Think I can use the donor dashboard?

[Red Tag]

I just picked up a 2002 WRX Sport Wagon donor and started driving it around this week. I originally was planning on using the the 818S as originally intended from FFR, which means no HVAC. I would really like to have heat and maybe AC to extend the useful time I can drive the 818S her up north. After thinking about how to plumb a "Vintage Air" or comparable retrofit kit for the 818S, wouldn't it be alot easier, and cheaper, to just use the entire dash from the donor car? After driving it for a while, I'm starting to like the look and feel of the dash, and I think it's alot more appealing than the SEMA car dash.

Any thoughts?

[wallace18]

I highly doubt the stock WRX dash will work. JMO. FFR is going to offer heat and defrost. No A/C mentioned yet.

[Red Tag]

Was heat and defrost on the SEMA car? I thought it didn't have any switches. Maybe because it was just a show car? I'm hoping we can reuse the donor heater to save some money.

[VD2021]

Once the kit is in the garage you will be able to assess how much work/fabrication will be required to transplant the stock unit.

If you want it bad enough and have the skills (or the money to contract someone elses) you can make it happen.

I'm personally a huge fan of OEM integration.

[wallace18]

Was heat and defrost on the SEMA car? I thought it didn't have any switches. Maybe because it was just a show car? I'm hoping we can reuse the donor heater to save some money.

If you look on the FFR site it is listed as an option available later.

[PhyrraM]

I'm fairly certain that the width of the Subaru dash will not match the 818. Also, you would likely need to restructure the frame in and around the dash area to accomodate the OEM HVAC box and ducting.

[michael everson]

I was considering this myself. I really like the WRX dash. As long as the length it about right, I dont see why it wouldnt work. Lots of farications, but thats whats fun about kitcars. Do what ever you want.
Mike

[BrandonDrums]

I'm fairly certain that the width of the Subaru dash will not match the 818. Also, you would likely need to restructure the frame in and around the dash area to accomodate the OEM HVAC box and ducting.

wasn't the plan at one point to incorporate the factory dash? It's obviously too wide but looking at the scale of things, I bet the plastic on the bottom also is way too low and way too deep to fit period, much less fit the HVAC box and ducting. You might know of some better shots of the dash area than me. I'm just going based on the sema shots.

I think the only question would be the AC though since FFR has a heat system that works great and is tiny. The factory A/C lines will simply not work on any level. The condenser will need to be moved way out to the front of the car which means running hard lines the full length of the car. The evaporator will be located in front of the engine, instead of behind like stock and will be a good PITA to fit into the 818's cabin. You could ditch the Subaru condenser and evaporator for smaller ones and get your own lines and route them yourselves. Then you'd just re-use the compressor but I'm willing to bet money that those items are going to be part of the kit FFR sells along with a control unit and a way to duct it all.

The stock unit has more than a few components that will take quite a bit of finagling to find a place to live, much less trying to create custom hard-lines that run all over creation. I bet FFR's unit is really honestly worth the wait (and the weight) since it's probably much much smaller and more appropriately sized for the smaller cabin. Along with it, I'd really not worry about trying to retrofit the wrx dashboard. The dash displayed on the 818's at SEMA look far cooler than the WRX dash anyway.

[riptide motorsport]

I would imagine that in the long run it would be easier to install the neccessary options in a custom/ffr dash than try to retrofit the scooby dash.

[PhyrraM]

wasn't the plan at one point to incorporate the factory dash? .......

To my knowledge, no. It WAS on the wishlist for a few forum members.

In fact, I preferred it - at least for builds that are to incorporate HVAC. I have seen (up close and personal) many Hot Rods and Street Rods that incorporate Vintage Air and other similiar systems. From what I have seen, even the best of those leave much to be desired when compared to even economy car level OEM HVAC - Both in performance and in looks/integration. IMHO, even the GTM has a very "tacked-on" look to the HVAC. I am fairly convinced that FFR can and will do better on the 818 HVAC when introduced.

[jimgood]

Have you ever looked at the underside of the dash? IIRC, it's a very heavy stamped steel form.

[VD2021]

If/when FFR adds HVAC as an option, chances are, it will be a Vintage Air system that has been tailored for the 818.

This is what was done for the GTM. The GTM HVAC option is a Vintage Air GenIV system that has custom lines for an install using the stock C5 donor compressor, condenser and dryer.

One cool option, should it ultimately be a Vintage Air GenIV system and you’re using ISIS, is the ISIS inVIRONMENT (Vintage Air GenIV HVAC control module). It allows control of the HVAC using custom switches, inTouch Max or inTouch Mobile.

[PhyrraM]

Have you ever looked at the underside of the dash? IIRC, it's a very heavy stamped steel form.

Yes. Behind the dash is a tubular steel cross bar that the dash and steering column are supported with. The HVAC unit is bolted to the firewall which is a stamped steel structure basically the same as any other body panel on the car. It has tacked on reinforcements for th A-pillars, pedal mounts, etc. It is doubled walled (separated by about 1/2") in places, but that wouldn't apply to the 818.

A long time ago, and in my mind, I pictured re-use of the crossbar and a fiberglass "replica" of the part of the firewall that the HVAC unit bolts to for use in the 818. This would have allowed a basicaly bolt-in OEM HVAC - at least in my mind.