Subi Swap - 75 Panel

[fogoo]

So I've been trying to sort out a way to mount the subaru a/c, rad and fan under the bus. The whole works together is about 5" thick. My bus came with a BA6 that had to go, and the belly pan that covered it

Ooops

It has an offset that lowers it about an inch or so under the frame rails giving me about 5" of space.... nice

I'm just using the original mounting tabs with some angle brackets to hold it in place...

This setup will draw air from the bottom up.....

I found these at my local hardware store

Very split bus vent-ish. 2 will cover the area nicely

Yes they're plastic but if it works I can hunt down the metal equivalent
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64 Single Cab
71 Bug.....sold
73 Bus......sold
75 Panel Bus - converting to Subi power http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=651073&highlight=
78 Kombi Camper

[fogoo]

I've also been dealing with the throttle body reverser I got and modified.......

First issue was that I was gonna have to lengthen the wires for the plugs...

Second issue was that the wiring for the spark plugs now has to be moved. The new placement of the IAC valve is in the way

Thirdly - there is this valve- port breather thingy that the IAC valve covers up perfectly....

Each one on it's own is no biggie, but it's enough to make me scrap the TBR idea. I'm gonna go the way of Skills and box out the firewall

I've ordered one of those 'cobra' elbows that Nepenthe88 mentioned in his post. When it arrives I'll do some measurements to see what I'm dealing with...

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64 Single Cab
71 Bug.....sold
73 Bus......sold
75 Panel Bus - converting to Subi power http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=651073&highlight=
78 Kombi Camper

[captincanuck]

[Stuartzickefoose]

Find a split bus and cut out the rear engine vents...
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Stuart Zickefoose

2011 Jetta Sportwagen TDi 6 speed manual

206-841-7324
[email protected]

[secretsubmariner]

HUGE fan of your panel bus, dude. Bookmark'd
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-Tony
ᏣᎳᎩᎯ ᎠᏰᎵ
1978 Champagne Edition Bus FI
1970 Auto Fastback FI

[fogoo]

[fogoo]

[fogoo]

[fogoo]

Success!!

I ordered the elbow from these guys...

http://www.atpturbo.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PR..._Code=RUBB

It's a 3" to 3", but you can order the 2.75" inserts for $10 more. I had to cut about half an inch off the mounted end and the insert had a 1/4" lip that had to go, but after that it slipped in. I'll follow Skills model and flatten the tank seam and box the firewall. But for $35 it's a pretty good solution...

Have had some other successes and some failures but I'll get into that when I snap some photos......
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64 Single Cab
71 Bug.....sold
73 Bus......sold
75 Panel Bus - converting to Subi power http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=651073&highlight=
78 Kombi Camper

[skills@eurocarsplus]

I had thought about using them way back when I started these conversions. the reason why I didn't move forward with them is the lack of a proper way for the breather hook ups. so yea, my machined t-bodys are expensive, but get the crankcase ventilation correct.

as you will find, there is a lot of "split the difference" scenarios with these conversions. that, and I am a form and function kind of guy. I suppose you could get the ventilation to work properly, but I just felt like not trying to re invent the wheel
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[fogoo]

[cdennisg]

Count me in as a watcher for this build. Keep it up!
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nothing

[fogoo]

Ok it's been a while, I've made some pretty decent progress, hopefully I can remember some of the finer details as I type......

First off.... Engine is in and running!!!!

Everything fit like factory, I used a hoist from above coupled with a small jack underneath to help center it. Took about as long as any other a/c engine I've installed. The support bar from Busaru fits perfectly. Super easy install....

Not the greatest pic but you get the idea....

Electrics went in pretty painlessly.....

I have a VSS installed, will get a pic next time I'm under the bus

Started up right away. I have one of those wifi obd2 readers. It's giving me codes for the evap system.

Idling has had some problems. I've replaced the IAC valve and cleaned the MAF sensor. Seems better. No related codes though...

I ended up scrapping the Subi rad for a dodge ram rad. The whole belly pan thing would have probably worked but it was a real pain and bloody awkward getting that thing in and out. The new one fits nicely in between the rails...

I've since added some extra support bars

I'm usiing the stock subi header.. the later single port ones do a nice 90* bend that allows you to tie in a custom muffler easily. It is the lowest hanging fruit off the engine, but there is room for me to mebbe raise it by an inch or 2. I'm not going to shorten the oil pan, I see no need (and the bus is already lowered)

This is the exhaust I fab'd up. Once I finalize the header I'll get rid of some of the clamps and get some more permanent welds going... got the O2 bungs in there...

And here it is installed....

Added some bits to the dash.....

Cheap tach tied into the ECU, quite accurate. It had some red and white stripes and extra markings. Some creative sharpie action made it look a little more like it belongs . Had some extra glass from an early cluster, it added to the look.

The temp gauge is from my flaps. Came with it's own sender. It reads a needle width higher than it should compared with the obd2 reader. I figure thats not the worst thing. As I've read here, the fan seems to come on at 206* and the temps seem happy.

The bus is a joy to drive and has a nice smooth acceleration.

I'm finding that I am never, ever, ever ,ever using 1st gear, It's just not needed for my purposes. I'm wondering if it's possible to re-arrange the gearing so that 2nd is 1st. 3rd is 2nd, 4th is 3rd and add a taller 4th gear??
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64 Single Cab
71 Bug.....sold
73 Bus......sold
75 Panel Bus - converting to Subi power http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=651073&highlight=
78 Kombi Camper

[fogoo]

Oh and in the first pic you can see the air filter kind of hanging on to the intake. That's not it's final home. The MAF cable was too short to fit the air filter opposite the battery, so I shortened the intake temporarily. I'll get a pic of the final when it's done...
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64 Single Cab
71 Bug.....sold
73 Bus......sold
75 Panel Bus - converting to Subi power http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=651073&highlight=
78 Kombi Camper

[skills@eurocarsplus]

stock gearing sucks in 002 and 091 form, as you found out. I started with an 091 right off the bat and hated it
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[captincanuck]

Up and running already? Way to go. Couple questions/comments for ya:

In your engine shot I don't see an expansion tank. Is it hiding somewhere else? You should (from what I have read) have one to prevent possible head gasket failure.

So if you ditched the Subaru rad for the Dodge, did you keep the Subaru AC rad? I don't see a belt on the AC so I guess it will be a work in progress?

Did you install the small car code bypass board?

What kind of pipe did you run to the rad from the engine?

Will you take the bus to the Jitter bug? Where do think we should park? Air cooled bus section of water cooled vanagon section? Maybe we will have to start a new section
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1979 Westfalia "FireFly" Subaru 2.2 with Subaru gears 5spd.
Build Thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=634777&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

[fogoo]

[captincanuck]

[skills@eurocarsplus]

find a muffler shop. you'll never get the bends right

I stocked up last time I had them made

my pipes are not compatible with the RMW hanger though, as my pipes stay very high on the inner frame rail
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[captincanuck]