So I got a lead on a Subie and now have some questions

I tracked down a 97 Impreza Wagon for dirt cheap. It needs a new CV axle and the tranny and motor are shot.

Which is all fine and good.

Ideally, this would be a good candidate for an EJ20 swap. I would want a 5sp, not an auto.

I was looking around online and it appears that I can get a EJ20 and a 5sp from salvage yards from $1300-2300.

Is it a big deal to swap an auto car to a manual? Or is that the least of my worries?

Would I be getting in over my head? Anyone local do swaps?

This would just become my play/haul stuff around in car.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. I am looking at the car tomorrow and have first dibs on it. So I kind of need to move quickly.

 

I can help you with the swap (notice the new avatar :yumyum. but if I've learned anything from Grimmspeed project L. is that if you're doing an entire engine/tranny swap. especially if you're converting auto to manual. get a wrecked donor car. can be had for a few thousand dollars, a lot of which you can get back by selling parts you don't need. you can swap in the much nicer interior (and swapping in the WRX dash will drastically simplify the wiring side of it!), have the bigger front brakes, and you know you have the entire engine, and you can even make sure it runs first. The only thing you wouldn't have is a direct-replacement turbo xmember (don't ask me the details, but the GD xmember isn't a perfect bolt-up in a GC, whereas a tLeg one is).

personally.....I'd NEVER trust a salvage yard motor, unless I rebuilt it before running it. especially not for a swap, go to all that work, go to start it, and have it not start.....well, you don't really know if it had any issues before, so you can't narrow it down between basic engine problems, and problems related to the swap.



look at 95lwrx's project, and the Grimmspeed project. 95lwrx's took a couple weeks, because he had the entire parts car there. Grimmspeed's still isn't done, because not all the parts were there in time, and more still need to be tracked down.



but other than that, it sounds like a great plan. stock WRX engine/tranny in a GC wagon (I'm horrible with the chassis codes....what is it? GF?) would make for a sweet daily driver!! and there are 2 guys right close by that have just done almost this exact same swap.

 

This came to mind, dunno if it is still available or would work but somebody here ^^^ probably does.

http://mnsubaru.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18822&page=2

 

yes get a full car! chux knows his sh*t

 

yes get a complete car, it makes things much easier. if you find a 02-03 wrx wagon you can use everything from it suspension, swaybars, crossmember, etc.

i got a sedan and i did use the wrx crossmember and steering rack, but alignment will not be perfect, it gets really close. also you need to put in spacers in the control arm mounts to fit in the gc arms but that's no big deal.

and i got my complete running car shipped to me for under 5k.

if you want i can get you in contact with the guy i used to find and buy the car for me at ins auction.

 

I think I am going to pass then. I just don't have the room. My new house only has a one car garage and I live in the city so putting a non running car on the street will only cause hassle.

Bummer.

It was only $200.

 

post up the details so maybe another member could score the sweet deal.

 

It's on Craigslist. The guy had 12 other people in line after me.

 

yeah having the entire parts car is nice. however you can get by w/o it. you can send the harness to eastcoastswappers or GT and they will play with it and make it work. they have alot of experience doing that. this would be the way to go if you are looking at doing a JDM swap (look at RS25.com or eastcoast swappers website) since you prolly wont get the entire car if you get a jdm motor / tranny.

you can get the JDM motors pretty cheap. also depending on what you get youa re getting more HP/Tq than usdm stuff and quite possibly alot more solid drive train (RA gears/4.44fd/LSDs/ect...)