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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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#179 ·
Thanks Everyone!

Well, the RS finally made it home. We wrapped it again in plastic to keep everything inside contained and dry. It's good to have solid friends. My buddy Derek helped me move the car in December with a Uhaul. This time we used his newly acquired Bus rig that we use for the rally car. Now I just need to organize and clean up the garage and I can get back to work!









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#181 ·
Things have finally settled down enough after the move that I got some free time this weekend to work on the car.

Got the dash bar out and started removing HVAC stuff


Got my harness out. It was a bit tedious as I had wires for my gauges, the Vipec expansion harness, and my merged harness all intertwined.


The harness will get completely rebuilt, stripped of unnecessary stuff, re-routed and use bulkhead connectors. I also want either integrate some of the new sensors for the Vipec so it's all on one harness.


Finally, I started working on getting sound deadening up so I can fix the floors and prep the interior for cage and paint.




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#184 ·
Thanks guys!

Just a little work tonight...

Pulled the front harness and airbag sensors.


Radiator is out, front end looking a little more bare.


Got most of the sound deadening off the passenger floor and the bulkhead blanket thing gone.


And one just cuz.



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#186 · (Edited)
Thanks! I love having the extra space. We're loving the new home. It's the best possible compromise of space and location. We've got an awesome neighborhood. I've got a brewery on our block!


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#188 ·
I was just thinking about picking up a heat gun tomorrow to get the stubborn parts off. So far just a gasket scraper and mallet has done the trick.

I've read the goof off aerosol is super good. Gonna get some of that too!


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#190 ·
Kinda wasted the weekend and didn't get anything done. I did find a guy parting a sedan about an hour away, so I finally got a trunk. $100...rust free. It's dipped, so I'll have to peel it. Anyways...one more part checked off the list.




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#194 ·
Tried cleaning up the drivers floor with goof off and it did an okay job. I had to do more scraping and use a few applications. I also pulled the round plugs out to get all the sealer off.

Once I had it relatively clean I began to examine the rust. It's worst along the edge near the door. They should use this as a sales pitch for weather tech floor mats. Anyways, this plate needed to come off, so I busted out my drill...


This was wedged underneath of it :lol:


And here's what's underneath. More rust.


So, I think I'll cut out up to the "Frame rail" bump, where I marked here. I'll leave a half inch margin maybe so I can flange it and lay the new panel in.


I need to get the seat mount out and the fuel lines out so I can continue. Thinking I'm gonna need a bead roller too.


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#196 ·
The weather snapped cold again and it was just unbearable in the garage today. 25 degrees...my hands and feet got way too cold. I had to keep taking breaks. I concentrated on getting the roof off today because I'm giving it to a local who needs one.



I tried working on the floors after but my spot weld drills were all burned out. Couldn't get the seat mounts off so I called it a day. Sigh...not the progress I hoped for the day.


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#200 ·
I loaned my friend my engine hoist probably 4 or 5 years ago when we were building the Fervor Rally OBS and I FINALLY today got it back haha. We put it to use straight away and pulled the engine out of my coupe.




While my two buddies were tackling more of the tedious work, scraping floors and sound deadening, I went at removing the seat mounts on the drivers side. What a miserable job. The rust had obscured where the spot welds were so I had to kinda guess and ended up tearing the floor in a couple of spots.


With them both out I marked up where to cut. I'm going with 3 panels. It's probably the easiest way to do it, considering the geometry of the supports underneath the floor pan. All marked up here...


First section cut...



Made a template, made a panel and tried out my bead roller for the first time. I think this will be pretty stiff once welded in. Pretty happy with the result!


And just like that another day burned. Rolled it outside and cleaned up aaaaand that's a wrap.






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#204 ·
I loaned my friend my engine hoist probably 4 or 5 years ago when we were building the Fervor Rally OBS and I FINALLY today got it back haha. We put it to use straight away and pulled the engine out of my coupe.
Hah! Reminds me of the relationship I had with a family friend we borrowed a hoist from for about 3 years. His son needed it back to swap the engine in his Lotus, so we gave it back and then borrowed it once again for 2 years. Bought our own not much later lol. Weird relationship to have, but totally valid!
 
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