5MT Wagon dream build or am I crazy

So I'm posting this in the Rky Mtn section first to get a feel for what you guys think before I take it to a bigger scale. Some of you may know me, I had to get rid of my beloved Stg3e V52 LGT a few months ago, and am actively looking for my next car/project DD.... you name it and I have 4 mos till I'm back on the road.

 

Then I came across this... 05 LGT Limited RBP wagon, dark interior, and most important 5MT,but its JUST A SHELL. No engine, trans, ecu, or (radio). Basically a rolling shell. The price is very tempting for me to buy it, ship it here, and source all the parts/install to get it back on the road, hopefully for equal to less than it would cost to buy a similar car ($10-13K). So thats my dilema.

So I'm looking for advice from the likes of eekay, Scott spec B, Cryo, Putnam (Max builder????) , Money where you at........ Can this build be done for stg 3 LTG levels without breaking lets say a $8-10K build price.

 

I have some random pics attached, and hopefully more to come.

 

So lets have at it, am I stupid to think I could get this car to a DD stg3e for fair market prices, or am I way in over my head. Honest opinions encouraged.

Well i know of a couple people who have done this with great success and others who had nothing but issues.

 

If it was just motor i wouldnt be as concerned but when people start parting cars out which it looks like thats what this was you always have to think about the stupid things you have to get because its not as easy and might not be something you can find used. *ie is the ecu harness there? Is the ignition switch there?*

 

Sometimes you get stuck buying a donor car just to get all those "extra" parts from as well. Keep in mind the suspension and things like that as well.

 

If your getting it for $1500 to 2k its doable but keep in mind it will be a lot of work and effort that you will have to pay for as well IF your not doing a good amount of it yourself.

 

 

Hope that helps.

 

Dave

Decades ago, yes, decades, plural, I used to build and race Datsun 510s and wasn't at all daunted by a project like the one you're proposing. Then I figured out that it's generally cheaper to buy the finished project from an owner that lovingly built or restored the car/motorcycle I want. Even if I would have done a couple things different than the owner did, it's usually less expensive to make those changes. The object lesson I learned is you never get every dollar back when you sell the car, motorcycle, etc. The obvious disclaimer, is your mileage may vary.

 

Having said all that, I would have to take a look at this wagon at decide how you want to spend your dollars.

 

Otherwise, best of luck!

Sounds like a very cool idea. It seems like there are enough spare parts availabe from part-outs, and people like Money that you should be able to find everything you need. I sent a message to Matt (Max Automotive) to see if he can get you a quote. Do you know why the car is in that condition?

Matt's response was that unless you know exactly what is missing, it is going to be a long and potentially expensive build. Since each missing part could stop progress, it's probably not worth it. If you were doing the build yourself and had ample time, it could turn out well, but it would be expensive to pay someone else to do.

Yeah if I had the space and skills to do most of the work myself it would be a awsome project. But I dont have any space to store the car while its in the works. The car/shell is only being sold for $1500, so I thought I would be able to get into a 5MT wagon with new guts, for equal to less than what I could buy one for. So the project is very tempting, but my rational side (and my wife) think I'm crazy. I might still give Max a call, who knows maybe I could drop off the car and my credit card and pick it up in a month or so

Yeah, you should give him a call. I definitely like the idea, and Matt said he would be open to undertaking the project. Also, if you've only got $1500 into it and it turns out to be a disaster, I'm sure you can re-sell it. Are you able to get a better idea of what parts are missing?

^ I've asked the seller for as complete of a list as possible. The car is also out of state so I wont be able to see it myself before shipping if I did go for it. I would surely post up in the regional thread asking for some members help. So i guess that feedback from the seller is key. He did say in a previous email that the car wasnt a "part out" and that it was pretty much intact.... Again if I had the space/skills to do it myself I'd be all over it, but I dont. Risk vs Reward huh

seller sold the car/shell to a local auto recycler who sounds like they are going to part it out, so one more 5MT GT wagon off the streets

Here's a 5spd wagon...high miles but cheap!

http://denver.craigslist.org/ctd/3659102613.html

seller sold the car/shell to a local auto recycler who sounds like they are going to part it out, so one more 5MT GT wagon off the streets

 

That's really sad, that is a very rare combo...now that its sold off, where was the car located?

^ east coast, NJ I believe. You have to search the whole country to attempt to find a 5MT Wagon, w/o the high miles.... the search continues

^ east coast, NJ I believe. You have to search the whole country to attempt to find a 5MT Wagon, w/o the high miles.... the search continues

 

Don't let high mileage scare you...have 250k on my wagon no problems, all original, just normal maintenance and banjo filters removed

Looks like this car is still on the market, same engine pic?

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/fs-pa-2005-legacy-gt-limited-wagon-shell-1500-204617.html

I would stay away from any thing on the east coast for a couple years. Even if it was a project vehicle.

Yeah that looks awfully familiar. The seller seems sketchy, as the info listed is different than I was told. And funny how he becomes a member here right after I tell him that I'm a forum member here. Buyer beware for sure

I thought the same thing.

 

Dave

So I said forget the "shell" option and am now looking at LGT's (hopefully a 5MT wagon) that needs a new engine/turbo..... project. I've found a couple across the country that are decent so if anyone sees/finds one pls let me know.

I've talked to Matt at Max Auto and were on the same page, got 3-4 months before the car needs to be road worthy so the search continues