WRX motor in Brumby.

[Gazza01]

Im told that a WRX motor will fit in a Brumby but the gearbox is a problem getting to fit. Im now told that the L Series gearbox on the back of the WRX motor is the answer. Anyone out there with this experience.

[El_Freddo]

Search function is your friend. It's been done many times before.

WRX engine is not a direct drop in, you need to cut and shut the chassis rail and create a scallop in the engine crossmember for the turbo up pipe.

WRX gearbox is easy compared to the EJ turbo engine fitment.

Cheers

Bennie

[AndrewT]

Adapting a WRX motor to an L series gearbox is a silly suggestion and not very practical.
- The L series gearbox is not really strong enough for WRX engine power
- The L series gearbox is not AWD (unless you find a REALLY rare AWD one), it's front wheel drive, with part-time locked 4x4 available which is not practical for driving on tarmac.
- You need to get a bellhousing adaptor plate, and a custom clutch pressure plate with high clamping pressure.
- The L series gearbox fitment to a Brumby (to replace the Brumby 4spd) requires custom work itself to make fit....different tailshaft etc.

Fitting the WRX motor is the main job. Fitting it's matching WRX gearbox is not a great deal more work. Custom crossmember, shortened tailshaft, match rear diff ratio, shorten shifter linkages, custom fit the clutch master cylinder and pedal mods. All done a million times, well documented, quite easy, and properly matched to the motor for the best results.

[El_Freddo]

Thanks AndyT. This thread lost a few posts recently due to a snapshot backdate or something.

But that's a great concise list for reference.

Cheers

Bennie

[Macca]

Wrote a big long burst on the weekend explaining all the hassles of installing A forester running gear into a brumby and it's all gone.

It was in reply to el freddo's request that I hadn't submitted a thread about it or he had missed it. The latter was correct.

But here is a previous one from EJ INTO BRUMBY:-
Bennie

Yes pal, new cable took a lot of adjusting until it settled down to right length.

Also the clutch lever itself has a massive spring on it I assume to bottom out the slave cylinder when the clutch is released. The original gearbox doesn,t have one at all.

I don,t find it that hard just that mechanic said it was the only disappointing bit of the conversion.

So I canned doing the clutch change at the moment as my mechanic has shut up shop temporarily. He did the conversion on it and I,m past pulling motors/gearboxes now. I,ll get the lever spring done at the same time.

I,ll call into Shepparton on my way to Cobram some day and show you.

1991 Brumby just cracked 50.000 K.

Cheers Macca


My later burst on the weekend went into a lot more detail about the conversion.

One Detail I left out IT TOOK ME 3 BLXXDY YEARS to complete even with a mechanic doing it.

Keep Smilin' Macca

[Macca]

Wrote a big long burst on the weekend explaining all the hassles of installing A forester running gear into a brumby and it's all gone.

It was in reply to el freddo's request that I hadn't submitted a thread about it or he had missed it. The latter was correct.

But here is a previous one from EJ INTO BRUMBY:-
Bennie

Yes pal, new cable took a lot of adjusting until it settled down to right length.

Also the clutch lever itself has a massive spring on it I assume to bottom out the slave cylinder when the clutch is released. The original gearbox doesn,t have one at all.

I don,t find it that hard just that mechanic said it was the only disappointing bit of the conversion.

So I canned doing the clutch change at the moment as my mechanic has shut up shop temporarily. He did the conversion on it and I,m past pulling motors/gearboxes now. I,ll get the lever spring done at the same time.

I,ll call into Shepparton on my way to Cobram some day and show you.

1991 Brumby just cracked 50.000 K.

Cheers Macca


My later burst on the weekend went into a lot more detail about the conversion.

One Detail I left out IT TOOK ME 3 BLXXDY YEARS to complete even with a mechanic doing it.

Keep Smilin' Macca

[El_Freddo]

Hey Macca, fatally forgot about the above post from your thread! Apologies


You did your work behind the scenes as such. This has it's advantages - no forum distractions from build discussions so your time can be spent doing research if its needed.

Cheers

Bennie

PS: the lost post(s) are frustrating

[Subyroo]

Im told that a WRX motor will fit in a Brumby but the gearbox is a problem getting to fit. Im now told that the L Series gearbox on the back of the WRX motor is the answer. Anyone out there with this experience.

Just buy this one Gazza, all the hard work is done.