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Raze
Raze SuperDork
1/19/13 7:50 a.m.

So as Jay mentioned, he was kind enough to let me come over and oogle/play/work on this insanity. The pictures don't do this thing justice, it may look a bit rough, but it is going to be absolutely sick when it's finished. I know many people have suggested a flat 6, or other transversely mounted engines, but when you're in a mid-rear longitudinal setup, you're fighting one thing, the space from your firewall to your rear axle shafts. Anything longer would have pushed into the rear cabin. Yes you could have used a shorter Porsche transaxle like a G50, but at $10k for a 'built' one, that doesn't make a whole lot of sense. This setup leaves 4-6 inches of clearance from the front of the engine to the firewall, easily fits side to side (without the gas tanks there's over a foot of clearance inside to each head from the body), and more importantly the axle shafts are in perfect alignment with the trans, which even blanked off is still nicely inside the bumper support bracket with enough space for the exhaust.

I've never seen better/easier access to a Subaru engine while it's in a car, any car. With the back seat panel out every part of the front part of the engine is accessible from inside the car including the timing belt, the plugs and valve covers are simply a wheel-pull away, from the rear, well it's like standing behind your engine if it were a front-engine-rwd car, so everything is right there.

The intercooler can sit on top as is but needs the bracket bent down, or it could be moved over to one of the fresh air intakes with an exit out the tire well, but either will work well with minimal effort. The 350z muffler looks stock, it fits perfectly and the extent of exhaust fabrication is a 2' mostly straight pipe from the downpipe to the muffler inlet that won't have to follow some crazy route.

This is my first time up close with a 70s Ferrari, and let me say they really are built like a DIY home-built kit car. You might be thinking ewwwww, when in reality for something like this it's perfect. In fact, given how simple they're constructed, I'm shocked more people haven't gone to swapping these older ones with something lighter/more powerful/modern. The frame is square tube, no bends, no gussets. The one place by the trans that had to be cut (6 inches), the tie in bar they put in literally looks factory.

Jay hasn't said it yet, but he's 2 steps away from turning over the engine:
1) Motor Mounts
2) Run new Battery cables, get some ground straps attached

crankwalk
crankwalk GRM+ Memberand New Reader
1/19/13 8:31 a.m.

The project was sort of stalled for a while then everything started coming together over this last month. Lots of friends started coming by and at a few hours at a time getting what would have taken me weeks to do finished. Once this thing is running the hard part is over. As Jeff mentioned, body work is body work. Regular principles apply there. So I appreciate all the ideas everybody comes up with to get this thing going!

VonSmallhausen
VonSmallhausen GRM+ Memberand Reader
1/19/13 5:28 p.m.

I noticed before that you said turbo rotary 911....and R32 skyline, and now a Ferrari with subi power welp you win Ill just go home now

thestig99
thestig99 HalfDork
1/19/13 8:31 p.m.

This is really, really cool.

mndsm
mndsm PowerDork
1/20/13 11:04 p.m.
crankwalk wrote:
mndsm wrote: What's happening to the remainder of that front clip on the GC8? I have a buddy that has a legit RHD GC8 STi- Japan tags and all, might want stuff from you.
I actually parted it out and made a good deal of the investment back luckily.

Yeah, I figured. His car is worth more in pieces than it is as a car, and sourcing parts for it (being Japanese and all) is hard. You had a minty white clip, his car is white, tryin' to put the two together. Oh well!

Slyp_Dawg
Slyp_Dawg GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
1/21/13 12:01 a.m.

this thread is filled with so much win I just don't know what to do!

nderwater
nderwater UberDork
1/21/13 3:11 p.m.

We seriously need to schedule a build day for all of us locals to chip in and get this thing done!

fanfoy
fanfoy Reader
1/21/13 3:55 p.m.

You had me at "roof rack on a Ferrari". I love it.

crankwalk
crankwalk GRM+ Memberand New Reader
1/21/13 6:49 p.m.
nderwater wrote: We seriously need to schedule a build day for all of us locals to chip in and get this thing done!

Now, THAT would be a great idea. I need somebody who can weld and has portable stuff that I can pay to finish the mounts, (so close!) You can see them on the jackstands. just need about 7 inches of metal to connect to the frame.

I got the axles hooked up today with the 930 turbo bolts and replaced some circlips and I don't know why that feels like such a milestone but it just means it will work. Angles lining up and wheels spinning just makes a good picture in my head.

<img src="Photobucket" />

Video of some limited slip action http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoEqaA7GQZE

Raze
Raze SuperDork
1/21/13 7:34 p.m.

I wish my welder was 110V for you. You know, after looking at the mounts and thinking about how tall it's going to need to be individually, you might be better off welding a trussed bracket (think trapezoidal that ties in both mounts and could be welded into the frame with a larger spread, or even bolted to it so you could redo the motor mounts when they wear out real easily, might even be able to put a second set of bushings between the bracket and the frame. You're also going to need a trans mount, might want to do something similar, or another motor mount toward the front of the engine so you don't put all the stress on the frame in the one spot where the subaru engine mounts tied to the front crossmember...

crankwalk
crankwalk GRM+ Memberand New Reader
1/21/13 8:17 p.m.

In reply to Raze: Yeah the trapezoidal shape was similar to what I was thinking too. I already have the trans mounts boltedto the back. They are little steel tabs that come off the rear of the trans that sit right under the rear frame. Just about 3 inchs of straight square tube will take care of that on each side.

DILYSI Dave
DILYSI Dave MegaDork
1/21/13 9:29 p.m.

If you can get something tacked together with the 110, I'll burn it in nice with the 220 MIG or the TIG.

Raze
Raze SuperDork
1/22/13 6:54 a.m.

In reply to crankwalk:

Don't know how keen you'd be to spend money on a tool that won't get alot of use, but an option if you can't find anyone with a 110 is to buy one of the cheapies from HF, the flux-cored non-gas kind since they're only about $100 after 20% coupon and tax, would let you get it tacked together, I could come over and show you. That way you'd also have a cheap way to do some minor sheet metal welding work for those rust spots as long as you don't mind grinding since flux isn't the best. Something to think about.

crankwalk
crankwalk GRM+ Memberand New Reader
1/22/13 8:12 a.m.
Raze wrote: In reply to crankwalk: Don't know how keen you'd be to spend money on a tool that won't get alot of use, but an option if you can't find anyone with a 110 is to buy one of the cheapies from HF, the flux-cored non-gas kind since they're only about $100 after 20% coupon and tax, would let you get it tacked together, I could come over and show you. That way you'd also have a cheap way to do some minor sheet metal welding work for those rust spots as long as you don't mind grinding since flux isn't the best. Something to think about.

Yeah it is definitely an option. The way I had it planned in my head though is to get the mounts done and once the car is running send it somewhere for paint and bodywork. There are so few places I would trust my welds. Support brackets for the radiator? Sure. Exhaust, motor mounts, on the body of the car? Probably not. I'm chicken. I'm a wrench turner sadly

Raze
Raze SuperDork
1/22/13 9:12 a.m.

In reply to crankwalk:

Yeah, but you can tack weld it in place (supported on jackstands) to just get the design and layout, then remove it and send it to someone to do the finishing welds.

crankwalk
crankwalk GRM+ Memberand New Reader
1/22/13 4:02 p.m.
Raze wrote: In reply to crankwalk: Yeah, but you can tack weld it in place (supported on jackstands) to just get the design and layout, then remove it and send it to someone to do the finishing welds.

But since the car is immobile, it seems there needs to be a good way of welding it in at the house. Maybe the next mod should be 220v in the garage.

Raze
Raze SuperDork
1/22/13 9:04 p.m.
crankwalk wrote:
Raze wrote: In reply to crankwalk: Yeah, but you can tack weld it in place (supported on jackstands) to just get the design and layout, then remove it and send it to someone to do the finishing welds.
But since the car is immobile, it seems there needs to be a good way of welding it in at the house. Maybe the next mod should be 220v in the garage.

Just make sure you get a box fan and fire extinguisher

dextervw
dextervw New Reader
1/23/13 9:35 a.m.

This is awesome!!! You've given me thoughts!! Wonder what modern motor would shoehorn into my 51 MGTD??

I can't wait to see this thing on the road (well videos at least) you are going to surprise quite a lot of people... ever thought of stalking the local subie meet ups?

Curmudgeon
Curmudgeon MegaDork
1/23/13 8:12 p.m.

An MGTD would be a BEAST with a turbo Ecotec and a narrowed RX7 diff. Just sayin'...

More than once I have pondered the wisdom of stuffing an SVX boxer six in a 914.

MrJoshua
MrJoshua PowerDork
1/23/13 8:15 p.m.
Curmudgeon wrote: More than once I have pondered the wisdom of stuffing an SVX boxer six in a 914.

Sounds like your next challenge project is a callin!

crankwalk
crankwalk GRM+ Memberand New Reader
1/24/13 8:35 a.m.
MrJoshua wrote:
Curmudgeon wrote: More than once I have pondered the wisdom of stuffing an SVX boxer six in a 914.
Sounds like your next challenge project is a callin!

And when you do your cable shifters make a set for me too. Ha!

Flight Service
Flight Service UberDork
1/24/13 9:37 a.m.
crankwalk wrote:

You have black and pink jackstands?

crankwalk
crankwalk GRM+ Memberand New Reader
1/24/13 11:22 a.m.
Flight Service wrote: You have black and pink jackstands?

I reckon I do. Never really looked at them but they seem to be working.

Adrian_Thompson
Adrian_Thompson UltraDork
1/24/13 11:31 a.m.

It's STI Pink for the Scoobie bits

Flight Service
Flight Service UberDork
1/24/13 2:11 p.m.
Adrian_Thompson wrote: It's STI Pink for the Scoobie bits

That makes perfect sense!!!

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