t3hWIT's Impreza L Buildup

[t3hWIT]

Welcome to my Members' Journal. As with other Journals on this board, this will serve to document the buildup of my car, from the purchase in 2005 to the present.

More than just listing modifications, I will use this thread for discussion and to "think out loud." This will not only help me look at the big picture, but will help you understand why I took any specific route.

I'm also into automotive photography. While I'm still an amateur, I do get lucky sometimes. I'll post a selection of the pictures I take as well as a link to a master thread and/or the associated Flickr album. If you see a picture that Imageshack stopped hosting, please PM me with that specific post number and I will re-upload the picture.

New as of April 22nd of 2009, I'll add a post number behind a selection of modifications. Track down that post to find pictures, tech, and/or general discussion of that modification.

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This is my second Subaru, purchased it back in September of 2005. I spent the summer after high-school working two jobs to be able to afford another Subaru, since I totaled my first one just weeks after graduation. After completely wiping out my bank account, I got a crash course in driving stick shift. Needless to say, my solo drive back up to my college was an interesting experience.

The car is a 1995 Subaru Impreza L. While I couldn't afford much, I got the basics including a torque-less 1.8L, 5spd, AWD, ABS, AC, but no rear antisway. This was to change of course, but that will come in a future post.

Here is what the car looked like back in August of 2005, shortly before purchase. They were scanned, so expect much better quality pictures in future posts:











I didn't even purchase the car yet, and I was going around the car with a notebook, writing down things I would like to change once I purchased it. When the salesman saw that, he yelled "It don't need nothing, just leave it the hell alone!"

If you wish to follow what I did to get my car to where it is today, and what I intend to do in the future, please continue with the thread. For those in desperate need of cliff notes, here is my list of modifications (which will be updated):

Engine:
2.2L swapped in place of 1.8, using 1.8 harness and intake manifold, MY97 coil pack - (Posts 19, 21, 24)
Borla singleport header - (Post 342)
DEi header wrap - (Post 342)
eba y intake - (Posts 12, 28)
HKS air filter (with gray element from Signal Auto) - (Posts 28, 151)
HTS silicone couplings w/ stainless T-bolt clamps - (Post 28)
Prodrive WRSport axleback - (Posts 184, 238, 620)
APEXi S-AFC II - (Post 12)
Gears oil catch can - (Post 510, 513, 521)
NGK spark plug wires
NGK Iridium IX plugs
NRG Innovations grounding kit - (Post 24)
Roger Clark Motorsports oil cap - (Post 335)
eba y aluminum crank/alternator underdrive pulleys - (Post 21)
Kartboy exhaust hangers

Suspension:
Prodrive P1 springs - (Posts 183, 238)
KYB GR2 struts - (Posts 12, 238)
Tribeca 25mm front antisway - (Post 430, 501)
WRX 20mm? rear antisway - (Post 564)
OMP front strut tower brace - (Post 335)
Megan Racing rear strut tower brace - (Post 12)
rear lateral link conversion - (Post 12)
STi rear antisway mounts - (Post 13)
Energy Suspension front antisway bushings - (Post 430)
aluminum rear endlinks - (Post 14)
Eibach rear camber bolts

Brakes:
Legacy GT 2 piston front brakes - (Post 17)
H6 larger diameter rear brake upgrade - (Post 397, 413)
Hawk HPS pads (front) - (Post 17)
Porterfield R4-S pads (rear) - (Post 397, 413)
ATE Superblue DOT4 brake fluid

Drivetrain:
Impreza RS pressure plate
B&M short shifter - (Posts 397, 413)
Shift lever extension (3") - (Post 654)
GD WRX shift linkage - (Post 378)
Energy Suspension front shifter bushing
Kartboy rear shifter bushing - (Posts 376, 378)
Kartboy Rear Subframe Outrigger Bushings - Comfort - (Post 376)

Exterior:
JDM 94 STi aluminum hood - (Posts 458, 463, 479)
JDM 93 WRX front bumper - (Post 19)
JDM V-Limited roof vent - (Posts 208, 284, 557)
JDM rear spats - (Post 28)
JDM aeroguards - (Post 28, 564
JDM WRX rear spoiler - (Post 30)
JDM 93 WRX foglights - (Posts 163, 393, 564)
JDM taillights - (Posts 510, 521)
JDM rainguards - (Post 28)
JDM clearcorners
RS side skirts - (Post 26)
STi foglight covers - (Posts 28, 510, 557, 564)
Genuine JDM front license plate - (Post 30)
Blue tinted mirrors - (Post 312)
Bell angled license plate bracket
DIY $16 front lip - (Post 28)
clear side markers, DIY clear corners
"i" badge
Hella headlights
4 Hella Supertones (2x115db, 2x118db) - (Post 14)
MY97 mirrors
Smoked front turn signals
Impreza RS trunk springs - (Post 174, 183)

Interior:
JDM WRX front and rear seats - (Posts 26, 28)
Nardi steering wheel - (Posts 31, 151, 163, 164, 262)
V-Limited Headliner - (Post 208)
STi roll cage - (Posts 208, 225, 250, 312, 321, 601, 611)
STi door panels (V1) - (Posts 471, 484, 490, 610, 611)
STi Duracon shift knob - (Post 30)
STi carbon fiber shift pattern - (Post 208)
STi killswitch key - (Post 708)
WRX metal pedals - (Post 708)
TomTom One - (Post 173)
Pioneer DEH-P6400 head unit
Pioneer TS-G1641R Speakers, w/ baffles - (Post 173)
Sirius Starmate 5 tuner - (Post 620)
OEM underseat subwoofer - (Post 594)
Autodimming mirror w/ compass and thermometer - (Post 173)
Subaru All Weather floormats (winter) - (Post 173)
CG Lock - (Post 173)
LED Maplight - (Post 208)
LED dash lighting - (Post 510)
Trunk light kit - (Post 430)
Plastidipped all interior pieces - Post 28)
Domo & Friend - (Post 321, 610)

Rolling:
Street - '98 RS wheels, 16x7, painted gunmetal with a bluish tint - (Posts 183, 190)
Street - Fuzion HRi's, 205/50R16 - (Post 19)
Winter - '99 Legacy GT wheels, 16x6.5, bright white - (Posts 643, 708)
Winter - Bridgestone Blizzak Revo1 snow tires, 205/55R16 - (Posts 643, 708)
Muteki black closed-end lugnuts - (Post 238)

Maintenence:
Royal Purple 5w30 - (Post 570)
Bosch oil filter
Redline MTL for transmission - (Posts 17, 376, 378)
Royal Purple MaxGear 75w90 for rear differential - (Post 17)
Bosch Icon wiper blades
RainX

Current projects -
HID retrofit - (Posts 394, 396, 510, 513, 575, 584, 601, 620)

To do:
-Replace window weatherstripping
-Reseal spoiler/trunklid
-POR15 rear wheelwell
-Repair & POR15 pinchwelds
-R&I side skirts
-Entertain idea of mold for carbon-kevlar side skirts
-Replace RF foglight bulb
-Replace sidemarkers
-Replace front turn signals
-R&I front swaybar endlinks
-Replace front antisway bar
-Track pipe
-Bee*R revlimiter
-Find source of clunk in rear suspension
-LaminX film for rear turn signals


All detailing products by Meguiars with the exception of Mothers Billet metal polish.





Modifications to this car seem to come in stages. That's about as much as I will share on that topic as there are many variables involved which will change over time.


Lastly, here is a more recent picture. I will update this for those of you who are too lazy to read through the thread.





Please by all means comment and add your .02. Any input is welcome!

[Supers587]

SSSssssSSssexy.

[t3hWIT]

Originally Posted by Supers587

SSSssssSSssexy.

Are you stalking me? First you PM me, then IM me, call me on the phone, Facebook my mom, drive across the region to my town, call me again, and now you're replying to MY thread?

How's the RS running?

[Major Johnson]

This is me, slightly disappointed not to see any update pics...

[t3hWIT]

Originally Posted by Major Johnson

This is me, slightly disappointed not to see any update pics...

You'll have to wait until later today for the next phase. I'll be updating this thread throughout the week, however, I will post a newer pic in the first post.

[Subru]

Your car is gorgeous.

[pastcivicowner]

change the grille to a rs one, take the lip off, paint it all white, put rally mirrors on it and gold OZ supperlegeras(sp) and you have my dream car...... not knocking yours cause its beautiful its just urs is as close to my dream as ive ever seen


wanna sell it? haha

i just realized...where are your turn signals? haha

[t3hWIT]

Originally Posted by pastcivicowner

i just realized...where are your turn signals? haha

They're right next to the foglight covers, smoked.

[TheReason]

*cough* RICE! *cough*

[SleepySubie]

^ thats some sexy rice then

is there a write up anyplace for that DIY 16 buck front lip?