Midget Subaru Engine Swap? : MG Midget Forum : The MG Experience

Midget Subaru Engine Swap? #1
evanaka Evan A Orem, UT, USA Sign in to contact	Topic Creator (OP) Jan 28, 2015 09:25 PM Joined 9 years ago 6 Posts

Hey I've been a forum watcher for a good long while, first time i've decided to chime in. I purchased a running 1979 Midget in pretty decent shape (not great by any means - minimal rust, seats and top are old and cracking) Anywho i picked it up for 800 bucks, and I am going to have to do a major- mild teardown to take it all back to bare metal, repair the small rust spots, clean engine bay and i was planning on rebuilding the engine. The thought occurred to me to just do an engine swap with something a little more peppy. Just wondering if there is anyone out there who has done something similar. i realize its not necessarily keeping with the originality of the car but I think it would be a fun project. Thanks in advance!

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Re: Midget Subaru Engine Swap? #2
58custom Tom Crocker Santa Clarita, SoCal, USA Sign in to contact 1969 MG Midget	Jan 28, 2015 10:50 PM Joined 16 years ago 1,400 Posts

A boxer? Subaru is an overhead cam boxer, right? If so, consider an engine shaped like this: ==o== in an engine compartment made for a side-cam tiny engine shaped like this: |.

The easiest swap is a Datsun A series. It requires frame modifications. I have done this. The Fiat twin cam is also compact but I have only seen pictures of one swap. All other engine swaps require more fab and mods. But I can tell you that a boxer can not fit without suspension mods. A boxer would have the cams where the shocks currently reside.

1969 MG Midget with Datsun A15/5 speed

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Re: Midget Subaru Engine Swap? #3
evanaka Evan A Orem, UT, USA Sign in to contact	Topic Creator (OP) Jan 28, 2015 11:23 PM Joined 9 years ago 6 Posts

Yah I definitely wasn't planning on it slipping right in, I realize that their will have to be a decent amount of mods and fab, which i'm willing to commit to, within reason. Which is why I was curious if anyone had ventured these waters.

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Re: Midget Subaru Engine Swap? #4
jagnweiner Scott Johnson Geneseo, IL, USA Sign in to contact 1963 MG Midget MkI	Jan 29, 2015 03:07 AM Joined 10 years ago 411 Posts

Evan-

You might want to ask the question in the "MG Engine Swaps" forum. Could get more response and maybe someone's heard of one. I would agree with Tom, though, that there are better engines for transfer into a Midget than any type of boxer configuration.

Also, welcome aboard! This group contains a wealth of knowledge and most everyone is very friendly.

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Re: Midget Subaru Engine Swap? #5
AmishIndy Seth Jones Glendale Heights, IL, USA Sign in to contact 1971 MG Midget MkIII "Guenevire" 2007 Mazda 3 "Porco Rosso"	Jan 29, 2015 09:07 AM Joined 13 years ago 5,849 Posts

Might actually be simpler to to a locost 7 build with a subaru power plant. http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3316

Seth Jones

1971 MG Midget

www.SpridgetGuru.com

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Re: Midget Subaru Engine Swap? #6
idrivemyself Kyle H Middle of Somewhere, OR, USA Sign in to contact 1973 MG Midget MkIII 1975 MG Midget 1500	Jan 29, 2015 09:39 AM Joined 9 years ago 232 Posts

As stated above, there's no way you're going to fit a flat 4 or 6 without extensive frame modifications, it's simply too wide of an engine to fit in the bay. Even with single cam heads. Most likely either engine would result in tube framing the entire front end. You might wind up having to redesign the steering and suspension as well. IMO the steering column and lever shocks are currently where the valve covers and timing cover would be. If your heart is set on the swap, grab a tape measure and take measurements, that should tell you how most of the story will go.

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Re: Midget Subaru Engine Swap? #7
AmishIndy Seth Jones Glendale Heights, IL, USA Sign in to contact 1971 MG Midget MkIII "Guenevire" 2007 Mazda 3 "Porco Rosso"	Jan 29, 2015 10:13 AM Joined 13 years ago 5,849 Posts

why not just get a porsche 914 to drop your subaru engine in?

Seth Jones

1971 MG Midget

www.SpridgetGuru.com

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Re: Midget Subaru Engine Swap? #8
refisk Rick Fisk Frankenmuth, MI, USA Sign in to contact	Jan 29, 2015 10:17 AM Top Contributor Joined 12 years ago 14,635 Posts

Seth,

What do you have against Volkswagens? devil smiley

In reply to # 2907650 by AmishIndy why not just get a porsche 914 to drop your subaru engine in?

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Re: Midget Subaru Engine Swap? #9
AmishIndy Seth Jones Glendale Heights, IL, USA Sign in to contact 1971 MG Midget MkIII "Guenevire" 2007 Mazda 3 "Porco Rosso"	Jan 29, 2015 10:24 AM Joined 13 years ago 5,849 Posts

In reply to # 2907654 by refisk Seth,

What do you have against Volkswagens? devil smiley

In reply to # 2907650 by AmishIndy why not just get a porsche 914 to drop your subaru engine in?

Nothing, its just a common swap I've found.

The subaru engine should also be a perfect drop in into a VW bug or Corvair.

Seth Jones

1971 MG Midget

www.SpridgetGuru.com

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-01-29 10:24 AM by AmishIndy.

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Re: Midget Subaru Engine Swap? #10
MG47484 Mike B Lima/Aston, PA, USA Sign in to contact 1963 Chevrolet C10 "White Horse" 1965 Ford Mustang 1975 MG Midget MkIII "Young Marine’s Weekend Pass!" 1977 MG MGB "Mom's B" & more	Jan 29, 2015 05:23 PM Joined 10 years ago 673 Posts

At one point I was thinking of the Geo Metro Engine (Complete front end running set - had a 92 with a 5 speed quick same size car and had 13 inch wheels!

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Re: Midget Subaru Engine Swap? #11
Mad Matt F Matt F Montreal, La Belle Province, Canada Sign in to contact	Jan 29, 2015 05:36 PM Joined 17 years ago 208 Posts

Ah, Skye's little see everything front page...

I don't have a Midget, I'm a BGT owner...

But I'm also a "sorta suby guy"...

There is an upright suby motor, but not likely what Evan was talking about! The old Justy motor is a 1.2l, I3, single overhead cam with 3 valve per cylinder (9 valves for the win!), with work I'm sure it could be made to fit, but not likely what our op is after.

I rally a Justy, and with 10.5:1 comp, a big cam, running triple mikuni carbs and a tube header... it might make 100 hp...

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-01-29 05:39 PM by Mad Matt F.

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Re: Midget Subaru Engine Swap? #12
idrivemyself Kyle H Middle of Somewhere, OR, USA Sign in to contact 1973 MG Midget MkIII 1975 MG Midget 1500	Jan 29, 2015 06:41 PM Joined 9 years ago 232 Posts

There's also the Justy Turbo engine! Although those came with AWD and can be a tough find these days...

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Re: Midget Subaru Engine Swap? #13
dbandel David Bandel Glenwood, MD, USA Sign in to contact 1967 MG MGB GT 1974 MG MGB	Jan 29, 2015 08:56 PM Top Contributor Joined 13 years ago 1,373 Posts

I'm currently working on collecting parts for a Suzuki Samurai 5-speed swap for my '76. This transmission will mate with the Suzuki Samurai 1.3L and 1.5L, the Vitara 1.6L and even up to the 2.7L V6. There are also adapter plates available from several 4x4 specialists to mate the Suzuki transmission to any Volkswagen water cooled I-4 including the diesels as they all share the same bellhousing pattern. The VW VR6 can also be adapted with an additional plate for the bottom bellhousing bolts.

Anything is possible given time, money and creativity. There is more info available in the swaps forum and on www.Britishv8.com.

-David

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Re: Midget Subaru Engine Swap? #14
autocomman mark w lost angy, USA Sign in to contact 1959 Austin-Healey Bugeye Sprite	Jan 30, 2015 12:37 AM Joined 13 years ago 2,176 Posts

Thats what I was gonna say, i hope he means a justy 3 cylinder lol....

In reply to # 2907974 by Mad Matt F Ah, Skye's little see everything front page...

I don't have a Midget, I'm a BGT owner...

But I'm also a "sorta suby guy"...

There is an upright suby motor, but not likely what Evan was talking about! The old Justy motor is a 1.2l, I3, single overhead cam with 3 valve per cylinder (9 valves for the win!), with work I'm sure it could be made to fit, but not likely what our op is after.

I rally a Justy, and with 10.5:1 comp, a big cam, running triple mikuni carbs and a tube header... it might make 100 hp...

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Re: Midget Subaru Engine Swap? #15
evanaka Evan A Orem, UT, USA Sign in to contact	Topic Creator (OP) Jan 30, 2015 03:30 PM Joined 9 years ago 6 Posts

That sounds like a fun car! there is actually a local Justy that popped up in the classifieds and i was keen on checking out - $400 for the whole car. Matt, you'll have to get in touch with me because i would love to see some shots of your justy and what it cost you to get it up to that HP

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