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Well, after 3 months, Im finally getting around to showing my project. I picked up a 02 wrx with 56k miles in early march originally planning to put a 4cyl. turbo back in. (previous owner took the engine out). Well, changed my mind and went for the ls1 since I seen it done before and had to do one myself. This is my 3rd wrx btw. Anyways, finally picked up a complete ls1/t56 in late march and got started. This has not been a easy swap at all. The pics aren't that good because apparently my iphone doesn't take good pics anymore.
Custom fab'd crossmember I made. Stock steering rack bolts right up. Unfortunately, I had to drop the rack 2-3" to clear the oil pan so i'll have to get the spindles fixed so the tie rod ends are in line with the control arms to minimize or eliminate bump steer.
This is where it sits as of now. The motor turns over, but still have a little wiring left, and im waiting on a fuel pump unit and deatschwerks high flow pump.
Thats definetly different.wonder how the handling will be with all the weight in front of the strut tower/ball joint centerline though.reminds me of the v6 accord swap everybody was doin.stupid fast but really nose heavy.not knocking you though,should be really interesting.way to be different.amazing how the little suby swallows the ls up huh?
Just had to sell my 03 wrx that had that swap started. Sucks. The shop owner (former business partner) still has the engine and transmission cradle sitting at his shop. Good luck on the build. I wish I could have finished mine. What rear end do you plan on. Using?
I dont think the ls1 weighs too much more than the original, so I dont think it'll be that bad. The wrx never has been the best handling car since it has understeer, but it will be interesting to see how it does now that the front wheels will be used purely for cornering grip instead of pulling the car too.
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Originally Posted by Sarg
Just had to sell my 03 wrx that had that swap started. Sucks. The shop owner (former business partner) still has the engine and transmission cradle sitting at his shop. Good luck on the build. I wish I could have finished mine. What rear end do you plan on. Using?
Im thinking an r200 diff, but also have thoughts of using the thunderbird 8.8 because gear ratios are more common and its probably stronger as well, but i'll have to get measurements to see if it would fit.
Long story, but we had an engine in one, all the drivetrain and gas tank ripped out of mine and were ready to start when my partnership broke up. It became much easier to slap everything in my mustang since everything would bolt in to the mustang and I no longer have access to a full shop with a lift. Engine in the mustang is going bad and I wanted to finish a car quickly. Selling the wrx became the best option.
Why not a STi diff ? A r200 is what is going in my 260z. I'm trying to convert it to VLSD since finding a r200 CLSD is damn near impossible or expensive. All of us Datsun guys would love a STi diff cause its a bolt in but not all of us(me) can afford the conversion stub axles.
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Above all, Jesus Christ Reigns as King ! Phil. 1:21 "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."
I have personally tuned a Sti motor (actually a legacy but same thing) that in AWD mode (read not full power to the rear end...maybe 50-60%) blew up all over the dang drag strip. They are great for most applications in the Sti where power is being split from front to rear, but I just don't see them holding the torque from a V8 very long. That particular R180 probably had somewhere around 400 hp going to it as the motor was making upwards of 600 at the wheels, so figure at least 200 hp going up front and the rest to the rear.
Yea, I was told the r180 would be fine for the street but wouldn't hold up too good at the strip. The r200 shouldn't take much work but axles won't be cheap.
Neither will 180 to 160 axles. These were all things I considered. That was why I was going to go to a ford solid axle 8.8. But then I was also going turbo and planning to race it.
Yeah. The other guy that did this swap ran the stock diff for a while, and even had it dyno'd making around 370 or something at the wheels. He went with the r200 diff after the stock one broke.
Thats the only pics I have of the crossmember. I can get better ones one day soon. I didn't have to cut the tunnel at all, just took a hammer to a few places.
I haven't hooked the wires to the cluster yet, but when im done, pretty much everything on it should work.
02 Subaru Wrx Ls1 build 
I'm a former STi owner myself ! I gotta see this on the road !
