New 818c Build - Amateur builder accepting tips!

[Church]

Hello all, I just received my donor for my 818c build I am planning. I picked up a 2007 WRX 2.5L in pretty darn good condition for $4,000. I'm currently in the planning stages and getting my garage ready for pulling donor parts. If anyone has some overall tips or threads you would recommend, I am open to any and all suggestions. The most difficult thing I've done on a car is replace an alternator, so this will be a long learning experience for me, but hopefully pretty fun. Wish me luck!

[Kiwi Dave]

Welcome!!

Experience-wise, you are in a similar boat to me when I started my 818C so you may benefit from my (poorly maintained ;-) ) build thread where I've tried to capture a lot of my learnings for folks like us - and I have the same donor as you. You'll learn a great deal from pulling apart the donor. Use the vast knowledge of this forum and you'll get there!

Where are you located?

Cheers

Dave

[Scott Meyer]

Don’t throw anything away from your donor until you are 100% certain it’s not needed. Little items like fasteners and mounts for the radiator get reused...and at the time of donor tear down it may not seem apparent.

I’d recommend getting a Factory Service Manual (rockauto.com has them in DVD format for our year).

Have you gotten the donor up on a lift or jack stands to thoroughly look at the suspension and hidden parts of the engine and drivetrain? Subies from anywhere besides the far south or arid western states RUST like crazy, and render a lot of parts unusable and seized. We found this out the hard way. RockAuto has become our go to for replacement parts we just couldn’t salvage on the brakes, control arm links, etc.

[Church]

Hey Dave, I will definitely check your thread out. I am located in Fredericksburg, VA.

[STiPWRD]

PM me if you'd like to stop by and check out a (99%) finished 818. We can go over any questions you have about the build.

[Church]

Don’t throw anything away from your donor until you are 100% certain it’s not needed. Little items like fasteners and mounts for the radiator get reused...and at the time of donor tear down it may not seem apparent.

I’d recommend getting a Factory Service Manual (rockauto.com has them in DVD format for our year).

Have you gotten the donor up on a lift or jack stands to thoroughly look at the suspension and hidden parts of the engine and drivetrain? Subies from anywhere besides the far south or arid western states RUST like crazy, and render a lot of parts unusable and seized. We found this out the hard way. RockAuto has become our go to for replacement parts we just couldn’t salvage on the brakes, control arm links, etc.

Hey Scott, thanks for the advice. The car is from Florida, so definitely has a little rust, but on inspection it seems okay. Except for the master cylinder being cracked... And the clutch being stuck down... And the parking brake being locked on... But other than that, GREAT!:D

[Church]

PM me if you'd like to stop by and check out a (99%) finished 818. We can go over any questions you have about the build.

Will do! Thank you

[Bob_n_Cincy]

I’d recommend getting a Factory Service Manual (rockauto.com has them in DVD format for our year).


The 06 and 07 Impreza are virtually the same.
I just put the complete 2006 factory service manual on my onedrive. Let me know if you have any problem uploading it.
Bob


https://1drv.ms/u/s!AgduxxAs3q-xhCIZZkStsL2k-jmT?e=y49r4Q

[lsfourwheeler]

Nice price for an '07 if it's in good shape!

[mikeb75]

Hi Church, welcome! There are a lot of good tips in the various build threads... but I don't think enough of the best threads have 5 star ratings (pity).
My brother lives in Fredericksburg. Next time I'm down that way I will reach out (won't be in the 818, sorry, not quite a practical enough car to travel with family).

[Jetfuel]

Welcome to the asylum or the clinic of components car building
You're about to begin to travel down a road with many ups and downs, days that will be smooth as silk and others that will have you second guessing why you even thought about going down that road.
Like with every life challenge they can be overcome with patience, perseverance and baby steps..
I will recommend to start with
Note book, Sharpie, masking tape or any kind of I.D. tags, sandwich bags for keeping hardware with components and photos lots and lots of photos
The build manual will guide you to the process but it is the electrical portion of the build that gives most builders the biggest headache.
Get familiar with the components, its location, routing and connector, labeling is key...

You got this

Jet

[octobersknight]

Agreed! this is an awesome journey that's frustrating at times. ALWAYS reach out on the forums if you need anything. Chances are someone's been there before. Do a search and see if you can find it on your own, and ask if you can't. As Jet and others have said, due diligence up front can save you major headaches later. Label everything and takes tons and tons of pictures or even videos. You will thank yourself later. Also, try to keep all your stuff in one place. I have mine in 3+ places around the house (one-car garage) and locating the specific pile where a part is can add plenty of time to your build.

[Church]

Thanks everyone for the tips! I'm still getting the garage fully insulated and set to begin tear down, but I was curious on one thing. I'm still trying to decide between the hardtop or convertible 818. I am 6' 3", and have heard that the hardtop might be too tight. Does anyone have any experience or input here? I saw the "How tall is too tall" thread, but it didn't seem very conclusive.

[wallace18]

Thanks everyone for the tips! I'm still getting the garage fully insulated and set to begin tear down, but I was curious on one thing. I'm still trying to decide between the hardtop or convertible 818. I am 6' 3", and have heard that the hardtop might be too tight. Does anyone have any experience or input here? I saw the "How tall is too tall" thread, but it didn't seem very conclusive.

IMO the convertible top S has more headroom than the C. I have sat in both and built 3-S models. I am currently building a C. I sat in the FFR Black C at their showroom and it seemed to me much tighter than the S with a conv. top. I am 6'3" tall but only have a 32 inseam. So much of my height is above the waist. JM2CW.

[STiPWRD]

I would probably agree the C will be a little tight for your height. I'm 6'2" and I've got the S, so head room isn't an issue. But I have sat in a C and it felt tight, my head was almost touching the roof. For instance, I don't think I'd be able to fit with a helmet on if I wanted to do a track day. For daily driving, you might be able to make it work but you may want to check out a C in person.

[BC Huselton]

I would probably agree the C will be a little tight for your height. I'm 6'2" and I've got the S, so head room isn't an issue. But I have sat in a C and it felt tight, my head was almost touching the roof. For instance, I don't think I'd be able to fit with a helmet on if I wanted to do a track day. For daily driving, you might be able to make it work but you may want to check out a C in person.

My problem was getting in and out of the C. At 6'2", I was not bendable in the middle enough to make it work without massive flexibility! Have the S and slide in from the top down and just plop into place.

[Newkitguy]

hey church if you have fb shoot me message we have a DMV group text as well with builders in the area

[AZPete]

I'm 6'3", 32"inseam. I built a C and had good headroom and able to get in and out with no problems. I had donor seats that I cut down, but with other seats you can have more room. Getting in and out means you have to pull a knee up, but it's doable. I drove my 818C nearly 5,000 miles including four trips of 450 miles each. Before I added the hardtop, I built it as an 818S and much preferred the AC & heat of the hard top, plus much less noise and wind. Street car only; no track; no helmut.

[octobersknight]

I have a C and I use Sparco R100 seats. I made my own mounting brackets (see my build thread posts #100 and 101 https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?28884-Octobersknight-s-818-Build/page3) and have the seat about as far back as you can get it. The back mounting bolts are actually past the rear tubing, over the gas tank "pan." I'm 5'11" and I think there's more room above my head. You can always swing by for a visit and test fit! I'm in MD.

[Church]

Thanks for info everyone. I don't plan on using this as a track car, so I won't be wearing a helmet. I guess I could always try the seats I have, and if it's too tight swap them out for something deeper or farther back.

[wallace18]

See my post #13 for the seats I am using in my 818C.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?38565-DES-818C-build-by-wallace18

[Church]

Donor car tear down roughly 70% completed. Getting ready to drop the front assembly. Looking forward to purchasing my kit soon!
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