ok i did a search and found soem threads on this but in some ways they were a little vague(sp)

ok im thinking about 4wding my hatch and make it my offroad toy now i have i believe what everyone calls the fat ea71, with the starter in the same spot as my ea82.

now 1 of my questions is will i have to keep the 2wd clutch and flywheel or can i put a 4wd 1 on it?also can i go with a 5spd dr or am i gonna have to go with a 4 spd dr?

also will i have to get a ea81 rearend hub or can i use an ea82, as well as a ea82 rear dif?, and can i basically use half of an ea82 wagon driveshaft or am i gonna have to get a hatch 1?and i know ill need to make the brackets to bolt it on

and yes i do plan on doing a lift while i got everything apart.

sorry if this stuff was covered and i just missed the thread that covered it.

and i knwo someone will answer with the enough time and money you can do anything, im just wanting to do this with a little smaller amount of money spent, if its gonna take an outragus amount of cash ill just go buy the nissan frame and running gear i seen for sale and slap the body on that, its complete with tranny and t-case

Just about everything you need to know is here;

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/article.php?c=2

 

I think you might be mistaken on what engine you have in the Hatch. If the starter is the same as your EA82, the engine is a EA81, not EA71. Look right below the disty, there should be a casting on the block telling you what engine it is.

im sure its a ea71, since i just had to go through trying to track down a disty 4 it. ill double check today to make sure the starter is in the same exact spot as the other 1. but im pretty sure it is

yeah i found those links, morgans especially was very informative, but i didnt see anything rellating to if ea82 stuff would fit

the hatch takes a difft length driveshaft than the EA82 sedan or wagon, so a 4sp D/R out of a hatch (w/ axle) is your best option, unless you want to have it fabbed

 

BTW - late model EA71's have the starter on the side, so it may very well be an EA71 - in which case I would probably swap an EA81 (or EA82) in soon

im not looking ot do a motor swap in this car, the ea71 runs real strong and can burn fairly new tires in 3 gears, so i think it ould be kinda dumb to swap out the motor, besides if im not beating the crap outta this car offroad ill prob just beat the crap out of it on the road, i just prefer to make it a mud fun car.