Shop to swap
Yeah, You've Probably Never Heard Of Me.
iTrader: (21)
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 17,962
From: in a glass case of emotion.
Car Info: 345/30/19s
Kinda sucks. I always wanted a LIC swap 
But Wire **** says if i pick up a STi Chassis, and have the complete harness +ECU, it should not be too difficult. But I don't want to even sweat it you know??
I'm certain there are just so many things that will still have to get spliced and reworked, and I know that Adam is simply THE person to get it done.
On the other hand, having a real project sounds nice, but ****ing it up, sure doesn't.
If I buy this STi I'm thinking about buying, I'm going to be in a real pickle, cause although I can do much of the physical stuff, I just don't want to even think about the wiring, complete wiring harness or not.
I know Adam and Noah for a long time, I would never want to waste their time. They're my friends, and I will respect their decision. I really understand why as well. Just wish i could have gotten in on this, but I didn't have the money. (not that I'm rollin' in the dough right now lol)
But Wire **** says if i pick up a STi Chassis, and have the complete harness +ECU, it should not be too difficult. But I don't want to even sweat it you know??
I'm certain there are just so many things that will still have to get spliced and reworked, and I know that Adam is simply THE person to get it done.
On the other hand, having a real project sounds nice, but ****ing it up, sure doesn't.
If I buy this STi I'm thinking about buying, I'm going to be in a real pickle, cause although I can do much of the physical stuff, I just don't want to even think about the wiring, complete wiring harness or not.
I know Adam and Noah for a long time, I would never want to waste their time. They're my friends, and I will respect their decision. I really understand why as well. Just wish i could have gotten in on this, but I didn't have the money. (not that I'm rollin' in the dough right now lol)
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 5,245
From: San Leandro, CA
Car Info: 14 Mazda3 sGT, SOLD 12/26: 00 2.5RS Sedan
Kinda sucks. I always wanted a LIC swap
But Wire **** says if i pick up a STi Chassis, and have the complete harness +ECU, it should not be too difficult. But I don't want to even sweat it you know??
I'm certain there are just so many things that will still have to get spliced and reworked, and I know that Adam is simply THE person to get it done.
On the other hand, having a real project sounds nice, but ****ing it up, sure doesn't.
If I buy this STi I'm thinking about buying, I'm going to be in a real pickle, cause although I can do much of the physical stuff, I just don't want to even think about the wiring, complete wiring harness or not.
I know Adam and Noah for a long time, I would never want to waste their time. They're my friends, and I will respect their decision. I really understand why as well. Just wish i could have gotten in on this, but I didn't have the money. (not that I'm rollin' in the dough right now lol)
But Wire **** says if i pick up a STi Chassis, and have the complete harness +ECU, it should not be too difficult. But I don't want to even sweat it you know??
I'm certain there are just so many things that will still have to get spliced and reworked, and I know that Adam is simply THE person to get it done.
On the other hand, having a real project sounds nice, but ****ing it up, sure doesn't.
If I buy this STi I'm thinking about buying, I'm going to be in a real pickle, cause although I can do much of the physical stuff, I just don't want to even think about the wiring, complete wiring harness or not.
I know Adam and Noah for a long time, I would never want to waste their time. They're my friends, and I will respect their decision. I really understand why as well. Just wish i could have gotten in on this, but I didn't have the money. (not that I'm rollin' in the dough right now lol)
Former Sponsor
iTrader: (10)
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 3,426
From: 865 A Sweetser Ave.Novato, CA (new shop smell too)
Car Info: MY04 STi some call it a race car
I could go on and on with all the points you guys have made. We could be soley in the conversion business but we don't do them anymore for very specific reasons...its no offense to anyone with a car and wants a conversion, it truly does NOT make any financial sense (this is only one of many points I could point out).
Could we still just do the harness stuff and or complete conversions, you bet...we have more room than ever but again it doesn't make business sense anymore for us and truthfully most are tire kickers and I have spent years and thousands of emails speaking about them...to warrant what in the end? I can answer that, happy customers. We have yet to have a single conversion car come back with "issues". But we still see others from other places with terrible "issues". And that's what we ended up with in the end....FIXING all the others from other shops claiming they can do it, only to learn on the customers dime, and all for what? b/c folks didn't want to pay for us to do right from the get go.
-Noah
Could we still just do the harness stuff and or complete conversions, you bet...we have more room than ever but again it doesn't make business sense anymore for us and truthfully most are tire kickers and I have spent years and thousands of emails speaking about them...to warrant what in the end? I can answer that, happy customers. We have yet to have a single conversion car come back with "issues". But we still see others from other places with terrible "issues". And that's what we ended up with in the end....FIXING all the others from other shops claiming they can do it, only to learn on the customers dime, and all for what? b/c folks didn't want to pay for us to do right from the get go.
-Noah
Last edited by LICmotorsports; Feb 12, 2010 at 11:37 PM.
Former Sponsor
iTrader: (10)
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,199
From: Mountain View, CA
Car Info: Shops cars: 07 STI & 07 Lotus Exige S
First thank you all for the praises, which is really directed at Adam (owner of LIC), as he is the mastermind behind those conversions (GC8-to-WRX/STi).
We stopped doing them back in 07, started back up in 08...and after the last one we had in here we said NO MORE.
Here is the reasoning: LIC Motorsports got tired of answering the TONS and I mean TONS of emails, phone calls, etc... on how its done, what about this, what about that...blah blah blah. Only to have that same "potential customer" go to another shop to have it done for "cheaper" WHICH IT NEVER WAS and in the end have that customer come back to LIC pissed off that the car doesn’t work right, it never has, they spent $xx,xxx and now they are pissed and don’t have money to fix it. In the end did they fix it with us? Yes, but it never left the customer with a good feeling nor did it leave us with one....SO WE SAID no more. We are not going to be a business whom others feel are a rip off only to have them come back 6-9-12 months later when it didn't work out elsewhere. Do you know how hard it is to diagnose/decipher through someone else's wiring mess? Not the easiest task I can say that much, and NOBODY wants to pay for the expertise, for if they did, they would of brought it here in the first place. So the cost they assumed they saved just cost them double....not the best outcome IMHO.
We know our stuff, especially when it comes to those conversion setups...others claim to be the end all on it but I can say this with a decent warning, know what you get yourself into.
That's my $0.02 on the matter and will we never do one again...I don't know. I won't ever say never b/c their is always someone out there who will appreciate the expertise/craftsmanship we instill in those and everything we do
here.
***AGAIN this is in referrence to conversions only (GC8-to-WRX/STi), and has nothing to do with your standard motor swaps (NA-to-NA, WRX-to-STi, etc...) Purely speaking about GC8-to-WRX/STi Conversions)***
-Noah
We stopped doing them back in 07, started back up in 08...and after the last one we had in here we said NO MORE.
Here is the reasoning: LIC Motorsports got tired of answering the TONS and I mean TONS of emails, phone calls, etc... on how its done, what about this, what about that...blah blah blah. Only to have that same "potential customer" go to another shop to have it done for "cheaper" WHICH IT NEVER WAS and in the end have that customer come back to LIC pissed off that the car doesn’t work right, it never has, they spent $xx,xxx and now they are pissed and don’t have money to fix it. In the end did they fix it with us? Yes, but it never left the customer with a good feeling nor did it leave us with one....SO WE SAID no more. We are not going to be a business whom others feel are a rip off only to have them come back 6-9-12 months later when it didn't work out elsewhere. Do you know how hard it is to diagnose/decipher through someone else's wiring mess? Not the easiest task I can say that much, and NOBODY wants to pay for the expertise, for if they did, they would of brought it here in the first place. So the cost they assumed they saved just cost them double....not the best outcome IMHO.
We know our stuff, especially when it comes to those conversion setups...others claim to be the end all on it but I can say this with a decent warning, know what you get yourself into.
That's my $0.02 on the matter and will we never do one again...I don't know. I won't ever say never b/c their is always someone out there who will appreciate the expertise/craftsmanship we instill in those and everything we do
here.
***AGAIN this is in referrence to conversions only (GC8-to-WRX/STi), and has nothing to do with your standard motor swaps (NA-to-NA, WRX-to-STi, etc...) Purely speaking about GC8-to-WRX/STi Conversions)***
-Noah
Plus the full drive train swap is no fun..
Kevin
PS. I won't do it anymore either.. I might, but I doubt it..
.
Former Sponsor
iTrader: (10)
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 3,426
From: 865 A Sweetser Ave.Novato, CA (new shop smell too)
Car Info: MY04 STi some call it a race car
iClub Silver Vendor
iTrader: (25)
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 15,494
From: Participating in some Anarchy!
Car Info: 2005 LGT wagon
Not speaking for the Levy Brothers, but I can completely see their point of view.
Conversions are extremely time consuming projects which equates to very costly projects.
Very few customers are willing to spend a lot of money for a superior service when they get "quotes" that are stupid low....until the customer gets the car back and it's a pile of ****.
It happens to me; provide tech support for parts/work not done at my shop, answer a ton of redundant questions from they same client only to have them get the work done elsewhere "cheaper", etc.
There a certain jobs I won't do anymore simply due to the hassle factor. Now, if a customer wants the job done and is willing to pay accordingly, I'll do it.
Another point of view: profitability o the job.
Contrary to popular myth, us shop owners are in business to make money; working on cars isn't just our passion, its our livelihood.
We sell time and skill.
The time it takes to rewire a car, I can bust out 12 timing belt jobs and make at least twice the money.
From a business point of view its always better to work less for more, than more for less.
Conversions are extremely time consuming projects which equates to very costly projects.
Very few customers are willing to spend a lot of money for a superior service when they get "quotes" that are stupid low....until the customer gets the car back and it's a pile of ****.
It happens to me; provide tech support for parts/work not done at my shop, answer a ton of redundant questions from they same client only to have them get the work done elsewhere "cheaper", etc.
There a certain jobs I won't do anymore simply due to the hassle factor. Now, if a customer wants the job done and is willing to pay accordingly, I'll do it.
Another point of view: profitability o the job.
Contrary to popular myth, us shop owners are in business to make money; working on cars isn't just our passion, its our livelihood.
We sell time and skill.
The time it takes to rewire a car, I can bust out 12 timing belt jobs and make at least twice the money.
From a business point of view its always better to work less for more, than more for less.
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,610
From: Santa Rosa, CA
Car Info: 4日本車