I say if you can get a complete running front cut for under 2500 grab it.
The price of ca manual front cuts keep going up and up because of the rarity and demand for them. The silvia guys eat them up at a rapid rate.
If you can get them for 2000 or less id be grabbing a couple, cause it wont stay that way for long.
Definately get a front cut for the conversion, life will be a lot less complicated and it will save a lot of running around finding missing bits.
The stock computer will be fine with exhaust, intake, and turbo upgrades, just dont go getting a huge turbo. A t 28 would be no problem. You can squeeze about 12 or 13 psi out of a stock turbo. Add an intercooler and a decent filter and you will have a good supply of horse power for a while.
Wait for stage two to get the programable ecu and bigger turbo ect.

damn right Whorida, when the motor is out do as much as you can. nuthin wrong with using the stock computer on a basically stock motor though. if you keep stock turbo you'll be fine.

If you wanna make serious upgrades though an aftermarket ECU is a wise choice anyways. And there's no better time to upgrade the motor then when it's out of the car.

sounds like hes trying to get a extra 2 grand out of ya

I was talkin to a bloke at RX engineering he was sayin the stock computer in them a really sensitive, he said as soon as u put an ehaust upgrade on or induction work the motor tends to play up with wrong fuel air ratio etc etc? he said id have to go with an after market computer such as a microtech is this just sales man talk?

The half-cut is worth more because it is tested before the cut, so it's a known runner. Front-cut not so.

in perth wa ther $2000 for half cut or $1200 for motor and box wit no loom or ecu

you wont need the stocko side mount intercooler its rubbish. the stock radiator is fine im runnin one but the outlet ends up being very close to the plenum, i.e. cold side of your intercooler piping, not a big deal, but im thinkin changin radiators while mines off the road.

at least if u get a half cut you know everything is there and you can check that it runs, dont pay more than 2500 is my recomendation for a stock half cut

cheers for the feed back fella's. yeah its interesting, this place in beresfield ( newcastle) is sayin 3000. but if there say 2500 is it worth the drive to sydney u know? or should i just lookin for a CA and 5 speed box? i dunno. im leanin towards half cut coz of radiator intercooler, etc etc. which i can utilise.

paid 2500 for mine, ran great with a few mods and more boost for 18 months, just popped the turbo this week. its all a gamble though depends on how lucky you are