I might be leaving Japan soon to come back to the US, not 100% sure though.

I used to have an Evo IV, and I really liked it, I would like to have something similar in the US if it's feasible.

I am not a master mechanic, I can't weld, and I don't have the desire or time to really learn how to do that stuff anyways. I've pulled and reinstalled a motor and transmission before, and I can do basic upgrades (suspension, etc). Just trying to be honest.

Lets say I could get a complete Evo IV for pretty cheap ($3500 or so) and strip it down for parts to install on a US Mirage Sedan, how much labor would a good shop have to do in order to complete it? Any major cutting/welding/fabrication involved?

I don't really want to do a RHD conversion or anything like that, I just want the looks and performance of the Evo IV-VI (depending what exterior parts I get).

I know the Evo IV motor isn't the best of the bunch, so if I was able to get a VIII or IX motor in the US, would that be a feasible option as well?

Sorry for the noob questions, but every thread I've read on this matter involves hacking together stuff from DSM's or something else like that, so it doesn't really apply to this situation (at least I don't think it does).

So, given that I had a complete Evo IV chassis to work with, how much labor cost would I be looking at to have a reputable shop swap everything over and get it running smooth and reliable? Even a rough $$$ estimate is fine.

Thanks!

P.S. I don't have my heart set on this, I'm not a JDM fanboy, I'm just looking at several different options before I leave Japan. This is one of the options. If the labor cost is going to be ridiculous and the whole thing ends up costing me more than a comparable Evo VIII, I won't even bother with it.