BKafe's Build Thread

[Bkafe]

Thought it is time to kick off my build thread and contribute back to the community.

Donor: CoPart 2003 WRX, 130K...ran and was drivable off the car carrier. Winning bid $2550 + fees and delivery = $3926.20

Today I completed the disassembly, which took approx 20 hours. While I have done some basic auto work in the past, this is my first major project. I have never restored a vehicle, pulled an engine, or built a kit car before this project. My friends who have done this type of work assisted with the Engine/Tranny pull.

Pictures: http://www.flickr.com/x/t/0090009/ph...7634268393475/

Next Steps:
Preform Inventory
Scrap the carcass
Prep Donor Parts
Identify replacement part for damaged donor parts
Receive 818 Kit (~July 30)

I got my call from Tony at Factory Five this past Friday, and was advised my kit should be ready Sat July 20. I added the powder coat, front splitter, rocker panel and rear diffuser carbon bits.

More to come...Lots more...

Brian

[metalmaker12]

Welcome, not bad for a rookie, the fun will begin soon, good luck man

[RM1SepEx]

sounds wonderful... I like that it is 10 days early!

[Frank818]

Great job! Continue the nice work and keep us posted!

[tks]

Bkafe - what specifically do you mean by "basic auto work" in the past? I may be in the same boat as you in terms of experience and am interested in what your strategy is for building this as a "rookie".

[Mechie3]

My original date was July 20th, wonder if its going to get moved up. No phone call yet. :anxious:

[RM1SepEx]

The when are you getting your 818 shows his date as July 6...

818-S
Erik W. Treves-----------------------June 15, 2013
Guns---------------------------------June 22, 2013--------------------Columbia, SC
Timmy318----------------------------June 22, 2013--------------------Owensboro, KY
BKafe--------------------------------July 6,2013-----------------------Phoenix, AZ
Mechie3-----------------------------July 20, 2013----------------------Indianapolis, IN
Wild Olive---------------------------July 6, 2013------------------------Indianapolis, IN
Wallace18--------------------------- August,3, 2013-------------------Alachua, Florida
RM1Sepex ---------------------------August 10, 2013 -----------------Freeport, Maine
Metalmaker12------------------------August 17, 2013------------------Exeter, R.I
bbatts
ehuwe-------------------------------Early August, 2013----------------Los Angeles, CA
AZPete------------------------------August 10, 2013-------------------Scottsdale, AZ
cmcintyre---------------------------Aug 31, 2013------------------------Danbury, CT

[Bkafe]

Tks- installed brakes and coilovers on an E36.

Mechie - RM1SepEx is unfortunately correct... My kit will be ready about 2 weeks behind schedule; hopefully a temporary as the ramp up production.

[Hammer-Dan]

Small world.. I see the 2012 Thunder In The Valley shirt. That is basically my hometown... The Rally was this past week.. I will make it home for one at some point.

[Bkafe]

Small world.. I see the 2012 Thunder In The Valley shirt. That is basically my hometown... The Rally was this past week.. I will make it home for one at some point.

That's my friend Erick, from PA. He flew out to AZ; we did a motorcycle ride to Jerome and a WRX engine/tranny pull...was a good weekend!

[Mechie3]

Tks- installed brakes and coilovers on an E36.

Mechie - RM1SepEx is unfortunately correct... My kit will be ready about 2 weeks behind schedule; hopefully a temporary as the ramp up production.

Oh, I see. I read the ~ July30th and then the July 20th and assumed they moved you up 10 days.

[RM1SepEx]

Damn, Jerome AZ what a road!!!! AWESOME!

[RM1SepEx]

Oh, I see. I read the ~ July30th and then the July 20th and assumed they moved you up 10 days.

so did I... then I went to the old thread to seen where he was on the list, to see who might update us next!

[metalmaker12]

Aug 17th is my date, I paid and I am picking it up then, hopefully sooner.

[AZPete]

Brian, you'll be 2-3 weeks ahead of me. My ship date is Aug 10 and I got a call from Jason @ FFR on Friday. Raised my deposit from the initial $99 to $1,000 with balance due close to shipping. He said 8/10 is still the ship date and then Stewart will bring it to AZ so I'm guessing 8/17-20 to me. Oh no, that's 59 days!
Pete

[Bkafe]

Brian, you'll be 2-3 weeks ahead of me. My ship date is Aug 10 and I got a call from Jason @ FFR on Friday. Raised my deposit from the initial $99 to $1,000 with balance due close to shipping. He said 8/10 is still the ship date and then Stewart will bring it to AZ so I'm guessing 8/17-20 to me. Oh no, that's 59 days!
Pete

That's great to hear! It good to know there is another 818 being built right down the street.

[RM1SepEx]

My date is also August 10... not a peep yet :-(

[AZPete]

Brian, I'll PM my contact info to you because we may be able to help each other since we're both pioneers with the 818 in AZ. (Wah, wah, I'm not the first! ) If you want 4 WRX wheels & tires let me know. They are snow tires which are very hard to find around here.
Pete

[JeromeS13]

Brian, I'll PM my contact info to you because we may be able to help each other since we're both pioneers with the 818 in AZ. (Wah, wah, I'm not the first! ) If you want 4 WRX wheels & tires let me know. They are snow tires which are very hard to find around here.
Pete

I'll let the both of you be the local guinea pigs. Hopefully this means my build will be super smooth. :-D

[RM1SepEx]

peep came today... :-) now July 27 for me! 2 weeks early

[Bkafe]

Thx Pete... I look forward to some greasy hands and a few beers.

I have been having a bit of trouble with my suspension bolts. Been giving them them a ftreatment of PB Blast and a hitting with my new ingrasoll impact gun. No luck...

[Bkafe]

peep came today... :-) now July 27 for me! 2 weeks early

That's awesome! Count down to payment day...

[JeromeS13]

Thx Pete... I look forward to some greasy hands and a few beers.

I have been having a bit of trouble with my suspension bolts. Been giving them them a ftreatment of PB Blast and a hitting with my new ingrasoll impact gun. No luck...

Breaker bar + cheater bar (jack handle). If you get about 3-4 feet of leverage, they should break loose.

[Erik W. Treves]

HEAT is your friend

[Bkafe]

HEAT is your friend

I was so hoping to goto the torch.

They came loose with a bit of motivation from my breaker bar.

Moving on to clean and prep now.

[mspice]

...

Moving on to clean and prep now.

I'm looking forward to seeing the pictures. I would be interested in before and after pictures of all of the major parts.

As you know from the thread of mine that you replied to, I picked up what I hope are most of my donor parts. The short descriptions in the "what you need" list leaves me with lots of questions -- googling for pictures with different results, lots of different parts/bolts that I don't know the real names of, not being sure of if the amount of rust on what I have is OK, and more. I'll also be interested in seeing the cleanup that you do too! I'll be starting with just a rag today.

[Bkafe]

Donor parts pictures: http://www.flickr.com/x/t/0098009/ph...7634378767601/

[bromikl]

Bkafe, I really appreciate the photos. As a car newbie, I don't know what many of those parts are called. Would you mind naming the photos for us?

Thank You!

[Bkafe]

Bkafe, I really appreciate the photos. As a car newbie, I don't know what many of those parts are called. Would you mind naming the photos for us?

Thank You!

I added some comments to the pics to assist.

Also check out Metalmaker's build thread:http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showt...-you-need-quot

And Mechie's 818 thread: http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showt...Mechie3-s-818S

They both have part close ups that can help.

[Bkafe]

Time to make room for 818 kit delivery in less than 30 days.
The donor carcass is gone. Local "we buy cars" company picked and towed to recycle yard and gave me a whole $30!
Kept some small parts to sell online.

image.jpg

[Bkafe]

Advise requested....

In preparation for assemble, I am attempting to breakdown the rear suspension components.

For reference: http://opposedforces.com/parts/impre...ar_suspension/
24, 19, 25 (talk about a bolt!)

Is it a recommended practice, to break all these bolts loose, while the suspension is on the donor?
How can I get some good leverage on these bolts, with these parts off now of the vehicle?

[Mechie3]

Bolt 25 may be likely rusted to the steel sleeve in the bushing. When I replaced mine 2 years ago I had to cut them off. Otherwise, use an impact to remove the nut on the end then try pressing the bolt out. If it's only mildly corroded it will come out with no problem.

[RM1SepEx]

heat is your friend... I also used a breaker bar and a long piece of steel "cheater" tubing

[flytosail]

Looking good.

[Bkafe]

heat is your friend... I also used a breaker bar and a long piece of steel "cheater" tubing

A bit of heat, breaker bar, and 6' steel cheater tubing did the trick. Thx... Next are the Axle nuts... ;^)

Any tips on bracing the component off the car...I was playing a balancing act trying to get leverage on this small part; literally standing on it trying to keep it stable.

[metalmaker12]

I just have a balls IR gun, but if not you must get creative

[AZPete]

I face the same problem with the rear suspension. From the AJW crates I started on the rear first but then put them aside when I couldn't loosen the nuts. Soon I'll have to tackle them.
To all others: Break the rear suspension nuts and bolts loose while still on the car!

[Bkafe]

I just have a balls IR gun, but if not you must get creative

By IR do you mean, Ingersoll Rand? or IR as in Infra Red?

I have a Ingersoll 2135TiMax, couldn't break it loose...maybe is my cheapie compressor thats slacking.

B

[metalmaker12]

Yea you need 90psi consistently to get the max torque, but a break bar with extension should work, it is is still stuck, cut them off, personally I cut most tiff ones off and I also got all new suspension bolts anyway. It is nice to have a set of torches to heat and cut stuff free.

[Bkafe]

Engine and tranny separated... And cleaned. Ready for new clutch and timing belt kit.

Any recommendations for clutch? Std 2003 WRX engine, turbo... Mostly street with a few track days.

http://www.flickr.com/x/t/0094009/ph...um/9260625312/