Is my WRX STi or not?

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Sat Dec 29, 2012 12:59 pm

Compliance plates used to be under the bonnet somewhere held in place with rivets, but last few years they have been appearing in door frames as a sticker or under somewhere inside the boot/hatch. Maybe go look at same model Impreza in a car yard or ask in here for a photo and location. If it is missing it can make your life a little more complex if the police or road traffic authority want to see it ...

If it is missing it usually means a trip to the manufacturers dealer to get them to take a look and then get head office to confirm the vehicles details in a letter.

Tomi · Post by **Tomi** » Sat Dec 29, 2012 1:28 pm

Hmm, I asked my dad about the plates and he said he has never heard of them. Do they exist in Western Australia as well? Or is it just over east?

nncoolg · Post by **nncoolg** » Sat Dec 29, 2012 1:53 pm

So, are you actually sure it is a convert, what did subaru say about the VIN?
There way have been a lot on conclusions jumped-to here...

Tomi · Post by **Tomi** » Sat Dec 29, 2012 2:06 pm

Subaru haven't contacted me back yet. Is it a possibility that the VIN was an error when they produced the car?

FROG · Post by **FROG** » Sat Dec 29, 2012 2:09 pm

pm me the vin and I will have a look next week

Post by **Alex** » Sat Dec 29, 2012 2:28 pm

If he's gone through the trouble of sti conversion he hasn't put any sti brakes or driveline on the car.

It's a wrx or a converted impreza.

If there's no compliance plates I'd be worried. Sounds suss.

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Tomi · Post by **Tomi** » Sat Dec 29, 2012 2:39 pm

I will look for the compliance plates when the car comes back from getting two new tyres put on. The registration papers for the car should come in the mail soon. If the VIN and the engine number match the car, would that be okay for insurance claims and the police?

Post by **Alex** » Sat Dec 29, 2012 3:10 pm

There should be something next to the strut towers

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JPM · Post by **JPM** » Sat Dec 29, 2012 3:14 pm

Tomi-

A few of the guys are expressing some concerns about the nature of your car, and quite honestly I agree with them. This is based upon a few things you've posted;

1- no compliance plate. This is a big deal in terms of insurance and more importantly, legality to drive on the road.
2- the price you paid. Sorry buddy, but $6000 doesn't buy an STi.
3- you recently posted that the rego papers should be in the mail soon! It worries me that you don't have them, but you've handed over cash and have taken the car.

Myself and others can help you identify exactly what you've got. Post up some over all pics of the car, the interior and so on. Where abouts in Perth are you? Looking at it person would also shed light on this a bit more.

Another good option is to ring REVS (maybe can do it online but im not 100% sure) with the rego, and whatever chassis/ engine numbers you can find.

Good luck with it, I hope it works out well in the end for you!!

Jayd

sven '2' · Post by **sven '2'** » Sat Dec 29, 2012 3:28 pm

Good idea ^^^ this

Perth is well stocked for Subie zealots - am sure someone could hook up and help you sort it.

And a conversion is not a bad thing either - there are many WRX and RS lib 'clones' getting about, however the devil is in the detail...there are good, well sorted conversions and not so good ones

The swapping of STi parts into lower spec cars is also reasonably popular too - again, not a bad thing.

$6K is around the right money for conversion - just hope the VIN works out

Tomi · Post by **Tomi** » Sat Dec 29, 2012 4:04 pm

Here are some more pictures of the car (maximum of 5). My dad has like a receipt of the registration for the car, not the whole thing. It shows the VIN and it matches with the car. The rego doesn't show the engine number though.

Tomi · Post by **Tomi** » Sat Dec 29, 2012 4:06 pm

Here are a couple more showing where the compliance plates use to be (I think).

Post by **Alex** » Sat Dec 29, 2012 4:34 pm

Ok. Seems like a legit wrx, but it's not hard to bolt on all the bits and make it seem proper(something seems iffy). It's definately not a sti. Can tell by the tail lights.

I've got a feeling the body is a standard non turbo impreza with the wrx stuff bolted in. The fact that the compliance plates are gone is a massive concern.

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Post by **Alex** » Sat Dec 29, 2012 4:37 pm

The number plates are also very fresh 1DJV meaning it hasn't been registered with them plates for a long time.

There could be a legit answer to the funny things but there could also be something dodgy going on.

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JPM · Post by **JPM** » Sat Dec 29, 2012 4:38 pm

Definitely missing both the compliance plate from the RHS strut tower and the VIN plate from the LHS strut tower.

They both should have the same VIN number stamped on them which matches the chassis number. The chassis number is embossed on the fire wall above the brake booster.

It is a significant issue that they are missing, they need to be there by law.

You said that a check of a chassis number came back as a Gx or Lx 1.6 front wheel drive (at least I think you did). There is NO way Subaru got this wrong. But, if it was an Aussie delivered Gx or LX, you simply have a car that's been converted or modified, and that's not a bad thing. Plenty of us have modified or converted base model cars that have been 'hopped up'.

My question now is did you get that chassis number you checked straight of the car, or off some paperwork that came with it?

Biggest concern for me is if it either a) stolen and rebirthed into another chassis, or b) a jap imported early wrx that was approved for race/ rally only. If either of these are the case you have some dramas.

Best case scenario is that it was a front drive Aussie Impreza that has gotten the WRX treatment. Still don't know why you'd rip the VIN and Compliance plate off though?

The car looks neat in the photos, you might have scored a bargain!!

Jayd

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Sat Dec 29, 2012 4:57 pm

180kmh speedo = jap import cluster

You need to find the chassis number that is stamped into the firewall like this

The image is of a Liberty, but the location should be similar.
It will tell you what the chassis was originally and is near impossible to remove.

It seems very odd that there are no compliance plates, if the car has been re-complianced, there will be a new plate somewhere that will start with a 6.

Normally early Impreza's will have a vin like "JF1GC3xxxxxxxxxx" or "JF1GC5xxxxxxxx"
WRX's will be like "JF1GC8xxxxxxxxxxx"
If its an import it will be simply GC8xxxxxxxxxxx" without the "JF1" at the start

Tomi · Post by **Tomi** » Sat Dec 29, 2012 8:10 pm

Here is a photo of the VIN on the firewall. It matches with the registration papers so that's a plus.

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Sat Dec 29, 2012 8:24 pm

Ok so it appears to be a Australian delivered 1993 1.6L sedan with a FWD 5 speed manual transmission.

Im guessing that because the rear brakes are discs the brakes have been upgraded. 1.6L models didnt have ABS and thus had drum brake rears. It was also necessary to upgrade because the drums wouldnt have worked with the AWD rear end.

Can you take one front wheel off and take a few photos of the front calliper so we can confirm that the front brakes have been upgraded to 2 pot callipers?

Tomi · Post by **Tomi** » Sat Dec 29, 2012 8:28 pm

Hmm, not sure if I can do that at the moment. Is there a way to tell just from the outside?

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Sat Dec 29, 2012 8:53 pm

On the back side of the calliper, you will either be able to see one piston or 2.