Any LIBERTY RS Turbo Owners Here - ADELAIDE

Hey there people just thought I would put the feelers out to start a post for any body that owns a SUBARU LIBERTY RS TURBO?

I've owned my liberty for roughly 6 years now but due to financial circumstances my car has been in storage a few years and I'm tossing up whether or not I should put the money into getting the car back on the road up and running?

From memory the car is running an early WRX engine with TD05H and it has STI shocks and aftermarket coilpacks and fuel pump but the rest from memory is factory RS turbo running gear 5spd manual.

The car is white with factory sunroof and 01 WRX 17 inch rims. It was a fun car to drive even though it's pretty stock.

I remember it was like driving a go kart through the Adelaide hills and I miss the good times.

I'll need to spend a few grand just to get the car up to a roadworthy running standard and that's without thinking of upgrading any parts even though I'd love an STI gearbox and diff and maybe high flow for the turbo…

I'm not sure if I do that or just put my money into like a GC8 WRX or something else entirely like a GOLF GTi

So if there's anybody here that has an RS TURBO I'd like to hear from you and start a discussion thread.

Also If anybody is here from South Australia that maybe can help me with the mechanical work when the time comes???

Would love to hear from you guys?

closed Comments

  • +3

    You'd be better off posting in a Subaru fans forum than OZBargain…

    First result: http://www.subyclub.com/index

  • +1

    Was it running when put into storage? A few years isn't that long.

    • Yes it was but it needed A bunch of things done to bring it up to like RWC it was bought as a project car.

      But as I said money issues put the project on hold so now I'm deciding do I invest in the RS or not.

  • it was like driving a go kart through the Adelaide hills and I miss the good times

    buy a GO kart then…

    • +1

      An amazing car with good handling is very important

  • +1

    Ring shannons, get 40k insurance, park it at parabanks over night, new yaris gr.

  • Merged from ANY Adelaide or SA Based MECHANIC Preferably with EJ20T Knowledge

    I'm just putting my feelers out looking for somebody who enjoys mechanical work either as a hobby or a job but has preferably lots of knowledge working with Subaru such as the early WRX/RS TURBO?

    I'm looking at eventually getting my 91/92 LIBERTY RS Turbo back on the road is been off the road a good few years and from memory it needs quite abit of mechanical work done to bring it back.

    Things like most of the rubbers and bushes to be replaced front to back.

    Wiring to be tidied up/fuses.

    Engine bay to be cleaned up.

    New clutch to be installed.

    Changing over old hubs for new ones.

    Compression test and all oils and fluids completed drained and refilled.

    Petrol tank probably needs the same.

    New fuel pump probably.

    But the car will definitely need to be put on a hoist and have somebody literally go over every single part and component front to back and give me a list and I'm willing to pay for parts but I'm not too happy about paying full labour costs if I'm forking out $$$$ for all the parts so that's why I'm hoping to find someone here in SA or ADELAIDE that could do this as a hobby or a weekend thing even if it takes a few weeks of your spare time to do it all?

    Most workshops want $100+ HR Labour which adds up pretty quickly….

    The car is mostly stock but with an early 95 WRX engine & td05h turbo with 3 inch exhaust I'm pretty sure, 5 speed manual. AWD. sunroof. Etc

    Anybody here who is serious please feel free to msg or private msg if possible. **I'm new to this website***

    Thank you kindly


    update: Thanks for all your help I'll post on Subaru site

    • +5

      give me a list and I'm willing to pay for parts but I'm not too happy about paying full labour costs if I'm forking out $$$$ for all the parts

      You want someone to work for you for free? 🤣 Have you tried this approach with your hairdresser, plumber or accountant?

    • No you misread I'll pay just not looking for full price.

      I used to have a friend who did all my work for like $50hr but not anymore. I just meant I don't wish to pay exorbitant prices.

      • +2

        Even at $50 an hour you are looking at many thousands of dollars. There is a LOT of labour involved with this. No one is going to work for nothing just because you "aren't happy" to pay labour costs. You can always do it yourself if it's so easy that it's only worth minimum wage?

      • Used to be friend is either an ex-friend or a current friend with 2020 rates…

        Ask them for current 2020 rates.

    • +1

      Have you considered placing this on an automotive site? Perhaps even a Subaru specific forums.

      Your endless list of specific requirements seem better suited elsewhere.

      • +1

        Trying a few different mediums thank you

    • +1

      Have you thought about selling it?

      A half decent clutch from exedy costs $650. You then need to factor in flywheel machining costs plus install costs, nobody is going to do this for the $200 you're hoping for.

      New hubs with new bearings are about $150 each plus labour.

      Plus all the other things needed to bring it up to standard it might not be worth it.

    • +2

      DIY or it’s not worth it.

    • +3

      I'm willing to pay for parts but I'm not too happy about paying full labour costs if I'm forking out $$$$ for all the parts

      So, you're happy to pay large corporation a shit tonne of money for their mass produced parts, but you don't want to pay a skilled individual for their time? Why is it never the opposite way around?

      I get this all the time. I will get asked to rebuild a motorcycle engine, which can take up anywhere up to 12 hours of my time, and the owner will offer to pay me a "carton of piss". So, what they are saying is that they believe that 12 hours of my time and my skills that took me years to hone, is roughly equivalent to $50 in a beer usually of their choosing. "But dont you like, do it as a hobby??" Yes, but you're still going to pay for it…

      If you cant affords the parts AND labour, then you cant really afford a 30yo "project car"

      Or, you know, you could always learn how to do it yourself and only pay labour when you get so stuck you have no choice (ie: machining the heads/flywheel/etc)

    • +1

      You pay peanuts, you get monkeys.

  • Thanks everyone I've moved to a proper Subaru enthusiast page

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