Subaru Convirsion

[tharindu6]

Im planinig to buy a 1997 subaru and do a STI convirsion.( not now,in the future).Inorder to be financialy fit need some advice.

How much will it cost for a car and a convirsion?

is it better to buy a converted one ? or is it good to do it my self ( I mean after I buy)

Whats the legal side of it? ( if the engine is replaced do I have to register the car again)

Many thanks

[Mean Green z28]

depends ... contact someone who does the conversion. I know of people who do it, but I'm not sure if they are sponsors here and so I can't just mention names. They're pretty popular in the automotive world in SL, so I'm sure it's not gonna be hard tracking them down.

First get a price from them, then lay out your plan. What will you spend/save along each path? Can you afford a STI model right now? If so, go for it. You'll save yourself the hassle of doing the conversion + you wont have to spend on getting the STI body kit/etc.. If you would rather not spend so much all at once, then it's clear what you need to do.

I'm speaking from experience, so not everyone will agree with me. I'd rather save up and buy the car I really want in the end too, but sometimes good deals come up and you just can't let it go just because one small feature isn't what you want. Ofcourse, I do all my own work so swapping/converting is only about buying the parts, working a couple late nights and selling the parts that I took out to recoup some of the cost.

[Devinda_Z]

Can you afford a STI model right now? If so, go for it.

more than the cost alone there is also an availability

its not all that easy to source an original GC generation STi which is in good shape..

[tharindu6]

more than the cost alone there is also an availability

its not all that easy to source an original GC generation STi which is in good shape..

Really?

what will be the best option davinda?

[GihanFX]

Really?

what will be the best option davinda?

go for conversion, but ask the guy who bring the conversion kit to import from nut to bolt, seats and all the parts including even small items like the foot rest etc, or else dont go and buy only the engine, gearbox, ecu, wire harness etc, even doors, buffers, bonet, lights and every single part

if the conversion is done properly u wont have any problems, Oil is also very inportant, if its a STI make sure you put LSD oil etc,

Edited January 25, 2009 by GihanFX

[tharindu6]

go for conversion, but ask the guy who bring the conversion kit to import from nut to bolt, seats and all the parts including even small items like the foot rest etc, or else dont go and buy only the engine, gearbox, ecu, wire harness etc, even doors, buffers, bonet, lights and every single part

if the conversion is done properly u wont have any problems, Oil is also very inportant, if its a STI make sure you put LSD oil etc,

Gihan What will be the cost?

[GihanFX]

Gihan What will be the cost?

it all depend from who u buy the conversion, whats the version, from where importing (Malasia or japan) etc, there are several people who in this business, abt the cost factor if u on a budget u can finish full WRX conversion for less than 12, STi's are Expensive, it all depend from who u buy cus if u have all the parts then its Car+Conversion+Installiotion+Oil, if some parts are missing like buffer, bonet, Fuel tank, Exhaust then thats extra $$

[tharindu6]

it all depend from who u buy the conversion, whats the version, from where importing (Malasia or japan) etc, there are several people who in this business, abt the cost factor if u on a budget u can finish full WRX conversion for less than 12, STi's are Expensive, it all depend from who u buy cus if u have all the parts then its Car+Conversion+Installiotion+Oil, if some parts are missing like buffer, bonet, Fuel tank, Exhaust then thats extra $$

That 12 is car+engine+gear box ect+body kit is it?

[Devinda_Z]

Whats the legal side of it? ( if the engine is replaced do I have to register the car again)

upon a change of engine if you want to have the new engine number updated in the registration books then the vehicle will need to be re weighed at the RMV afaik...

i'm not sure how the increase in capacity from 1.5 to 2.0 is dealt with...

[tharindu6]

i'm not sure how the increase in capacity from 1.5 to 2.0 is dealt with...

yeah i was thinking the same

wonder how lot of ppl do these convirsions?

[GihanFX]

That 12 is car+engine+gear box ect+body kit is it?

thats what i said, when u buy the conversion make u get the Front buffer, rear buffer, side skits, bonnet, lets say car is 8, conversion 4 then its 12 and i forgot to add the installation charges etc, so make it 13 with paint

[GihanFX]

yeah i was thinking the same

wonder how lot of ppl do these convirsions?

its not that important, still my book says EJ15***** as the engine number

[tharindu6]

thats what i said, when u buy the conversion make u get the Front buffer, rear buffer, side skits, bonnet, lets say car is 8, conversion 4 then its 12 and i forgot to add the installation charges etc, so make it 13 with paint

Hey I think thats a pretty resonable cost.

[GearHead]

yeah i was thinking the same

wonder how lot of ppl do these convirsions?

One of my friends changed his engine to a 1.5L from a 1.3L and managed to get the registration books updated without a problem. The only problem he faced there was that the vehicle inspector who inspected the car asked him to remove the 'coffee table' spoiler that he had installed on his car as it was a non original. Other than that everything went smoothly. Antway, if you are taking your car to RMV get those things done make sure that you call them and ask them for a good day for it since, as Dev also mentioned, they have to get the new weight of the car which could sometimes be very time consuming bc of the way that the RMV idiots work. And also note that a lot of truck owners come to weigh their trucks upon registration so going there ealry would save you so many hrs.

However, i am not sure how they would look at a conversion though. Since the car's mechanical stucture is almost completely changed, they might refuse to sign the documents saying that the car would be dangerous on the roads(this statement=$$$$).

My advice is just do the conversion and use the car without getting into all these troubles of changing the engine number in the registration books. Or if you have any contacts in RMV, just give them the new engine number plus the weight of of your STi version, which you would be able to find from the internet, and get them to do it for you.

Edited January 26, 2009 by GearHead