Lancer Wagon Evo Swap

To start this is mostly fantasy - but also a bit of information gathering. 

Evo 9 wagon = very cool 

Unfortunately these never came stateside. 

You know what did come stateside? The Lancer Sportback, and the Lancer Evolution.

If ya squint, it's mint! 

So I did some research: 

https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/04-06-ralliart-engine-drivetrain/262790-researching-awd-conversion.html

https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/project-cars-build-threads/705834-lancer-sportback-cedia-wagon-evo-wagon-ct9w.html

https://www.dsmtuners.com/threads/how-to-2g-dsm-awd-conversion.353458/

And it seems as though others have already embarked on this journey, but no completed build threads. Just abandoned ones. 

Based on my research, it seems that the Evo front end bolts right up (TM), it's the rear that has issues. 

I chatted with a buddy who works at a drift fab shop and he said manufacturing a custom tubular subframe for the rear end would be a piece of cake for him, so that actually is taken care of. 

So, here's what I currently "know" and "plan": 

Obtain: 

1x Lancer Sportback of the correct MY 

1x Lancer Evolution of the correct MY, wrecked, preferably. 

Graft: 

Evolution drivetrain into Sportback

Evolution body onto Sportback 

Evolution fuel system into Sportback

Manufacture: 

Custom rear subframe/differential carrier 

Maybe a little bit of flair: 

https://www.tegiwa.com/products/super-drivetrain-solutions-mitsubishi-4g63t-to-dsg-dq500-gearbox-adapter-kit

https://www.boxeer.com/products/usa-shipping-dsg-dq500-awd-htg-gcu-standalone-controller-with-plug-and-play-harness

On paper it sounds doable - but I must be missing something. 

Even living in California, if I obtain a wrecked Evo donor, getting this smog legal would be no problemo if it's a full drivetrain swap. 

I'm not super worried about the custom rear subframe/diff carrier, either, I'd be farming that work out. 

Bodywork seems doable, I could even keep the body stock for ultimate sleeper status? 

I think I just wanted to get my thoughts out somewhere for someone to tell me I'm stupid and to not attempt this. But I think it'd be really cool if I did. Someone else do it so I can live vicariously, thanks! 

Not only am I not here to discourage you, but I'm a +1 for it being a fantastic idea.

If properly executed, it might be one of the few "builds" that could result in a break-even or possibly a profit.  My guess is somebody would love to be the next owner.

Also, it's just a good idea because wagon.  'Nuff said!

Lancer Ralliart wagon owner here, for 16 years. It's been my daily, my wife's daily and my kid's daily. I've done a few autocross events with it, and was second in H Street at the Florida State Championship when the weather turned bad one year.

Don't worry about trying to find the correct year, 2004 is the only year that the wagon was imported into the US. I think Canada got a few more subsequent years. If so, there's probably a bigger pool to search. Rust could be a factor where it snows, though. They're really rare, but were never considered desirable, so finding a well cared for example will require luck and effort.

Part availability is an issue. My front airbag actuators need replacing. Got a used set from Singapore, didn't work.

At the onset of the pandemic, I bought an original owner 2004 WRX wagon to replace the Lancer. The WRX was sold in six months, kept the Lancer.

In reply to Floating Doc (Forum Supporter) :

Nice, I saw a post from you recently about this when I was researching. Glad to hear you still have it. 

Canada will likely be a non-starter, I want to keep it USDM since it's going to be a California car. The Evo IX drivetrain swap might help it stay California legal but I don't want to introduce variables. 

The rarity of both the Sportback and Evo IXs, much less CA legal Evos, will be a problem for this project. I didn't realize they were only available for one year. Thanks for the heads up! 

I've been perusing Copart for wrecked Evos and they're mostly Evo Xs, I don't think the parts bolt up as nice to the Sportback as the Evo IX parts do, and is also a completely different engine. 

Speaking of Subarus, the competing "Hot Wagon" would be an STI swapped BK Legacy, which would not require as rare of donors/parts:

But I think I just prefer the looks of the Evo more. 

I'm weird, I'd start with a pre-2004 Volvo V40 if one wanted an Evo wagon.  It's the same chassis as an Evo III and the 4G63 bolts in.  Volvo didn't use the Mitsubishi spool engine mount but the bracket to take it is still there.

You'll need to do surgery to the rear to get the Evo subframe in, but the trailing arms should bolt in, and the S40/V40 used the all wheel drive floorpan.  It's been a while but I'm 90% sure that the driveshaft carrier bearing mounts are present.

No S40/V40 was sold in North America with a manual trans, though, so you'd need to haunt European eBay for the shifter surround and pedals, if Mirage pedals don't work.

Pete. (l33t FS) said:

I'm weird, I'd start with a pre-2004 Volvo V40 if one wanted an Evo wagon.  It's the same chassis as an Evo III and the 4G63 bolts in.

You'll need to do surgery to the rear to get the Evo subframe in, but the trailing arms should bolt in, and the S40/V40 used the all wheel drive floorpan.  It's been a while but I'm 90% sure that the driveshaft carrier bearing mounts are present.

No S40/V40 was sold in North America with a manual trans, though, so you'd need to haunt European eBay for the shifter surround and pedals, if Mirage pedals don't work.

Woah, you might be on to something here. Like I said I'm not super concerned about the Evo rear subframe rear fitting, I'm relatively confident in my buddy fabbing up a custom rear subframe either fully tubular or chop-shop the Evo subframe.

This would actually be a much better base considering the existence of the all wheel drive floorpan. 

To be honest this idea started as a "I want something I can daily and drive to the mountains to snowboard/mountain bike", so being auto only might not be a problem since there's (an expensive) option to go DSG:

https://www.tegiwa.com/products/super-drivetrain-solutions-mitsubishi-4g63t-to-dsg-dq500-gearbox-adapter-kit

https://www.boxeer.com/products/usa-shipping-dsg-dq500-awd-htg-gcu-standalone-controller-with-plug-and-play-harness

The Volvo has some cross body bracing that would need to be removed, and the gas tank situation is weird because the fuel filler is on the other side.  Volvo never sold this chassis as AWD.

I completely forget now if the Volvo even has a separate rear subframe or not, but all of the rear suspension is Evo III components, there's just no room for a rear diff and you'd need Evo trailing arms.  When looking under a co workers IX everything looked very familiar back there.

Oh!  And find a way to either make the Mitsubishi computer talk to the Volvo networks, or reprogram the Volvo computer (it's a Renix) to control the MitsuMill.

In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :

What Volvo things would I need to talk to? 

I think this calls for scope creep and an installation for a Motec PDM and Dash... 

In reply to hunter47 :

Instrument cluster, immobilizer, and ABS.  And technically also the radio, if you want to get fancy.

Really the gas tank situation is the biggest issue IMO.  Fuel cells are gauche, the stock tank is plastic and centered right where the diff and driveshaft want to be.

Yeah, fuel cells would also make the car not California legal which is a big requirement. 
Really the only network thing I can see being a problem is ABS, if I just graft everything from the evo into the V40 I have to imagine that the immobilizer will be null and void? 

Probably?

The Volvo ABS was phenomenally good when playing on gravel...

Other inadvisable swaps: The final generation Lancer Evo shared platforms with the Jeep Compass/ Patriot and the Dodge Journey.

I love this idea.  So forgive me for... well... 

If you're serious about this, why not buy a real one?  The 4 year wait until these can be imported into the US is probably the same amount of time you'll spend swapping and building.

Find a real one, bring it in to Canada and leave it there until you can drive it over the border in 2029.

In reply to Ben_Drinking_Coffee :

+1000. That thing is SICK!

In reply to Ben_Drinking_Coffee :

The issue with this is the California smog legality - essentially impossible. I'd need to find all the smog equipment for the 4g63 in the Evo IX, which I guess is still less work than swapping a whole drivetrain. 

MadScientistMatt said:

Other inadvisable swaps: The final generation Lancer Evo shared platforms with the Jeep Compass/ Patriot and the Dodge Journey.

O-ho... No... There are some things that just shouldn't be done.

MadScientistMatt said:

Other inadvisable swaps: The final generation Lancer Evo shared platforms with the Jeep Compass/ Patriot and the Dodge Journey.

What about a Dodge Raider for a Pajero Evo clone? (Inspired by the other thread)