Ok. I realise that this question has been asked before. And I know I've said before many a time that I never intend to do any wild performance stuff to my car.

I've changed my mind. Why? Given how much I've already spent and in talking to a few guys at the cruise, I came to the realisation that...
- I'm not going to get any money back from my car when I sell it
- By doing this I'd have a unique modified car
- I can actually see it happening
- Its not like I have anything better to do with my money and this'd actually give me something to save for.

So I wanna know - how should I best go about this.

I thought a good start would be ringing around wreckers and workshops and seeing who has done the job before or if not, done a similar job (e.g. experience in engine conversions) and seeing how much second hand engine stands are for starters.

I realise the conversion is a long and expensive task and can often be one that is never completed. Can anyone who has undertaken a similar project offer some words of advice? What kind of money am I looking at here? Are there any workshops in Melbourne that you can reccommend? How big of a task is the wiring?

Ok. I realise that this question has been asked before. And I know I've said before many a time that I never intend to do any wild performance stuff to my car.

I've changed my mind. Why? Given how much I've already spent and in talking to a few guys at the cruise, I came to the realisation that...
- I'm not going to get any money back from my car when I sell it
- By doing this I'd have a unique modified car
- I can actually see it happening
- Its not like I have anything better to do with my money and this'd actually give me something to save for.

So I wanna know - how should I best go about this.

I thought a good start would be ringing around wreckers and workshops and seeing who has done the job before or if not, done a similar job (e.g. experience in engine conversions) and seeing how much second hand engine stands are for starters.

I realise the conversion is a long and expensive task and can often be one that is never completed. Can anyone who has undertaken a similar project offer some words of advice? What kind of money am I looking at here? Are there any workshops in Melbourne that you can reccommend? How big of a task is the wiring?

im also looking at this conversion as well, from what ive gathered it fits using a combination of 6a and 6g mounts however the rear bank turbo is a tight sqeeze against the firewall, with mine ill be using a e6x or eqivalent.

Motors are around the 1500-2k mark for a decent halfcut but im having trouble getting one with the complete lot (starter motor, alternator etc) also being that they have different bellhousing to the 3.5lt ill have to source either a fto box to fit or look at converting the 6a13 box into a FWD unit.

ive budgeted 15k for the conversion which gives me plenty of headroom if problems arise. Theres a few guys that have done the conversion (tbutcher) that have done it, its nothing overly major just a few niggling bits and pieces that i have to sort before the motor is purchased and serviced ready to be put in

I was wondering if it'd be worth using the existing engine mounts from the Galant and modifying them to fit in the Magna engine bay or if its a stupid idea and just to have custom mounts made up.

Seems a bit odd that the engine is mounted east-west when the Galant VR4 is AWD. Did the Galant AWD system use a transfer case or a prop shaft do drive the rear wheels?

I was wondering if it'd be worth using the existing engine mounts from the Galant and modifying them to fit in the Magna engine bay or if its a stupid idea and just to have custom mounts made up.

Seems a bit odd that the engine is mounted east-west when the Galant VR4 is AWD. Did the Galant AWD system use a transfer case or a prop shaft do drive the rear wheels?

yeah probably could customize to fit with mine depending on costs ill get them made up and as to the awd system ive got no idea whether its transfer case or prop ill have to check it out tomorrow when i do my usual rounds of phonecalls at work about getting a motor.

EDIT: been at google trying to fit exact specs but since the awd system was originally brought and adapted from an evo they would be transfer case

nem, as much as u've done to your car, is it really worth it? yes it would be custom etc...

lets say its $15k for the conversion... thats the cost for a complete VR4 in decent condition, and has the AWD to boot! $15-$20k buys a good manual VR4, built for the track, and then you can see yours for say $6-8ish, and you have a $12-$14k conversion to TT and AWD ;)

just have a good think about it... now that VR4s are so easy and cheap to come by, its not as cost practical as it used to be to do the conversion.

By all means, i'd love to see it! Just have a think on it hey

Good point - I haven't been 100% set in stone yet and its good to see the voices of reason here.

You definitely make a good point about the Galants being relatively affordable these days and the costs being the same to convert a Magna to 6A13TT.

But I guess I keep coming back to having a absolute beast of a Magna that's relatively sleeper-ish. It is something I need to research more into but keep the info coming.

stock VR4 > sleeper magna

And please tell me how the magna will be sleeper with an IC hanging off the front ;)

plus stock VR4 = less engine troubles = off the road less

plus buying the VR4 means the car wont be off the road while doing the conversion, instead you sell the magna when the car is in your driveway

plus VR4s are still unknown in Aus, so still very original :)

stock VR4 > sleeper magna

And please tell me how the magna will be sleeper with an IC hanging off the front ;)

plus stock VR4 = less engine troubles = off the road less

plus buying the VR4 means the car wont be off the road while doing the conversion, instead you sell the magna when the car is in your driveway

plus VR4s are still unknown in Aus, so still very original :)

a few downsides to the VR4's though firstly is insurance damn near impossible for insurance for uder 25 (in my case), having no car for 3-4months is fine by me ill swipey mcswipe a work car or go interstate for work for that time frame, its one of those things that you can either do it and be original or go the other way and be original :P but yeah i sat and thought about what i should do, but if i cant find a suitable motor or it ends up unfesable ill just walk away from it, hence why im doing a lot of research before commiting

Its a magna - no matter what's lurking under the hood its going to be a sleeper. Unless you had what Booya had.

Its all just talk at the moment but like magna00 I'm exploring options first.

Its a magna - no matter what's lurking under the hood its going to be a sleeper. Unless you had what Booya had.

my mate got in my car the other day and i gave it some
first comment: wow its actually pretty fast
second comment: sorry i called it a fagna. your cars pretty good
:)

lol got the same in my tippy rada :P

id be using the 4wd gearbox and delete the rear drive. Diff will be able to handle the nuts torque if modded and so on (also even the stock)

Itll run a transfer case im pretty sure like the gto's.

Have a look on 3si.com as the lads there have to do this when upgrading TT motors in FWD format.

Id buy the halfcut and then while you have it see what does and doesnt fit before you go frankensteining.

If you can see the cost blowing out cut it and buy a vr4. I wouldnt even look into it if you're not doing the work yourself.

id be using the 4wd gearbox and delete the rear drive. Diff will be able to handle the nuts torque if modded and so on (also even the stock)

Itll run a transfer case im pretty sure like the gto's.

Have a look on 3si.com as the lads there have to do this when upgrading TT motors in FWD format.

Id buy the halfcut and then while you have it see what does and doesnt fit before you go frankensteining.

If you can see the cost blowing out cut it and buy a vr4. I wouldnt even look into it if you're not doing the work yourself.

sweet dude thanks for the website btw its 3si.org an yeah if its going to be too much effort ill just walk away from it and buy another car