1972 Firenza "chassis swap"

[firenzaboxer]

Firstly, hello everyone. The names Jon, hopefully this is the right place to introduce myself. Joining as I'm hoping to find something better than the normal classic clubs.

Myself and my old man have done a couple of 'Frankenstein'd' cars now; FWD FB victor based on cav gsi, FWD viva HB cabriolet based on a astra GSI, and the PA cresta based on a Jag XKR.

I've been building an impreza/firenza hybrid for about 4 years now; admittedly I lost interest in it for a fair chunk of that time (blame changes at work/new home/marriage for that). I'm back on it now though as I've got a financial deadline, caused by having my first child on the way. Wish I'd hurried up as now I'm not the first (LINK REMOVED BY REQUEST) but chassis swaps are becoming more common and the impreza is the obvious choice. Same ingredients, very different outcomes.

My car is a 72 firenza and all the mechanicals are coming from a 04 STI (the one with the rock solid 6 speed box).


I've attached a couple of photos, the first is us dropping the firenza onto the impreza:


This one is the car a couple of weeks ago (most recent pic I have on my phone). Ignore the ride height, it's temporarily on GD suspension but its a GC chassis (the shocks are longer):


If people are interested I can get more pics on the build.

Cheers

[dodgerover]

Oct 17, 2013 20:31:28 GMT firenzaboxer said:

(He's also got another PA currently at the painters (supercharged monaro donor), and another FB (S4 donor) half welded - more on those another time).

Blimey where did you manage to find a Monaro cheap enough to cut up that was still straight enough to donate a lower half?

I'de like to see pics.

[firenzaboxer]

The Monaro was completely straight, my old man did a deal with a specialist that breaks them (he kept the bits my dad didn't need). It was still over twice the cost of my Sti donor but then it has twice the power.

[street]

Oh you're the FWD Viva guy! Completely mad, I love your unconventional thinking and ingenuity. You'll fit right in here!

The Firenza is seriously cool, what a beast it's going to be! Well done for hanging in there, stay motivated for that deadline and welcome

[dodgerover]

How have you gone on with the IVA's?

[`state]

Cool projects. I saw the viva at the east coast run last summer and loved it. Looks really factory done rather than a conversion.

[R3TR0_R0B]

More pics please!

Sounds like some awesome projects.

[droopsnoot]

Are you planning on going down the same route as 'Subrenza' in terms of arches, or a real Old Nail kit, or something different?

[grifterkid]

HOLY MOLY...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[firenzaboxer]

Oct 18, 2013 8:46:32 GMT `state said:

Cool projects. I saw the viva at the east coast run last summer and loved it. Looks really factory done rather than a conversion.

Good to hear the guy who had it off me shows it, I keep seeing it on EBay. Was a good car (loads better than my mates with their escorts etc) just a bit compromised being FWD; although it did go well.

[firenzaboxer]

Oct 18, 2013 12:14:13 GMT droopsnoot said:

Are you planning on going down the same route as 'Subrenza' in terms of arches, or a real Old Nail kit, or something different?

No, I like the old nail look but it's not how I see this going. Subtle (ish) DTM type arches flowing from the stick out sills is the plan.

[bstardchild]

Oct 17, 2013 20:31:28 GMT firenzaboxer said:

If people are interested I can get more pics on the build.

Cheers

Hell yes........ but you might have to brave out the Beaver and Ivor comments that unfortunately are inevitable.....

Wasn't wrong about that it appears.......

[firenzaboxer]

Oct 18, 2013 18:01:47 GMT bstardchild said:

Oct 17, 2013 20:31:28 GMT firenzaboxer said:

If people are interested I can get more pics on the build.

Cheers

Hell yes........ but you might have to brave out the Beaver and Ivor comments that unfortunately are inevitable.....

Wasn't wrong about that it appears.......

I'm surprised that any form of semi-aquatic rodent gets mentioned on here tbh; surely this board should embrace radical builds! 

[HoTWire]

We love radical builds and we'd like to keep building them, so we like to keep things legal to be honest. Less illegal builds, less chance someone will come and stamp on the neck of our hobby

[firenzaboxer]

Agreed, and I'm building with it in mind however I'd ask one question; how are the older (less obvious) cars going to be the subject of a radical build with the glass issue? everything's easy except the e-mark. Now I'm getting new glass made but whether it'll pass the "e" test is another thing (transparency, distortion etc). What do people do?

[composimmonite]

Oct 18, 2013 18:29:52 GMT firenzaboxer said:

Agreed, and I'm building with it in mind however I'd ask one question; how are the older (less obvious) cars going to be the subject of a radical build with the glass issue? everything's easy except the e-mark. Now I'm getting new glass made but whether it'll pass the "e" test is another thing (transparency, distortion etc). What do people do?

I think if you get glass MADE by somebody like Pilkintons then it should come with the appropriate markings. Problems might arise with windows cut out of plain laminated glass.

Paul H

[firenzaboxer]

Yes pilkinton have the tooling, but their process is logged against each tool to a certain standard. Taking the viva HC tool as an example, the process is certified to allow them to produce glass and mark it against the BS standard. For them to certify against the E standard they have to make and test a sample, if that sample passes they can E mark that particular glass from that point on. I kicked off this process some time ago, but it's still not certain that it'll pass (the modern standard is different from the older BS certification). What is clear is that (as far as I can ascertain) no viva glass has been E marked up to this point.

So back to my genuine question; what does everyone else do? There's a lot of heavily modified cars that would not avoid an IVA test through the points system, yet appear at shows on their original plates. I've been building cars (with varying degrees of help) since I was 10; I'm keen to continue and also share my interest and projects with others.

[dodgerover]

Sorry mate, I didn't intend that question as a dig I was just interested. I assumed you were in the know as you'de done a few

[bstardchild]

Oct 18, 2013 23:39:07 GMT firenzaboxer said:

Yes pilkinton have the tooling, but their process is logged against each tool to a certain standard. Taking the viva HC tool as an example, the process is certified to allow them to produce glass and mark it against the BS standard. For them to certify against the E standard they have to make and test a sample, if that sample passes they can E mark that particular glass from that point on. I kicked off this process some time ago, but it's still not certain that it'll pass (the modern standard is different from the older BS certification). What is clear is that (as far as I can ascertain) no viva glass has been E marked up to this point.

So back to my genuine question; what does everyone else do? There's a lot of heavily modified cars that would not avoid an IVA test through the points system, yet appear at shows on their original plates. I've been building cars (with varying degrees of help) since I was 10; I'm keen to continue and also share my interest and projects with others.

The only way to deal with the semi aquatic rodents and train drivers is to declare the intention up fron that it's track only - that's what I will do with my morphing project

[HoTWire]

Oct 18, 2013 23:39:07 GMT firenzaboxer said:

So back to my genuine question; what does everyone else do? There's a lot of heavily modified cars that would not avoid an IVA test through the points system, yet appear at shows on their original plates. I've been building cars (with varying degrees of help) since I was 10; I'm keen to continue and also share my interest and projects with others.

Theres the rub... if I could work out what is happening with aceadvice's account and get Kev back on here I'm sure he'd either raise some interesting questions or give some interesting answers (or both).

Do you need glass in the car to pass IVA? Seeing as you only need to pass it once, can you take all the glass out and take it for IVA (I'm guessing not!).

Does the glass need to be glass? Can you run plexan windscreens?

Surely right here is a business opportunity for someone to make custom E marked screens? For a pretty penny of course, but you have your market kind of over a barrel and willing to spend to get their car up to scratch I am sure.


As for heavily modified cars on their original plates, anything running a chassis is basically a-okay as they skip the modified Monocoque mega points haul on the IVA. Other things have probably not been properly registered or tested, or not been called in for testing so are happily running around on their original plates. If I was looking to pick up a super modified/hybrid car I'd be looking for that Q for Quality plate now days.