Not a good idea. I actually have a friend right now that bought an 04 wrx for $850 and a crashed 05 sti for 2 grand. He's already into it for a ton of money and nowhere near done. The amount of hidden costs is incredible for all of the small parts that need to be replaced in order for this to work. If you like the wrx so much and enjoy driving it I'd just consider finding another ej205 for it on the cheap, or just reconditioning your current one. But that's just my opinion. Projects like this always look great on paper but the hidden costs kill.

Sounds like your sti can use some good coils and bushings.

 

Don't do it.

A GD WRX was a great car in its day. It would have been an awesome car with more power, a 6 speed, and more performance oriented suspension The STI gave you 2 1/2 of those three things. I know you didn't mention it, but even an STi is not a lot of power these days . . . just sayin. But find a GD STI and drive that. Pay a premium for a nice one.

Buy built or build as desired! If you are going to build then don't worry about the engine in it - though take what was in there into consideration about the rest of the drive train.

I have an 03 in my driveway. Has low compression in 2 & 4. Not in the best of shape. Has a nice suspension AP and SS. Was a fun car. Seeing Blueciphers pics here I started looking into bore-scopes to help me make a decision.

 

I get the fact that it's sentimental but you're ultimately trading in a STI for a car that you want to make into an STI. It's probably less work (but equally as bad of an idea) to do a bug-eye swap onto your 2010.

 

Thanks guys, really appreciate the feedback.

I do get it will be expensive. I'm planning on roughly ~20k if I do it to do it the way I want it. Don't get me wrong, I really love the mechanical bits of the STi. Not looking to go back to the EJ205 and 5 speed, etc.

I get the fact that it's sentimental but you're ultimately trading in a STI for a car that you want to make into an STI

Completely true.

I guess I'm not sure exactly how to describe it. When I'm driving the STi hard or sportily, I love it. It feels awesome. I'm definitely not disappointed in any performance aspect of it. It's hard to put into words what I'm feeling it is missing. It feels a lot bigger (I don't think it is, but it feels like it), the windows are higher up and smaller, I can't seem to tell where exactly I am on the road as well. The bugeye just feels smaller, lighter, less cushioned, like it just wants to go fast around corners. And this from a car that does that much less well than the STi.

Additionally... I just don't feel physically comfortable in the STi. I'm definitely pretty picky... but I can't ever seem to get the seat to feel good. I'm not a very big person, around a 30 inch waist, and I feel like I'm driving a truck with how big the STi seats are on me. I've spent so much time trying to do the "seat mod" and have tried pretty much every trick that's ever been documented in a forum -- all I've done is make so the seat fits marginally better and makes my back hurt when I drive it. I don't want to lose side airbags and a bit sketched out by paying 2k for an airbag seat that I've never sat in from Europe and trying to solder connections together to make the airbag work.

I am considering looking into GD STis. When I was looking around I initially wrote them off because I really like having a wagon and the idea that the back seats can't even fold down to maximize trunk room was really turning me off. But aside from that it might be a good option. Perhaps the GD chassis just suits my desires better.

 

Look into importing an actual bugeye STi, officially the WRX Sports Wagon STi Version. The money you use to build one may actually be more worth investing in this option.

 

Huh. That's an option I hadn't considered. Isn't there that whole 25-year-old cars only thing?

I guess what it really comes down to right now is that I've had my 2010 STi for a bit over a year, have put 24k miles on it, and still don't totally love it. I used to get out of my bugeye at the end of each day and think "wow I love this car". The best part of so many days was getting to drive it home at night. While I really, really LIKE the STi, it doesn't give me that same feeling... and I miss it.

So I'm trying to see how to get that back. I need AWD, I love turbo cars, and I want something small and (probably) not latest generation. I really like cars that don't feel like they are run by computers. I know my bugeye had tons of computer controlled things... but I loved how it still felt very analog. No traction control, stability control, different computer modes, etc. My current STi is still pretty good in that regard, though I'd rather lose the SI drive and VDC... but I wouldn't want something like the Focus RS with computer controlled everything.

 

Have you considered selling the sti and wrx and just buying a clean bugeye sti?

 

I have a 2009 STI and a 2001 JDM Bugeye STI. I am not sure which car I like better. The 09 is faster and handles better, but it has a turboback exhaust, dyno tune, and gtworx/bilstein shocks with rce yellow springs. The bugeye is stock, with an open front diff... Maybe a S202 would be more fun?

Too bad you can't get the Bugeye STI in the US for another 10 years.

If you were to do a swap, I would buy a JDM bugeye front cut and everything else you need.

 

Wow. That's crazy... pretty much the exact couple cars I'm debating between.

What aspects of each car do you prefer?