions. No ugly scoops underneath or cutting and moving things like bulkheads.