As some of you know I just purchase an '02 WRX. Let me just say that the car rocks. It's a blast to drive, it's comfortable, can seat up to five people, and has a useable trunk. Fun, and practical, the stuff that daily driver's are made of. There's no more room for the convertible, I'm afraid. I love the car, and I know I'll regret not keeping it, but right now it's only slowing me down financially.

Due to the fact that the WRX has a glass gearbox I don't think I'll be dumping much money into it. It wouldn't be difficult to get the car into the 12's, but I don't feel like buying a new gearbox when I break first gear launching it.

So my next toy will be an FB. I can get one in decent shape for dirt cheap, even less if the engine is blown. I'd like to drop in a series 5 13B-DEI-II engine in it, remove all emissions, power steering, A/C, or whatever crap I don't need. Do every little power mod I can, including nitrous.

The idea is to have a fun little car to throw around. So I'll temporarily be without an RX-7 or a rotary engine. I'll always be a rotorhead, I just got tired of waiting for the RX-8. That and I wanted to try my hand at a turbocharged car, and an AWD car, I got a car that had both.

So, how much do you guys think I can grab a used series 5 n/a engine and tranny for? The idea is to keep this project cheap, if I can do it for about $3000 I'd be very happy.

 

Buy a GSL-SE and skip that whole nightmare. You could find one preaty cheap with a lil searching. Getting rid of the vert will probably hit you on that first hot summer day, but you can't just drive one car your whole life. Good luck with the "ru"

 

The GSL-SE makes about 140 hp, right?

If I saved a little longer I could buy an FD with a blown engine and work on it as I got money. One way or another I will have another RX-7.

 

Why not rebuild and port it yourself, would cost more, but youd learn while doing it, just be careful ;-)
rebuild supplies are 'spensive

 

In the end I would probably rebuild it and port it myself. This car will be a total do-it-myselfer.

 

This is kinda like the turbo NA argument. If you want turbo; just buy one in the first place. If you want FI and a six-port; just buy the GSL-SE in the first place. Swapping in all those parts is a preaty heavy job, but if you want a real project maybe that is the way to go. I have a feeling that having a WRX is going to distract you from building a project car. If your funds are getting in the way of keeping the vert, then building a car is way out of range. The main parts in the process are going to be the easy ones; the parts that will get you are the stupid lil valves and crap that junk-yard cars don't have anymore, and MAZDA wants an arm and a leg for. I say forget the project car and drive the WRX untill you can afford a project. You know you are gonna mod that "ru" no matter how much power you got, you will get used to it and want more.

 

buy the gsl-se. 13bt drops right in

 

why dont you turbo the vert??

mike

 

'tis a sad day.

 

In the eyes of performance, I can give you at least 500 reasons (lbs).

Mykl,
Welcome to the club of "Those who got tired of waiting". I did the same thing in August, but I went less practicle instead of more.

 

Practical car will be the rx-8

 

Have you thought about pulling your engine and tranny and then selling the rest of the vert while looking for a dirt cheap blown FB? Or is that not feasible?

The GSL-SE made about 135 hp @ 6000 rpm.

Saving for a blown FD is also an idea, like you mentioned.