Subaru Heads on a Chevy V4? (V8 cut in half)??

[SteveM]

Was in the local machine shop yesterday, talking to one of the guys about my Rampage project, when he told me about an interesting project they recently worked on for a customer.

Gary(the M/C shop guy) said they had a customer who had them cut a Chevy V8 (I assumed Small Block, but didn't ask specifically) in half, "the hard way", to make a V4.  Gary said the guy was using a pair of Subaru overhead cam heads on the Chevy, running a belt drive to time the cams.  Gary said that is was for a Bonneville LSR car, but he didn't know what it was going into.

Gary seems like a guy who can embellish a story a little bit, but this story has to be at least mostly true.

Has anyone here seen a V4 Chevy running Subaru heads?

SteveM.

[panic]

Might be possible. Some Subaru engines have 113mm (4.449") bore pitch, not that different from SBC at 4.400".

[SteveM]

I had to look up the bore spacing myself.  Based on those dimensions, it certainly seems plausible.  Wondering if the customer might be a member here.

Steve.

[maguromic]

The midget guys have been cutting SBC in half for years.  Arlen Ness and had some blocks cast in a V4 configuration so you wouldn't have to plate the front (looks like a mini SBC).  Also now they make a V4 based on the LS engine http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/engine/hrdp_1109_v4_motorcycle_engine/viewall.html  Pete Ardema ended up with all the blocks when the project was over and yes, he put Subaru heads on it.  By the way he also welded 2 Subaru heads together for his V4 engine that set all the records before the rules were changed.  Tony

Subaru head for a Modal A block

[SteveM]

Innovative and fascinating stuff.   Those Subaru heads must flow very well.   It's also kind of funny the way that 2 V4 engines can be discussed so readily, both using Subaru heads, one inline (Vintage 4) with 2 welded Subaru heads, and in a V-4 (90 degree) configuration with separate Subaru heads.

Steve

[Tman]

Tony, has Pete rebuilt and replaced all of his stuff since the fires a few years ago? Always loved reading about his crazy combos!

[4-barrel Mike]

Aardema in Street Rodder with pics (including fire aftermath): http://www.streetrodderweb.com/tech/0803sr_custom_street_rod_build/index.html



Mike

[Tman]

Yeah Mike I was just re-reading that as I went through some magazines the other nite.

[boxer3main]

interesting stuff.
I look for older subaru, modified.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04fBS1D5h6U
here is an older 3 main bearing flat four with dohc (it never came with them)

[kiwi belly tank]

Bloody Kiwi's!! Always messing with something.
  Sid.