The time has come to start my own build! I have a 2001 Subaru RS Coupe that I bought from a guy in Vegas for 700 bucks. Why so cheap? It was only the shell... no engine transmission and very little interior (imo that is perfect, gives me an excuse to do it my way). Even the front end was missing basically everything; but it was an excuse for a last minute trip to Vegas with a buddy.
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Once I got home it was straight to the internet and came across this website which has been a tremendous help in prepping for my build. I was originally thinking of just buying a JDM front clip and using everything from it, but as I researched more into it I realized I wanted the freedom that a USDM engine has with emissions (even though Idaho has zero emission laws) as well as if anything were to go wrong with the engine I wouldn’t be hard pressed to find parts for it. So I ended up just buying front JDM body panels off the Internet. I don’t really know what version it is I originally bought a version 4 but they had already sold it so I talked them into a little newer one at no extra cost so it has got to be v5/6 front end.
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The next phase of course was to buy the donor STi which I am hoping I can get to my house at no more then $10,000 (The wife gave me a budget of $12,000) leaving 2000 for random whatever’s that seem to pop up all to often.
So what I am doing at this time prepping for this build that I will try to undertake in September and finish it in 2 weeks before school starts. The list of “To Buy” is as follows:
1. Koyo Radiator R2218 with some Spal fans I have read a few members journals that have used this set up and seems to do the trick. The only problem is as I go shopping on-the-line (hehe) all the radiators inlet are located in the top center and I want the inlet to be on the far side from the outlet of the radiator. I think it might be just a generic picture for Koyo radiator but I don’t want to make a stupid mistake that will only cost me money in the end.
2. I have all but bought the Legacy top hats so that I can swap over the rear chassis of whatever STi I buy later this summer, but yet again I want to confirm that I am buying the right part.
3. I will be doing a dash swap as well (I love the look of swapped interior). So I know that modification have to be done with the pedals as well as the steering column and dash beam, but I will have a welder so I might just wait and see what happens there.
4. The fourth and final thing that is crucial for this swap to happen in 2 weeks is the merging of harness's I have been so back and forth with the idea of having IWire do it or do it myself. My understanding is there is less wiring if you do a dash swap but still makes me nervous with my time frame.
Once I got home it was straight to the internet and came across this website which has been a tremendous help in prepping for my build. I was originally thinking of just buying a JDM front clip and using everything from it, but as I researched more into it I realized I wanted the freedom that a USDM engine has with emissions (even though Idaho has zero emission laws) as well as if anything were to go wrong with the engine I wouldn’t be hard pressed to find parts for it. So I ended up just buying front JDM body panels off the Internet. I don’t really know what version it is I originally bought a version 4 but they had already sold it so I talked them into a little newer one at no extra cost so it has got to be v5/6 front end.
The next phase of course was to buy the donor STi which I am hoping I can get to my house at no more then $10,000 (The wife gave me a budget of $12,000) leaving 2000 for random whatever’s that seem to pop up all to often.
So what I am doing at this time prepping for this build that I will try to undertake in September and finish it in 2 weeks before school starts. The list of “To Buy” is as follows:
1. Koyo Radiator R2218 with some Spal fans I have read a few members journals that have used this set up and seems to do the trick. The only problem is as I go shopping on-the-line (hehe) all the radiators inlet are located in the top center and I want the inlet to be on the far side from the outlet of the radiator. I think it might be just a generic picture for Koyo radiator but I don’t want to make a stupid mistake that will only cost me money in the end.
2. I have all but bought the Legacy top hats so that I can swap over the rear chassis of whatever STi I buy later this summer, but yet again I want to confirm that I am buying the right part.
3. I will be doing a dash swap as well (I love the look of swapped interior). So I know that modification have to be done with the pedals as well as the steering column and dash beam, but I will have a welder so I might just wait and see what happens there.
4. The fourth and final thing that is crucial for this swap to happen in 2 weeks is the merging of harness's I have been so back and forth with the idea of having IWire do it or do it myself. My understanding is there is less wiring if you do a dash swap but still makes me nervous with my time frame.