I have a '97 SVX, I picked it up last fall in trade for basically nothing. Something like 270k miles, been a MN car it's whole life, so very rusty. Runs, moves, but the rear subframe has failed (LR trailing arm is no longer attached). Very good friend of mine has a parts car that would probably give me the rear suspension. So I've been pondering fixing it. I was planning to replace my XT6 in winter beater duty, but since then I picked up a cheap Outback....

I already have a Celica GT convertible for an impractical summer car (Celica has a trailer hitch, so it's more practical than an SVX).

 

Yesterday, a '96 pops up on Craigslist here. 110k miles, looks really nice, failed transmission.

I know a guy that builds Subaru 4EATs for drag racing, and will pay about $150 for an SVX core.

I know of an Outback 4EAT that I could probably buy for a song. It's either a '98 or '99, I don't think it could reasonably be made work if it's a '99.

I have a 4.111 and 4.444 rear diff

 

Option 1, part the '97, and use it's transmission to fix the '96. Stock for stock. And even though I know it was well maintained, it's high-mileage.

Option 2, get my hands on a 4.111 or 4.444 4EAT for the '96. Still pretty easy swap, only need the trans and diff, but potentially unknown used transmission condition.

Option 3, MT swap the '96. Much better outcome, much more work. I really don't need another project. Have to source parts. Have to fab parts.

 

Option 1 costs me virtually nothing. Selling the '96 core and other parts off the '97 would easily pay for fluids and other things I might need for the swap.

2 & 3 still leaves me the option of fixing or parting the '97.

 

 

What would you do? While I will probably drive the '96 for awhile, ultimately I'll resell it. So who's sold a MT-swapped SVX? Is there enough value to justify the project?

Edited June 29, 20187 yr by Numbchux

Hang the justification...what a great way to really feel that EG33 @ work with a manual box in it ! Not got too many projects??

Wow. I posted this in Old Gen? DOH! Mods please move.

 

 

Ran into my friend with the parts car last night. He offered to give it to me if I come get it.

13 hours ago, Numbchux said:

Wow. I posted this in Old Gen? DOH! Mods please move.

I was wonder what your strategy was there...

Old mate with the parts car sounds like he's come through with a good deal

And a manual swap on the svx would be very interesting!

Cheers

Bennie

Correct forum bump. Thanks for moving it.

 

Anyone with some opinion? Experience? Advice? Regrets?

Manual swap would be sweet, but a big job. There's a potential that the parts car (collision damage) has a good transmission, which could mean I could fix 2 parts without having to source any more major parts.

Edited July 3, 20187 yr by Numbchux

I don't think the words SVX and winter beater belong in the same sentence 

I would say the trans in the 97 HAS to have been rebuilt or swapped with that kind on mileage.

If it shifts good and solid, putting that in the 96 seems like the easiest plan. But I would definitely confirm the final drive ratio. 

The 4.44s seem to work very well in the SVX.

A manual swap would be cool, but more work. Maybe not as much as you think. I understand certain pedal clusters will bolt-in. 

Manual swap cars do go for a little more, but not really proportional to the time and money required.

Too bad you don't have a manual trans parts car too...

For anyone curious, the '96 slipped through my fingers.

But I picked up that parts car. It's in worse shape than I remembered (it's been more than 10 years since it was crashed, and it's been sitting outside like this since then). But the price is right, and should have the parts I need to fix my '97.

2018-07-31_08-28-28 by Numbchux, on Flickr

I think you're still onto a good thing if the 97 isn't like cornflakes from rust...

Cheers

Bennie

I have a 1992 SVX with a 4.444 rear diff with a Forester 4eat. I wasn't able to feel how the stock transmission was, it was bad when I bought it. All I know is EVERYONE gets rid of the stock 4eat and does not put it back in. The transmission, from the factory, wants to shift very slowly or, "luxuriously," which overheats the transmission. Stock SVX 4eat is not what you should put in, you'll lose money in maintenance later on. I'd say 4.444 or manual swap. I got a 150,000 mile 4eat so I can do a manual swap sometime in the future. But for now, the 4eat, 4.444 diff with a few of the upgrades mentioned on the svx forum is very fun. 

Edited August 1, 20187 yr by db*****