$1400 worth of Subaru (WRX content)

Help me decide what to do.  2 months ago I owned 0 complete Subarus.  I had a 2.2L engine from the Wartburg and the $1 360 shell but I had no Subaru.  

I bought TheJed's $300 Subaru Brighton.  It came with a spare outback transmission and rear diff.  It's low rust, interior is not the best, but it was dirt cheap and is a coupe shell.

Then last week my local Subaru dealer got a WRX with a bad cylinder#4 exhaust valve on trade.  I worked a deal for $750 + TTL ($1101 total).  It has high mileage and a bit of rust.  Shifts fine, all gears work, drives straight, interior is nice, it makes choo choo noises and all that good stuff just needs the valve fixed.  

I have a line on WRX heads for $200.

Now that this is what my driveway looks like I have options..

Remember I need an engine trans and uprights for the 360 project so make 2 running Subarus is not an option.

1.  Harvest the Brighton for the 360, repair WRX, sell GC8 shell as a slider

2.  Harvest the Brighton for the 360, Build 1st Gen WRX replica out of Brighton stealing a anything I need of the WRX (running gear, seats, etc.).  Sell all I can off WRX shell and scrap the rest.

3.  Harvest the WRX for the Subaru 360, put good 2.2L and WRX seats in Brighton and have a running Brighton to keep/sell.  Sell all I can off WRX shell and scrap.  

4.  sell everything but WRX and buy 818 coupe kit...

I completely realize this is a first world problem sort of thing and that my current Subaru problem is a borderline humble brag.  But you enablers are partially responsible for this problem so you have to help me.

Fix WRX and bring to challenge.

In reply to nocones :

As Gary P once told me, a WRX is a car I'd love to drive, but hate to own. I'd stuff the WRX engine in the 360 - because you'll 100% need at least that much power in such a small & light chassis - drop the 2.2 and some leftover WRX goodies into the Brighton, and then either sell or enjoy it. Scrap whatever is leftover from the WRX that isn't worth selling or can't be used on the other 2 cars. 

Option 1.  Wrx is fun.  I love mine.  

No help here.  Who cares about the Subarus?  You have an old Jeep truck!

I see a kid that needs a WRX for their first car. 

Best engine for 360, second best engine for green car, make green car an autocross rally beast, sell the rest.

In reply to noddaz :

It is true.  It's currently sitting due to needing it's 4th fuel pump..  I hate GM intank fuel pumps when intersected with Ethanol gas.    

It's a 54 body, 53 grill, on a 1994 Blazer front chassis, 1992 S15 rear chassis.  My dad and I built it and I inhereted it.  It will never leave.  

Fix an flip the WRX, stay with your original plan. Cool truck BTW!

Rust repair sux.

#2

You don’t need heads for a Subaru bad valve. It’s a non-interference. Just stick a valve in it and drive. 

At one point the Wartburg had a WRX motor in it that I sold to JThw8. Do you have 2 WRX motors?

You want the WRX motor for the 360. If the Wartburg’s motor is the WRX, then use it, and keep the WRX intact. If not, chop up the WRX. 

You don’t have enough money tied up in either of these to feel like you have lost.   Build the best 360 you can, and don’t get distracted by crappy Subbie lust.

I once had 7 crappy  Subies in my driveway. I understand. 

The wartburg never had the wrx motor in it, it's still broken from the car you pulled it from.  It's still sitting here with broken cam gears.  He has the ej22 that was last in the car.  Also the ej205 is an interference motor.  

Huh. Ok. I lost track of it. 

My driveway had $1401 worth of Subaru in it today.  

I'm leaning towards stealing everything I can off the WRX for the 360.  I'm even debating using the headlights/fogs as that would be kinda cool.

More after I get it on stands and look it over.

nocones said:

I'm leaning towards stealing everything I can off the WRX for the 360.  I'm even debating using the headlights/fogs as that would be kinda cool.

This for sure. If not the fogs, at least the headlights. Fogs may just be too big.

I dig it! Hows that sort for the challenge budget?

I have to look.  The WRX was $750 + TTL.  Assuming I only use the uprights, halfshafts, engine/trans steering rack, pedals, and Headlights I think I'll be able to sell enough of the rest for $750 to 0 it out.  

Fix the WRX.  Other car is green.

Stay focused on completing the 360. 

Use all the best parts (probably from the WRX) for the 360.  If you have left overs to make the green one sell for $$ do that later.

Focus:

I'd hang onto the WRX, build the 360 the way you want to, and sell the GC-chassis car to a Subaru nut.

The early WRX's were a ton of fun, and they are simple to wrench on with a ton of aftermarket. Fix the rust, slap together an engine, get a cheap up/ downpipe and exhaust, tune it for "stage 2" and have a blast, especially with an initial buy-in of $750.

A green GC used to have value among those building faux WRX's. Back in the day, the 2.5RS versions in green were considered "unicorns" due to their scarcity, and sold for top dollar. The L's and Brightons were more common, but someone building a clone might pay more.  

Don't pillage the wrx, but if you do i can help you with recoup on a few small bits for mine.  

Hmmm. I say option number 2. That way you end up with 4 epic vehicles  (willys included). Plus, with the new job you will have more time for more projects .

Option 1 - the easiest way to get a Turbo Subaru is to start with one.

Swapping everything into that GC is a crap-ton of work.

As someone else said the Bugeyes are fun, especially if it is an early one. They had 20mm rear bars in them and like to steer with the throttle.