The SRBaru begins. SR20DET Subaru Impreza GC8

[Mitch]

Had this Impreza RA in the corner of the unit for a few months now, so thought it was time to do something with it. I got it with a bust cambelt so sold on all the running gear with the intention of fitting an SR20DET instead. I'm not sure if it's going to be a road or drift car as yet, just want to get it up and running and then see where it goes from there.

Here's the unsuspecting car as it's sat for so long. There's no work in at the minute so started this at the weekend...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v726/mitchyc/SRBaru%20Impreza/SRBaruStage118.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v726/mitchyc/SRBaru%20Impreza/SRBaruStage123.jpg

Took the front driveshafts apart first and just kept the parts to keep the hubs in place...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v726/mitchyc/SRBaru%20Impreza/SRBaruStage18.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v726/mitchyc/SRBaru%20Impreza/SRBaruStage111.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v726/mitchyc/SRBaru%20Impreza/SRBaruStage1.jpg

The main thing that needs to be done is get the engine sat in. With the stock subframe in place, the engine sits way too high, so that needed extensive chopping, and the steering rack and ARB will have to be relocated. I've seen others with just new mounting plates but decided to try grafting in an SR subframe. If it all goes wrong, another Subaru subframe is about £10-20 and I have a few S body ones in stock.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v726/mitchyc/SRBaru%20Impreza/SRBaruStage115.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v726/mitchyc/SRBaru%20Impreza/SRBaruStage112.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v726/mitchyc/SRBaru%20Impreza/SRBaruStage15.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v726/mitchyc/SRBaru%20Impreza/SRBaruStage122.jpg

Here's the engine test fit and then in place, but still supported so the mounts can be checked for position...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v726/mitchyc/SRBaru%20Impreza/SRBaruStage13.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v726/mitchyc/SRBaru%20Impreza/SRBaruStage113.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v726/mitchyc/SRBaru%20Impreza/SRBaruStage110.jpg

Engine and subframes removed for some strengthening...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v726/mitchyc/SRBaru%20Impreza/SRBaruStage125.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v726/mitchyc/SRBaru%20Impreza/SRBaruStage128.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v726/mitchyc/SRBaru%20Impreza/SRBaruStage127.jpg

That's where it's at for now. Lots more beefing up the subframe required and then make up mounting points for the rack and ARB.

[MEL]

Nice project :nod:

[Delboy]

Cool project, will keep an eye on this and see how it comes along :thumbs:

[Chriscooke]

Loving this :nod:

[nitrodave]

awesome, i love projects like this! looking forward to more updates :)

[Daz]

This looks interesting.

Out of interest, why are you just fitting scooby running gear and running it RWD? Are the boxer engines no good for drifting?

[Sturge]

Sweet

[Mitch]

Out of interest, why are you just fitting scooby running gear and running it RWD? Are the boxer engines no good for drifting?

The engine that was in it had a snapped timing belt, I have no Subaru spares but tons of Nissan ones that need using up. Call it a unit clearout ;)

[Rubix_Cube]

Looks interesting Mitch :)

[Mitch]

Cheers :) Time for a little update. Front subframe has now been beefed up and steering rack mounts added and is now in place. The steering UJ's need to be extended and fitted along with the power steering pipes when the engine is next removed. I made up the gearbox mount yesterday so the engine and box are now sat in the car unaided...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v726/mitchyc/SRBaru%20Impreza/SRBarugearboxmount3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v726/mitchyc/SRBaru%20Impreza/SRBarugearboxmount7.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v726/mitchyc/SRBaru%20Impreza/SRBarugearboxmount8.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v726/mitchyc/SRBaru%20Impreza/SRBarugearboxmount2.jpg

[lbulloc2]

I actually really like the arrow. I get laughed at at work for putting arrows on parts but it means that when some Somalian warlord next has it in bits there's a decent chance of it working again afterwards

[m.d.]

Scooby engines although good when built properly are normally shat for reliability. The sr is a much better option for continuous abuse IMO.

Looks quite at home in there too

[skinz180189]

At least it'll sound marginally better than the majority of Subarus.

[DeanS15]

Subscribing :) great project

[KamS14A]

Sweeeet

[Mitch]

I actually really like the arrow. I get laughed at at work for putting arrows on parts but it means that when some Somalian warlord next has it in bits there's a decent chance of it working again afterwards

That's my reasoning. Just need to find a Somalian warlord to fund the rest of the project.

[Mitch]

A decision had to be made on what to do about the back end. The Subaru drivetrain is reportedly a very weak link and if the engine is to be allowed to run any decent amount of power, something had to be done.

There were a few options considered...

1. Leave it standard, run less than 300 odd bhp and use it more as a road car. Pros-it's cheap and easy, just requiring a custom prop to meet the gearbox. Cons-It's a cop out really. Will cause more hassle than it's worth in the future, and I'd be on eggshells waiting for things to break.

2. Fit a Nissan R200 diff and adapt it to fit. Pros-I have diffs and shafts and with some work should be able to make it all usable. Cons-Lots of head scratching to get the Nissan and Subaru bits mated and have shafts and hubs machined, so potentially a fair amount of expense and grief. Also need to extensively remodel the Subaru subframes to accept the diff. Moose came over and mentioned the S12 diff, which looks an easier fit due to it being more Subaru diff shaped, but most of the other cons would still apply.

I've been trawling the net for solutions and had another look at the Japspeed subframe, but that would be a mission to replicate and would still use Subaru hubs etc so I'd be no better off. I called Paul at Japspeed to find out what hubs they had used and it turned out to have been a nightmare to get it all to work reliably, with lots of machining and part swapping to get it to where it is now, not to mention breakages and the year or so it took to get right. I don't have the budget or manpower to go that route. With this in mind it was decided that Option 3 would be the way forward...

3. Fit the Nissan rear subframe, suspension, hubs, brakes, diff and entire running gear. Pros- I have all the bits to mock it all up, parts are all a known quantity, easy to acquire and proven to be up to the job. Cons-Getting the subframe to fit.

So striking while the iron was hot, before I had time to change my mind (and because Moose and Lewis were around to lend a hand-cheers guys :thumbs: ) we cracked on with getting the car onto the ramps to see if it was feasible. Did some basic measuring and it looks that it will be a better option than the other two, so ripped all the Subaru running gear off. No turning back now.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v726/mitchyc/SRBaru%20Impreza/SRBarurearsubframest2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v726/mitchyc/SRBaru%20Impreza/SRBarurearsubframest3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v726/mitchyc/SRBaru%20Impreza/SRBarurearsubframest5.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v726/mitchyc/SRBaru%20Impreza/SRBarurearsubframest4.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v726/mitchyc/SRBaru%20Impreza/SRBarurearsubframest.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v726/mitchyc/SRBaru%20Impreza/SRBarurearsubframest6.jpg

Got the BDC dinner on tonight, so no work til Monday but I'm looking forward to removing the fuel tank and getting the subframe into position. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work and plans will change but at the minute I'm pretty happy with the way it's going so far.

Thanks to Gaz Moose and Lewis for the hand, and Paul for taking the time out to share his experience.

[Ricey]

looks a very interest project mitch :nod:

ill be keeping an eye on this :)

[ash d-series]

Haha this is so cool

[Anth4130]

Any luck with the rear end?

I'm after doing the same thing if it's possible... rather than trying to play with s14 hubs and wrx hubs, instead of getting custom shafts from an r200 to wrx hubs...

I'll be keeping the flat four though!

[m.d.]

I'm a bit confused as to where people have been getting the problems with the stock rear end.
I know of quite a few scoobs running well over 500 bhp on the stock running gear. And one guy only uses his car with slicks for drag racing with 630bhp and stock running gear.
They guys who build and tune these cars have also built two 700bhp cars as far as I have seen both of which have the stock scoob diffs and shafts at the very least. All be it from the later bug eye shaped cars.

My scoobs one had 280bhp and the other 330 both took a beating before and after me and it was never the rear end that was the issue. Just the engines and clutches that couldn't handle it.

[Anth4130]

It's only from what I've read off the Internet from rwding a scooby, which I know isn't always a good thing... guess I'll be finding out in 2 weeks time how strong a standard rear diff will be as I'm taking it drifting :thumbs: