We are not called the Bad Decision Triangle without good justification. ..
So as you have probably deduced from the Gregorian Calendar and surmised from tracking axial rotations of our home sphere since the previous equinox the 2023 version of the $2000 Challenge is nearly upon us. This is that time of year where ambitious builds start to bump up against the reality of getting done and weld quality approaches “Trailer grade”.
As you have seen from my thread one such project is the LMP360. It really is no longer a challenge project but I had planned to bring it to the event this year and the FIRM trackday. In previous years in direct violation of 9 out of 10 doctors recommended sleep durations I thrashed for 3 weeks to get the car back together to bring it down. For various reasons I just don’t wish to on that project this year. Another project in a similar boat is singleslammer’s Starlet KP71. Issues with various stages of that project have already pushed it away from the desired plan, and now a no-start potentially fried PCM condition has dealt a likely fatal blow.
Singleslammer is a Junior member of the Bad Decision Triangle and working hard on earning his merit badges. He consulted with the BDT on vehicles that could be pressed into parking lot build status to participate in the 2023 challenge. Several options where discussed before we settled on this:
This is the 2002 WRX that I purchased FROM A SUBARU DEALERSHIP for $750. I had to sit down with the Finance guy and decline window Etching on my “Used WRX”. This car is complete, Runs, Drives, Stops and looks pretty okay. I long term have plans for this car, but none of them require it to maintain it’s “Niceness”, but they do require it’s drivetrain to be healthy. And despite running it’s drivetrain is not currently Healthy.
The reason a Subaru dealer had a 2002 WRX for $750 was because the $2500 repair estimate in the glovebox. The car has a “tick” that was diagnosed as a bad exhaust valve.
As long as what is done to the car furthers my goals for it, anything is fair game. I want the chassis for the Panhard (I know it's unibody, you know what I mean here). The engine/trans will go in the LMP360 in August/Sept. Prepping and running the car at the challenge do nothing but HELP me with my summer goals for the LMP360.
So what is the “EL Plan”.
1. Engine: Stock. Pull engine and remove heads to verify conditions. Install used Heads, new Head Gaskets, Timing Set, Water pump $324+$100 for used heads
2. Wheels: Either 17x9 Speedlines with 5x114.3 Adapters w/ 245 RE-71s ($119 total) or 17x7 Outback wheels with 225 RT660s ($0)
3. Suspension: Parking-lot Build – Maxpeedingrods coilovers or equivalent ($300). Double Stacked Front Outback swaybar in addition to the installed WRX swaybar.
4. Looks: .. .. Must.. . . Not.. .. BRUMPY.. .. Must not Sawzall into BRAT.. . .. Probably paint or something.
5. Misc: Burbly Exhaust
So this weekend the build starts. Singleslammer is coming over and we will thrash away Friday evening and Saturday. I will likely do another Build day for the next 2 Saturdays. If anyone wants to help.. the scope of work done can increase up to and including hot Sawzall action.
We will plan to be at the Gateway Grand by Thursday late to perform parkinglot shenanigans. Those will include all suspension and exhaust work at a minimum (I will break bolts loose on the suspension at home prior to the trip to ensure they can be removed). Paint is likely to occur as well.
Yes I completely realize that people will think “If you take the time you will spend on this distraction and spend it on the project you were doing you would get it done in time”. And you may be right, but there is something to be said for both doing something different as a distraction and freeing yourself (mostly) from a deadline to let you focus more. This project will be conducted over a few “Build Days” and I will not touch it (Much) between them. So I will still have evenings and whenever to work on the LMP360 and keep it moving towards its first event of the year.
If you have any 2002-2007 WRX performance parts languishing in your garage we have ~$700 budget before we try to recoup anything. I’m not sure I want to actually spend that much more but I will consider anything you have. Like surely someone has some WRX coilovers or struts sitting around??
Current committed budget:
WRX-$750
Heads-$100
Rebuild parts - $324
Total: $1174
More to come.
