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Small Car Performance

@smallcarperformance

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Vintage Volkswagens and Subaru Engine Repair and Rebuilds, Custom Builds and Electrical, Performance Vanagon Parts
Located in Tacoma, WA 🔥

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Locktoberfest 2026 is on October 16-17!

We are excited to host and we will be opening up the used parts horde for the swap meet. We will have a few cool items in the mix.

Camping requires an RSVP, DM us for a spot. by @smallcarperformance

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a month ago

Subaru swaps already come with enough moving parts.⁠ That’s why we build crate motors in-house—so you don’t have to.⁠ ⁠ Each assembly is designed specifically to support conversions, eliminating common fitment issues, mismatched components, and time-consuming guesswork during install. By pre-assembling these crate motors, we remove one of the biggest variables in a build and help streamline the entire process from start to finish.⁠ ⁠

What that means for you:⁠
✔ Less time sourcing and figuring out what parts to get
✔ Fewer surprises during install⁠
✔ Reduced downtime in the shop⁠
✔ A smoother path from parts to pavement⁠ ⁠

Crate motor, manufactured harness, and conversion parts, this combination is proven to be a reliable set up for the long term —saving you time, reducing stress, and helping you get back on the road faster with confidence.⁠ ⁠ Built right. Built in-house. Built to keep your project moving.⁠ taken in Small Car Performance by @smallcarperformance

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8 months ago

Electric conversions aren’t the future; they’re already here! ⚡️⁠ ⁠ ⁠
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Have a vintage vehicle you aren’t sure how you want to power it? At Small Car Performance, we offer fully engineered electric conversions that bring modern performance, reliability, and drivability to classic vehicles. ⁠
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From planning and integration to the final drive, every build is designed to be driven, not just admired.⁠ ⁠ If you’re ready to take your Vanagon, bus, or classic vehicle electric, we’re ready to build it.

#vanagon #smallcar #tacoma #electricconversion #electric taken in Small Car Performance by @smallcarperformance

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9 months ago

Five stars and a cross country save. Martin stopped in during a road trip and he left with a full tour of the shop and zero doubts about where his Subaru conversion is happening.

This is the kind of review makes all the hard parts of running a business worth it. Knowledgeable, thorough, and treated like family, that’s the standard every time a van rolls in.

Questions about your own conversion or restoration? Email hello@smallcar.com or visit smallcar.com taken in Tacoma, Washington by @smallcarperformance

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3 hours ago

Swap meet prep is in full swing. Austin’s digging through the parts room and there is a lot to get excited about.

Mark your calendar for October 16th. Bring cash and a good attitude, this is first come first served.

Send an email for more info hello@smallcar.com or visit smallcar.com taken in Small Car Performance by @smallcarperformance

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a day ago

@smallcarperformance we are hosting an awesome event October 16 and 17th. Items are being added daily from our stash of new and used parts. I spotted a road shower Yakima crossbars new in box and other really cool goodies.

I’m also not ashamed to admit that these AI images are awesome. Haters can hate, but if you want me designing products I’m not paying for a graphic designer.

#SorryNotSorry
#smallbusinessbudgetnotamazonbudget
#funtimes by @smallcarperformance

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4 days ago

Wiring, wrenches, and getting it right. Our techs are hands in and head down on another Bus, making sure every connection is clean and every bolt is torqued to spec. This is what it takes to keep a 30 plus year old rig running like it should.

Clean doesn’t mean reliable. That’s why we go the extra mile on the details you never see, so your Bus starts every time and drives the way it was meant to.

Want to get your vintage VW dialed in for daily driving? Send us an email at hello@smallcar.com or visit smallcar.com to get started. by @smallcarperformance

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7 days ago

Austin’s giving you a first look at the used parts bay, and we’re opening it to the public for the first time ever.

Swap meet October 16th at Small Car Performance in Fife. Come dig through it yourself.

Questions before then? Email hello@smallcar.com or visit smallcar.com. taken in Small Car Performance by @smallcarperformance

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9 days ago

Underneath the yellow bus, that’s where the real work happens. Rust doesn’t hide from us, and neither do worn out components. This is what “clean doesn’t mean reliable” looks like in practice: getting up under the rig to check every inch before it goes back on the road.

Keeping 30+ year old rigs running like they should takes this kind of attention, every time.

Questions about your build? Email hello@smallcar.com or visit smallcar.com taken in Small Car Performance by @smallcarperformance

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10 days ago

Every Subaru conversion starts here: the shopping cart.

Austin walks through how each kit comes together before it ever reaches a technician. Drive by wire pedal assemblies, our manufactured wiring harness, radiator fan shroud, full cooling system, exhaust... all pulled from inventory, kitted, and assembled before it gets wheeled to the back with the motor that’s going in.

Parts experts and engineers coupled with a technician team with decades of hands on experience. You get the benefit of our parts and engineering team behind your project when you send your project to Small Car.

We’re following this build through the entire process, so stick around for the full conversion.

Email hello@smallcar.com or visit smallcar.com to talk about your build. taken in Small Car Performance by @smallcarperformance

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16 days ago

Meet Austin Nichols, owner of Small Car Performance in Tacoma, Washington. We are a premiere Volkswagen Vanagon, Bay Window, and Beetle shop and parts business with a staff specializing in Subaru conversions and maintenance specific to Vintage VWs.

We’re proud to partner with suppliers like EMPI, who’s celebrating their 70th anniversary this year.

Reach out for parts and services, we look forward to working on your ride. Email hello@smallcar.com or visit smallcar.com

#empi #vanagon #vanagonlife #subaruswap taken in Tacoma, Washington by @smallcarperformance

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17 days ago

Searched the parts shelves. Checked under the Vanagon dash. Even dug through the tire pile. Still haven’t found the part of my job description that said “must appear in videos.” Until we find it, you’re stuck watching us wrench on 30+ year old rigs and keep them running like they should. Questions about your build? hello@smallcar.com or smallcar.com taken in Tacoma, Washington by @smallcarperformance

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22 days ago