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thegoldenfist's 05 Aspen White Impreza

418K views 4K replies 157 participants last post by  bue car 
#1 · (Edited)
Here's my story

With my dad being a mechanic I've always been into cars and it didn't have to be a domestic or an import, it just had to have an engine in it that I could fiddle around with. In my senior year in high school (the year "The Fast and The Furious" came out), I really got turned on to the import market but I really didn't know what I wanted. After graduation, my father gave me his 1989 Isuzu Impulse that needed to be rebuilt. I learned everything I know now about cars from that Impulse. After fooling around a bit with the Isuzu, I knew I was wanting something a bit more fun and it had to have an air conditioner (which my Impulse didn't). Then, I became good friends with my pal James who owns a 2005 STI. He really got me hooked on the Subaru scene and that's when my hunt for an Impreza began. At first I was wanting an STI because I saw and felt the power my friends car had, but after looking for awhile I found nothing but modded and raced out Subaru's, both WRX and STI's. Then.....while looking for an STI on autotrader, I found a nice looking Impreza RS. She was Aspen White and came with some very nice looking rims. The car was for sale in Austin, so I went for a test drive. While it didn't have the power I was wanting, it did however have the handling I loved so much and of course bone stock with no mods. The dealership wanted $16500 plus TTL and I talked them down to $15000 out the door. It was said and done and I was in the Subaru game.

My first car: 1989 2.3 Liter Isuzu Impulse



She had over 300,000 miles on her when I sold her.


My new car: 2005 Subaru Impreza RS (What she looked like when I bought Her)

Bone stock except the Tenzo R wheels



Interior with WRX sport seats and MOMO steering wheel
 

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#2 · (Edited)
Table of Contents

Maintenance History

Borla-Reps wrap and rustoleum seal

Whiteline Solid Endlinks and TIC Rear Diff bushings

DIY: SEAFOAM on 2005 Impreza RS

DIY: STi gauge install with pinouts

Supers Track Pipe

Squeeky clutch slave fix

Meguiar's Plastx polish use on headlights

ImBenDood aka: (RoxyTheImpreza) suspension goodies install :)

DIY: Beatrush Propeller Shaft Mounts

DIY: Front brake rotors and pads (DBA & HAWK)

ImBenDood aka: (RoxyTheImpreza) back to stock transformation :)

DIY: Kartboy short shifter install

How to fix a flat by screw or nail in tire

October 2011 engine pull

DIY: Fixing your seat cushion (ghetto style)

Whiteline front swaybar and endlink problem fix

Fender Brace Install (a picture story)

Project "Battery Relocation"

06 WRX 4-pot install

The ABCs of motorsports

Genuine OBX EL header external review (not installed) Installed

DIY: Rear View Mirror Button Install

Cabin Filter Install

STi alternator swap

EJ253 purchase (road trip)

DriftHD and microphone setup testing

Close call on the hwy, thank god for the 4-pots!!!

Universal oil catch can install

Fixing slightly glazed/burned rotors (4-pots)

Whiteline Anti-Lift kit install

Legacy GT rear rotor upgrade

March 2014 Transmission Work

Slammed into a Lowes side walk head on

Quick little get together/cruise with my EVO friends

San Antonio Raceway for midnight madness, April 2014

FEAL 441 install

Old School Meet 2014

Alignment after FEAL 441 install

Plugged up leaky battery cable pass through

Parasitic battery drain problem fixed

Cars and Coffee Austin TX, August 2014

Big Crank ETX20L Battery

Cars and Coffee Austin TX, September 2014

Bat City Subies meet, September 2014

Big Event 6, October 2014

Cars and Coffee Austin TX, October 2014

Work/Parts shed

2004 STi pinks

DIY: Window tint removal (garment steamer method)

DriftHD "unboxing"

Now on to my current build (click on the links to view were to buy)

Engine:
Cobb Accessport
Cobb Lightweight pulley
Oil Filter Relocation With Custom Bracket and K&N Filter
Custom (prototype) Solid Pitch Stop
Group A Throttle Body Spacer
Injen Intake with K&N Apollo Filter
Borla-Reps Headers (e bay member a2rinc)(wrapped)
Remflex Exhaust Manifold Gaskets
Muffler Express Distribution OEM catalytic converter replacement
Stromung Dual Tip muffler with straight center pipe
BadlanzHPE Electric Exhaust Cutout with a 90 degree Y-pipe
06 WRX Exedy clutch
06 WRX clutch fork upgrade
06 WRX Act lightweight flywheel
Group N engine mounts
Universal 250ml oil catch can

Interior:
05 STI Gauge Cluster
05 WRX Sport Seats (Front and Back)
Scangauge 2
Cobb Hardened Shifter Bushings
ATI Center Gauge Pod
60mm Prosport JDM oil pressure gauge
JDM Hazard Button
Custom Garmin Nuvi Mount

Exterior:
05 STI HIDs
05 STI Hood (donor car was black pearl, paid $50 for it)
Scoop Delete
Right side Fog Lamp Bezel to utilize the full Apollo intake duct
OEM STI Side Splitters
V-Limited Style Front Lip
Hella Supertone Horns mounted on Subimods Bracket with Subimods Hella Horn Harness Kit

Suspension and Other:
04 BBS wheels (custom powder coated color chosen by aesthetic) BEFORE - 17" Tenzo-R Passion-5 Black Wheels with Yokohama S-Drive Tires
Feal 441 Coilover kit BEFORE - Prodrive (blue) Springs on 06 WRX Struts
Group-N Transmission Mount
Turn In Concepts Rear Diff Mount Bushings
Kartboy Rear Subframe Outrigger Bushings
Turn In Concepts Tranny Crossmember Bushings
Kartboy Rear Shifter Stay Bushing
Kartboy Subframe Locking Bolts
Front and Rear Cusco Strut Bars
Optima RedTop http://www.rallitek.com/Battery-Quick-Disconnect/p-4520
COBB Urethane Exhaust Hangers
Transmission Cocktail Mix
Beatrush Propeller Shaft Mounts
GrimmSpeed Master Cylinder Brace
Whiteline 02-04 Steering Rack Bushings
my4isflat Fender Braces
Whiteline front swaybar
Cobb 3 way adjustable rear swaybar
Whiteline solid endlinks up front and rear
Whiteline Anti-Lift Kit
Relocated washer bottle to the trunk using OEM STi intercooler bottle

Brakes
06 WRX 4-pots
Centric premium rotors
Hawk HPS Brake Pads
Techna-Fit Braided Brake Lines

Soon to be installed:


Z1 Performance Stainless Steel Clutch Line
 
#8 · (Edited)
The 23lb battery with quick disconnect - this comes in very handy


The dogbone I got when they were making prototypes


Cobb Light Weight Pulley


Throttle Body Spacer (bought from NW OBS)




Prodrive springs on 06 WRX Struts


Cobb rear sway bar and Whiteline endlinks
 
#13 · (Edited)
When I first bought the e bay Borla-reps I had ceramic coated them, but I hated the way they sounded (very tinnnny). I then wrapped them and then coated (literally drenched them) with high heat paint. The headers were smoking for at least three days.

Use this and a paint brush to drench them. (make sure you really soak them with this stuff and get it in every fiber).






and make sure you take your time when wrapping them. This is not something that should be done fast.
 
#15 ·
No more suspension upgrades for now. My ride is so stiff right now with the springs and all the bushing replacements. I just love the way I can hear the engine and transmission from inside my car.
 
#21 · (Edited)
This is an OLDER example of making a hybrid intake system. I used a cheaply bought Weapon R Secret Weapon intake system from an 06 and chopped it to fit as a hybrid system. More info on the different systems can be found at the link below.
A Problem with CAI/SRIs and an Alternative (yes, finally)





 
#165 ·
This is an OLDER example of making a hybrid intake system. I used a cheaply bought Weapon R Secret Weapon intake system from an 06 and chopped it to fit as a hybrid system. More info on the different systems can be found at the link below.
A Problem with CAI/SRIs and an Alternative (yes, finally)




im just wondering how you liked this setup?
i was gonna try this with my 07
with a normal short ram my low end torque sucks @#@$ :(
 
#22 ·
This is what happens when you run an upgraded rear sway bar (22mm) and dont upgrade your endlinks as well. LOL



But dont worry I had these laying around for a good weather day.



Comparo



Installed


 
#23 ·
I upgraded the rear differential mount bushings from Turn In Concepts. Before when accelerating and during hard shifting there was a lot of slop in the rear end, but now that's a thing of the past. I also upgraded to the rear subframe outrigger bushings from Kartboy.


 
#24 ·
Nice job on the fabricated intake. - I did the exact same thing, used an old Option Racing 3" short ram and cut it to fit w. silicone couplers. Mine runs to the stock airbox also. I'm interested in the Injen front air inlet as this would work for my 1996 Legacy also, I've never seen one until now, where'd you get it?
 
#25 ·
The front air inlet is actually off of an 05 STI. It just happen to have an Injen sticker on it from the junk yard. Any WRX or STI inlet should work but make sure your hood will close with it on.
 
#26 · (Edited)
Heres a bit more detail on the AccessPort mount I fabricated. Its cut out of 16ga steel and then hand bent to face the driver. I then painted it hammered grey to match my stereo bezel. I used industrial Velcro on both where the mount attaches to the inside of the DIN cubby hole and the AccessPort. This way I have an option to remove either the whole mount or just the AP. The industrial Velcro holds everything very tight.




 
#34 · (Edited)
I did this:


It retaines the stock torque box, adds the throttle body spacer, Injen intake, and the k&n Apollo filter system. Before, (even with the AccessPort tune), my low end torque wasnt that great. I saw myself mashing the throttle when at a light and it didnt give much until about 2500-3000rpm. I then added the oem torque box and did the whole ecu relearn thing. Now, Ive got more off the line powa and then Ive got the smoothness of the Injen and K&N filter at higher rpms. Im gonna datalog this setup to evaluate it.
 
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