AWD SAAB using Subaru driveline.

[allessence]

Okay, So as all know I blew a transmission recently and for awhile now have been kicking the idea of AWD around.

Is the Subura tranmssions stronger? Is there drive line components up to 350hp?

Does anybody know where I might find an older one looking for a good home (to be cut up and scrapped once I get the drive line out).

I realize this is a big project but at the rate I'm going ((just started to put together a 3" exhaust) Like I need it)) I'll need another trans before the summer is out.

Thanks

[DeLorean]

eer, why not just buy the whole subaru and drive that? It seems... well, absolutely ridiculous to even consider installing a suby drive system into a 900. it really would not be a saab at that point... so if you got it there why even drive a saab looking subaru? You know as of 6 months ago you could still buy one of those brand new.

[airsweden]

I thought I heard something about a 4wd "kit" for the 99/900. Was it from Jorgen? Of course that wouldn't solve your problem anyway, same gearbox.

A guy I used to work with says he has a friend with a 4wd 99, somewhere in western NY. I've never seen it but its supposed to be mostly SAAB with some Toyota p/u stuff grafted in. Sounds kinda freaky, might be neat but I'm mainly interested in stuff thats raceable.

JT

[saab90089]

Ya, I worked on C900's from 16 to 21 and around the age of 21 my buddies started driving subaru's (2.5RS, WRX, STI).

I agree; if you want AWD it would be cheaper and more reliable to just buy a subaru. You dump a EJ20 or EJ25 (turbo charged) engine into just about any subaru. Which even at the most difficult swap would be 10X easier then trying to make a 99/900 AWD.

As for a subaru trans that will handle 350HP. The WRX transmission is basically about that of a C900. Stock HP levels things are fine. Add some exhaust/boost mods and you need to use some caution with it. Upgrade the turbo and you really need to use caution. I'd say a WRX trans will handle 350 crank HP IF you are not beating on it....even then it would not surprise me if it failed.

The STI 6speed transmission will hand 350 crank HP no problem. But they arn't cheap.

Ian
PS - my friend just reminded me that the physical shape and layout of the subaru transmission would not allow it to work with the C900 engine/body.

[sonett]

I posted this the other day on Saab Central.......

Chatting with Dave Baker (pumaraing) a few weeks ago and he mentioned an imprezza that he had just flowed the heads on, the thing climbed out the rollers and stripped 3rd gear, they only managed to get to 370bhp and this was with around 1.2 bar of boost, that's also with standard valves, calculations show 500bhp and by the looks of it, it will be reached, the owner just has to buy a gearbox that is up to the job, sounds familiar! The head work alone works out to be giving around 100bhp at that boost level. The dyno was a dastek.

[allessence]

In reality, sticking with a SAAB is the goal. I'm not one to idly stand by and wish SAAB would have. For the most part I'm not saying SAAB engineers got it right and the product is just fine as is.

I used to be a purist at heart and only bought SAAB parts directly from SAAB and only stock boost/stock seats/stock everything.

Then I happened apon Rosie (1991 SPG) who was a lemon from the get go since they just thru aftermarket parts/money at her and didn't realize everything had to work together.

I spent the year after buying her getting to fix all the problems the previous owner incurred only to find I was unraveling a puzzle to reveal another side of SAABs which I didn't realize existed up to that point.

High performance 900 parts.

Most of which I have custom made. This has lead to a very smooth powerful SAAB. Of which there is no other in the world with the modes exactly like mine. Exactly being the key word. Not that I'm or Rosie is special. As I'm been told "special" is more the word.

So, in all matters this particular SPG is really not a collecters car anymore other than to myself.

So, I'd rather not have a Subaru. The Idea is to really have a well done, high performance SAAB with AWD and yes with a SAAB motor since the HP limit isn't even close to being realized. The problem I have now is the car is absolutely useless in low gears since it can't put the power to the ground unless running really wide rubber and now I have put on a custom made 3" down pipe and will follow with the 3" exhaust all the rest of the way.


In reality I think I';m just wacked in the head and have had one to many bangs to the noggin.

So, was just curious if anyone had info on the Subs and if it were possible.

I'm not one afraid of changing body parts to suit needs/wants.

http://www.saabcentral.com/forums/showt ... =Jennifers

So anyhow, it seems from what people are writing that the Subs are just as bad trans wise as the SAABS and I don't want truck axles in the SAAB.

A really nice job would leave the SAAB looking Stock but with AWD capabilities.

[Jordan]

The only point I would make is that for the money, time (money) and materials (money) needed to make that happen you could have a bullet-proof dogbox with the LSD you already have.

[DeLorean]

I think some of the problem people have with that idea is that you can buy about 5-10 really nice C-900's for the price of a supposedly "bulletproof" trans... Also, some of the "bulletproof" $6000+ transmissions like those scam-west / or Jorgen Eriksson units people still manage to blow, so there is that... I tend to be in agreement that the stock units are all we have unless someone comes up with a reasonably priced solution so the current best option is to drive gingerly and get good at changing transmissions.

[Jordan]

What do you think is "reasonably priced" for an up-rated transmission? Find me a race gearbox from any manufacturer or aftermarket for your target price. How many people do you know who have blown up the speedparts gear set? How many S&R gearsets have you seen blow up?

I think your logic that since you can find the cars for cheap than custom made aftermarket parts should be cheap also is just wrong. Yes you can get away with a lot of lo-cost solutions for performance, but when it really comes down to it, sometimes you have to just buy the right parts to do the job.

[allessence]

What do you think is "reasonably priced" for an up-rated transmission? Find me a race gearbox from any manufacturer or aftermarket for your target price. How many people do you know who have blown up the speedparts gear set? How many S&R gearsets have you seen blow up?

I think your logic that since you can find the cars for cheap than custom made aftermarket parts should be cheap also is just wrong. Yes you can get away with a lot of lo-cost solutions for performance, but when it really comes down to it, sometimes you have to just buy the right parts to do the job.

Ah, yes. Finding the right parts to do the Job.

Luke seems really good at that. Also, is seems he is good at making the right parts to do the job.

I like that kind of can do ability and strive for that myself. The real problem is I don't mind rebuilding transmissons. I carry all the parts in stock.

The problem I'm having lately is actually finding one that is within the 100-175.00 range that is rebuildable. I used to be able to find cars in that price range and then when you consider 4-500.00 in parts this becomes pretty expensive if you have replaced 3 transmissions in the past year.

I never realized the 4th gear spring/syncros are a weak point on the 91-94 boxes. Until now. I always had earlier model SAABs. But, for now one I will be replacing the 4th gear tin plate and spring with new ones on every rebuild.

So, the question still remains not considering time (money) and parts (money)

Does anyone know where there is a wrecked subaru for decent money or is it really like looking for a mystical unicorn.

[Geoff]

Yep, stay away from the subaru drivetrain stuff. I hear the older Audi AWD system is pretty robust. There used to be a VW Fox rally car running with a Audi drivetrian. Lots of power.

You could also try what the guy in Sweden did with his 99. He grafted the underhood components of a 9-3 into his car. That way he could use the Viggen engine and transmission. MapTun is having Quaife make up a special 6spd gearset for those boxes that is supposed to be good for tons of power...

[DeLorean]

What do you think is "reasonably priced" for an up-rated transmission? Find me a race gearbox from any manufacturer or aftermarket for your target price. .

http://www.jackstransmissions.com/index ... 105c9d0c5b

http://www.jackstransmissions.com/produ ... 105c9d0c5b

There are others who offer new units with uprated components for the sub $3000 range supposedly rated for 500HP/800 lb/ft... Obviously a matter of supply & demand. If I could buy a C-900 gearbox that could hold 800 lb/ft for 3K, The check would be in the mail.

[Jordan]

All I see there is a stock mitsu gearbox for 2gs or a "stregthening rebuild" for 1200, which is basically what Jorgen does.... Still not what I'm talking about with a race gearset. those are anywhere between 5-10k for most manufacturers...not even going into supply and demand.

[TRAILINGTHROTTLE]

throwing in my two cents...this week im rebuilding the '89 gearbox that luke and i scored at that picknpull in PA, and im just thankful that it is only going to have to deal with around 116hp. these are tiny gearboxes with tiny gears for the size car that they are trucking around. the t-50 toyota box in my AE86 was about the size of the saab box and it had no diff and half of it wasnt the oil pan. the whole thing was full of gears! and that was on an 1800lb. car. still luke has proven time and again that these boxes are strong enough to go like hell. i think that big boost/big hp is asking alot of this box in stock configuration. almost every description of a blown up box gives details of "coming up on boost". ive ridden in lukes car, and he shifts it very calmly, for the most part(im sure that Mr. Iden may have seen times where this was not the case!) and the car really seems to have a very "grown up" power curve. no big killer kick, etc., etc., but tons of pull. what im saying is that lukes gearbox goes like hell...not through hell. there is a big difference.

[saab90089]

I agree with TrailingThrottle.

In both the subaru and saab I've seen some fairly modded cars with stock transmissions that have lasted quite awhile. In those cases the driver is usually fairly smart about the turbo selection and how he/she drives the car.

That is not to say there are some completely stock cars that have had blown transmissions; that does happen.

Ian