edsnova posted:
4. Yes, Subie transaxles can be used in a Speedster (if you flip the R&P which is spendy and tricky) but also you'll be modding the guts of the car a lil to make it all fit.
5. The fetish for a 5 (or more) speed is very strong for some reason and it's really quite silly, on a dollar-per-grins basis, unless you're the type who just has to run 10/10ths all the time & so are equipped with a high-strung engine with a little teeny tiny powerband way up the der stratosphere. Basically any good street engine (and especially any Subie) will be "on cam" at least from 3500 to 6000 and it really isn't hard or expensive to build a VW box that will handle the torque you're making, land that engine in its sweet spot between gears, be able to hold a hill at the stop light and cruise at 70mph+ without deafening you. With a Subie 5 speed you're adding weight and complexity galore and spending cubic dineros to do it & in the end, yeah, sure, it really is "better" but you better really really want it.
I got curious and looked up the transaxle weight; 89 lbs. for the VW and 150 lbs. for the Subaru. 60 lbs. for more gear? I would say, "Heck Ya!" But the cost? Low mileage Subaru 5 speed 2 WD used; $1300 not including the reverse ring and pinion, SubaruGears rebuilt $4,000 including the reverse ring and pinion. The reverse ring and pinion cost a grand if you wanna install them yourself. VW 4 speed rebuilt by Rancho Transmission; $775. On the plus side, the 5 speed is a straight bolt on to a Subaru match engine, so you save on the adapter plate. Also, I am fairly sure that the Subaru ECU is expecting sensor info from the transaxle, so the Subaru 5 speed would be a cleaner install. Is it worth it?
I saw a wide body at Vintage the other day that had the Subaru 5 speed. The body mod was not extensive, and it was handled well, so well that the modification looked like it belonged there. My guess is that the body mod for a 6 speed would be about 4 inches longer and from what I could tell, it would not be a problem, but according to SubaruGears, they don't make a reverse ring and pinion for a 6 speed Subaru.