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Stew's 98RS

144K views 718 replies 81 participants last post by  Combat Chuck 
#1 · (Edited)
The time has finally come for me to organize a members journal! Ive been a member here since I purchased my 98 2.5RS in late December of 2005. My car, not unlike myself, has been through a lot since then and made many changes. And now, upon organizing parts and information for my swap, I though I should get the cars history laid out so I can properly journal its future :D

Current Photos:










Current Mod List 3/13/2023

Engine / Exhaust / Fuel System

Version 9 EJ207
Injector Dynamics 1050X Injectors
IAG Competition series oil pan / baffle / pickup
IAG polyurethane engine mounts
KSTech DBW throttle adapter
2007 2.5i DBW Throttle Body
Roger Clark Motorsports Downpipe
Roger Clark Motorsports Group N turbo-inlet
Roger Clark Motorsports Alloy Cam Gears (Exhaust Side)
IAG V3 competition AOS
HKS Kevlar timing belt
Roger Clark Motorsports timing belt guide
PTP Turbo Blanket
Grimmspeed Turbo Heat Shield
ETS Top Mount Intercooler
Samco intercooler elbow
Tial Q BOV w/Torque Solutions Adapter
Forge BOV
Aluminati Expansion Tank
CSF Oil Cooler (#8119)
RCM Black Series Oil Sandwich Plate
CSF Aluminum Radiator
Spal 12" fan
Samco radiator hoses
iWire radiator shroud
Cobb overflow bottle w/iWire bracket
K&N Filter w/ 3" Vibrant velocity stack & custom inlet adapter
Fuelab low-pressure lift pump
Radium Venturi transfer pump
Radium Surge Tank w/Walbro 255
Radium In-line fuel filter
Continental Flex Fuel Sensor



Drivetrain
Kotouc (KAPS) R4 Sequential Transmission (P2 ratios 3.33 / 2.38 / 1.80 / 1.37 / 1.06 / 0.84 )
Version 9 Sti 6MT transmission TY856WB8KA
Version 9 R180 rear diff
ACT StreetLite flywheel
Exedy Stage 1 Organic HD Clutch
OEM Exedy Clutch
Goodrich Stainless Braided Clutch Line
Torque solutions transmissions mount (poly)
Torque solutions solid carrier bearing bushings (Aluminum)
Kartboy transmission crossmember bushings
Whiteline front and rear shifter bushings
Torque solutions solid shifter u-joint
Whiteline rear diff bushings (rear crossmember)
Whiteline T-frame bushings
IAG Competition pitch stop


Suspension / Steering
V9 STI 5x114 hubs
V9 STi subframes (front/rear)
V9 STi sway bars (front / rear)
Feal 441+ Coilovers w/Swift springs (10k/8k) (9k/8k)
Swift Helper Springs
Professional Awesome 777 Bumpstops
JDM GC8 STi Aluminum control arms
Whiteline ALK
Whiteline roll center kit
Whiteline control arm bushings
Whiteline lateral link bushings
Whiteline trailing arm bushings
Whiteline rear endlinks
Whitleine rear sway-bar mounts
Whiteline 22mm adjustable rear sway bar
Whiteline 22mm adjustable front sway bar
SwayAway front endlinks (for 2015 STi)
2015 STi Steering Rack
L&E Rack steering shaft adapter
Whiteline steering rack bushings
Chasebays power steering reservoir
Mooresport power steering pump adapter
IAG -6an PS high pressure line, custom -6an return line, custom -8an suction line


Brakes
C6 Z06 Corvette 6 piston front calipers w/12.8" STI Rotors
STi Brembo rear calipers
Stoptech Stainless Braided Brake Lines
G-LOC R12 / R10 Brake pads
Centric blank front rotors
Brembo blank rear rotors
CompBrake brake servo
Nameless performance 18" Hydro Handbrake

Wheels/Tires
Enkei PF05 17x8.5 +48
WedsSport TC105X 17x8.5 +43
Falken Azenis RT660 235/40/17
ARP Extended wheel studs

Interior / Safety
Sparco Sprint seat on custom fabricated mounts
Sparco steering wheel
Snap-off R1000 quick release
Custom roll cage built to SCCA GCR specs (1.5"x0.120" DOM)
Schroth Profi 3x2 FIA Harnesses
Renscott Harness Collars
6OC lightweight door panels
181stleader Carbon fuel tank access covers
Custom central switch panel
6OC Drivers floor plate
iWire DBW pedal adaptor
Flocked Dash
Rennline/Rennscot fire extinguisher mount w/Maxout 2.5lb extinguisher


Exterior
Aerosim Research carbon fiber race roof
V6 / RS front bumper w/Fog light covers
JDM Smooth rear bumper
JDM Lightweight bumper beams
JDM Rear spats
JDM Taillights
JDM Clear Corner Lights
Clear side markers
L'aunsport S5 WRC style Rear wing
Bakemono 22B Hood Vents
Bakemono Carbon S201 Mirrors
Shaved side moldings
Shaved trunk
Custom Pearl Blue paint
30% Ceramic window tint
RPG Carbon WRC Mirrors
RPG Carbon Exhaust Shroud
V5/6 Replica front lip

Electronics
Haltech Nexus R5 VCU
Haltech PD16 Power Distribution Module
Haltech 15 Button CAN Keypad
Haltech 8 Button CAN Keypad
Haltech TCA-8 CAN Thermocouple Module w/Prospeed connector brace
Haltech CAN Hub
Haltech TMS-4
ECU Master Dual H-Bridge module
Plex SDM700 Digital Dash Logger
Custom motorsport wire harness
MAPDCCD Center Diff controller
MSEL Solid state battery isolator
Odyssey PC680 Battery
2006+ WRX DBW Pedal / Throttle Body
KA NTC2 Fast motorsports IAT sensor (Intake Manifold)
RIFE IAT charge cooler temp sensor (Intercooler)
Lowdoller Motorsports oil pressure sensor
Lowdoller Motorsport oil temp sensor
Delphi Flex Fuel Sensor w/Raceart Mount
MAC 3port EBCS w/Raceart Mount
AIM Sport 2k PSI brake pressure sensors
Hella Sharptones Horn




Introduction
My name is Steven and this is my long-standing journal documenting the path of my 1998 2.5RS from purchase, daily driving, to now many years later restoration and transition into a dedicated track car. The most recent phase of this project has taken me roughly 6 years. 5 years, but I'm getting close to having a complete car, with the goal for a running driving car later this summer (2021). I'm at the point now where the car is so nearly road-worthy. I'm making a big push, and the goal now is to have it track ready by July 2022. I've now been using and enjoying the car from the summer of 2022. A project like this is never "complete" but its in some version of done. I'll continue to update this as it continues to evolve.

Original Intro from 2005
Heres my Introduction and story for how I got my car:
My name is Steven Stewart and I'm from lower West Michigan. When I was a freshman in college I was in the market for a new car after crashing my first car, a 95 Nissan Altima, into a telephone pole in the snow. Im not exactly sure what sparked my interest in Subarus but It was pretty quickly that I decided I wanted an impreza.

I browsed Ebay, autotrader, craigs list, news papers and such for a couple weeks looking for a new car. One session on ebay, I clicked on a link for this wrecked blue 98 coupe but just glanced at it and moved on. Later, I returned to that link and realized it was about 40min from my house! So the next day I went and looked at it, drove it around the parking lot (it was salvaged title, thats all I could do :( ) and immediately fell in love. They wanted $5500 for it off the lot and that was way too much so I decided to bid on it on Ebay. I Lost the auction to a sniper and it went for $3600 :( I was pretty sad I didnt get it. Anyways, two days later i found it listed again on Ebay! I called them right away, offered $3600 cash and picked it up the next day!

12-21-2005 Purchase!
Heres two pictures the dealer used on the ebay auction




And here she is at the body shop I worked at the day I brought it home




After this, I began the process of rebuilding my new purchase.
 

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#279 ·
Passenger side door is 99% complete. Fixed a pretty big dent near the front. As I ground it down to bare metal I realized that there’s actually quite a bit of bondo on this door. I don’t know anything about the car they came off of other than that they had been shaved and painted. I sighed, and filled it again. Not the best solution but they’re flat (relatively) and it seems to have been done well. Just not sure why it needed a skim coat over the whole thing...

The spot...first application of filler...


And finished...


Also ground out and filled some rust near the back of the door. This took some shaping since I had to grind down into the metal pretty deep...


Couple shiny spots left to hit on this door and it’s ready for primer surfacer!

Also, got my LVLP gun and a 3M PPS setup. This should be good enough at least to spray primer and rust bullet where needed.



And a boat load of priming products...


And as far as color and sparkles and glitter and all that shit...I’m considering a few colors that are very close to RBP but with a little extra pop...when it gets closer to that time I’m gonna spray a bunch of test panels and pick something. But thanks for the encouragement guys! :lol:


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#287 ·
This stuff...
https://www.rustbullet.com/automotive-applications

It's an extremely tough rust preventative paint. It's a very strong finish and is excellent for applying direct to metal. We used it on our rally car build, and specifically, in the wheel wells...after 7 rally's its still holding strong.

They also sell an etching chemical called Metal Blast...I'll use metal blast on areas of rust if I can't QUITE cut or grind it all out.

It's good stuff. Better than POR. Buy it on amazon. The automotive is silver, they also sell black and white.
 
#289 ·
That's a good point on getting a used one off cleanly. I'm sure the guy in the salvage yard doesn't give a shit. If they were still available from the dealer I'd buy one, but at this point I'll have to find some one with new old stock like you did with yours. At this point my options are: pull the damage out, and fill. Or, get one from the junk yard. Luckily I don't think I have any rust to deal with, as my car has been in CA it's whole life.
 
#293 · (Edited)
Oooookay, today was a big progress day. At least it feels like it. The car is primed, although I’m not done with priming. Explanation below.

Over the last many weeks, when time has allowed, I’ve been sanding and prepping. At some point I cleaned and sanded and the trunk and welded up the key hole.
Halfway through plasti-dip removal


Clean...


Mostly sanded...


Key hole patch...


Welded...


Filler...and that’s about where I left it.


Today I started masking the car off this morning. Haven’t done this since I worked in a body shop in high school!




Mixed this up. Cue critical error. I mixed 4:1 per Eastwood’s material. I should have mixed 4:1:1 with reducer.


Loaded up...


Shot...



The primer was too thick for today’s temp. It needed the reducer. It ended up spraying dry in a lot of places so I’ll have to sand and re-spray a second coat. Kinda bummed but this was my first time doing this.


But boy does this still feel pretty good. I rolled it outside to get a good look. You can see the rough finish compared to spots that I just lightly sanded...



So...lesson learned. It will be okay, I just made more work for myself. Next up will be sanding the whole thing again with 120 and spraying a second coat. Then I’m thinking I’ll move on to cage construction.


Gear has started arriving for the cage build...new Pro-tools notcher was first.



1.5” tube die is on the way. Just gotta pickup the bender from my buddy and buy some tube. After cage build, paint interior, paint engine bay / wheel wells (all Rust Bullet white shell), install carbon roof, paint exterior. Easier said than done.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#300 ·
Thanks Dude!

Looking good! With the interior stripped out, are you going to sand and paint it as well?
Yeah, the interior, engine bay, "Front clip", trunk/taillight apron, and (probably) wheel wells are going to be sprayed in Rust-Bullet WhiteShell.

i set up a snazzy tube notch setup just like that. Took like two cuts before i yanked it out of there, chucked my cordless onto it and just start notch tubes out in the driveway.

also, milwaukee hole dozers are the best bits for those. homedepot stocks them too
Yeah, we'll see. I gotta set it up so that the table isn't in the way of the Tube when it's loaded. We'll see how it goes.

:color:

fancy kids tho. chop saw and belt sander is all you need if you have skillz
We resorted to that when building our rally car. But we also had a shit harbor-freight notcher. I'm hoping a nicer tool will yield better results. We'll see!
 
#297 ·
i set up a snazzy tube notch setup just like that. Took like two cuts before i yanked it out of there, chucked my cordless onto it and just start notch tubes out in the driveway.

also, milwaukee hole dozers are the best bits for those. homedepot stocks them too
 
#302 · (Edited)
Okay, maybe a question for Bue or Terry or Ted...



So on planning cage construction - I want the cage to comply with SCCA general competition rules. The tubing size is dictated by vehicle weight...I definitely want to use the thinnest wall / lightest tube available. The break-point is 2700lbs. If I can get it under 2700lbs I can use 0.090” wall tube, which is like ~0.40lbs lighter per foot than 0.120 wall tube (either DOM or 4130).




On one hand, I’m afraid if I got 090 wall and the car ends up over 2700 after assembly, it wouldn’t be compliant. However, I’m also afraid if I use 120 wall it will contribute to a heavier cage and definitely put me over 2700lbs.



Years ago, with full interior, swapped, 5spd, stock 5 spokes, no AC and a 1/4 tank of gas the car weighed 2750lbs. I’m adding a carbon roof (~30lbs savings), gutted interior (sound deadening removed), lightweight beams, removed spare tire well (replacing with AL sheet) and potentially an AL hood.



So 090 or 120...that is the question. I don’t want to get to the end with a full assembled car and not able to use it. But also, don’t want any excess weight. Thoughts?





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#303 ·
Honestly, what is more important? 100 lbs or your life? Really ponder that.

I personally would build the hoop, a pillars and door bars (at least on my side) with 1.75 x .095. I would say the .095 will be plenty because of how light you want the whole car.

The kickers, roof spreader and diagonal or v, depending on what you want, would be 1.5 x .120 unless they allow you to use .095 with the 1.75 mix vs a full 1.5" cage.

Never hurts to call and ask the sanction body

my 2 pennies.
 
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