Jump to content
Ultimate Subaru Message Board

My '87 XT AWD, mazda rotary swapped, Gambler.


flight_of_pain
 Share

Recommended Posts

The chassis started life as an '87 Subaru XT 4cyl turbo AWD. It was
the highest trim level available in that year, and the most aerodynamic
production car at the time. My dad bought it in the early 2000s and
daily drove it for 100,000Mi or so. It has been totaled out three times
by various insurance companies, and when the headgaskets went at 250K,
he parked it in a field. Last year i rescued it, and set about to build a
car I had been squirreling parts away for about 10 years.



How she came home:



https://imgur.com/S9Oytmk



https://imgur.com/O0mVLdl



Old motor out, new motor in:



https://imgur.com/Z9Oynhy



https://imgur.com/oqQADz1



Modifications were necessary...



https://imgur.com/ooJtLRn



https://imgur.com/LQTPCK3



https://imgur.com/cVrsqJW



Adapter plate to mount a Mazda rotary to a Subaru gearbox:



https://imgur.com/7SKQ95c



https://imgur.com/OdMZ5s7



Semi-finished, but running and gambler500'ing:



https://imgur.com/ZSDoHgN



https://imgur.com/ZmCATQK



https://imgur.com/r1hw5qJ



https://imgur.com/OLHiDYp

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Stock digidash was retained, and functions:



https://imgur.com/v7URe4c



https://imgur.com/DnMUo3W



Next step was a lift... the front got loyale struts, and ford tempo
springs, the rear is 2wd xt struts with 80s honda accord front springs.
This resulted in a net gain of over 6in vs the sacked out stock parts.



https://imgur.com/nSxp9eA



https://imgur.com/y4imUTQ



https://imgur.com/R5MIkmj



https://imgur.com/ehA36Z2



Added some bigger wheels and tires, redrilled 6 lug truck wheels (subaru's 4x140 pattern can go codswallop a rake...)



https://imgur.com/jSnS0OP



https://imgur.com/Et7ibh8



https://imgur.com/YMxP2kr



https://imgur.com/sQTKo63



https://imgur.com/vrh06gn



https://imgur.com/yRf9pca



Then we Gamble with it... 1st place at the North idaho gambler, and
fastest time of the day on day two of the Washington gambler.



https://imgur.com/Z9Y4Kw6



https://imgur.com/NQvE1B1



https://imgur.com/SCppDwO

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Works good...



 

 

Progress!



FC cas, and .96 hot side t04e. probably a 57 or 60 trim compressor, should be fine for 250-300hp.



https://imgur.com/vEROu8F



4x 550cc EV-14s, should support up to 280-300hp in fuel.



https://imgur.com/OEGdapE



Pile of Speeduinos... A v0.3 for the RXT, a v0.3 for a buddies subaru, and two NO2C boards for motorcycles.



https://imgur.com/Cz8pW9T

 

 

Some in car footage from the North Idaho Gambler. We averaged 38-42mph for the day.



Edited by flight_of_pain
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I bought the adapter plate and flywheel about a decade ago. It was a small batch casting, unknown manufacture. The flywheel is a subaru unit, redrilled to the mazda pattern and the center opened up to slip onto the mazda counterweight. Everything else is stock subaru parts. The australian Subarugears guys make a rotary adapter, but they want new $1000 for it last i saw.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There was a rotary-rx that was posted here a few times over the years, probably built at least 15 years ago.

 

IIRC, JWX bought it and swapped it back to an EA82t relatively recently.

 

 

 

I think the Subarugears adapter is designed for the EJ transmission, too (a better option, but an interesting difference).

 

Makes the purist in me cringed seeing the hood hacked up like that. But whatever, sweet build.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

What is the post Gambler fate of this vehicle?

 

We have run two gamblers in it so far, and I've been daily driving it for the last 6mo or so. It gets run hard at the ORV park at least once a month, and the only casualties so far are clutches. I took a bunch of footage the last run out at the ORV park, ill post it up as soon as I trim out all the fat.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Let me know if that thing ever gets parted out.  I've got cash-money with your name on it for the rotary bits...

 

HA! I spent 10 years acquiring the parts to make this shitheap happen. It wont be leaving my possession while I'm still breathing ;) I have a backup chassis in white, and after that i would probably move it all to a 1st gen imp. My close friend (drives a 323gtx) has been trying to convince me to pay one of the Chinese forges to replicate the adapter a dozen times. the rest of the parts are modified subaru.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...