Reverse drive Subaru 5 speed for rear engine VW's now done.

[crimson ghost]

Great work

[Eatoniashoprat]

This is awesome! I've gone through the posts and still have a question though. In my beetle, 1971 super beetle with a turbo EJ20 dohc) I've had to move the engine and tranny ahead 2" to get the timing belt covers to clear the bodywork. (note: keep in mind a 1/2" adaptor plate as well). Where will the bellhousing face end up compared to the type 1 bellhousing? Will the subaru tranny be ahead far enough for the timing belt covers to clear? Or will it be a buggy thing only (unless you're willing to have timing covers that stick out)?

Thanks

Mike

[ttriebler]

Hi Mike, from what we can tell the engine will end up 30mm more forward and 60mm higher so should clear all the tinware on beetles. No more worrying about cam covers, particularly the later model motors with variable cam timing - they have a bigger cam cover bulb.

We have a customer putting an EJ20T motor into a Superbug real soon so will know for sure that everything clears. Pix will be posted up on www.subarugears.com

Also working on a type 1 aircooled motor setup at the moment. Adaptor plate to suit and Subie flywheel redrilled or adapted to suit so that the aircooled guys can hang their motors off the Subie box. Again, where that puts everything on the motors in relation to the tinware is the key.

[roachghia70]

This is really really cool. I hope to be a customer of yours soon!

[SportyBug]

You really seem to have almost everything sorted out for us now. Flipped ring gears and motor mounts that will bolt on the Beetle. What are the chance of a wiring harness to go with this that lets you use the stock ECM? Any more updates or pictures from your projects and displays or even a customers?

[ttriebler]

At this stage I'm not looking to do wiring harnesses as there are quite a few experienced shops offering harness conversions at a very reasonable rate. I wanted to cover off everything to do with installing the box and we're pretty much there for the type 1 beetle / kombi now. We're also pretty close for the Vanagon, an install and shifter kit is almost finished in the USA by a customer which we'll market through the website.

I'll be documenting various builds on my website as they are finished, to show the depth and breadth of conversions possible. I expect the buggy one will be done within a week. I'll provide a link here once it's up.

[Michael Ghia]

Looking great.
I have a Subaru gearbox waiting in the wings for this conversion.
MG

[ttriebler]

Thanks MG, I'm just ordering a new batch of R & P's to have in stock at the factory to draw down on. This will reduce the turnaround time for all customers.

I've also documented our first test buggy one the road with this box (YES, it actually works and drives !!) Here's the link : http://www.subarugears.com/index_files/Page310.htm

[petew]

Looks great. very nice. Mark always does quality work on his cars.

btw, I would have thought 3.9 would be too tall and from the revs at 60km/h it sounds like it is too.

I'm looking forward to doing the same thing in years to come.

[ttriebler]

Too tall for what? Not too tall for my drag racing efforts.
But probably too tall for you rock climbers that want low speed and top end of 150 max - which is great.
That's why we have the 4.1 and 4.4 ratio as well. (one day the 4.86 will be available too)
We'll be putting a 4.4 and LSD diff into Marks buggy in a month or 2 time after he thashes this one and we pull it apart for a look.
Then is sand dune time!! See you out there Pete.

[PhillipM]

Too tall for what? Not too tall for my drag racing efforts.
But probably too tall for you rock climbers that want low speed and top end of 150 max - which is great.

Put anything close to rockcrawler tyres on and you'll have 200mph+ capabilities

[SportyBug]

Any word on your goal of making this trans work with ACVW motors?

[ttriebler]

Yep I just showed the adaptor plate and matched flywheel at the Australian VW Nationals show last weekend. Lots and lots of interest, particularly from Kombi/Van owners.

I am doing up a final adaptor plate prototype and flywheel this week to check all clearances and then I will get a production run made.
We will have a billet aluminium adaptor plate that is 27mm thick. I have managed to shorten the subie tranny a bit more to make up for that extra thickness. The flywheels will be a sport/light steel one piece flywheel available with either type 1 cetnre hole and 8 dowel hole arrangement or a type 4 5 bolt hole and centre hole arrangement. Both fit the seals and o rings properly and I have found the correct bearings to use to match them with the Subie input shaft.

I have also managed to do an example of a mount kit that bolts the transmission/adaptor plate to the frame horns very nicely (for all the type 1/2 owners out there). I won't be manufacturing this but will publish the plans as it's easy to replicate.

Hope to have final pricing and a release to market when I have everything in stock, approx 6 to 8 weeks time.

[turboedbug]

Are there any plans for an all wheel drive option for the beetle?

[ttriebler]

Already exists. Simply fit the reversed 4WD Subaru gearbox and the Subaru r160 rear differential upside down in the front. I have 3/4 built one but like so many others.... it's not finished yet. Build thread on the Samba under "4wd conversion begins"