Subaru flat 4 engines? (non Impreza)

[love machine]

Right chaps, I figure that my old Suzuki LJ is due for an engine which will make it "go better". I'm looking for something relatively compact with a small gearbox. A popular conversion with Suzis is to throw in a Vaux 2.0 out of a Carlton (with its small gearbox) and my mate has achieved this and it goes like triple buggery. However, the engine is too long for my old LJ and I ws wondering if any of you lot had seen a flat 4 out of an older Subaru (the sort of thing which rot out around farmers). I'd be looking at the 2.2 I think, the size of the gearbox is the issue, as well as weight, the Vaux engine would necessitate me re-engineering the steering which I am too lazy to do and the engine itself is hugely heavy.

Any ideas? (Bearing in mind that huge V8's will necessitate a special transfer box/diffs/shafts/axles.) :)

Thanks, Stu

[vrooom]

Seen ford V6 fitted in LJ. it moved the front grillie alot. Subaru 2.2 would be bitch to fit? as its boxster type engine, LJ is quite narrow ?

[stevieturbo]

Generally the n/a flat 4's arent renowned for making a lot of power, but I dont now many people tuning them either.

Better to go for a turbo, and if need be, just use a fwd gearbox on it. This may be tricky with respect to clutches, but Im sure something will work. The yanks have a 2.5 version, n/a with a cable push type clutch ( as all n/a cars use ) so something will be available to handle the power.
All turbos use a hydraulic pull type clutch.

[love machine]

It was either that or rig up a bike engine with the existing LJ box and have lots of gears indeed. The idea being that I wouldn't really want to fabricate too much more than a few engine mounts and a propshaft, also the LJ has central diffs and so you have to consider the sump. Using offset axles requires a different transfer box/mounts/tunnel/etc/etc. Ideally I'm going to be pulling the body off it to do some welding then mount the engine and hack off whatever is in the way, like tunnel/inner wings/etc. The Subaru engine struck me as it's short and the low CoG would be a good thing. I'm going to use it for what it was designed for. I suppose I could just whack on a bini blower but that's a lot of buggering about and my engine is half shagged anyway, I'm not about to rebuild it with the minis the way they are.

I'll find one and have a look with my tape measure. 2.2L is a lot more than 790cc. I'm not after a dragster, just something I don't have to thrash everywhere.

Any suggestions?

The Essex V6 is ginormous and weighs a ton.