Scott,

I just started reading this thread, and it sounds like you and your son are a few months ahead of me an my son. He is 14, and our FFR scheduled delivery is 12/19. I will definitely be following and hope you save me a few mis-steps along the way. We purchased our 2004 WRX donor car on a Copart Auction, and I drove from NY to Savannah, GA and back with a trailer to get it. Only thing it didn't have that I needed was a passenger side mirror... None of the rust you are facing as it has never seen salt.

I'm also a pilot and have restored / upgraded my original 1984 Piper Archer, but now own a 2000 Beech A36 Bonanza which I keep at KMGJ. We are actually flying out to Michigan to the 818 Build School the weekend of November 13th. Would be great to get over to Ohio and see your build one of these days!

Our donor is fully stripped, all parts labelled, and the scrap metal fetched me a whopping $45. The engine is on a stand, separated from the transmission, and we are beginning to prep the parts. As many have stated, dieting the wiring harness seems daunting. I'm very good with wiring, and not afraid to tackle it, but definitely looking to the folks who have already done this for advice. My approach is going to be to build a "loom" so I can work on the wires comfortably, and keep them routed in the general direction they need to be until I do the initial diet and get it in the car. You mentioned earlier in this thread that you "got the manual", and I was hoping you could tell me where you got them? I have the AllDataDIY manual, but struggling to get a full shop manual (with wiring schematics) for the car?

I look forward to following your thread, and may have to start my own now that we are finally beginning the "build" phase.

-Rob