Originally Posted by fastspec2

I don't know about L.A. but in the northwest I have always used ofrieghn engines in lakewood wa. A good na sr20 fwd engine is usually less than 500. The det's go for like 1100-1200, and a gtir pulsar engine usually for somewhere around 1500-1600. Most of my builds have all been totally different cars. They are so cheap, why take it back apart, just get a different car? Sell the last one to fund the new one and put some coin in your pocket as well. The majorityof the motors I've done have been NA sr20de hi-port engines, You need to drill the upper pan for the oil drain on a na block, and I really recomend swapping new rod bearings while your there. I have made 400 on a factory head gasket and bolts, but a mls gasket is cheap. For long term reliabilty I wouldn't push my luck past 350 on the na short blocks, the pistons have less than stellar ring lands. The factory det engines though are hell for stout.
The rod bearings are kinda tender on these things so run a good synthetic, change it regularly and they are pretty bulletproof. I have a local shop make the clutches I use, I make the topfeed fuel rail myself and use good bosch topfeed injectors. I have thought about useing sti side feeds but the bosch stuff is super cheap. You need to swap injector clips from the bone yard too but no biggie.
For your swap it should be cake. Any b13 chassis sr harness will work, I've never looked into the nuts and bolts of a swap to a specv but I imagine its doable, mounts ect. The tranny is garbage on a b13, you will tear it up if you start makeing good torque, a b15 sr trans or a p11 g20t trans is still lsd and really tough.