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99RS junkyard beater to 22B rep

358K views 1K replies 153 participants last post by  flyboynextdoor 
#1 · (Edited)
Welcome to my Journal
Purchased in June 2011 for a $400 parking fee, car was free :banana:


Just repainted 22B Sonic Blue (74F), Manley forged pistons, 4.44 trans, and 3” SS exhaust, among a few changes made in 2018 along with a third Dyno run.

2011 the day I brought it home in Northern Alberta, the first and only GC I had ever seen at that point in life
Completely stock Canadian spec 1999 2.5 RS
Canadian Rust
Cracked up windshield
4.10 RS 5spd
Ungo alarm - now working again!
JBL 6.5" coaxial speakers
189,000 kms (115,000 miles)
Beat to hell by its previous owner
Bad head gasket
Bad shocks
Cracked tires
No tunes





Recent Photo





Section 1, Complete repaint begins this page
Followed by a DIY head gasket swap
DIY coilover Springs/shocks install



Section 2, DIY Aerosim 22B/WRC wdebody Install begins page 8
New interior carpet
22B Nardi wheel swap
WRC wing
18” wheels
My Boosted $400 99RSTI - Page 8 - Subaru Impreza GC8 & RS Forum & Community: RS25.com





Section 3, DIY EJ253 Rebuild. page 24
Delta Cams 1500
MLS head gaskets
Nex Exedy KSB04 clutch
Felt nice and peppy
https://www.rs25.com/forums/f145/163463-my-boosted-400-99rsti-24.html



Section 4, Boosting the EJ253 with a TD04
“Knock knock.”
“Who’s there?”
“Detonation.”
?
Subachad up/down pipes
Vortech RRFPR
05-07 WRX IC
Boost worthy Gauges
182WHP 195WTQ @ 7psi (dyno p54)
https://www.rs25.com/forums/f145/163463-my-boosted-400-99rsti-39.html



Section 5, Boost done right, 2nd rebuild, STI bottom end, VF39, Emtron Standalone EMS Starts around page 62
254 WHP @ 11psi



Section 6, Sonic Blue Paint, 22B bumper, Forged Pistons, JDM trans, 3"exhaust, and other upgrades
283 WHP @ 11psi dyno runs P109
Upgrades start Page 87
https://www.rs25.com/forums/f145/163463-99rs-junkyard-beater-22b-rep-87.html P87


Current Mods

Exterior
Aerosim 22B/WRC Widebody
22B Sonic Blue Paint
22B WRC CF Adjustable wing
New Front lights w LED bulbs
Hella 1000 FF Fogs
JDM tails
Rallytech mudflaps
30" LED bumper light bar


Interior
06 STI Seats
22B Nardi Wheel wrapped
New STI floor mats and pedals
Zealous Interiors leather Shift boot
Zealous Interiors armrest cover
Zealous Interiors OEM dark grey mass back carpet
Zealous Interiors Blue Alcantara Door panel inserts
3 Gauge pillar running Wideband O2, Oil Press, Vac/Boost
7" Xtrons DVD head unit
MTX 4244 Amp
12" Kicker in custom spare tire well enclosure
Kicker CAP
4 JBL 6.5" mids
Red LED gauge lights

Engine and Drivetrain
EJ253 Block
EJ253 16V SOHC Heads
99.5mm Manley Forged Pistons 8.7CR
EJ257 Connecting rods
EJ257 Crankshaft
IHI VF39 Turbo
Delta 1500 Cams
Ported and Polished heads
Walbro 255 fuel pump
Injector Dynamics 725cc/min
AEM dryflo shorty intake
04 WRX TMIC
GFB Stealth BOV
UEL tubular SS header
3" SS exhaust
Stage 2 clutch
98 STI 5 speed 4.44 trans
R160 Rear LSD
TB heater bypass
Emtrons SL4 Standalone ECU
Automatic Boost control solenoid
8mm Phenolic Intake manifold spacer
04 WRX intake manifold
Flipped RS TB


Wheels/Suspension
Drag DR-34 18x8" wheels 35 offset
Maxxis Victra Z4S 245/40ZR18 Tires
1" rear spacers to fill in the widebody
98 STI front cross member
98 STI aluminum control arms
Ground control Coilover sleeves
Eibach 325 front 250 rear springs
New KYB GR2 struts
DIY Stiffened Engine and Trans mounts
CF STI front tower brace
22mm rear sway bar
98 STI 4/2 piston brake calipers
New WRX rotors
Braided brake lines


Future plans
Car shows and meets. Track Tires and lightweight rims....?


Long term plan
Basically my long term goal is to turn the car into a LHD 22B/WRC replica and enjoy driving it, travel to the car shows in it and meet other people who appreciate rare and well cared for autos. It may see a drag strip one day or possibly a track day, but just for fun.

Acquiring the car
This little RS used to belong to a guy I work with. It developed a bad head gasket and he couldnt make his monthly commute to and from Edmonton 800km so he “sold” it to his Dad, who traded it in on a new Ford truck. The dealership just left it at the tire shop where it was parked, worthless to them. A year later it was still there, my buddy the last registered owner wanted nothing to do with it and feeling guilty about abandoning it. The owner of the tire shop told me it wouldn't pass an inspection and he had called a junk yard to come pick it up but they hadn't showed yet. I looked it over and made him an offer to to buy the keys, We settled on $400 cash after I offered $500. lol He wanted it off his property. I got it though an inspection, insured, and registered it. I've since done everything myself with the exception of the ECU install.



I always wanted a Subaru for a little get around DD to save the mileage and gas on my Truck. We never saw these little cars in Northern Alberta till after 2002 when the USDM WRX came out. Till then I'd never seen one. I like the two door RSs alot. I paid the Tire shop $400 for parking it there for a year and drove it home. It fired right up, there were friggin' cats living under the hood when I opened it up to look at the engine!




It had been abused, hit by a bus on the drivers door, driven off the road across a ditch, bumped, and not washed enough. I didn’t want to drive such a POS so I decided to put some work into the car. It became a long term project.

It needed a lot of TLC but I saw a great little car under all the rust and dents.



First Repaint
First thing was to bring it in the garage and strip the car. there was alot of cancer all over in the usual areas, the wheel wells, the sunroof, under the side molding. The drivers door closed fine and the window even worked after it was hit by a bus with the door open. But the door had to go.

After finding one at a junk yard and having it shipped up the price of the car went up 200% that hurt. But I could still see that great little Impreza sitting there. Ripped off the old door and replaced the window and motor assembley.



I had to get the car a new windshield to pass inspection and the tires almost failed as well but the mechanic took pity on me I think lol.

The rear struts are shot and the front L bumper was Fubared too so I bought a new RS bumper cover direct from Subaru. My plan is too paint the car a metallic white and see how it turns out, get some feedback from other Impreza guys and then some new brakes, shocks, and tires. Rims for next spring. I'm almost done the painting process, just the bumper covers and fog light covers to go but need to take the pics off my Iphone and upload them. More posts and pics to go! This is a fun little car, what a wicked project but **** this is alot of work, good thing I have a wicked joba nd alot of free time with the woman and kids gone for a month during the summer.
 

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#324 ·
Found out today a Nardi wheel is NOT a direct swap with an RS Wheel. After removing the stock wheel and then the airbag donut under it I thought I was ready to simply put the Nardi in its place. Nope. The Nardi splines don't extend out far enough behind the wheel to prevent the back of the wheel from pushing on the steering column plastic cover... So I put the RS wheel back on till I figure this out. Either I need to trim a bunch of plastic off the column cover to prevent the rubbing or I have to find some kind of washer or bushing to butt up to the Nardi.
 
#326 ·
Thanks Dom, I found that DIY after. Ugh, looks like the op of that thread used a non airbag JDM column to make it all work.. a heck of alot more work than I anticipated. I want to try something simpler first before I go that route. Hopefully I can. I'm thinking a decent sized washer may work or perhaps trimming the plastic.
 
#329 ·
something like this??

removed the OEM wheel, gauges, then column cover.


cleaned and removed the Turn signal/wiper arm assembly then painted it flat black so its harder to see through the small gap that was about to be carved out of the plastic cover


I placed the cover back on then the Nardi Wheel. Traced a line around the wheel with a sharpie to mark the plastic that needed to be removed (sorry no pics of this step) then on my workbench used a die grinder with a carbine bit to remove the extra plastic. Then sanded the ring and re-installed the column cover


I forgot to take pics of the cover before the hole was enlarged but this hole is approx 1/2" wider in total diameter. the bottom didnt really have to be touched. most of the plastic that had to be removed was from the 9 o'clock to 3 o'clock.

Did a bit more fine trimming with the cover installed and having the new wheel right there to test fit. Once I was happy there was no rubbing and the gap was uniform round I Installed the new wheel. Fits very nice
Sorry for the grainy pic


My signals dont cancel with this wheel. But I've saved my OEM wheel and Airbag doughnut if I want them back.. My horn hasnt worked since I got the car so no functionality lost there. But the signals, lights and wipers still do their jobs properly so I'm happy. I have planned to wire up a horn on a separate button for a long time but if theres a way to do it with the horn button I'll try. Eniobaka, how did you keep your signal cancel and horn functional? was it the same as the DIY Dominator posted above?
 
#334 ·
Oh $#!t I thought you were talking about the three pod gauges for my turbo build. My bad... You meant the stock cluster, Yeah I did that a long while back. Pulled the gauges and checked the bulb types Then ordered some blue LEDs to match my deck. They plugged right in and work awesome, even dim nicely. Easy $20 mod. But no I actually never covered that mod on here.
 
#338 ·
I dont have any before/after shots of my Impreza gauges but I did the same mod with my Bike gauges. Using Blue LEDs heres how it turned out. The Kawasaki gauges had the same greenish tinge to the plastic diffusers that spread the light around to all areas of the face. The blue light easily overpowers the color.

Before.. Standard Incandescent bulbs


After with Blue LEDs
 
#341 ·
I like the blue lights but honestly if you have to do any long distance night driving the higher frequency blue light can really make the eyes sore. Just the glare alone is enough. I really notice it in my truck, so much I kind of want to go back to stock. But in the Impreza I can dim them right down. It might depend on the bulbs you get maybe its the way the dimmer works.. IDK
 
#347 ·
Nice work man!
After you swap the widebody, Did you fix the front liner? How to fix that?
I'm not sure what you mean. The front fender liners? The Aerosim kit doesn't come with front fender liners, depending on the roads you drive you might be able to get away without any but I wanted the extra protection so I fabbed some up with plastic sheets.
 
#348 ·
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