See Travis Pastrana's Subaru GL Gymkhana Car Come To Life In 3 Minutes

It's a 1983 Subaru GL in name only.

1983 Subaru GL Family Huckster Wagon At Goodwood

03:35

Christopher Smith

By: Christopher Smith

Jan 2, 2023 at 7:45pm ET

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By now, you're likely familiar with the wild-looking wagon featured in this video, at least on the outside. For those that aren't, it's a 1983 Subaru GL wagon called the Family Huckster, built specifically for crazy Gymkhana action at the hands of Travis Pastrana. That is, it looks like a boxy 1983 Subie. But aside from side mirrors and taillights, the similarities end there.

We've already shared a detailed look at this purpose-built racer, but in case you missed it (or prefer a brief clip to a half-hour walkaround), here's a look at what's underneath the retro bodywork. It starts with a 2022 WRC-spec custom tube chassis, nearly matching the OG Subaru GL for wheelbase though the Huckster is a foot wider. The build process gives us a clear look at just how big the car's roof scoop is, a feature often obscured by the roof rails.

Gallery: 1983 Subaru GL Wagon Family Huckster At Goodwood

1983 Subaru GL Family Huckster Wagon At Goodwood

25 seconds into the video we're greeted by a six-speed sequential transmission. It sends power to all four wheels as Subarus do. It's followed by something Subies don't do, at least on purpose – extending and retracting a movable rear wing as part of the wagon's active aero package. At 39 seconds we glimpse the Subaru's 862-horsepower boxer four-cylinder engine, or rather, we glimpse parts of it. Apparently, extracting massive power from such a small mill requires advanced technology not fit for prying eyes, as portions of the powerplant are digitally blacked out.

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We finally begin to see wagon body panels made from carbon fiber arrive around a minute in. By this time, suspension components, wiring, and much of the powertrain are in place. We see the dash – a replica mold from the '83 GL – formed and installed, and oh yeah, there's one more original item. That's a legit Subaru stereo with an equalizer mounted to the floor. The rest of the video involves final assembly and other details like the retro-inspired body wrap.

Gymkhana All The Things:

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It looks deceptively simple, but one doesn't build a racing wagon that jumps bodies of water in 3 minutes, 34 seconds. If you haven't seen the Family Huckster in action, check out Travis Pastrana's recent Gymkhana video to see the fruits of all that labor.

Source: Subaru via YouTube

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