my friend just bought a 94 subaru svx. (subarus mid-90's sports car with the funnny windows.) The plans are to swap a ls1/t-56 in place of the stock auto h-6. Anyone know enough about these cars to offer any insite? By looking at the engine bay it appears there is plenty of room.

heres what it will look like just with less ricey wheels.


...and the stock engine bay.
http://www.daytonat.com/nostalgia/Ja.../SVX/SVX10.JPG

 

Is that an all wheel drive?

 

what was the idea with those windows anyways

 

Anything's possible given sufficient motivation and money...

 

I acctually happen to own one of those and a f-body too. And I have those same damn wheels! You wont be fitting an LS1 under there I'd think... the hood profile is to damn low.....The LS1 would have to be the same overall height or not as tall as the boxer is...which I doubt it will be.


I've just pondered doing a T56 swap into...but even that is custom beyond custom due to starter placement on subies (ontop of tranny facing engine.. near power booster)... and only having and R160 rear diff. An AWD LS1 subaru would be cool...but I doubt it can seriously fit under there....

The windows where there for looks, decreased drag and visibility... you can drive in the rain w/ the windows down no problem... or hold a mostly quiet conversion... that's my favorite part of my SVX... that and its rarity. Some people hate the... some love them. I wish all my cars had windows like that... except at tall drive in windows.


Also tell your friend to be ready for prolly the most expensive to maintain suburu ever made... he will spend quite a bit a year maintaining it if its his daily driver. Also...if he is planning on modding it... there is close to zero support..so everything he does will mostly be custom (custom remote mount im working on for instance). What little there is available is pricey.

I love my SVX...but I hope you friend understands what he is getting himself into. Parts are not cheap and not easy to come by sometimes... I spent 4700 for a new tranny just two years ago... (oh btw, they like to eat transmissions... get synthetic and a cooler in there ASAP)

Here is the site w/ the best info... PM any other questions.. I'll see what I can do to help you find answers your looking for.
www.subaru-svx.net

 

I'd think your money would be better spent attempting to swap in a WRX STi drivetrain.

 

Agreed... at least there is an aftermarket for it. It will bolt right into the SVX. Hell if you can just find the engine...it will bolt to the 4eat.

 

With the advent of the 2.5T Legacy, I suspect that engine (or a closely related variant of it, anyway) will become at least slightly more available in the salvage yards. Doesn't the Baja come available with the 2.5T as well now? I know a couple of years ago they had the base WRX 2.0T but ir seems like I read somewhere that they got upgraded to help spur sales.

 

I forgot to mention it will be converted to rwd only. Does this make it sound any easier?

 

Nope, it just means the rear diff will be absorbing 100% of the punishment instead of only half of it. That actually makes things worse.

 

The R160 rear diff will not live long under rwd power... its only designed to handle 50% of given power of the engine... even the STI has to step up to the R180... I don't know if any of the other larger rears from nissans (R220, etc.) will even bolt into the subaru cradle w/o extensive mods to the cradle and prolly custom CV shafts... Its prolly better to got w/ the EJ25T series and bolt it to the STi 6speed or the SVX 4eat. (which is quite strong btw) Or you can go the more expensive way w/ the EG33 already in it which quite a marvelous engine in its own way.



PS: The EJ25T is also in the forrester XT too... so the supply of them should be increasing... the EJ20T from the WRX will bolt in too...hell, all the EJ's will.

 

I forgot to mention a few things.

A vette oil pan will be used to make the engine shorter. A custom driveshaft will be made to go from the a t56 to a r230 rear (300zx tt rear). Custom axles will be made for the new rear. I think a ls1 swap will ultimately have more potential than a ej swap.

 

If you do a diff change like on the miata swaps it will be ok.

 

what rear do miata swaps use?

 

Usually ford 8.8 IRS from tbird SC or lincon Mark series...

other options are vette IRS...

The ford 8.8 mates with modern CV ends as opposed to U-joint style..

Id get a 8.8.. Plenty around...

 

I think there's a goat 12 bolt and/or 9" IRS center section floating around somewhere right now.

 

The GTOs are using a custom 9" Ford center section made in Australia. It costs nearly $3000 with a loaded 3rd member and axles.