How hard is it to go to AWD?
 

Is it cheeper just to look for a new SVX than it would be to make mine AWD. Or Does enyone know of anyone around Iowa with a parts car? I,ve never driven an AWD SVX before and i was wondering if the cost outways the benifits. Plus i'm sick and tired of not being able to slam through the gears. I was also pondering the thought of just a rear wheel drive conversion(who dosnt like whipping cookies). Is there any donor cars that i cpuld find most of the parts to make my SVX AWD of RWD with a 5 speed M/T. Where's the normal 5 M/T swap tranny out of? Thanks for all the input.

The tranny swap is out of other subarus, so there is not a rear wheel drive option for you, and yes it is probably going to be cheaper and easier to sell your car and get a AWD one. but i'm not sure if in Iowa that it is worth the trouble to try to do it.

Iowa...Might be hard to find parts

In order to go awd (or rwd for that matter) you'll need to get ahold of a rear subframe with the rear differental mounts (OR, if you're good at fabricating, take some measurements and weld in the bungs for the rear diff bushing mounts)

the 5 speed can come out of prettymuch any subaru, though some are better than others. A search will come up with more results than I could. You'll need a custom tranny crossmember, pedal box, shift linkage, and if its hydrolic..a custom hydrolic booster mounty thingy. Tom'sSVX has a kit with the fab work available (He did an awd 6 speed swap on mikecg's formerly fwd L model)
RWD is possible with some modifications to the tranny, but unadvisable without upgrading the rear diff (our factory lsd isnt the greatest) and getting some wider tires back there would probably help traction a bit

Just after the facts
 

Has anyone out there actually done a AWD swap and knows what goes into an AWD swap. I'd rather do the work myself as I am confident in my knowledge in Automotive Tech but i'm questionative as to what all goes into it for parts. Take in mind also, that I'd rather do an AWD swap with a 5 M/T than a slush box auto. What year,make,and model is the best to donate its shifting guts to my SVX.

A guy over on Legacycentral did an auto fwd to awd 5MT swap. I would imagine that the swaps would be very similar...

http://www.surrealmirage.com/subaru/swap/swap.html

TomsSVX did one (maybe 2??) FWD to AWD swaps.

I can't say I've seen an SVX FWD-AWD swap, but I've seen it done on an XT6. It's a fairly involved deal on those, and a parts car is pretty much a MUST. I'd bet a dollar to a doughnut, that a good portion is plug & play. You can bet that there will be some fabrication involved as well.

I did it on my 94. The hardest part is that you have to custom make the wires for the FWD fuse circuit and for the FWD and a/t oil temp light. I used a 92 LS tranny, rebuilt it, and installed it in my car.

you need the following.

AWD rear subframe
Rear differential
Drivehshaft(2" extension if 5mt)
rear axles
misc. subframe hardware
patience and ingenuity

I would also suggest with the subfram out having it sandblasted and powdercoated for protection... Plus it would look awsome:D

Tom