Ultravan Owners

Bump and a Reminder... Were you able to find anything about the drive-by-wire for the throttle? Also how is it shielded? (I've never seen a system like htis before.) Thanks, Tony

What I will need is a complete harness made to my specs. Also to crack open the computer and see if there is any wiggle room - to make some changes that will fit our needs/concerns. Again not for racing or all out HP. Good good low end from a stop and hopefully better mileage. I need to find out for sure that the drive-by-wire for the throttle can be extended without any problems with the computer or the throttle?

Hello Everyone, I’m looking for a company that specializes in Subaru; who can make a wiring harness for me and set up my computer to fit my needs. I’ve been doing searches on Yahoo with not much luck. Some of the ones I thought might be helpful are overseas and not in the USA. It is not always what you know but who you know and sadly I do not know anyone who does this. I’m working with 2002 up to 2008 EZ and need a complete wiring harness made. Most of the stock wiring I think can be used but I need a lot of stuff done. It has to be much longer than stock because I’m doing a mid-engine in a longer vehicle I know there are companies doing this stuff for a LS Chevy and Ford, but I’m not sure where to go for Subaru. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks! Sincerely, Tony

USMB Drunk, The only reason I'm even talking about GM - is because I have another Ultravan project - using a FWD GM 3.8lt Supercharegd power plant and the 2004 up Impala front hubs, bearings and disk brakes. Because I already knwo that those bearing will handle the finished weight of these Ultravans - i like to use the same setup on the Subaru. The thing we were not sure of is do I use the entire ABS from the Impala? And IF I do - would it mess up the computer part of the Subaru? So I be better off trying to see if I can keep all the Subaru stuff and only use the hud, bearings and brakes from the Impala? (Sorry this might be all messed up! ggg I just got back in form cutting grass in the hot sun for hours.) I thought as long as I had a complete donor Subaru to remove everything from the same vehicle, that I would be able to do an newer conversion. That way I'm trying to mish-mash parts from different year and models. Tony

Matt, Thanks, I do understand. My point was IF I have to use everything from the Subaru to make it work and the computer to operate; I'm not sure if I will be able to use all the wiring, computer and ABS brake system from the Subaru and (somehow) be able to connect the ABS wire connectors from the Subaru harness to the Hubs/Bearings of a 2004 and up Impala with ABS? Or the other choice - IF it do NOT have to use the ABS and wiring for it from the Subaru - I could use everything from the larger Impala. Either way the outer CV joint on the Subaru axle would have to be replaced with one that fits the Impala hub. Or a custom axle made with the correct ends for both. Tony

I will have to do some research on the Subaru FWD bearings and what their load rates are. Also see if I "MIGHT" be able to use the heavier Impala lower control arms and disk brakes and some how hook up the Subaru ABS and axles to the connection on the Hub of the Impala? I researched the same with the FWD GM 3.8lt Supercharged project. I contacted the leading aftermarket bearing company and spoke with one of their engineers. He was kind enough to let me know - what Impala FWD bearings were the most popular; that way I knew once I did this porject - I could still get those bearings as needed - keeping that coach on the road for years to come. He also made sure it could handle the wieght in the back of the coach. He then told me to make sure I look for - one or the other - and now I would have to go look at my notes to vbe sure which way that went. But he either way he said the Green color bearing set was the old or the new and the Blue was the newer or the older design and I want to be sure I get the newer design - whichever it was. (sorry very bad memory - from not one bu two head injuries - one of which almost killed me) Anyways, the older design - if not torqued right by a do it your selfers - would come apart pretty quickly and they had a lot of them returned. The newer design however, had a spacer added in the middle - so they could not be over tighten and thus fixed all the returns by those who did the work them selves. (He was very helpful with that porject.) So as you see a lot of things have to be worked out and that is why I ask questions and take the time. Many thanks to everyone for your time and input! Please keep it coming. It is very useful. Sincerely, Tony PS - I plan to use Air Ride system on top of the spindle and not the stanard front coil socks. This will porvide a much better ride and as I get older - make it much easier to level a coach when camping. No having to go outsdie in the rain and block the tires to ge tthe coach level. GGG

Question about EM and LM Automatics. I only need FWD with this Subaru porject. They made one for a Subaru car in the early 90's I think it was. (I read it yesterday in Wikipedia and forgot the year and car already) Anyways Would I be better off using the entire power plnat from a 2006 Tribeca and blocking off the rear tail shaft of an AWD Automatic? Or should I buy the extra EM FWD only trans and use it with all the newer stuff from the Tribeca? One other Question. Years ago when I was thinking about this Subaru porject - I thought I would put the Subaru engien in like the Corvair. (Sitting behind the trans and not in front of) However, I found out real fast - unlike the VW one can not simply flip a Subaru Automatic tranes. It was also during that time that an aftermarket company overseas was workign on a reversed ring gear for some manuals only. Now the question. Has anyone come across information for reversed ring for the Subaru automatic? Thanks, Tony

I thought I share the following. Here is a Chrysler 3.0 in the back of an Ultravan. The owner was in his late 70's when he did this. Here is the dash taken for the same donor mini van that the 3.0 power plant came from. The following are the kinds of items from a Subaru Tribeca that I hope to incorperate into the Subaru Ultravan Dash. First is a standard dash found in a Corvair Ultravan. This is a dash cluster from a 2006 Tribeca that I hope to incorperate into my custom dash. This is the center control panel with radio and heater controls I hope to use too. The steering wheel with the hand controls and the GPS too.

The other concern I will have to deal with, once I have chosen 2 engines to compare, is the location of the center line of the front axles to the front of the engine. Again when it comes time; I will be capping off the rear driveshaft of the transmission somehow.. Tony

My plan is to get extra bulkhead connctors, like the ones used at the firewall, and make a wiring harness that runs between the (now) rear engine compartment back up the front. That way I should be able ot use the original engine harness in the back and relocate the rest up front with the new center section made up between the extra connectors. At lease it sounds good on paper or in my head. GGG Tony

Gloyale, I will have a complete donor Subaru vehicle to ensure that I am successful with the conversion. FYI - These coaches are 22 feet long with the engine in the back already. Running a wire or wires for the accelerator pedal sounds much easier than running the steel cable that they use now. But then again I’m not sure what kind of wire, if it is costly, or if it can hurt the signal as the wire gets longer. It be nice if we, humans, can know everything. But then again we never count on others. Thanks for your input! Everyone else thanks again too and please keep the information and ideas coming. Sincerely, Tony

Thank you. I don't recall seeing that before. Here are the rest of our Ultravans. We are blessed to be able to have them. This is our first one, Ultravan #248 Corvair powered, being delivered in the spring of 2008. That is Marie's 62 Corvair convertible with UV248. We thought we work on this Ultravan first. However, when I cleaned it out and started looking it over I found structure problems. The entire support area for the passenger side front suspension needs to be redone. To do it right I have to support the coach on flat ground until it is finished. This one is UV256 and it was delivered in the summer of 2008. We purchased UV256 from the same owner as UV248 above. I got it to have the interior to help restore UV248 above. It too was Corvair powered from the factory as most Ultravans are. BTW – This coach sat for 28 years, with a locked up engine, before we got it. I was blessed to get UV256 back on the road in less than one year. I took a power plant out of a $150 Corvair parts car, that I had purchased. I changed all the fluids, rebuilt the carbs, gave it a good tune up and installed it in spring of 2009. I rebuilt or replaced wheel cylinders, master cylinder, brake hoses and corrected some wiring too. I added new LED running lights, front parking lights and turn signals. That is our Corvair Rampside next to UV256 at a local car show. In 2009 Marie drove the Rampside to the show and I drove Ultravan #256. I pulled the Corvair power plant out of UV256 this past fall, Oct 2012, to reseal it and use it in another coach. More than likely it will be UV362. I have always had plans to make UV256 a custom Ultravan. It was going to be a Subaru or some V6 GM. I found and purchased a complete donor vehicle in 2009/2010 for only $300. It is a nice running low mileage 98 or 99 Olds LSS. It has a GM 3.8lt supercharged power plant. I’m just waiting for my barn/garage to be built. These two, UV362 (Corvair powered) on the left and UV512 (Chevy 350 power) on the right, were delivered Nov. 2012. This Ultravan, UV231, arrived Nov 9, 2013. I saved it from the scrap yrad this summer. It too was once had a Corvair power plant. However, someone did a poor conversion and the rear structural area got badly damaged. Due to the structural damage; I’m now free to reconstruct the back engine and rear suspension area as needed to fit the Subaru conversion of my choice. I have wanted to do a Subaru in one of these since 2008 when we first got UV248 and UV256. Why so many Ultravans - you ask? I'm a retired car nut - living up north with my Canadian wife. ggg Winters are way to long and very cold. Marie and I have plans for a small private working museum. We plan to use and enjoy each one of them. Each one has some things different about them. Some have a different; engine, color interior, options and floor layout. Thanks for dropping in and I hope you enjoy the thread. Please keep the information and ideas coming. Sincerely, Tony

So I can be up on all this - what is AVCS? I'm assuming the Subaru fuel pump mounts in the tank and I have to make a new feul tank anyways. It is over 50 years old. ggg The only things I will not be using are the brakes, rotors and wheels. To spport the weight I will be using HD stuff and haivng the shafts made to use the inner Subaru part of the axle and a custom outer part to mate up with the hub and rotor I will be using. So I'm not so sure how the wiring for ABS/braking stuff will go. FYI - A Corvair air-cooled flat 6 cylinder is what is in most of the Ultravans. They are only 110 or 140 HP, I'm guessing max 165 torque(which I will check) and 2 speed Power Glide. For 2 years I was getting 15.6MPG from our Ultravan #256 - until I pulled that power plant this past fall. I'm resealing it and installing it in another one of our Ultravans. The Ultravan #256 I took it out of is going to get a GM 3.8lt supercharge power plant from a fully loaded 98 or 99 Olds LSS donor - which I purchased running for only $300. I like to stay away from Premiunm! BTW - I'm from Fairfax. The MRS twisted my arm and made me move up here. That is when I closed fleet service business and move here. Tony

Thanks Matt for your input. I think you might of missed #1 in my post above. I will be doing a mid-engine - not a rear engine. I will also be facing the engine - complete power plant the same way it was in the Subaru. So there will be no need to flip the trans or use reverse ring gears. Tony

When you say a bit more to wire it up; what do you mean? Would I not have everything I need - "IF" I had a complete donor Subaru with everything still on/in the car? I do plan to use the following from the donor Subaru: Complete power plant in a mid-engine placement facing as it was in the front of the Subaru. The complete wiring harness from the car. (Easier and better for computer and to operate everything in the conversion vehicle.) The donor Subaru’s computer. Steering column with steering wheel for all the hand controls. Even the dash gauges and center controls. It will be like you are sitting behind the wheel and dash of an extra large Subaru. GGG BTW - If I were doing a Chevy conversion I have no problems. I worked as a line mechanic for Chevrolet for ten years. I was a mechanic in the US Army and I had my own Auto Shop before I met my Canadian Wfie and moved up north. I just need help to make this Subaru conversion the best it can be with the right power plant that checks off the most boxes. Tony

Okay If I were to go with the 3.0 - Is it the "SAME engine", "matching specs for spec" in the 2001-2009 model year legacy outback wagon and legacy outback sedan as it is found in the 2006-2007 model year B9 Tribeca? The reason I ask and why I also wanted to find a spec sheet for all the 2nd and 3rd gen 2.5 engines and up; was becasue of what I knew about Chevy engines. I needed to know for sure that Subaru worked in the same way with applications of their engines or they did not. A Chevy 350 small block can be fund in a car or truck. However, in a truck it has a different cam with more lower end torque for pulling. Again I know nothing about Subaru and their engines or codes and what to look for to be sure I spend my money on the best donor car - the first time out the gate. ggg I also like to be able to get the best possible gas mileage too. Tony

I'm truly not trying to be vague. But I need to look at all possible choices; 4 and 6 cylinder to compare them for the best fit possible for this conversion. I honestly do not know enough about the Subaru power plants. More so with the changes over the years that I have not kept up with. I will be purchasing a wrecked/rebuildable Subaru as a donor for this project if I go with something that is 5 years or newer. Otherwise I will likely purchase a good running Subaru if I go with something a little older. Key Issues: I'm not looking to race. It is going into a heavy vehicle. (3,620lbs with a Corvair power plant and close to 5,000lbs loaded for a road trip and camping) Good low end Torque is key and HP is a close second. Engine weight ratio to HP and Torque is something to also look at. Gas mileage is something to think about; with gas prices always going up. Knowing that the engine and AT transmission will be around for some time. Thanks, Tony This is what it is going into.

I'm looking for a reliable spec sheet and engine codes for 2nd and 3rd gen Subaru engines. I honestly don’t know enough about all the Subaru engines out there. But I need to know that the one I pick is a sound decision for the conversion project I’m doing. It is a mid-engine project in a non-Subaru. Key things I’m looking for: It has to be automatic Size and weight of engine compared to HP and Torque MPG Where can I find such information to compare them all? Thank you, Tony

I've read your post a couple of times now and I'm giving it a lot of thought. Torque is important - but gas prices and mileage should be a strong consideration too. I do plan to sell this coach when I'm finished and sure it is done right. I will use the funds to hlep restore one of our other Ultravans for our museum. BTW - The one UV owner who put the 99 3.0lt Chrysler power plant in wishes it had a little bit more power. I cannot recall the HP that it had. I should look that up and compare it to what Subaru engines I'm thinking about. I'm looking forward to doing this conversion but I hate to make the mistake of having it too undersized - after doing all that work. With the cost of gas maybe I should ask - Do all Turbo Subaru engines run on High test? And are you saying the the 2nd and 3rd gen small 2.5's get better mileage than the larger 3.0 and 3.6 engines? Tony

Thanks this is the kind of stuff I need to know and learn.... As for the ones that have complex wiring that you are talking about - Can it be done and work - If one has a complete donor Subaru and need to rewire the entire coach anyways? Good size. One rmember was able to put a 99 Plymouth 3.0 FWD complete power plant from one of their mini vans into the back. Another member has a Porsche with a VW A/T. And with the coach above; I can make room becasue I'l have to rework all the back half of the coahc due to lots of damage. The Corvair does run counterclockwise and I wil not be using any Corvair stuff. I want to use the entire FWD power plant from a Subaru and do a mid-engine conversion into this coach. Thanks for your reply. Please keep them coming. Sincerely, Tony

Yes the Corvair UV came with 1965 - 1967 110 or 140 Power Glide power plants. HP is second on my list. The key for this project is torque. But I need to be sure the power plant I choose to use is the best one available. Does anyone know where I can find a spec sheet that has the correct specs? (I found it hard to bvelieve that a 2.5 had more torque and hp with some power plant options than the 3.0 did on a spec list I found online.) This is why I need to be sure the Subaru I purchase is the best one. This is jsut one of the reasons I can use the help from those here who have more knowledge than I do. ggg Tony

Is the 3.0 available with timing chains vs belts? Where can I find a good source with true torque and hp specs? Tony

It is mainly aluminum. Only the four corners and above the windshield are fiberglass. There is NO frame at all. Only tanks between the front and rear wheels. Everything is riveted together. We happen to own five of these coaches. When I had UV256 weighed it came in at 3,620lbs with the Corvair power plant and five gals of gas. Then I filled the water tank and gas and put the spare tire back on and it came in at 4,050lbs; which is just a little more than the stock Corvair 95 Pickup aka a Rampside.

It will be a mid-engine setup. My plan is to use the entire Subaru power plant, the computer, fuel pump and even the complete vehicle wiring. I will take the power plant as it sits in the car and simply mount it in the back of the coach. I will disconnect and block off the rear drive shaft part of the transaxle. (Even if I have to have a one off custom plate made.) Thanks you for your input. Please keep it coming. HERE is a LINK to my project thread, on USMB, to share more ideas and information while keeping up with the project build... Sincerely, Tony

Hello Everyone, My name is Tony. If you have not already seen my thread in Meet n’ Greet here is a link to it. The thread is called: Hello, from an old member with a new name. My project is a 1966 Ultra Van. When it was first made in the sixties it came with an air-cooled Corvair flat six automatic. I want to do a clean Subaru conversion. However, I’m not sure which power plant would be best for this project. Should it be a 2.5 or 3.0? Which one has the best torque to weight ratio, with hp following a close second? That is one of the many steps where I could use the help of USMB members willing to lend a helping hand and share your knowledge. I have been out of the business of working on different cars since 2000, so I'm not up on the newer Subaru’s and their pros and cons with each power plant option. I will be purchasing a complete Subaru, donor vheicle, for this project. Things I want to accomplish with this project: A nice clean Subaru conversion, a gas pusher, in the back of the coach shown below. Better torque and hp than the standard Corvair air-cooled flat six. (Should it be a 2.5 or 3.0?) Today’s technology; making it more reliable and easier to get parts and fixed when needed. Doing it right the first time. (Means picking the best Subaru power plant for this project, with your help.) Sharing this project with the members of USMB and those who helped make it easier on me. (This old man) This is what UV231 looks like now. It was delivered on May 9th to our farm here in Ontario Canada. Thank you for stopping by to check out my project. I Iook forward to sharing it with everyone. Sincerely, Tony