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Subie in a Thing
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cecil
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PostPosted: Fri May 27, 2016 5:18 pm    Post subject: Subie in a Thing Reply with quote

Any pictures and stories about putting a Subaru engine in a Thing. And what is the deal with 2.2 vs 2.5. Seems the 2.2 is the engine of choice. Started putting an 1800 SOHC in a Ghia but sold the car before it was finished.
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GI Joe
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PostPosted: Fri May 27, 2016 5:54 pm    Post subject: Re: Subie in a Thing Reply with quote

A few threads already Cecil..
None have ever produced a completed car, but pLenty of us dreamers and maybe a couple posers..... Rolling Eyes
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Wildthings
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PostPosted: Fri May 27, 2016 7:07 pm    Post subject: Re: Subie in a Thing Reply with quote

The 2.2 was pretty dependable and was the engine with Carb approval for use in a Vanagon, thus its popularity with the VW crowd. They were a dime a dozen around here at the time I swapped one into my Vanagon, at the time our local yard had twenty Subarus with 2.2 engines for me to choose from. I actually got two good engines for only $300 with them doing the engine pulls and then they delivered one of the cars to my house so I could pull the wiring harness and anything else I needed at my leisure. One thing that I like about the 2.2 is that it is a non interference engine so fewer worries if I space changing out changing the timing belt.
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cecil
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PostPosted: Sun May 29, 2016 7:23 pm    Post subject: Re: Subie in a Thing Reply with quote

Non interference does it for me
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I have this wierd desease called "must tear everything up and put it back together when there's nothing wrong with it...Itus."
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GI Joe
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PostPosted: Mon May 30, 2016 6:00 pm    Post subject: Re: Subie in a Thing Reply with quote

Good info to have!!! Love me some non-interference!!
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Mark Lewalski
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PostPosted: Tue May 31, 2016 9:07 am    Post subject: Re: Subie in a Thing Reply with quote

So not a Subie engine in a Thing but when I used to live in Germany and attended some VW Kubel-Klub of Deutschland http://www.kuebel-klub.de/content.php events, one of the members had put a water cooled Transporter (Vanagon) engine in his car.

They ran the coolant pipes along the inside of the car, one alongside the driver to the radiator, one alongside the passenger to the engine. The radiator was mounted in the front of the trunk and louvers were cut into the front apron.

I remember them saying that they had to cut some clearance space in the engine compartment and do away with the sealed area. Since the engine is water cooled, the sealed area wasn't necessary.

Of course it was heavier and the owner said the cooling pipes in the passenger area heated up pretty good but during the winter months, that was considered a benefit.

So, not a Subie engine, but same scenario to my thinking.

If you know any Deutsch, you may be able to contact the Klub and pass on this info with your questions. I bet if you sent an email in English, you would still get an answer. Those folks have known each other for years and will probably recall this conversion.

Thanks,
Mark
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joosty_chin
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 29, 2016 1:26 pm    Post subject: Re: Subie in a Thing Reply with quote

I'm working on putting a 2.0 turbo engine in a 73 thing. It will be a bus trans mated to a V7 JDM engine with functional AVCS. Still need to purchase the mating kit and oil pan from out front, and then can't decide if I'll go with their exhaust/header set up or how I will do that. Trying to get the pan, trailing arms, and suspension how I want it before tackling the wiring aspect of everything as I have a full harness and ECU for said engine. Long project but hope to have a finished product sooner than my ole lady belives I will;)
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Ratt
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 30, 2016 8:53 pm    Post subject: Re: Subie in a Thing Reply with quote

Ive been working on it. Im stalled right now due to moving and having to repair my house Evil or Very Mad Evil or Very Mad Evil or Very Mad

I am running a 2.5l out of a 2002 forrester. Mated to a flipped 5spd box using the Subarugears kit. http://www.subarugears.com/

I opted for a lower gear ratio with 930 CVs. If you check my gallery there are a few photos there.

With the Subaru set-up you will need a body lift, or a lot of body cutting. With the 3" body lift, I had to cut out the sheet metal that sealed the tins to the body, or else it would sit on the heads.

Honestly not a bad conversion. There are some groups on facebook for Subaru powered VWs. Hopefully after the first of the year, ill be able to get back to work on my Thing.
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Ark
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 31, 2016 10:21 am    Post subject: Re: Subie in a Thing Reply with quote

Ratt, what's your plan for the radiator? Do you think you'll be able to keep the thing stock-ish looking?
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mondshine
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 31, 2016 11:47 am    Post subject: Re: Subie in a Thing Reply with quote

I always supposed it would go something like this:
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Ark
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 31, 2016 2:57 pm    Post subject: Re: Subie in a Thing Reply with quote

I always thought this would be a decent stealth location.



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Ratt
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 31, 2016 8:19 pm    Post subject: Re: Subie in a Thing Reply with quote

The twin radiators is a cool choice for a street ride. I'm going more aggressive with the body lift and lifted suspension. I am going to use the radiator and grill from a MK1 Jetta. Trim down a bit and cut the nose (it's a rusty bondo piece anyways).
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Ark
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 11, 2017 3:40 pm    Post subject: Re: Subie in a Thing Reply with quote

Kind of an old topic but I found these pictures recently of a thing with what appears to be some kind of front radiator. Unfortunately they didn't have any shots of the trunk so no idea how everything was hooked up. Pretty impressively stealth though.

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GI Joe
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 13, 2017 4:45 pm    Post subject: Re: Subie in a Thing Reply with quote

That's a perfect example, Ark!
Very stealthy, nothing to draw too much attention(other than the little scoop).

Would love to see more pics of that one!
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Ark
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 14, 2017 10:01 am    Post subject: Re: Subie in a Thing Reply with quote

Hey GI Joe

I found it on the below link and a couple other sites. I ended up finding some additional pictures beyond what just this site has but not sure where they came from now. Good thing I saved them before I left whatever site I was on! I uploaded most of what I have to TheSamba now so if this link ever disappears they'll still be around. So, check out my gallery for some additional shots

Like I said before though, I unfortunately haven't found any pics with the front trunk open. I can guess how they did it but still would have loved to see exactly how the trunk with the radiator is laid out.

If anyone happens to find a pic of this Thing with the trunk open, please post up!

http://www.carscoops.com/2016/08/this-yellow-rx-7-rotary-powered-vw.html
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Ark
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 22, 2017 12:31 pm    Post subject: Re: Subie in a Thing Reply with quote

I found a few more pictures on a different site. This one shows the radiator inside the front trunk space


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911pickup
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 25, 2017 5:25 pm    Post subject: Re: Subie in a Thing Reply with quote

So where does the hot air coming through the rad go?
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[email protected]
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 25, 2017 9:06 pm    Post subject: Re: Subie in a Thing Reply with quote

May be air exits thru small black hood scoop?
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GI Joe
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 25, 2017 10:11 pm    Post subject: Re: Subie in a Thing Reply with quote

911pickup wrote:
So where does the hot air coming through the rad go?


This was my thought as well.....?? If that scoop is the only outlet, then that would be one Hot ride! That small silver panel looks like it “could” be an air vent that could open into the cabin for heat, but aside from the intake/exhaust tubes from the gas heater, I see No other way for heated air to escape.
Lifting that filler panel in the gas tank hole, and closing it around the radiator would be the way to go, and have the heated air be forced down and out the bottom.
Who knows what the builder was thinkin.(?)
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http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4...p;start=60
'71 Beetle RPU
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It's a play thing
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PostPosted: Sun Nov 26, 2017 4:27 pm    Post subject: Re: Subie in a Thing Reply with quote

My plan is to install the radiator behind the rear seat with a pair of fans.
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