Chills

I've got two WRXs and would like to swap ALL the panels over.
One is silver and has the lightweight 'RA' panels and the other is red and the normal 'heavy' ones.
Both are 1995 WRX imports and I'm sure I can manage the boot, bonnet & doors but the wings and the roof?

Thanks for any help,

Chris ~

briforbes

It's a myth that the RA has lighter panels all round - the only panel which should be lighter is the bonnet, which will be aluminium on the RA (may also be aluminium on normal wrx's too - but I can't find the info right now)

There are a number of other factors which make the RA lighter than the regular WRX, such as less accessories (electric windows and air-con are an option), thinner glass, and less sound deadening material.

So......let's hope you haven't already set to work on what will be a rather fruitless task

Chills

Thanks for the quick reply.
The panels on my silver car are all really thin.
They bow and bend if you barely push against them.
Also the doors feel & sound like plastic rather than metal.

I haven't collected the red car yet as I just bought it and collect it Sat am, so I can't compare them yet. But will only have the weekend to swap if I'm going to.

There's another reason for swapping though as I want to keep the Red car (Manual gearbox) but with the Silver (Auto) car's panels. I don't think I can live with a red scooby and will hopefully be selling the auto WRX with the RED panels.

Thanks again for the help!

Chris ~

Jap Import

****.............

Your gonna do all that work just because you dont like the colour

You must have a shed load of spare time on your hands

Just to confirm the bonnet and glass are the only lighter parts to the RA.
The wings do feel fairly flimsy, but your new one will feel the same.


Good luck

Chills

No - no time on my hands just don't fancy having a red scooby much.
Maybe I'll learn to live with it?

Thanks for the advice.
The silver (auto) is my first Scooby and I was told that those thin panels were 'special'... Yep, just call me gullible!

Good to know anyway so maybe I'll just keep the red and save for a respray and go blue... Cos we all know, blue ones go faster!

Cheers, Chris ~

jaytc2003

iTrader: (1)

black is faster

Jap Import

Blue may be faster than red, and black may be faster than blue

But white is the fastest

[Davey]

How do you propose to change the roof and rear wings

Seriously though I dont see the difference, the standard JDM wrx has a ally bonnet and light weight boot, plus the panels are like paper..

Is one a UK car (the heavy one) per-chance?

As above though you cant just "swap" the panels, 1) they need alligning and 2) you cant remove the roof and rear wings without literally cutting them off and welding them back on.

Oh and 3) you wont do it in a weekend, especially if you have to ask how in the first place

Chills

Yeah - the roof and rear wings... A 'slight' oversight on my part!
I assumed the rear wing came off and completely forgot about the roof!

Yeah - I guess you can see that as I'm asking I'm pretty clueless about such mechanical things...
Only just about know how to drive the thing!

Other scooby's (mate's cars) have been UK cars and I didn't realise they might have some different panels.

So a red car it is then.

jaytc2003

iTrader: (1)

red cars are okay. Just not as fast as the aforementioned black or blue

morpheous

iTrader: (9)

Yeah right
Statistics state that red cars have more accidents ! Obviously travel at higher speeds pmsl

Glass and bonnet lighter just have no breakfast liquid lunch and lite dinner all sorted....

jaytc2003

iTrader: (1)

I see your reasoning but it is in fact opposite. Red cars are slower so its easier for other cars to hit them!