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Date:         Thu, 9 Mar 2006 16:04:56 +0000
Reply-To:     Dave Vickery <davevickery@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dave Vickery <davevickery@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Subaru Conversions
In-Reply-To:  <0ED2E9A2-B138-4E8B-B2F3-283C0B47C4C4@mac.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed

It is unreasonable, but that's what it costs :(

I had a Boston Engine WBX Rebuild put in my westy, $5K plus another $1K in other related parts and troubleshooting.

I bought a subie syncro and it cost the P.O. ~ $7.5K out the door, with AC PS, & newish engine.

Dave in Denver

>From: Kim Brennan <kimbrennan@MAC.COM> >Reply-To: Kim Brennan <kimbrennan@MAC.COM> >To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM >Subject: Re: Subaru Conversions >Date: Thu, 9 Mar 2006 01:40:20 -0500 > >You were wondering why the price of the conversion was so high. And >the simple answer is, because you aren't factoring in the LABOR rate >necessary to get it installed by a professional mechanic. > >The math is quite clear. $3500 for a kit (say, Tiico) , 40 man hours >of labor. In this area, thats around $85 an hour. In short, close to >$7k for the install. >if you doing the Subaru conversion, there is the price for the >engine. You might get a good one for $500. Or you might have to spend >more. Well, it is a used engine, so it is worthwhile to update a few >things prior to putting it in. That's more man-hours of labor that >you aren't accounting for. Perhaps parts too. Then there is the >wiring. If you do it yourself, that's more man-hours of labor that >you aren't accounting for in the cost. If you pay someone else >(Smallcar for instance), that adds to the overall cost. > >In short $7k for getting it installed is not at all unreasonable. > >On Mar 9, 2006, at 12:34 AM, Aaron wrote: > >>But Kim, If I "charged" myself for every hour that I spent time on >>something, I would either net be able to afford to do anything or be >>extremely poor (but who would I pay?). I consider it paying myself >>instead. >> >>I estimated that it took me around 100 hours of labor. A lot of that >>was figuring out the cooling, making runs to the parts places and >>just sitting around bewildered. Actually the VW engine was out and >>the subaru in with probably 10 hours of labor! >> >>So, if you are taking time out of your job to do the conversion, >>you'll probably lose money. But for those who have some idle time on >>the weekends and evenings or can afford to take some time out of our >>other hobbies, doing it yourself is a great way to not have to spend >>a lot of money. There were actually 2 brothers who did 2 conversion >>in a weekend. I took me around 3 months, so at 100 hours, that's >>around an hour per day. I think of it as an investment in not having >>to an aging VW engine in the future. It's great to connect my palm >>pilot to the OBDII reader and it can lead me to what is wrong. When I >>had a fuel filler line leaking water into the tank, OBDII lead me to >>the problem. >> >>I guess the important thing is that I am happy, I have a 12,000 mile >>subaru engine and I didn't have to spend $3000+ on putting in a >>rebuilt VW engine. >> >> >>On Mar 8, 2006, at 11:27 AM, Kim Brennan wrote: >> >>>How many hours of labor did it take you? Now take those hours and >>>multiply by $60-80 per hour. Say it took you one week of only 40 >>>hours. That's an additional $2400-3200 that you did but didn't charge >>>yourself. >>> >>> >>> >>> >>>On Mar 8, 2006, at 11:42 AM, Sudhir Desai wrote: >>> >>>>On the subject of price, I really do not understand why the prices >>>>are >>>>so high. :/ >>>>I completed my chevy v6 conversion for less than $2500 in parts.


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