Club 80-90 Forums

Hey all,
After running around for a year with the ej20 and aap box (that’s been absolutely perfect btw!!) I feel it just needs. Little more oomph!!
So I’ve decided to swap it out a little……

Sourced myself a 3.0 h6 with a matching 4eat automatic gearbox with a complete car harness, all the switches, clocks, relays, everything and more that’s needed from the donor car……

Lots of pics coming up…..

So collected the engine and loom from a local chap, 120k on the clock, full harness, all switches and relays…..

So me and my youngest set about stripping the harness down to be sent away to rjes….

Also after much research and questions, decided to go with the new reversaru gear kit over the chain subarugears kit, after reading a few horror stories of the chains letting go and destroying cases. I opted for the gear kit,















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Brakes were also on the upgrade list……

After fitting a whole new braking system to the bus when I recommissioned it last summer.
They just weren’t quite up to the job (even with the ej20!)

So for the fronts I decided on,

312mm Mercedes discs
porsche 911 callipers
Epytec adapter kit


And rears consist of

Mk1 sharan 268mm discs,
Mk1 sharan calipers
Mk3 golf hangers
Subarusurgery adapter plates
Mk3 golf handbrake cables
A linear actuator for electric handbrake (more on this later)














This has improved pedal feel significantly,

next on the list to fit is the bmw e30 servo and modified pedal,

This was a spare pedal box I had on the shelves, I figured I can fit the servo to this, then just fit this whole assembly when I come to fitting the auto setup,
I also modified the standard t3 pedal To increase it’s size, I think the auto vans look a little odd with a standard sized brake pedal and no clutch pedal, so I modified this,


Gearbox oil cooler fitted, while I was under there playing with the handbrake, I found a suitable location for this too,



So the electric handbrake,
There were 2 reasons behind this……
Reason 1
As I’m fitting push button gear change (reversaru kit) it was thought about making a low level centre console to house stuff that would usually be on the floor while traveling,

Reason 2
It made the console design loads easier and it could be bigger in size,




The push button should match the gearshift buttons, and will sit in a line across the lower dash portion under the heater controls and above the cold start handle…….




That has conveniently made room for an OBD2 socket with a 3D printed cover that accepts the original handle to look oem….


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Brakes sorted, now onto wiring harness’s, after many chats to richard at RJES regarding this conversion (he wasn’t keen on doing the auto box wiring……) he agreed to do it on an hourly rate basis,
so off the loom went,
A few months later (and many emails!!) the loom was ready,
I decided to go up to his and collect it as I had never been to his unit, I’ve been dealing with him for 12 years or so. and never paid a visit, so Friday the 13th of oct, I took a busmans day out to collect this lot.

Richards work is outstanding!
I can’t thank him enough for the outstanding quality of work he does!

Not only is there a completely plug and play engine and gearbox harness in the pics,
but also a fully functioning cruise control setup,
4 front extension harnesses,
(1-OBD2, 2-eml and immo, fan control, 3-cruise control, 4-gearbox control)

Richard has also found solutions to issues I didn’t even know where there, custom 3D printed kickdown switch under the throttle pedal, a custom adapter to fit the Power/hold switch into the dash, immo key reader to save using the Subaru barrel thus saving space,


Cruise control stalk (heavily modified internally ) from a later Subaru to incorporate on/off switch and all factory functionality and fits on a custom bracket kit behind the wiper stalk….

All the Subaru A/C wiring has been retained, as I do plan to fit a/c to the bus eventually,


A fully 3D printed wiring grommet to feed the looms through the firewall, this is a real
Nice addition, it’s a 2 piece grommet that will make the wiring work so much easier!




















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Good work, inspiring.
Thanks for sharing this all.

So little bit more prep work done today,

A set of h6 a/c pipes came up for sale, I figured they don’t come up often, and I will be needing them along with the pressure/safety switch. So got them bought,



I have also been pondering on what to do with the 5 dash leds that needed mounting into the cluster,
I will fit the eml and immo led’s into the bottom of the warning lamp section in the centre of the dash (as I usually do)
But that brought me to figuring out where I wa going to fit the 3 gearbox leds……
I wasn’t keen on drilling the dash, so came up with this…..

3 leds mounted within the top half of the handbrake warning lamp….

Power on the left
Gearbox oil temp in the centre
Hold/snow on the right…..

Discreet, reversible, and keeps the dash looking stock with no drilled holes…..




Will leave it overnight for the sealer between the leds to set and if it’s all good then will get this fitted tomorrow, that will be loom 2 of 5 fitted to the dash area.

Plan tomorrow is to remove the cluster and get the immo and eml leds fitted….. that will be loom 3 of 5!!!!!


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Hi all,
Not much done recently, still awaiting the reversaru gears kit and gear change setup to arrive, and the weathers been pants! So got a little bit of time today to get the gearbox and standard front harness fitted, so now I only have the obd and gear change harness’s to fit,
So 3 out of 5 fitted,

I’ve also been researching more into the air conditioning side of things, there is a few company’s in the states that sell a bolt in kit for the dash area, ranging from 800-2000 usd,
As RJES kept the Subarus ability to control the ac compressor and make it run as Subaru intended, I just need to find a suitable dash unit that doesn’t break the bank….


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Had a little time today to get this made up, silicone hoses arrived today, alloy tube arrived yesterday, so spent ten mins and knocked this up, just need to tig weld it together when I get 5 mins…..




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Some good news this week,

Gearbox parts have all arrived at the supplier in Australia and hopefully will be with me before Xmas,
Could be busy over Xmas if it all arrives……

Done a few more bits in preparation for fitting the h6, plugs swapped, pcb valve changed (common issue) aux belt and some gaskets on there way, gearbox strainer filter and gasket also ordered……


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My mind is truly blown !

HarryMann wrote:‍

My mind is truly blown !

Why’s that?


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In awe..
Speechless

HarryMann wrote:In awe..
Speechless

Should be a real nice bus to drive with the auto and the torque of the h6, my aim is to have a nice motorway cruiser. Without having to drive it hard, I think the h6 will do exactly this, the current 2.0 Subaru setup gets worked hard and I my opinion underpowered for such a big bus


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Wishing you all a very happy Christmas…

And about time you were on TV somewhere when you’ve finished that project of projects

HarryMann wrote:Wishing you all a very happy Christmas…

And about time you were on TV somewhere when you’ve finished that project of projects

Merry Xmas to you and yours too,

Updates will be coming thick and fast once the last of the parts arrive!!


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