I built a sand buggy from scratch (see attached photo) using the rear end from a 1982 GL wagon for the rear suspension, and the rear coil-overs from a Legend for the front suspension. Right now it is powered by a Kawasaki motorcycle engine (chain drive down to a sprocket on the differential drive flange).

 

I am looking into using a Subaru engine on the next buggy, and am confused by the engine codes (EA82, etc). Does anyone have a web page explaining this? I want the max horsepower in the lightest package.

 

Also, are all early Subaru engines interchangable, or is there a chart that shows which engines can fit into the different frames?

 

SubSandRail

Here is a little primer on the engine codes

EA71 1600 cc OHV, carburated

EA81 1800 cc OHV, carberated or turbo charged (83 or 84)

EA82 1800 cc SOHC, Carbed, SPFI, MPFI, turbocharged (85 to 94)

 

Then there are the newer engines

EJ18 1800 cc SOHC MPFI

EJ20 2000 cc DOHC Turbo (WRX engine USA)

EJ22 2200 cc SOHC MPFI

EJ25 2500 cc DOHC and SOHC MPFI

 

Now for your rig, I don't see the Legacy struts on the front suspension. Doesn't look like an easy conversion to a Subaru engined buggy. I would like to come over a look at the rig after I get back from Canada. Send me a PM or e-mail.

Thanks for the info. I sent a private message with my email.

 

With full-custom home made frames like this, chopping it apart for the next experiment is part of the fun. The steel tube is the cheap part. I'm at least a year away from doing something like that, but I want to get an engine now to play with.

 

I figured that asking around and jumping straight to the best engine would be more productive than getting a random engine, hot-rodding it, then figuring out later that I should have used a different engine.

 

I'm not using struts. I'm using rear coil-overs on my front suspension. I had to get rid of the flange that attaches it the the wheel well and fabricate a piece that makes it attach like a regular shock. I broke a few before making that design change. Not enough flex in the rubber spacers. See attached photo.

 

SubSandRail