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Help me pick my next build


Lauren

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I'm going to start a new build and need some input. I've narrowed it down to two platforms. Either would be strictly a 3/4 car and a toy. I'm bored with the mini platform so here's my choices.

 

1. Mr2. I have tons of knowledge with mkii. I've owned about 15 of them. I found a clean southern car no rust. I would do a Honda k20 swap and eventually turbo it after I get it running. This is a bolt in swap now a days and has more potential then a 3sgte and the stock ecu. The k20 has an adapter plate to bolt to Toyota trans and motor mount kits and wire harness readily available. On top of this a client has an RSX type s with a bad tranny that I can have.

 

2. Bugeye wrx. This would be a new platform for me. I know nothing about them. Found a clean no rust sedan with bad bottom end. The positive with wrx is back seat for my girls car seats.

 

I need help deciding which route and any wrx guys please chime in.

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The 3s isn't that great. I know I've done just about everything you can do. The stock ecu is garbage and full stand alone aren't reliable with them. Its an old design engine. Now the e153 trans is super stout so that will stay. A K20 is a badass engine that can with stand 400-500 whp easily with a budget turbo kit

 

And yeah I'll probably sell it after I drive it for awhile. When the numbers make sense they go. I do not enjoy driving my cars. I enjoy wrenching and building them. I spent two years on a build fully stripped down and built up and sold it 6 weeks after.

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The 3s isn't that great. I know I've done just about everything you can do. The stock ecu is garbage and full stand alone aren't reliable with them. Its an old design engine. Now the e153 trans is super stout so that will stay. A K20 is a badass engine that can with stand 400-500 whp easily with a budget turbo kit

 

And yeah I'll probably sell it after I drive it for awhile. When the numbers make sense they go. I do not enjoy driving my cars. I enjoy wrenching and building them. I spent two years on a build fully stripped down and built up and sold it 6 weeks after.

 

Why exactly? And what standalones don't work with them?

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Isn't there a v6 swap for the mr2? I don't know much about it but I remember hearing about it (and that it is more capable than the 3sgte). Also, fuck the bugeyes. All I ever hear about Subies is either the ringlands are the weakpoint or the trans is made if glass (depending on the year). Brian is right though, most of those issues would have been sorted by now but are still likely clapped out.
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last I read up on the v6 swaps they starved for oil very easily and the toyota v6 sounds like dogshit. and custom parts for something as rare as that are going to be self-fab or $$$, at which point you might as well start out with a better platform.

 

would suck to have $10k+ into something and still get trolled by a clapped out c5 in every way

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I'll be the "Subaru Bro"..

 

As said above, the 2002 and early 2003s had a weak transmission. Later year 5speeds had a reinforced case that prevented the flexing that cause tooth sheer.

 

Now, also said above, you're going to be hard pressed to find a bugeye WRX that hasn't been beaten on in one form or another. This isn't necessarily a bad thing however. "Subarus are like Legos". They are VERY swappable and easy to work on; a hold-over from when the factory supported stage rally efforts. So as long as there isn't much rust, you can certainly build a bugeye WRX to like-new condition again, the parts are out there. What it comes down to is how much are you willing to put into this.

 

For an example, I did a 6-speed swap on my old bugeye. I picked up a grey-market driveline from a v7 JDM STI, everything from clutch to hubs, and it bolted right up. The biggest problem wast the transmission harness. The JDM harness was wired backwards for the USDM chassis. However, the USDM 5-speed harness and sensors literally screwed directly into the JDM 6-speed with no issues.

 

Now after typing all that, personally I would rather drive the MR2. But that's because I've pretty much done it all in a Subaru. You've said that you have tons of experience with the MR2, maybe it's time for something different?

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What kind of fun are you looking to have in it? To me you have some pretty vastly different cars there. Having built/rebuilt/fixed tons of Subarus of that era there are a few PITA things with them as previously stated. With a blown bottom end, that's personally the only way I would buy a Subaru for fun.. blown up. No matter who says they've done what and upgraded this or that you never know the health of those things. Nothing sucks more than buying something that seems fine for the first 100 miles you own in then scatters and demands a $3000+ rebuild.

 

Personally I think the K20 turbo MR2 would be more fun per dollar spent. It's different, quirky, reliable, and kinda cool. The Subaru will get you into a WHOLE other world of car culture, not that it's a bad thing!

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