so if you bought a cheap decent condition classic, ripped out the engine what would you fit in its place to build the ultimate impreza capable of big bhp? and what sort of cash do you think it would cost ?
so im talking engine, mapping, turbo, ecu, all sorts
I know it sounds a strange question but id love to build the ultimate classic in the near future but just wondering the best way forward

You could chuck £20-30k into some of these cars but you will never have the 'ultimate classic'.

But I would start with a type r/ra then speak to some of the many engine builders and come to a decision about what is right for our needs.

There is a guy on the FB page Subaru Swap Shop who builds 800bhp engines on a budget, may be worth talking to him...

If I was paying a company the labour that has gone into mine which thankfully I'm not then mine would owe me in excess of 50K but I do have a rather large spec list of parts.

ok so maybe not the ultimate classic as in the best classic but a nice looking shell with serious bhp, seen people do 2.5 conversions

15k gets you a 600bhp reliable 600 bhp 2.3 gt30 in a evo
So I'd say around that maybe a little more

£10-15K is not a bad budget

£4-5K for forged engine
Turbo £1.5-2K
Gearbox £2.5
Clutch- £500-1500
ECU £1200-1600
Injectors, Fuel Pump, Fuel reg etc - £1K
brakes - £1K
Headers and Exhaust £1K

Waste of time and money, save yourself a load of hassle, heart ache and money and buy the sweetest STI type r with a forged engine running around 350bhp.

Then learn how to drive it to it's full potential with **** loads of track time and tuition and you'll show many a big bhp car a clean pair of heels 99% of the time.

Power is nothing without control.

Exactly what he said

One went last year running 380ish brake. Sure it went for just over 6k was immaculate well
On the pics

A well setup 400bhp classic will eat 10K.

Best option, buy one already done.

Absolutely top notch advice

Generally, more than 400bhp on the road is an unnecessary waste as you don't have much chance to use it. Also, a well set up 400bhp classic is probably the sweet spot for these (road) cars. As ditchmyster said learn how to drive....... and you won't need massive amounts of power.

Agree

A type R with 350bhp is more then enough for a road car. When you start adding noisy twin plate clutches and big laggy turbo's and messing with methnol in your petrol, It does'nt make a very good road car.

You got to decide do you want a fast road car or a big powered track car, which is good on the track but a pig to drive on the road????? Its hard to get best of both worlds!!

its all down to what you want really, for me I would say 50k but maybe my idea of ultimate is different to others. then you head into race car like the time attack cars, EG RCM 1+2

the likes of APs, Ohlins, and other top parts soon eat into a budget but are needed if you want the best!

Excluding the car if you want a 600+ classic you're looking at about 30k, that will be a car that goes, stops and handles

When you start talking 30, 40 or even 50K build budget then you really need to take a step back. Thats serious money, you can buy alot of car for those sorts of figures.

In the 1st place ...there more focused track cars as a base instesd of scoob/evo... 30k will get you adecent fleet to choose from as Matty said.
I just realised again , how a 200bhp car can be as much fun as my 400 bhp new age @Cadwell.... that was GT86 ... its not fast on the straight , but hell its good on the bends..

I have done it
Excluding base cost of car.
For a decent forged long engine, all the mapping, the brakes a good six speed set up, coilovers, arbs, oil coolers and all the other stuff ect etc ect.
The whole rounded well set up package in a classic shell. 400-500hp ish
Including the bits that are sometimes over looked and all those extra expenses that come out of no where.
15k ish.

Even bigger power, even bigger bucks as others have eluded to on this thread.

If on the very rare occasion that you find a big power car, that is not being broken.
About 9k ish for a complete car. Rare as hens teeth. You haven´t done it yourself. But it is the financial short cut to big power. IF, big if, if you can find the right car.

define big power and reliable. Runnning in a multi lap race series anything over 550-600 wont last long.

None of the big power cars on here actualy do proper circuit racing, they do sprints which are short sharp bursts.

o and clinic do an off the shelf 2.5 with 450bhp/480ftlb for 9k, 12k inc gearbox iirc.

I think that is a totaly valid point Tidgy.

My car gets driven very very hard. Untill the oil temps max out or the brake fluid boils.
However - I take every precaution.

But running decent power in a car that is driven that hard. Then I don´t expect things to last that long.

Big power and reliability don´t go hand in hand in my book. It is trade off.
Fair enough - no problem. I expect things to brake every now and then and for it to cost

So to the OP - factor in the running costs. And also is it to be a fast daily driver or a weekend brute?

Allowing for project creep, breakages, change of plans, new products been available, not liking the products you have selected etc

Too much.

I refuse to look at the book of receipts and I bought the car pretty much done. And the receipts even make me wince at the cost!

I have just bought a new manifold, sump set up and associated gaskets and servicing kit. And by the time it is fitted (and I do all the work myself) I'm looking at over 2k

This is the thing a reliable 500hp for track is different to a 500hp road faring vehicle.

Then budget enough to rebuild the engine again in 20k+ miles

They don't last so make the most of every last mile

I've just bought an S202 which will see 350 and many many miles of track and road. I also run a 320 bhp classic. Big power is superb but needs money and ultimately there's more fun to be had where the stakes are lower, and more important priorities than pi55ing away money on unsustainable horse power

This is sooo hard to type...arrggghhhh; Tidgy has asked the right question

350\400 is spot on for a road car, any more and it's expensive, unreliable and takes bloody ages. Look at my rambling mess of a project for a good example of how not to do it

Stu 53 above is spot on too...budget for an engine strip every 18months or so too )

Is it a proper S202 then ??
I thought I read that it was a spec c ?

Your right about "theres more fun to be had where the stakes are lower" The most fun ive had in a scoob is the cars I havent paid a lot for. When ive paid less then £4k for a car, I can thrash it, and give it death and not have to worry about things breaking, as I havent paid a lot for the car, Its when you got £12-15k in a car when you tend to worry about breaking it, so you have more respect for the car which means driving it sensible most of the time(I can do that in a cheap daily driver)

Pah driving sensibly, If I have spent all that money Im getting monies worth at every opportunity I get

I'm with Banny, mega money in my car. Scary amounts, over the quoted spec for a whole car in this thread just on the engine lol.

And I drive it like i stole it at every single opportunity I have. What is the point in having it not to drive. How it was built to be driven!

And if you can't afford the repair bills don't have a car like that!

Think im more scared of my missus, when ive got to tell her the price of a forged engine, when mine lets go!!!