Subaru Conversion.. Is it Reversible?, Want to keep body stock. Options

[Brian Mifsud]

Has anyone successfully swapped in a Subaru and NOT had to slice up the body for the cooling lines, plumbing, and heat exchangers?

Specifically, in the nose of the car, can you get adequate cooling by installing the radiator and ducting by slicing up/altering JUST the front hood? (inlet in front, outlet at base of windshield, or above fender wells).

I'd like to make the swap wholly reversible so the car keeps it's "Stock" value.

"Plan B" (very undesirable) I'd think would be to cut out the inner fender wells, but keep the steel to reweld later.. and use the front hood (glass replica) to do the air-inlet.

[Brian Mifsud]

The "Subie Conversions" I've seen in the flesh were cars that ALSO had been restored. They were impressive to say the least, but I'm a Mechanical Engineer so I'm tuned in to things like that and have an appreciation for jobs well done. The "irrational" part of me is for some reason is MORE impressed by a fully restored air-cooled car. I guess that just fits into my wholly VW "Roots" as I've read everything that can be found on the history of VW and Porsche.

When it's time to sell my car, that's when I'd rather it be dead stock.


I have a '76 2.0 that's fully intact and original down to functioning SMOG equipment. It's the heaviest 914 with lowest horsepower.. an underdogs amongst underdogs. When I was young and poor (instead of old and poor), I couldn't afford a '73-'74 2.0 that was in as good a condition as this car.

A modified air-cooled motor really means I need to maintain a second engine as I still need to meet California smog every 2 years and wouldn't want to split a crankcase to swap out cams, fuel injection etc. If I'm going to have to drop the engine every two years ( I used to do this with my hot-rod Beetles, keeping a dead stock 1.6 stored in the garage), I might as well drop in a high performer one when not at the inspection station (which no 914 engine will ever be for reasonable money.. I don't make "Raby" money....)

If it can be made to work WELL, a Subie engine with "onboard" cooling system would make life much easier when it came to dropping and swapping. Besides, I design machinery for a living, so this is the sort of challenge I call "Fun" (yes I'm sick that way).