40 replies to this topic

[church]

So I've been contemplating either buying a Forester XT OR buy a 97 liberty, buy a WRX halfcut and plop an EJ25T.

 

Been reading alot of build threads and what I've noticed is that building is a very rewarding experience compared to just buying an already turbo'd subaru and adding mods to it.

 

The Main questions I have are:

• Does this conversion have to be engineered? (NSW)
• Is a budget of around $6 - 7K reasonable?
• What are the main bits do I need for this conversion (Engine, Steering Rack, Loom, Diff (if not R160), New shock and spring setup, ECU, etc.) 
• Is it extremely hard to take an auto box out and put in a manual box? (To my knowledge you only need to bypass the inhibitor switch)
• Are these conversions reliable? (Will it last?)

If you guys have any advice or spiritual guidance, please tell me

[Liberty]

I cannot provide any help with regards to conversions and engine builds as I have not performed either, but I do know someone selling a 2006 Forester XT if that is the car you decide you want to buy.

[alexGT]

in my opinion (have converted a couple before) try find one that has been done already (properly I may add) you will end up saving big $$

 

6-7k is optimistic, try 10+ especially considering 2.5T.

 

the other smart option is just to buy a factory turbo model and saves so much work.

[Barbbachello]

Is a budget of around $6 - 7K reasonable?

If you do all the work yourself, MAYBE. Id add another 2k or so in case of emergencies

 

What are the main bits do I need for this conversion (Engine, Steering Rack, Loom, Diff (if not R160), New shock and spring setup, ECU, etc.) 

Should get everything you need with the cut. Dont need the suspension but brakes would be worth changing

 

Is it extremely hard to take an auto box out and put in a manual box? (To my knowledge you only need to bypass the inhibitor switch)

If you a manual cut it shouldnt be. 

 

Are these conversions reliable? (Will it last?)

If you do a good job and look after it

 

Id suggest just going a 2L from an earlier model. The gen 2 liberty is basically a GC8 WRX and makes the loom much easier to manage. Keeping things roughly the same year wise makes things easier as well. You will probably have 1000000 issues with having the complex engine electronics from a later wrx

[duncanm]

• Does this conversion have to be engineered? (NSW)

A EJ208 or WRX 2.0 will be much easier given the GTB models of same build - you are fitting a 'manufacturers optional engine' or very close. You'll need to upgrade brakes etc.

Read NCOP3 of VSB14 - its fairly ambiguous, but 20% more power is the cutoff.

• Is a budget of around $6 - 7K reasonable?

Depends on how much you do yourself and how equivalent the engine/wiring is. I swapped a EJ208 RSK halfcut into a '99 outback for less than $4k - wiring was a simple swap of the front, dash and engine looms. There's a breakdown of costs in the first post of my build thread (see sig).

• What are the main bits do I need for this conversion (Engine, Steering Rack, Loom, Diff (if not R160), New shock and spring setup, ECU, etc.) 

Get a cut! It will have all the bits you need. You can keep the std gearbox and diff to save cash if you want (assuming std. power levels). Only worry if you're swapping boxes is making sure the diff ratios match up.  
 
Again, if you find a GTB cut (gen2 ones would be hard to come by), all the stuff you need will be there.  Any reason it has to be gen2 liberty?  Why not a gen3 - cuts are readily available.

• Is it extremely hard to take an auto box out and put in a manual box? (To my knowledge you only need to bypass the inhibitor switch)

Pass on this -- crossmembers? Turbo/non are different anyway. Again, get a manual cut (with diff) and swap it all in. Dispose of all slush box-ness.

• Are these conversions reliable? (Will it last?)

Depends on the quality of the work. If you don't need to split and rewire harnesses, then there's no reason it should be any less reliable than stock. For harness rewire - AM seems to get the nod from many many people, and shouldn't be unreliable. Don't forget you're talking about a 18yo car.
 
 
EDIT: Check out Joel's MY03 Foz XT 2.0 w/AVCS into a Gen3 for ideas on something that requires rewiring.

[church]

Thank you all so much for replying

 

 

 

 
Again, if you find a GTB cut (gen2 ones would be hard to come by), all the stuff you need will be there.  Any reason it has to be gen2 liberty?  Why not a gen3 - cuts are readily available.

 

 

I'm a big fan of the look of Gen2 liberties and also cheaper to find.

 

I will take this all into consideration, I've created a budget excel spreadsheet and accounted for everything and budgeted $2000 for the shell and $2 - 3K for the halfcut

 

I have a neighbour who builds cars on the daily (Nissans mind you though) So I got help, I just need to consider the parts and shell.

 

I'm just thinking if its good and worth for the experience since liberty wagons look better than foresters imo.

 

I will defiantly get AM auto to splice the loom, worth the money I would think (heard it was around $1000)

[cameron]

unless you have a sentimental attachment to the car or you have owned it for extended period you are pissing away money as there are so many better factory turbo options. gen4 libs are stupid cheap now factory turbo and look heaps better than a gen2

[Barbbachello]

look heaps better than a gen2

Disagree on that but agree on the rest

[alexGT]

 

Don't forget you're talking about a 18yo car.

 

This, at the end of the day as nice as it sounds to do all this work you need to think if it is worth it to spend up to $10k on an 18 yo car. (I did my old liberty 4-5 years ago which was also a gen 2 and this was in my mind back then).

[CodeBurn3r]

Ignoring that the cars are getting old now (i myself think the gen2 has a classic shape that doesn't look dated) 

 

My conversion cost me about $5k..

Mind you, I had the car already.. and i was/am attached to it lol

 

To everyone saying its a waste.. get something newer... 
If it's something you enjoy and you want to have the experience of building your own car.. just do it!
people have spent more money on less tangible things in pursuit of enjoyment..

The best advice i can give you is dont rush!

shop the bargains, dont jump on things just because they are rare and dont let this be your only car lol..
Things will go wrong, you will need time to iron out bugs and issues in the beginning, and its these issues that end up costing the money when you are in a rush.. parts that you cant wait for so pay top dollar... ect ect.

An example was my car was near done.. but rear hub was seized on.. luckily i had a spare hub but and CV.. but if i didn't i would have been rushing to get a new part... $$$$$$

my ECU was playing up.. i was about to drop $$ on a new ECU then i found a Aftermarket plug and play one for dirt cheap! $500 (Usually 900) and i bought it.. thats more $$$ that i didn't count on.. but it wasn't a waste for me as i had planned on swapping it anyway (just not yet) 

 

random sensors and bits that were troublesome to begin with.. luckily I have a few years worth of bits and bobs and a few mates who over the years have also accumulated bits.. so swapping sensors and testing was a cheap/free process but if this was not the case... i could have thrown Hundreds away on chasing this kind of thing..

 

I found the whole process to be quite rewarding and the car was my daily for near on 15 months after the conversion and It has been rock solid..
the thing to remember is rubbish in rubbish out..
If you just "Makes things work" instead of making things work the way they should.. it will bite you down the track..

My Loom i did myself and i kept everything factory.. Anything WRX related is exactly as the WRX loom would be, and everything else is RX 2.5..
I have PDF's of the wires that were changed and the colors etc so that if i ever get completely stuck i can go to an auto elec and provide the wiring diagram for MY car.

 

It might not be as pretty (peeling intake manifold, a few other cosmetic things) but i would say my car is near on the closest to OEM that a conversion can be.

The final and probably most important aspect you have to take into account when deciding on doing a conversion though will 100% be.. who's going to look after it?
and when i say that i mean.. the car will no longer match any parts catalogues..

YOU need to be sure that you are going to know whats going on and what your car is.. 
I Know myself that if i took my car to a mechanic.. they would have no idea...

I took it in to have a up pipe fitted.. they looked at me and said we dont do twin turbo's..
I tried to explain its just a WRX in a liberty body.. not 2 minutes later.. they were looking for part numbers for a 2.5RX ..
ended up i did all the work myself to swap it and order the parts.. but it can be a hassle.. I cant take it to have the brakes done unless i tell them EXACTLY what i want..
i am always cross referencing part numbers to ensure things fit..

 

You need to commit to doing everything yourself and really learning about the car otherwise your going to hate it and go broke lol

[Bumpty]

...people have spent more money on less tangible things in pursuit of enjoyment...

- Ty.

This ^

[Beckers]

Also add into your budget, a timing belt kit, water pump & clutch (maybe).

Easily another $1000 or so right there.

[Adam]

Yep Budget is way too low! I Bought one already done… But agree on Ty's parts issues. You can't just drop your car in for some work. You will need to know exactly whats on your car. Which is also a problem when you buy it already done, because you can never be 100% sure without asking the previous owner

[Niko]

So I've been contemplating either buying a Forester XT OR buy a 97 liberty, buy a WRX halfcut and plop an EJ25T.
 
Been reading alot of build threads and what I've noticed is that building is a very rewarding experience compared to just buying an already turbo'd subaru and adding mods to it.
 

[*]Is a budget of around $6 - 7K reasonable?[/*]

Decent Gen 2 GX, $3k? RX $4K. Plus about $10k for half-cut and all conversion costs, so $13-14k.

There's been SH XT's with a shopping list of mods for sale on here for the $19k mark, so about 11yrs newer than a Gen 2.

If you want a rewarding experience buy a stock SH XT and make it into a horsepower factory. You don't have a GEN 2 so there's no sentiment to break.

And you could always STi your XT http://www.subarufor...6/topics/106814

[CodeBurn3r]

Also.. if you keen an eye out. RX's come up CHEAP! 
way too cheap unfortunately.. I just picked up a Special Edition RX for less than $500.. Needs new front and rear bars but other than that its fairly tidy!

i just wanted a few bits and now Nick is going to absconder with it

[Barbbachello]

Nick is going to absconder with it

If we ever pick it up that is lol

[church]

Okay after some consideration and after saving up with all my christmas money, I will be trying to plan out this in the future  

After looking at alot of other subarus WRX and turbo liberties alike, I can't find a used one without some expensive fault after paying around 8K then having to pay another 2K fixing it, then having to do rego and all that.

 

 

So gathering all the info I got:

• Budget is too low, so raising it to $9000 max
• If I get a Gen 2, ill get an EJ20T or Gen 3, EJ25T
• I will send the wiring looms to AM auto to get it spliced, something I don't trust myself to DIY it
• I have a daily, so the project wont be my only car.
• Sourcing a half cut from ichiban preferably.

If I can get these stuff ticked off, I will go full steam ahead, no regrets.

 

Also,

I have read the VSB and hopefully a WRX engine counts as a 'Fitting a manufacturer’s optional engine together with any associated components as

supplied by the manufacturer for that same model vehicle' (VSB14, 2011).

 

I really hope it doesn't need an engineers certificate, has anyone done a conversion like this and 'required' an engineers cert?

[aekOne]

 

• If I get a Gen 2, ill get an EJ20T or Gen 3, EJ25T

 

 

JDM WRX/STI cuts in your price range are EJ20 only. AUDM came in 2.5 for GD STI but doubt you'll find one of those with Ben as he mainly deals in imports. If you want and AUDM STI 2.5T someone like Japwreck might have what your looking but a V7 STI cut is probably going to cost you near to your entire budget.

 

If i were you, i'd be looking for Gen 2 or 3 and a version V3/V4/V5 STI cut. 

[alexGT]

Hate to be a pessimist here but I think your 9K budget is too low, especially considering you want a DECENT gen2 to start with (RX ~$4000-5000). Half cut will be $3-4k, splicing is around $1k and thats with no incidentals (exhaust mods, you will want to put a timing belt kit/water pump etc in an import motor etc etc).

 

Unless you find a blown RX for cheap cheap that is.

[Robert]

I've been quoted 7 k for a v7 cut
Earlier cuts would be worth less obviously