In reply to EvanB :
Was thinking some more about it on the drive home. Firstly, the shift linkage will be a mother if a manual transmission is used, but I bet it could be worked out. May just be a little vague with a few extra joints added in.
Second, and a bit more concerning. If we use the stock strut towers, we’ll need to make sure they can fit height wise and width wise inside the body of the car, or some more radical bodywork may be necessary.
I’m still a huge fan of this direction, though. We should bug someone with a GC Impreza to let us take a bunch of measurements.
I have a feeling you'll need a hammer. And, a grinder.
It would be going in the middle so I would need a grinder. And, a hammer.
I have a gd wrx if those measurements can help. Track width is .8" wider than gc.
Patrick said:
I have a gd wrx if those measurements can help. Track width is .8" wider than gc.
Only the sedans. Wagons were the same as GC.
Additional thoughts on measurements. There are two that I can think of that are important because if they are oon the wrong side, they'd turn radical engine swap into an extremely radical engine swap:
1. Widest upper strut mount bolt to strut mount bolt measurement of the Subaru versus the inside width of the Opel right at the bottom of the windows over the rear wheel wells. If the Suby is too wide, the subframe/control arms/axles would need to be narrowed, the mounting points moved to outside the body, or enough negative camber that the car will show up on the internet in pictures with the speedhunters logo.
2. Distance from strut top to the hub centerline. It'll need to be somewhere in the range of the same height as the bottom of the window to where you want the wheel centerline to be on the Opel, or the strut towers would be higher up the windowline and look kind of ugly. Probably a couple inches of slack here, if springs are cut or lowering springs are used.
If those challenges can't be met, the Subaru's suspension is probably a no go.
Of course, this could probably be solved with using a Justy, but then that wouldn't be much of a power advantage over stock.
Ed still has his red Impreza so he is going to take some measurements for me.
with the way the rear suspension mounts if you are going mid-engine rear wheel drive you may be able to build a U-shaped DeDion axle tube that pivots on the front mount and has the Subaru front hubs in the ends. That's why I have an EJ20 and Impreza transmission in my shop right now anyway...
Also, if you grab a set of Fiero front rotors, calipers, and caliper brackets they will bolt on the front of the Kadett and give you the same 5x100 bolt pattern and provide the proper offset for the Subaru wheels to bolt right on. You might need 1.9l spindles though, and you should also look for a set of GT steering arms because they are faster and have Ackerman built in. A set of shackles for the front leaf would be the cheapest and easiest way to drop the front and free up the suspension to handle decently.
In reply to oldopelguy :
The front suspension is simpler if you just put the rear suspension of the Subaru there.
