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Well tonight I got the very sad news that my ex-car (see it here) which was bequeathed to my younger brother had the engine overheated and blew a head gasket.

Now where others see adversity I choose to see opportunity!! I reckon the Leone Royale (by far the most luxurious of all L series ever made ) is the perfect base for a conversion. If nothing else seeing as they were an MPFI EA82 at least there is an EFI fuel tank their already! (Although thinking about it I guess this would have to go in the AWD part of the conversion?

When I gave the car to him (when I moved to Syd after Uni) it was in pretty good nick (apparently due to a kangaroo it could do with a new passenger side guard) and k's were reasonable, about ~160 from memory, so I think it's worth considering a conversion.

Anyway I am happy to admit I would be lost in this challenge so can anyone recommend a place in Sydney who could do the work for me? Keen also on any indication of cost for labour for this job. Not really sure on what the current go with suspension and brakes is either, can these be donated from a front/half cut up front and matching impreza/lib 'coilovers' go in the rear along with their disks or is a case of L suspension and brake conversion kit, which is sorted as a separate issue to the engine/driveline conversion?

Just want to give it some thought for now really, L is getting a fairly old car to muck around with (it's an 89) but I still have a soft spot for the old L and would love to live my subie dream of an EJ20T L sleeper!

So if anyone knows a good place to go (or to avoid!) be grateful. Also any other comments on the projects worth in general accepted.

I'm not sure where to get the labour done, but my brother got a 96WRX manual, 80k kms, tailshaft + diff + computer + loom + (front?) suspension for $1700 from these guys:

Ultimate jap used spares and tyres
88A Victoria St,
Smithfield
ph (02) 9729-2316

Go visit in person and they will give you a realy good deal and can probaberly help with the instalation bit as well.

If you look under the back of the car & the fuel tank has a big hump in the middle of it, it will clear the 4wd rear suspension (maybe look at the tank of a 4wd carb version, they look the same externally)
If it has the hump, then you will be able to keep the entire fuel system (though its dubious about the fuel pump, I'm still trying to figure this one out).

BTW, the Leone Royale was the most luxurious sedan (& took til 89 to get power windows), the Touring Wagon still has (slightly) more features, including 4wd.
Mine sold new in 88 for $27k + A/C on top of that.