The Price is Right!

Last post I discussed the remaining $2522 that I have to spend to put the Bus on the road. This time, I'm going to spell out exactly how I'm spending it.

After more time reading about Subarus again after a long dry spell, I re-settled on the EJ22 SOHC Normally Aspirated model as the most reliable and bullet proofed for the money. A rebuilt longblock runs $3k and will run for 200k miles easily. I also settled on the 97-98 model years because they were the first to use molybdenum in the piston sleeves and represented a 15% increase in efficiency due to improved tuning via the OBD-II ECU. I wanted the OBD-II so that I could listen in on the computer's sensor view and do other tricks to pull bits off of the bus for logging, etc.

I found a 97 Impreza in Philly with a blown clutch, 177k miles, with the timing belt having been replaced only 10k ago at 167k. This is actually hilarious. Because the Bus chassis has 167k on it. With the help of my beloved ( and the kids stuffed into the back of my Tercel on a chilly Saturday morning) we limped the Impreza home, with me grinding gears mercilessly in deference to the wrecked clutch.

Two weeks later, and after copious reading, I gutted the interior removing Dashboard, HVAC, frame cross-members, Airbags, and pretty much every component from the B Pillar forward. Once down to the bare firewall, the entire wiring harness came out. All of it except the headlamp and tail-lamp sections of the harness.

Then, after a considerable search for a loaner engine hoist, I got access to one and the same day, pulled the engine out. It is a greasy pig, leaking from every seal imaginable. But it is on my engine stand now inside the garage and I see what is going to have to be done to have it ready for action.

Original Budget: $5500
Spent as of Oct 1: $2978

Spent on engine and wiring harness: $600

Remaining: $1922

Outstanding Cost Estimates: $2943

Cooling $345
2x Scirocco Radiators FREE! (Thanks to my FiL for Christmas!)
Coolant Hose Kit $70
Vacuum Host $40
Coolant Fill, Expansion and Overflow $120
Metal Gasket Fabrication $100
Radiator Fan Mount Kits  (ZipTie style) $15

Engine Mounting $1138
Subaru Engine Adapter Kit- Manual Trans $519
Subaru Engine Carrier Bar $399

Subaru Engine Mount $60
Throttle Body Reverser $80
Air Filter $80

Exhaust $710

Stainless Steel Single Port + O2 exhaust header $590

Exhaust Bracket for 6" Round Muffler $40

Walker SoundFX Muffler for 1996 Ford F-150 XL 6 Cyl 4.9L $40

Magnaflow 2 inch CAT w/O2 $40

Engine Refit: $750

Custom Wiring Harness Work $550

Subaru OEM Seals $200