Subaru Fever, Choices, choices--2.5 or 2.0 T.... Options

[tgbo]

Okay, all you avid Subaru converts, my 914 1.8 is up on stands for rust removal and re-engining...I'm mostly a Fiat guy who has wanted a 914 for years and finally acquired a one owner from a friend who just gave up! Been searching the Suby threads ( wow, some nice work) and made the decision to go with more modern power--sooo, what I have gleaned is this: the 2.5 (ala Scott T., etc) will allow radiator in the engine room, the turbos won't--correct? (Fiid's pix show way more cutting than I want to have to do). The Suby ecu will work fine, with minor fiddling--Fiid, are you willing to share some MS knowledge from your conversion? (yes, I have studied the squirter and may put it on the Datsun, too).

That said, motor mounting--Scott's bar or something like the Downunder bar seems the way to go. Scott, have you decided to make copies for sale, or are you allowing reproduction by members for personal use?

Last question for today: engine vendors -- lots on Ebay, any recs on non-ebay vendors for JDM or NA motors ( and price ranges on recent buys if you don't mind)

Yes, pix will come as the work starts!

Thanks,
John

[horizontally-opposed]

So it appears that Renegade Hybrids takes the stance that even the NA Subie motors won't run cool enough with the radiator in the engine bay -- or at least cool enough to fit their liking. Then again, they are located in Vegas...

That stinks, because the idea of a self contained motor compartment that preserves the original concept of the car AND avoid cutting up the front trunk is highly appealing...so what are the temps for the self-contained cars?

Thoughts? (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/idea.gif)

For those of us without the time, skill, or garage to do a swap, one wonders how expensive the Subie swap would get. I suspect $2500 is a pipe dream for all but those who have the space and time to spend doing everything themselves. Probably more like $5000-7000 for the rest of us...and now you're getting into RAT money and options to keep a motor that does a much better job of staying true to the 914's specs.

Never mind this latter angle, it's just my own personal take -- I know there are a million reasons to do an SBC, EJ20, or whatever else -- just as we're all unique.