Not content with the bay window’s stock pulling power, VW Heritage customer Žiga Pikš from Slovenia decided to give his restoration project a major shot in the arm by fitting a Subaru engine instead. Not only that, he swapped the chassis for a T25 while he was at it. Here’s the story of this ultra crazy build…

Okay, so we’ve all been there – wishing we’d got just a bit more under foot while pulling onto a motorway or climbing a hill in a Bay – and that’s what prompts many to opt for a mild engine upgrade. However, Žiga had much grander ambitions…

 

He bought his Bay six years ago, paying just 300 euros for it. Okay, the engine was broken and the gearbox had gone walkabout, but it was cheap – and that’s all that mattered considering he was about to fit a totally different engine, transmission and chassis…

 

Starting work a year and a half ago, he hatched a plan and wasted no time getting out the cutting tools. “I straightened the body on a special rollcage then cut off all rotten chassis. I wanted the independent suspension from the T25 so I got hold of a suitable chassis, narrowed it by 11cm and shortened it to fit the original T2 wheelbase. Before I bolted it on I fitted Bilstein shocks and FK springs.”

 

The engine itself is actually from a Subaru Legacy 2.0 EJ20e, while the transmission has been borrowed from a Subaru Forester 2.0 turbo, with suitable modification of course with the driveshafts shortened and welded to fit the rear wheelbase. Said Žiga: “The front mount for the gearbox is all custom made as are the engine mounts. I did, however, manage to make use of all original Subaru wiring by simply extending all the cables.”

 

The brakes were also big challenge for Žiga, requiring a heady mix of inspiration, imagination and a not inconsiderable amount of time at the drawing board. “I made a three dimensional model for whole suspension and simply made an adaptor for the front and rear brakes. The adaptors are 2.5cm thick 7075 aluminium, cut with a waterjet while at the rear there are 5mm thick inox plates made to allow me to fit VW Golf GTi rear calipers. On the front I have fitted Subaru Impreza calipers and Audi A8 discs, and the rear discs are from a Sharan.”

 

The biggest headache of all though was modifying the steering. “Here I used the original T25 box from the steering shaft to the steering rack, then used parts from an Alfa Romeo steering shaft. Other bits I had to fabricate myself from scratch…”

The petrol tank happens to be a T25 item narrowed to fit then welded to the flange of the Subaru tank.

“Everything until now, I made by myself,” confirms Žiga “and I plan to finish it this summer once I have fitted all the VW Heritage parts that you have kindly sold me.”

The plucky 24-year-old student is busy studying mechanical engineering with any free time dedicated to preparing cars for rallying. “I was co-driver for the whole season last year, and I also love windsurfing,” he smiles. “And the great thing is, when it’s finished, the bus will satisfy both interests.”

There’s obviously truth in the old saying, “If you want something done, give it to a busy person first”!

Ian