Subaru Transmission into 914, DAMN that turned out good!! Options

[DBCooper]

Some photos of my 914 being fitted with a WRX transmission. I'm sorry, we replaced bushings, adjusted and aligned three times and that 901 never even got close to being acceptable. The WRX motor was such a huge improvement over the VW that it only seemed logical to make the transmission just as modern. And "while we're in there" the air-to-air intercooler is being replaced by a water to air. You just don't get the air flow in the back of the car you'd want to make big power, and the next step with this car will be an STI motor. Power is addictive. Yes, I know better and you've been warned.

Anyway, the WRX five speed with Quaife gets introduced to engine.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i379.photobucket.com-2618-1268145993.1.jpg)

The forest of jackstands as positioning is worked out.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i379.photobucket.com-2618-1268145994.2.jpg)

The WRX transmission axle outlets are a little closer to the flywheel than the 901, which meant the engine had to be moved back to keep the axles aligned with the stubs.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i379.photobucket.com-2618-1268145995.3.jpg)

Flipped manifold. Enough space in there now for an EZ30 six, easy. Nice looking hellhole too, don't you think? Still needs detailing of course, but first things first.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i379.photobucket.com-2618-1268145995.4.jpg)

But moving the engine back meant he had to box a small part of the rear trunk. That's OK, this car isn't for hauling luggage anyway. Or lawn tools. Or groceries.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i379.photobucket.com-2618-1268145996.5.jpg)

Cable shifter at the transmission. Beautiful work.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i379.photobucket.com-2618-1268145997.6.jpg)

And inside the car, the modified MR2 shifter. Feels notchy, accurate, and good, which is what this is all about. That and more strength, especially in first.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i379.photobucket.com-2618-1268145998.7.jpg)

A video of the shifter, still in the prototype stage, showing the action in the front and the rear.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncmaxYd1WNI


Ask Abby what she thinks of Grandpa's car. She likes to show off those pretty new teeth.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i379.photobucket.com-2618-1268145998.8.jpg)

The water-air intercooler. It will go just ahead of the engine on the driver's side.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i379.photobucket.com-2618-1268145999.9.jpg)

In the car, you can see part of the new cradle, just tacked for the moment.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i379.photobucket.com-2618-1268146000.10.jpg)

Axles are aligned.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i379.photobucket.com-2618-1268146001.11.jpg)

Business end, seen from the rear. It looks so good we'll probably go without a valence, it's gotta be seen. I can't wait until in the rearview mirror I see another 914 guy who's pulled up behind and is trying to figure out what all happened back there.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i379.photobucket.com-2618-1268146001.12.jpg)

This work is being done by a wizard at a shop called 40-Thirteen in Modesto, CA. Quality of work is unmatched. If you're curious there are a lot more pictures of this transmission project, the engine cradle, what the car looked like with just the WRX motor before these changes, or more pictures of that beautiful granddaughter in an album at: http://photobucket.com/Corinthiano

More to come later. It was a monster before, but you had to be real gentlemanly with the shifter. To hell with that. I can't wait.

.

[Andyrew]

Uh, Where is this shop at?

You realize IM in modesto? Are you going to be driving it back? We NEED to meet up when/ if you come out here.

[DBCooper]

Uh, Where is this shop at?

You realize IM in modesto? Are you going to be driving it back? We NEED to meet up when/ if you come out here.

Haven't seen you around much lately, is your 914 still running or are you a full-time Audi-guy now? Jeff's shop isn't commercial. He works in the Bay Area, was crew chief for Goodsport Racing when they won the USTCC a couple of years ago, is doing this just because he thought it was a cool idea.

My new grandaughter's there (isn't she a beauty?) so I go to Modesto regularly, was there full-time a couple of years ago when my mother was ill. PM me with an e-mail address or something. My son says the car is ridiculously fun to drive now and I encourage him to take it out, so you may see it on the street. Might be fun to run into your V8 car, see how they compare.

[Andyrew]

Uh, Where is this shop at?

You realize IM in modesto? Are you going to be driving it back? We NEED to meet up when/ if you come out here.

Haven't seen you around much lately, is your 914 still running or are you a full-time Audi-guy now? Jeff's shop isn't commercial. He works in the Bay Area, was crew chief for Goodsport Racing when they won the USTCC a couple of years ago, is doing this just because he thought it was a cool idea.

My new grandaughter's there (isn't she a beauty?) so I go to Modesto regularly, was there full-time a couple of years ago when my mother was ill. PM me with an e-mail address or something. My son says the car is ridiculously fun to drive now and I encourage him to take it out, so you may see it on the street. Might be fun to run into your V8 car, see how they compare.

Eh, Im on here all the time, I just dont post all that often anymore..

The 914 is running (actually the new battery went bad so its not technically running at this second), but I am driving my Audi all the time now. Im gearing up for an Audi v6 conversion w/ an Audi FWD trani. I feel the 400lbs of tq on the v8 is just to much for the chassis and I want something that feels more like a sports car than a drag racer.

It would be really cool to run the two! What are your hp/tq numbers? We'd have to do a run from like 40 on up as I'll be spinning till about then anyways. My tires arnt that good and I feel thats the only thing keeping my trani in one piece.

Unfortunately I dont see that many 914's in modesto, in fact I cant remember the last time I saw one.

Lemme know when your in Modesto!

[DBCooper]

It would be really cool to run the two! What are your hp/tq numbers?

We tuned it a tad fat with max 10 pounds boost so I only have 205 tq/hp at the wheels, half a V8. We ran a 13.7 at 106 with the 901, babying the car off the line trying to keep it in boost and then shifting like old ladies. I'm guessing we'll be in the high 12's with this stronger transmission.

We'd have to do a run from like 40 on up as I'll be spinning till about then anyways. My tires arnt that good and I feel thats the only thing keeping my trani in one piece.

Really? Interesting. Starting at 40 would kind of make everything even and fair then, right? So why would I want to do that? Nah, I like the idea of a standing start. Run what you brung. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

But it's OK, you'll be able to catch up, right? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/poke.gif)

Sooner or later... ? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif)

.

[DBCooper]

We tuned it a tad fat with max 10 pounds boost so I only have 205 tq/hp at the wheels, half a V8. We ran a 13.7 at 106 with the 901, babying the car off the line trying to keep it in boost and then shifting like old ladies. I'm guessing we'll be in the high 12's with this stronger transmission.

Looked at this thread again after a llong time and see I can update this part. My son did run the car again at an official event, did a best of 13.006 at 109 mph. That run was mid-afternoon on a 100 degree day so they expected an easy 12 in the evening with cooler temperatures Unfortunately for that evening run they put on a borrowed pair of slicks and immediately broke an axle. Since I don't drag race that means that 13.006 is the fastest this car will ever go, but it's tantalizingly close to being a 12 second car. Not bad for a car that wasn't even built to drag race.

Acceleration is the purest measure of horsepower short of a dyno. That ET is seven tenths of a second faster than the previous fastest 13.7, but we know there was no more horsepower. In fact the engine, tires, exhaust and every other part of the car were exactly the same, the only change was to switch out the 901 for the Subaru transmission. For a lot of reasons for sure, but that transmission change, in itself, made the car significant faster. Food for thought.

[Andyrew]

We tuned it a tad fat with max 10 pounds boost so I only have 205 tq/hp at the wheels, half a V8. We ran a 13.7 at 106 with the 901, babying the car off the line trying to keep it in boost and then shifting like old ladies. I'm guessing we'll be in the high 12's with this stronger transmission.

Looked at this thread again after a llong time and see I can update this part. My son did run the car again at an official event, did a best of 13.006 at 109 mph. That run was mid-afternoon on a 100 degree day so they expected an easy 12 in the evening with cooler temperatures Unfortunately for that evening run they put on a borrowed pair of slicks and immediately broke an axle. Since I don't drag race that means that 13.006 is the fastest this car will ever go, but it's tantalizingly close to being a 12 second car. Not bad for a car that wasn't even built to drag race.

Acceleration is the purest measure of horsepower short of a dyno. That ET is seven tenths of a second faster than the previous fastest 13.7, but we know there was no more horsepower. In fact the engine, tires, exhaust and every other part of the car were exactly the same, the only change was the Subaru transmission. For a lot of reasons for sure, but that transmission change, in itself, made the car significant faster. Food for thought.

The 109 trap is the real number there. Thats quite a good number!