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Mike's 95 STI Type RA -> 95 L Coupe! We're going hybrid CDB.

38K views 181 replies 22 participants last post by  Vanna_White 
#1 · (Edited)
Sitting here in the airport so I figured I'd throw up what pictures I have and start a long build thread. This will be composed mostly of my work done while in Japan to my Ver 2 STI Type RA and eventually, hopefully, turn into my stateside build when I get orders back next year. So feel free to comment or browse as you please. This is as much for me as it is for you all.



How it sat the day I got it. 1995 Ver 2 STI Type RA. It was bone stock with the exception of a no name axle back muffler and some old sound system wiring.




Sold this roach to make the purchase of the STI.




Eventually I started to add bits to it as I sold off old GTR parts. Picked up a set of JDM OEM option wheels, RE B51's similar to RS Zero's. And some Rally Armor mud flaps.





Picked up a set of Brembo's from a buddy and started the slow process to acquire the parts I needed to slap them on.





First I picked up a set of TE37's to clear the Brembo's. 17x8 +38 with Dunlop Direzza rubber shipped from mainland.





Started getting random parts from various venders. SS lines to update the tires stock lines. Generic drilled/slotted rotors to hold me over. For the rear I had researched and decided not to go with the R180 swap and ended up ordering a dogbone bracket and oversized shoes to slap the rear onto the stock R160.





Headache after headache with getting the brackets from England led me to ditch the idea and go R180 swap. Picked up a rear crossmember with hubs, half shafts, crossmember, etc from a GDA bugeye STI. Picked up a clean R180 with a 3.9 FD and Cusco RS 1.5/2 way differential installed. Not too bad of an install, but def more work than the brackets. Worth every penny in my opinion though.





A long day with the much appreciated help of some friends and fellow enthusiasts had my brakes on and my ride sitting pretty. All that was left was the Flatouts suspension C57i V2 to arrive. Unfortunately international shipping took a while and I couldn't pass up a free day to wait any longer. Ended up installing the coil overs a few weekends later.





Quick easy swap and that's basically how I'm rolling around. Got a quick lesson in rolling fenders and knocked that out too so no more rub.





Buddies Type R we did the same day.





And basically how she sits today. Been off island so I'll have the alignment done and dialed in this week and then on to the next set of mods. Not sure where to go next, but I'm sure something will fall into my lap.





Thanks for the look.

Mike
 

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#103 ·
I'm also now considering looking at aftermarket options for a smaller heater core/blower assembly just for defrost. Was going to eliminate the HVAC all together, but that's a bit unsafe. Read on a couple other members journals of similar setups, so now that's on the maybe side of my build sheet.


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#106 ·
I saw a few good options in the same price point so glad that's there. The stock stuff isn't really super heavy, but it's just so bulky and I'd much rather have the extra space to work with. I'll have to check out your build to see how you throw it in there.


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#107 ·
Goodies arrived from TSS fab today. It'll get powder coated with my sway bars and then thrown on. Pretty excited about it. My wife conveniently forgot that a box showed up today and I stumbled upon it locking doors as we wind down for the night. Typical.



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#109 ·
Continued tear down trying to get the rear end off. Got to 4 booths left on the T Bar support and those guys are putting up a fight. Got frustrated and moved on. Got my engine on the stand to begin breakdown. Tried taking ample pictures for when I reassemble, but i'll probably enlist some help when that time comes. Got most of the lines and such off when tornado sirens went off, so the wife said car time was over and I had to go inside. Boo.

Maybe I'll get some more progress done tomorrow.

Michaeld - RS25.com Subaru RS GC8(869445) on Vimeo


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#112 ·
Yeah, she's Southern Californian born and raised. I've been fortunate to live a couple other places due to my job, so it didn't raise any alarm to me. It did take out a Walmart down the road though. We're def not in California anymore.


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#113 ·
South Ga got hammered today, any damage? I now have a large dead pine hung up in the branches of another tree on the property behind me. In perfect line to take out both trucks parked in the backyard.

Hope to have the coupe road worthy this week. Final flash to the ECU should go down Tuesday.
 
#114 ·
Some blown over fences and tree limbs mostly. It took out a Walmart grocery store thing. Collapsed the roof and flooded it I guess. Didn't come near my house thankfully.

How exciting! I'm not shooting for no later than 5 Jan because my buddy is getting married and I'd like to take it to the wedding to accompany his RX7 and our boys GTR.


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#115 ·
Slow progress is better than no progress I guess. Life took priority and now I've run out of time before I leave for summer camp. Dropped the 207 and my pile of parts off to be built while I'm gone. Had planned for the chassis to go off for paint, rust repair, and roll cage while I was gone too but that guy also got sent to summer camp. So the chassis will have to wait until the fall. Exhaust manifold/ fogturbo is still being fabbed so I won't have that until the fall either, which is fine. I don't see myself hitting that 5 Jan deadline unless I really put some steam into this when I get home. Anyways, don't expect much on here for a while. I'll prob just dump all my progress late fall.

Here's the engine in the back of my wife's crosstrek. Fits like a glove for anyone wondering.



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#118 ·
I'm usually an engine on tire fellow myself, but inadvertently threw out my only spare tire trying to make some space after our move. I didn't even think about it when I tossed it out. Fortunately the engine didn't move any in the back of the XV with the help of a couple snug tie downs to the little floor hooks, just to keep it from rocking.
 
#119 ·
Well... speed bump yet again. My builder opened the block up and found this hot mess. Basically the short block is trash. Heads are fine and since I've always been intrigued by a hybrid build, not to mention having brand new parts for the big port V8 heads, that's the new direction. Reached out to IAG to pick their brain, but I've priced out and gotten approval from the wife on a closed deck block. We shall see where this goes. For now, I have plenty more reading to do to figure out where I want to go now.



To think we drove this car briefly and into the shop to get it on a lift.

Fuck.


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#121 ·
IAG Stage 2.5 Closed deck has been ordered. Plan is to use the 2L heads and all the stuff I had purchased for them. Machine them to match and then go from there for the hybrid build. Uncharted waters for me, but I've been doing lots of reading. Making the most of what I have. I think it'll be fun.


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#122 ·
Back from deployment, closed deck block is here. Heads are being sent off to Outfront for bowl machining for the chamber match. Sorting out an oil cooler situation is my current project on my plate. Then once the heads are back and the motor built back up, it’ll be time to focus on this darn NA intake manifold. Fueling stuff, wiring, the list goes on.



And one from the memory bank for funsies.




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#125 ·
Engine starting to come together after waiting on little stuff. Holidays are expensive and the wife wants to go home to California so cash flow is tight making progress slower than ever.

Still collecting parts, but this is rejuvenating for a project that i thought was hitting a brick wall.




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