Tuesday 18th December 2012

You Know You Want To: Subaru'd Karmann Ghia

East meets West in beguiling style with a most unusual Cali-import

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How do we feel about engine transplants? A divisive issue, especially when it comes to bastardising precious classics with modern engines. Or is it? Classic looks with a bit of modern reliability and performance is a tempting combination.

Looks beautifully original - mechanically isn't!

This spot - hat tip to PHer only1ian for bringing it to our attention - provoked a prolonged period of chin stroking in the PH office. Handy, given that beards are a prerequisite for working here. If we were allowed to smoke pipes we might have done that reflectively too.

New guy Alex with his Ford background had much to say on the subject, there being a fairly relaxed attitude to engine swaps among that particular community. His view is that, assuming there are enough original examples of the base car around, it's OK if done in spirit - and that does make sense. Honda'd Elises and Exiges are a good example, the 'busa engined Suzuki Cappuccino we featured a little while back a perhaps more extreme one.

It's a flat-four Jim, just not as VW knew it

So to this Karmann Ghia, according to the advert imported from California in the mid 90s and dry stored/driven ever since, so it's claimed. From the pics it certainly looks like a beaut and wonderfully original. And it's got a flat-four under its elongated rear deck. Only it happens to be one from a Subaru. Sensibly the builder didn't get tempted with any turbocharged nonsense, and it's simply a normally aspirated unit with around 150hp driving through the standard gearbox - enough to spice up the experience and give turn-key modern reliability but not too much to trouble the period running gear. It's got disc brakes up front and the dampers and springs have been upgraded and set up properly, the vendor telling us the new engine doesn't overwhelm the driving experience or classic Karmann vibe. It sounds the part too, or so we're told. We'll have to take him on his word but we'd be tempted to investigate further!

With only the pictures to go on it's easy to be dazzled by the fresh chrome and what looks like a surprisingly neat and sympathetic installation. And in the mid-winter gloom who's to begrudge a bit of Californian sunshine? But is it a stroke of genius or corruption of an innocent old classic? We're erring on the former but what do you reckon?

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KARMANN GHIA SUBARU CONVERSION
Price: £14,995
Why you should: Looks gorgeous and ready to bring a bit of Cali sunshine into your life, as engine conversions go it's in spirit and sympathetically done
Why you shouldn't: Questionable morals of levering modern engines into much-loved classics

See the original advert here.

 

[dugsud]

hora said:

Front or rear wheel drive?

It'll be rear.

What a great daily driver...for the price of a new Focus!!

[jas xjr]

it would have to be rear surely

[ricola]

Here's my classic VW with subaru swap:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

I take it the author thinks 400+bhp will be over the top then!

[RTH]

That is probably very nice - always great looking.

[tinkertaylor]

I like. As long as the car isn't too rare then I don't have a problem with engine swaps, especially as this car has been left stock or near stock on the outside.

[marmite monster]

to me its a cheap option putting that engine in the car . a fresh air cooled lump would have been just as reliable and more in keeping with the car but prob would have cost a hell of alot more

[GranCab]

Shurley a better option would have been a nice air-cooled flat six ...

[Pothole]

hora said:

Front or rear wheel drive?

Really?

[MX7]

I like that.

[Cotty]

stroke of genius

[Cotty]

Just then engine, should have put the 4x4 running gear in as well

[Watchman]

A guy around here has a ~200bhp turbo-Subaru-powered multi-window VW bus. It looks fabulous, slightly lowered, disc brakes all round, leather interior. Reliability, economy, power, and classic looks/functionality. All the upsides with none of the downsides.

I'm in favour of engine swaps, especially where the original was no work of art.

[GT2CS]

nice except for the exhaust box sticking out.

[arfur sleep]

Love it.

I've been saying to my mate for years that when I have enough cash, I'd get a Ghia and fit it with a modern engine and a decent chassis to give classic looks but with modern handling. I looked at buying a Ghia fibreglass bodyshell and marrying with a modern chassis & required bits but it all got a bit complicated and expensive.

I care not a fig about mixing the classic and the new as some do and would make no pretence of it being a classic restoration or some such.

[Renn Sport]

I have a 200hp Subaru powered Bus. Shame I have kippered the oil pressure switch.

I think the Subaru transplants make sense, however on air-cooled motors hiding the radiator can be an issue. Karman Ghia's have nostrils on the nose so not so much a problem.

A healthy 150hp in a light car like this ghia will be fun.

[chrisw1991]

Nice, but you can't replace the beautiful clatter of an aircooled engine, which is one of the main reasons I love aircooled VW's so much.

[MX7]

chrisw1991 said:

Nice, but you can't replace the beautiful clatter of an aircooled engine

I can't say I agree.

[chrisw1991]

MX7 said:

I can't say I agree.

I didn't expect many on here to agree

[Triumph Man]

hora said:

Front or rear wheel drive?

It's a remarkably rare rear engined, Front Wheel Drive set up.

[RemarkLima]

GranCab said:

Shurley a better option would have been a nice air-cooled flat six ...

Well, the original was a flat 4 (I think), so it'd be cooling vs. cylinder count bdisation I'd guess.