Gen 3 LGTi?

[Q2SubZero]

Guys I have a few questions...

 

I had a 2000 RSTi (04 STI swap) for over 6 years, and sold it to buy a 2004 Forester XT 5spd. However there are just a few nagging things about it that i dont like and I'm starting to wonder if i'm not the SUV/Wagon type of person. Dropping all STI bits into a 2000 RS was like lego's, everything bolt right in.

 

For the following question, i'm thinking about buying a gen3 2004 Legacy GT/Limited 5spd.

 

My question to you all is... I'm starting to love the Gen 3's and would really like to make a STI USDM version of the S401 legacy b4. Other than needing a hood with a scoop and air splitter, can I drop in a 2007 STI engine, 07 sti ecu, 6spd trans, breakes, and fuel pump, stock exhaust?

 

I'd like to create something like this (pictures below), OBP paint, and maybe less rear wings:

 

Really appreciate your help!

 

Answers i'm looking for:

1. Cost of said swap

2. Is this as easy as my 2000 RS swap (does everything bolt right up, or is there lots of custom work needed?)

3. Why dont i find as many swapped Legacy's (3rd gen) as RSTI's?

 

(picture source)

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2044319

[FLlegacy]

If you understand that the only special thing about your swap will be that you did something few people do. Main problem I see is for the price of the swap parts and car you could buy a 4th gen lgt with pretty much all that stuff in place.

 

The 3rd gen has the same engine but a different trans and rear diff but the sti parts should bolt right in, the engine cradle I believe is different than the sti one and would need to be notched for an uppipe if not then a custom exhaust and turbo setup.

 

It all comes down to money how much are you willing to put into a project vs buying an Lgt ready to go.

[Q2SubZero]

For the price I paid to have my RS swapped, I could have easily bought a WRX or high milage STI. I liked the RSTi swap because there aren't many around where I live. To this day I haven't seen any Gen3 Legacy's in person, nor any near my neighborhood. I also really like the Gen3 body style over the 4th gen. It looks more aggressive, imo.

 

If the STI engine route becomes too much difficulty, what about a 2004 Baja Turbo engine swap? From what I've seen they're almost identical cars to these legacy's, with a truck bed in the back. I'm sure those would definitely bolt right in, along with the needed hood and air splitter.

 

I'm thinking if I can sell my FXT for about the same $10k I got it for, I can try to find a $3k-5k legacy gt/limited and have money left over for the swap. However if anyone has any experience in this, and would like to call me crazy on this small budget, let me know. =/

[lockmedic]

There's nothing special about the trans and rear diff in the gen 3. Yes you can swap in whatever single turbo powerplant you want as long as you can handle the wire merge.

 

JDM twin turbo stuff won't fit at all on a LHD so don't even consider those.

 

You will have to swap crossmembers, but you're probably aware of that owning a swapped RS.

 

Baja turbo would be the easiest to do the wire merge (as it's pretty much a straight swap) but they're pretty rare, especially the turbo manuals. I looked for a year before one went across the salvage auctions (that wasn't completely destroyed). They also have a pretty pathetic intercooler/scoop/duct so I wouldn't pay any serious money for a Baja turbo hood (or a B4 either). You can (and I have) graft an STi scoop/duct onto a normal flat gen 3 hood and have heaps better airflow. . proper for an STi TMIC anyway.

 

Forester XT is the same motor, pretty similar wire harness,and bonus is like the Baja they're EJ255 vs. the EJ205 found in the early WRX, so you can get them up to STi power levels with not much more than a tune, turbo, downpipe, and intercooler. If you want the pretty brakes and an extra gear, get the STi stuff.

 

They're nice looking cars and yes they're very swappable, there's just no market for them once swapped, certainly not as much as there is for an RSTi, esp. if it's a coupe.

 

As far as cost goes. . .all depends on what you have to put into the donor car. If you're resourceful, thrifty, and have access to tools/space to work and you're OK with a WRX/FXT driveline swap, you might be able to pull it off for under $5k, not including the cost of the base car. If you want a full blown STi setup, probably more like $15k.

 

I had my eye on a 68k mile 05 STi that was hit in the rear that went thru salvage auction here, thought I might be able to buy it for around $8k. . . had some silly wide wheels with stretched tires, questionable FMIC and intake manifold but it started and idled nice and had a clean interior, no bags popped. . yeah some dude from Nebraska dropped 9100 on it. After auction fees and transport he'll be in it for 10,500 or so and for that he didn't get the BBS wheels or sti TMIC. . . or the pretty red intake everyone recognizes.