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93' Impreza L "Project Bluebird"

87K views 542 replies 30 participants last post by  Flat4awd 
#1 · (Edited)
1993 Impreza L "Project Bluebird" aka Naomi, Kami, Eleven, Ryu, Akira, Sonic etc...
Aegean Blue Metallic
AWD / 5-Spd


Modification list has been updated as of 7/25/2022

Photos: Current to distant...

Wheel Automotive parking light Car Tire Land vehicle


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Automotive parking light Car Vehicle Land vehicle Automotive side marker light


Wheel Tire Car Automotive parking light Vehicle


Summer: Sprint Harts w/ Bridgestone Potenza RE-71 205/50/15
Option: Rays RS Zero STi option w/ Toyo R 215/45/17
Mid-Season: Advan RC II w/ Yokohama AVID Ascends 195/50/16
Winter: Advan RC's w/ Nokian Nordman 7 studded snow tires 175/65/15
Option: Speedline Preo-R w/ Bridgestone Blizzak 195/60/16

Engine:
EJ1.8 with many miles (275+ and counting)
Custom intake pipe w/ DEI heat resistant shield & ducting
HKS Mega Suction 'mushroom' intake
HKS Aux belts
HKS Hi-temp radiator cap
NGK plugs/wires
NGK coilpack
Cusco battery tie-down w/ Rally-Tech rods
Cusco radiator shroud
Cusco radiator v-brace
Agency Power light crank pulley (1 lb.)
Equal length CNT 'OBX Style' headers w/ high flow cat
Custom flange to stock midpipe
Paranoid Fabrications urethane exhaust hangers
Kartboy urethane exhaust hangers

Suspension/Handling/Braking:
HKS Hiper-D Coilovers
PST carbon fiber driveshaft
STi Fhi carbon fiber front strut bar
STi Alloy Lower Control Arms
Whiteline Comfort Anti-Lift Kit
Whiteline bump steer correction kit
Tanabe xmember brace
KB pitch stop inserts
KB shifter bushings
KB trans mount bushings
KB rear outrigger bushings
Prothane'd steering rack bushings
Prothane'd control arms
Prothane'd lateral links
Prothane'd trailing arms
Cusco carbon fiber rear strut bar w/ trunk v-brace
Cusco trunk brace
Cusco rear outrigger braces
Cusco pitch stop
21mm front swaybar w/ KB urethane bushings
17mm rear swaybar w/ KB urethane bushings
Spherical front endlinks (unknown brand)
Heavy duty rear endlinks (unknown brand)
Drilled/slotted front rotors (unknown brand)
Drilled/slotted rear rotors (unknown brand)
Lachute Master Cylinder brace
HKS sweat band
Stop Tech front pads
Project Mu rear pads
FHi Dual Piston rear calipers
Stainless-Steel brake lines all around

Interior:
OEM Impreza Teal/Grey mats
WRC 95' seats
STi pedal covers
STi carbon fiber 5-spd shift knob
JDM style carbon fiber oval rear-view mirror
JDM style carbon fiber door handle inserts
JDM V4 WRX rear seats
Beatrush by Laille Partition panel / blockoff plate
Custom Made x-brace
Custom parcel shelf
LED dome bulb (so you can see when it's dark out.)
Pioneer head unit w/ Alpine speakers
Gutted trunk w/ 3M weather tape for noise reduction
Gutted dash w/ paint matched components
Cool Decals

Exterior:
V4 front bumper (gutted w/ slats removed)
Beatrush by Laille under panel (recently destroyed, new one on back order)
Fading paint~Aegean Blue Metallic
Shaved moldings
Smoothed bumpers
WRC replica carbon fiber mirrors
'Tuned by STi' quick steering decal
V1 alloy hood
PIAA LED corner lights
PIAA headlight bulbs
PIAA foglight bulbs
PIAA wiper blades
JDM fluted clear corners
JDM front bumper beam
JDM rear bumper beam
JDM purple LED reverses
JDM tilt plate
Cool decals


Land of the free BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE...thanks goes to US for our take on badass GC8's...and also to the revival in popularity of razor sharp 90's Japanese tuning culture! 🗻 ⛩
 

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#8 ·
Thanks!

So far I have the following items for my next turbo build:

-Stromung dual tip axle back
-3" no name turbo mid pipe
-06 WRX tmic w/ ebay BOV
-02-07 silicone turbo inlet
-16 GXT turbo (I don't know anything about this style, as I'm used to IHI series turbos so if anyone can chime in about this thing I'd appreciate it.)
-RRFPR (not that I'll even need it)
-Lamco boost gauge? Not sure where tf it is tho
-Lamco clock gauge (I'm looking at you ChrisInABox...)

A buddy of mine has a 200k ish mileage ej205 block, so that's what I'll be using. I'm still in the preliminary planning stages of this, and considering every aspect of it.
 
#9 ·
Nothing really historic with this, changed the oil & had an alignment done. Alignment specs were pretty close to Front: -1, Rear: -.5 Toe: 0, and that's the last time I'll go to this shoddy alignment shop.

Also, spilled energy drink all over my passenger seat, and nearly had a conniption fit while cleaning it.
 
#18 ·


After being held in captivity for far too long, the Bluebird has been released and is flying around lately.

Installed recently: v4 STi struts w/ eibachs, 17 mil rear sway, rugged mounts and urethane bushings, Audi A4 alloy endlinks, STi alloy lat links, and Speedline/Prodrive P7 wheels.

On a totally unrelated note, happy Mother's Day. Make sure you give your Moms a thanks for squeezing you out of her va jay jay and raising you up to be a GC nerd.
 
#20 ·
Figured this thread needed an update.

I started going through the old suspension components and refreshing with new this winter. Here are some of the pictures through it:







I realized that this Tanabe Sustec brace will actually fit under the Impreza fine,
and clears the exhaust I have on it (no need for turbo xmember), so I installed that too:





Next up I'll be ordering the transverse links for the alloy lca's, installing that stuff then an alignment this spring. I'm getting vanity antique plates for bluebird this year, and am considering different ideas. Most are taken, but V1-1993 is still available, so that may be the one.
 
#22 ·
That's fucking bullshit...in Maine they allowed me to get KMAKAZE (!) which was pretty insane considering how conservative we are up here.

I used the vanity plate thingy our dmv has and V1-1993 isn't taken! I'm psyched to put antique plates on it.
 
#29 ·
Did work. Been dreading this install but sucked it up and went out to the freezing cold garage.

First item up on the agenda; weight. OEM Steel lower control arms vs. Alloy's. I've been reading a lot of nonsense, so I decided to settle it:



OEM is about 11 lbs. as the scale is off by a smidge.



This looks like 8 lbs., but it's more like 7.5.

If I tilt the phone, it distorts the number so I tried to capture it straight on for most accuracy. Both of the lower control arms were loaded with bushings and the anti-lift kit was installed on the alloy ones.

At any rate, the JDM alloy ones are around 3.5 lbs. lighter then there OEM steel counterpart. Decent.

Did some things:





Still pretty stoked this thing just bolts on.



One side done, after the other side is complete I head to the alignment rack. :banana:
 
#32 ·
Thanks for the support dude, I love this car.

I'm very interested in hearing your thoughts on the ALK before and after.
What's up. I had these on my green Impreza that I ghetto-boosted. At the time, I had so many other suspension upgrades done to that thing I couldn't really notice a difference other than on/off throttle acceleration and grip. You could probably make an anti-lift kit with some urethane and washers for a lot less then the $200 I initially spent (it was on sale).

When I finish the right side on Bluebird, I will give you an update on how it feels in a road test with the car. However, I'm betting it'll be more of the same because I'm doing so many suspension upgrades at once. Stay tuned fam.:drunk:
 
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