How the 1983 Subaru GL wagon grew to become the Household Huckster for “Gymkhana 2022”

Travis Pastrana’s newest “Gymkhana” automobile is a 1983 Subaru GL wagon known as the Household Huckster. It could not appear to be an apparent alternative for one in every of these builds, however the GL wagon made good sense to Pastrana and his crew.

As defined in an episode of Subaru of America’s “Launch Management” YouTube present, Pastrana needed to observe up the Subaru WRX STI Airslayer, the one-off STI he drove in “Gymkhana 2020” and used to set a document on the Mt. Washington Hill Climb, with one thing retro.

Travis Pastrana drives a Subaru wagon in Gymkhana 2022

The WRX was the plain alternative, however the crew at Vermont SportsCar, which constructed the Airslayer, needed to construct one thing completely different that was nonetheless distinctively Subaru. The automaker was recognized for constructing utilitarian wagons lengthy earlier than the WRX first tore up a rally stage, so the 1983 Subaru GL match the invoice.

The GL wagon additionally supplied the potential of a particular livery. It was obtainable with a red-white-and-blue graphics package deal as a tie-in to Subaru’s sponsorship of the U.S. Ski Crew. That look was replicated on the Household Huckster. 

The Household Huckster would not have a lot in widespread with a inventory GL wagon, although. It is primarily based on a bespoke tube-frame chassis with carbon-fiber physique panels incorporating lively aero components. Beneath the hood sits the identical 2.3-liter turbocharged flat-4 used within the Airslayer STI, producing the identical 862 hp. On the similar time, Vermont SportsCar tried to maintain the look as retro as doable, with particulars like Eighties-style graphics for the digital instrument cluster and a brake-bias change disguised as a cigarette lighter.

Pastrana introduced the Household Huckster to Florida for “Gymkhana 2022,” the eleventh installment within the sequence, the place the wagon shared the highlight with lifted pickup vans, a jet ski on wheels, and a 3,000-hp Chevrolet El Camino belonging to YouTube persona Cleetus McFarland. As with earlier movies, there are epic stunts, but in addition loads of shut calls, and one scary accident that, satirically, did not contain a automobile. The standard warning of “do not do that at house” positively applies.

Try the complete video for the behind-the-scenes motion.