Subaru the long way

Discussion in 'Alternative engine in bus' started by redoxide, Dec 29, 2018.

  1. redoxide

    redoxide Guest

    Just saw a video where the owner of a T2 Bay had fitted a subaru motor and auto box in its true configuration, . It did require a bit more fabrication than the usual subaru conversion, more or less making it a mid mounted effort .. but it didnt encroach to far into van. With the interior complete the rear load area was extended to where the heel board of a rock n roll bed would locate ..

    They went a bit overboard and fitted tubular independent front end but they also used the subaru dash, gauges heater controls and centre console with standard subaru auto shifter ..

    They also cut away the rear chassis and suspension, grafting in a modified rear clip and coil over struts .. so a major rehash of the back end. The finnished item looked just like a type 2 , It had a standard stance, it wasnt slammed, had big brakes and 400 brake horse..

    Given the cost of restoring vans and the leveled out resale values, hot rodding a rusty wreck cant be a bad idea. Even registering something like this so its 100% legal IVAd and MOTd wouldnt be a chore since the original vans are pretty close to IVA spec

    just a thought..

    Was also watching some vids of people converting vans to EV.. what a waste of time and effort .. By the time you have sufficient battery power to get to the beach the weight of the batteries and the EV motor exceed the vans rear axle weight.. 1/3 of the available power goes into moving the excess weight along the road .. EV has years and years of development before its practicle ..
     
    Dub and Dubber and Mellow yellow like this.
  2. Just a mattress in the back and a VW badge on the front of a Forrester and you have the same thing but cheaper
     
    Lasty, Razzyh, Purple and 1 other person like this.
  3. Mellow yellow

    Mellow yellow Supporter

    Any links?
     
  4. Baysearcher

    Baysearcher [secret moderator]

    Yep, almost identical.
     
    pkrboo likes this.
  5. redoxide

    redoxide Guest

    the trick is looking retro .. viz the VW bit and going at the speed limit viz the subaru bit .. I realise there are died in the wool VW buffs here but there are also creative sorts who like a challenge :) Its the same thing with a decent hot rod, old duffers crit you because you took a wrecked 30s model A ford they passed over a scrapper, built it up to a road going vehicle that looked pretty much the same as a restored car, but with an added 4 cylinders plus 100 bhp an added hydraulic brakes and better steering.. and they say you ruined it !!!!

    I like standard and I like modified.
     
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  6. redoxide

    redoxide Guest



    put the volume off the music is irritating..
     
    Mellow yellow likes this.
  7. redoxide

    redoxide Guest

    However you look at it .. trying to overlook the green paint, the end result is a vast improvement over the donor van..

    I know of a 74 RHD westfalia totally original that was rescued off the back of a recovery on its way to the scrap yard having been written off with an engine bay fire, that was 25 years ago and its sat in a shed ever since .. Might be a suitable donor as there is no log book given it was an insurance write off , ideal candidate for an IVA build ..
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 29, 2018
  8. Dub and Dubber

    Dub and Dubber Supporter

    I think battery technology is on the move and will give MUCH better power to weight ration by 2020 ... and the batteries can go in the mid section so the rear axle issue not a deal breaker ... Real problem is hearing all the 1970's creaks and rattles "over" the near silent motor!
     
    crossy2112 likes this.
  9. matty

    matty Supporter

    Amazing work don't recon the cooling is enough given its a turbo and auto.
     
  10. crossy2112

    crossy2112 Supporter

    Sorry but that camera work is as irritating as the music, would have liked seeing and hearing about the build without all that.
     
  11. Sproggy4830

    Sproggy4830 Supporter

    that looks an amazing bus, great quality build, the safety of the bus must be vastly improved, my observations whilst watching was that if i left my van in bear metal even a day it would be a rust bucket overnight, oh to live in a dry climate - or Barnsley even
     
    crossy2112 likes this.
  12. Mmm Not feeling this. The dashboard is just not right in a T2 body. Its a bit extreme & i bet it goes like sh*t. Always a market tho for one off customs.
     
  13. Baysearcher

    Baysearcher [secret moderator]

    The dash looks all sorts of wrong.
    The rest is good though!
     
  14. crossy2112

    crossy2112 Supporter

    The hot climate is not that far from you :D
     
  15. redoxide

    redoxide Guest

    problem is youll need a mortgage to finance the batteries and the motor .. really not worth the effort to go to the end of the street.. proper go anywhere at any time with a 4 minute full charge and a range of 600 miles, lights and heater on, is a long long way off..
     
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  16. crossy2112

    crossy2112 Supporter

    It needs the big players to catch up and invest heavy, which now seems to be happening. Hydrogen is getting a lot of investment as well.
     
  17. redoxide

    redoxide Guest

    were probably just as close to using a flux capacitor as we are to full time affordable and clean EV or Hydrogen use. :)
     
    matty likes this.
  18. Dub and Dubber

    Dub and Dubber Supporter

    We'll see :D
     
  19. My Son works for a company that produces hydrogen fuel cells. All the technology is there in place. The hold up is the government & how they are going to tax us for the fuel.
     
    Barneyrubble, crossy2112 and Faust like this.
  20. crossy2112

    crossy2112 Supporter

    Looks like DeLorean needs to start building again :)
     

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