97impreza

iTrader: (1)

Just wondering if anyone has done an sti swap into a 97 impreza L or if it would even be possible. What kind of problems you have run into and the kind of time it took. It is something i am interested in doing sometime and have been trying to learn more about this kind of swap.
Thanks.

John2.5RS

very possible. Mechanical only take a good weekend of solid wrenching, as long as you've take cars apart before. wiring is better left to those who've done it. You can take you car in or send out your harnesses to get them merged. It's alot of work but totally worth it. here a picture of my old swap. Ran a 13.01 at 107 MPH with a full interior and a full sound system with 2 amps. Just make sure you find a good engine, just because it's a good price, doesn't make it a good deal. You will spend between $5-$15k total all said and done for a proper, complete, tuned STi drivetrain into you car, but it will be alot quicker than almost any WRX or STi you see on the street, and that make it sooo worth it! If you have any specific questions, feel free to shoot me a pm.

tamashi523

iTrader: (2)

thats hot

Psycholis

Sweetness... if it's one thing i don't like about my dad's STi/GC8 swap is that they didn't retain the AC.. It's not fully race prepped yet, but the interior is mostly stripped. Also agree on the wiring part. That took the longest to get done. Good to see another GC8 swap.


Engine shot



Autocross shots (dad driving)

John2.5RS

/\ That a sweet setup as well.
That was my old swapped sedan. I now have a 98 coupe I'm working on, should be on the road in a couple months.









It take alot of time, research, and don't be afraid to ask around for help when you hit snags. The Mechanical stuff is actually not that hard as far as swaps go, everything should bolt right up as long as you get the right parts. It's very important to get your engine from a reliable source. Try to find one with low miles if possible. You get what you pay for. I paid around $10k for a complete drivetrain with only 5500 km, which is a great deal. It started right up everytime, and runs strong in the new chassis as well. It helps to make friends with your local subaru dealership parts guy, I have to make several trips a month still getting small clips and brackets, and the car run, I just want everything to be as factory looking as possible, it make it easier to pass inspections when they see quality work.

03_Impreza_Al

iTrader: (46)

^ your car is so f'in sick.

dub81

iTrader: (39)

Any GC's with EJ257 swap are super sick!!Wish I had a gc so I could do a complete 22b conversion which would probably take forever to build!!LOL

darkonion

iTrader: (31)

Yeah. I would love to get 22B fenders and stuff. Maybe after I take everything else that is wrong with mine.

If you plan on doing the work yourself, it'd be worthwhile. If you plan on paying someone to do it... probably not. Keep in mind that finding a donor STi isn't cheap. $10-$12K. Less possibly. When I asked a local shop whether or not I should do an STi swap, they reminded me that I could buy a used STi for $17ish.

If you can wrench, and you want a project, by all means. John2.5RS has a great thread on his the development of his GC. It is time and effort.

I am planning to do a swap, but that is down a ways after I graduate, find a job, have another car, etc.

dub81

iTrader: (39)

Hey K, do you visit 22b.com or scoobynet.com..Alot of classic impreza parts for sale!!

John2.5RS

Good point. I really wouldn't do it unless you have an alternate DD. it's never a good idea in the first place to make your daily driver your project car, especially if your doing a swap. Ya, you can get used STI's for cheap, but a swapped car will (or should) always earn more respect from people in the know. I'd always recommend getting a cheap DD during a project, you can always clean it up and re-sell it after. There really is no way to know exactly how long it's going to take to finish a swap. The first time I started Messing with turbo kits, I had to rebuild the motor a few times.

\/ Fast food is not good for the gut!


I bought an '87 Toyota Corolla GT-S for $600 as my beater/DD.


It's was great because it took the pressure off of rushing the project and still had a decent, fun car to drive while I tinkered with the Subi. low curb weight, 5-speed manual & RWD. It was alot of fun.


.
I really love my new DD, 2007 G35S, 6-speed manual, 306 HP (268 RWHP), and an LSD. It's sick. but it also weighs about half a ton more than the Subi.

darkonion

iTrader: (31)

What John said is true. The bottom line is, no matter what platform or course you decide to take, it is your project. You should take pride in the work you do. It is a journey, at least for me. I've own been in the scene for a year, maybe little more. The car isn't much right now, but it is something I am proud of.

97impreza

iTrader: (1)

Yea thanks guys you all have very well built cars can't wait till i am able to say i have done this kind of swap.