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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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#92 · (Edited)
Some progress from this weekend..

Lower inner trunk extension off



Cut the new quarter and started mocking it up. It actually fit pretty well first shot. I worked the joints for a couple hours and got it really close. Needs some work yet on the inner fender...



This progress feels suuuper good! Hopefully the trunk extension comes soon and I can get the quarter tacked and check fitment soon.
 
#93 ·
Got the underlying surface rust all cleaned up and treated with Metal Blast. Then painted everything with Rust Bullet.




Also got my replacement inner trunk extension...


Hopefully everything is dried enough today I can start welding in new metal.
 
#95 · (Edited)
Well I'm not sure which aren't working, they work for me. But either way I'll recap :D

Big progress today...went from this...



To this...




I'm not the best welder in the world so some of it isn't pretty but it's solid none the less.

I'm beat...but it's way cool to have a steel quarter attached and the car in one piece.
 
#96 ·
Hey guys, I went back and re-uploaded my images from the last few posts. Let me know if they're working !

In other news, got new glass for the STi yesterday and it's at the detailer today. Hopefully getting it ready to list for sale soon...
 
#97 ·
Got the trim holes welded up and shaved...



Started applying filler...


Blocked the C pillar. Super happy with the result here...



Blocked the rocker...pretty good especially considering most of it will be covered.



Also got the inner fender welded up to the new skin and started repairing the parts of the wheel house I cut out. Almost time to move on to the passenger side and start the process all over again.
 
#100 ·
Thanks man!

Got the fender liner sheet metal done. Not perfect bust solid. Ground things down as smooth as I could and applied metal blast and then rust bullet. I also cleaned up the inner fender lip where the paint was cracked and had surface rust. Next will be epoxy primer, Seam sealer to fill in all the cracks and holes, and finally underbody coating.







And here's the car as it stands.

 
#101 ·
Got the seams and all other exposed parts of the car primed with 2K epoxy. Just need to protect it from rusting while I work on the rest of the shell. Overall I'm very pleased with my work.







 
#109 · (Edited)
Work is looking good! Two coworkers and I are about to undergo a smaller version of this with my 98 as well. I paid to have it repainted back in 2010, there was no rust though. Now the paint is peeling and going to shyst and I currently manage at a body shop so... yeah. One of the guys has a booth at their house with a 4 bay garage. Pretty sweet!

Keep it up and keep us posted. I don't get on here much anymore except to check messages, but I came across this.

We're twins...
 
#113 ·
Well, after 9 weeks of waiting, our Crosstrek we ordered came in. Hyper Blue Premium 5MT. This my first new car ever and It was stock for about 2 hours haha!

Got something special in the mail for the RS too! Hopefully back at it soon...









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#116 ·
Well, after a month of waiting for what I thought would be a very rare, and unique part to add to my build...my Burn-Up S6 wing arrived



Aaaaaaand it doesn't fit.



Fuuuuck. Pretty sure it's an S6 rep for a GD. Maybe a Burn-Up, maybe not. Who knows. Either way, it's a set back and a huge disappointment.

Damnit.


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#118 · (Edited)
Okay, just to document...

A GC trunk is ~45 7/8ths inches wide...



The bottom mounting surface of the wing is ~48" wide...



The outermost mounting holes are ~46.5" wide...so with the wing centered the outermost mounting holes would be over the quarter panel by roughly .3" to each side.


Clearly this thing isn't intended for a GC trunk if 4 of 6 mounting holes aren't even ON the trunk when it's centered. Also, I'm nearly certain it's the GD version of the Burn-Up '00 WRC wing. According to their website, the GC and GD wings are the same top half with a different bottom section...

Check it Out on Burn-Up's Website...

And looking at the photo it's almost certainly exactly this wing...


Bottom line...the wing isn't intended for and doesn't fit a GC trunk. The vendor claims it was removed from a GC in Japan andThis seems to be his justification for why it should fit. We all know you can make anything fit, including OEM GD STI wings...but that doesn't make it a GC wing. Am I right?

I'm really frustrated and I'm hoping he'll work with me on a return or something. I'm not spending all this time and money on my project just to rig an ill fitting wing. Is it reasonable to ask for a return? What should I do if he refuses?



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#119 ·
Got the passenger side quarter off today. The rust is definitely worse on this side, especially up near the top of the wheel house. Gonna have to do more cutting and welding on this side for sure. Guhhhh...





Progress is progress! Glad I was finally able to get a day to work on it.

As far as the wing debacle goes...the vendor agreed to a refund which is good! I might do that or trade for a version 6 wing. Or maybe something different all together [emoji6]


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