My New Project- FFR 818

[G-Man]

I am going to quit my job, sell my house, and devote my life to following you around and worshipping you as the god you truly are.

Wow. Congratulations on having built and enjoyed the Miata and on this next adventure.

I hope you'll do a nice build log, a la Keith Tanner??

[coloskydiver]

Well to be honest I have been a bit discouraged with finding the donor for the price I was "hoping" to pay. I am amazed at what a crumpled beer can of a car that will not start goes for on the salvaged market. I will try to copy my bid list to show how much these things go for. I am not sure if the 818 is inflating the cost of the salvage market but on Thursday, the stars aligned and the heavens opened up with a gift of an 818 donor car.

The story begins about 6 months ago and was talking with a friend of a friend who owns a Toyota Shop in Junction and was going to do a Subaru build. He had two cars and the one he was pulling parts from was exactly what I needed for the 818. At that time I was not quite ready and bailed out on a verbal commitment to buy the car for $2000 and that was that.

So, on Thursday I was rolling to the Sonic Meet and my friend of the friend pulls up next to me and says, "what are you doing here". He ended up following me to the Sonic and catch up. The conversation is light and ask he how his Subi build went and if he still had the donor car. It turned out he sold a bunch of the parts of the car (aftermarket exhaust ect, trans, and a few other bits) and made some decent cash and turned out what was left was exactly what I needed for the build minus the trans. We ended up on $900 for the car, engine and everything he, plus would deliver it down to Denver for free. I fell like I hit the lottery. It is a 2.0 WRX but plan on doing a 2.2L stroker and should work for my power goals.

I do have to say that the engine build up for this car is going to take at least a year or more to fund and complete. I plan on continuing to play with the Miata and put it up for sale some time next year.

Once I get some pics I will Post them up.

[coloskydiver]

As you say, the engine is the same, the turbo is tweaked. I think the problem is that the drive train and suspension are different. STIs are a couple inches longer in wheel base, and usually have slightly different suspension geometry. Since those parts are also needed, they probably have different dimensions than the WRX

https://www.factoryfive.com/kits/project-818/what-you-need/
"The parts needed from a Subaru Impreza model years 2002-2007 (except STI models**)
**STI’s drivetrain parts differ too much from a standard Imprezza or WRX for use as a single donor for the 818 platform."

Its possible the website it out of date, or maybe you just need to get one or two specific parts from the WRX, I'm not sure. I'd hate for you to run into issues.

So anyways, good luck, I hope everything goes well for ya. You have me considering one now. I'd place an order tonight if there was a rotary option

You are correct sir. Some guys are using the STI engines and that is what threw me off.

[coloskydiver]

Here she is.

[Brigdh]

Heh. I'm sure you'll have plenty of people willing to test drive, ya know, just to make sure all the bugs are ironed out

[coloskydiver]

The 818 kits started to ship in July and most of the first guys that got them are starting to finish them up . Check out the turbo'd H6. It is going to be at sema and it a top notch build. Check out the build thread ( I just look at the pics) if you have some time.

http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?10525-Wayne-Presley-VeryCoolParts-Build-Thread-H6-power/page15

[coloskydiver]

http://autos.yahoo.com/video/factory-five-818-motoramic-tv-180853978.html

[coloskydiver]

https://www.factoryfive.com/whats-new/factory-five-818-wins-watkins-glen/?utm_source=iContact&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Factory%20Five%20Racing,%20Inc.&utm_content=818-News-Nov2013

[coloskydiver]

Both are worth watching!!!

[Justin]

STIs are a couple inches longer in wheel base, and usually have slightly different suspension geometry.

As a nitpicky point, the STi's have the same wheelbase and a slightly wider track width. End result is the same if you're needing to use the suspension and half shafts.

[_AlexTM]

Holy crap, a turbo H6. Thats nuts

[Brigdh]

As a nitpicky point, the STi's have the same wheelbase and a slightly wider track width. End result is the same if you're needing to use the suspension and half shafts.

Not according to my experience last June. I was in charge of weighing vehicles at a race, and we had to measure the wheelbase to set up the scales.

According to my notes we measured the following vehicles:
2x 07 STIs
1x 99 RS
2x 04 WRX
1x 11 STI
1x 09 WRX
1x 07 WRX
1x 98 RS

The STIs were always a few inches longer in wheelbase than the WRXes

[RX-7 Chris]

There is a 818 build in the new Grassroots Motorsports Mag.
http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/project-cars/2013-factory-five-818/

[coloskydiver]

Thanks Chris. I have been following their build on the a Factory Five forums as well as a few others. The GR car is pretty much stock as far as the drive train is concerned. I ordered my kit and am looking at a Dec 2014 delivery date. My plan is to build a 2.5 hybrid (2.5 block with 2.0 heads and components), all forged internals, bigger turbo and running E85. For the trans I will running a rebuilt 5 speed with a Legacy Gear set (similar to the Sti set). The 2.0 heads will be machined to match the STI's 2.5 combustion chamber and then bulb'd. My goal is 350 WHP in a car that weighs 1800 lbs.

[RX-7 Chris]

I know nothing about Subarus. What is the reason for using the 2.0 heads?