The story of a second hand build in need of some TLC.
I have built a few Hondas/dirt bikes/quads over the course of the past 15 years but never a Subaru. This time around I wanted a car with the majority of the heavy work completed, for I do not have the time or room for a ground up build.
I remember drooling over the 2.5RS when they hit the showrooms when I was in high school. After searching the entire USA for a clean RSTI for over 8 months, I pulled the trigger on one 2000 miles away. The car was in GA and I was in CA but did not let the distance stop me. Grabbed a buddy and after a total of 20 hours at a series of airports, the deal had been made and the car was set to be shipped to its new home!
Table of contents:
1) WTB-Parts I need. Post 2
2) Rust repair. Post 3
3) Sound deadening removal. Post 5
4) Oil leak. Post 9
5) DIY floor board drain plugs. Post 10
MODS!
Engine/Transmission
• Cobb AP v2
• EJ257 block
• CP Forged 2618 pistons
• ACL Race bearings
• ARP Head Studs
• Cosworth 12mm Oil pump
• 03 WRX Heads with STI cams, flow tested
• REV SS +1mm Intake & Exhaust valves, nitrided, hardened tips
• Bosh 1000cc injectors
• Deadbolt 18G port, polish, clipped and heat treated
• Custom stainless steel braided turbo oil feed line
• PPG 5MT with chipped 2nd gear
• ACT lightweight Flywheel with interchangeable contact surface
• ACT 6 Puck sprunk clutch disk and Pressure Plate rated at 425ft lbs
• Turbo XS (I think) FMIC core with APS piping
• Cobb short throw double adjust shifter
• Torque solutions shifter bushing kit
• HKS Carbon fiber titanium Exhaust
• Maddad equal length Header
• Tial 44 external waste gate
• Nvidia catted downpipe
• Perrin Inlet pipe
• Mizu Aluminum Radiator
• Forge Recirc BOV
• TGV Deletes
• Injen short ram intake
• IXIZ Pitch Stop
• Group N Motor and Tranny mounts
• Stainless Steel Braided Power Steering line
• Upper and lower silicone radiator hoses
• Killer B pickup and windage tray
Suspension/Brakes
• Tein Flex CO's with EDFC (rebuilt ~12k ago)
• Wilwood 6 piston front big brake kit 13.3” X drilled Slotted rotors
• Wilwood 4 piston rear big brake kit 13.1” X drilled Slotted rotors
• Wilwood Stainless steel brake lines
• Whiteline front sway bar and endlinks
• Whiteline rear sway bar and endlinks
• Whiteline front race anti-dive caster kit
• Whiteline rear front trailing arm bushing kit
• Whiteline front roll-center/bump steer adj. kit
• Whiteline front lower inner control arm bushing
• Whiteline rear subframe lock kit
• Whiteline rear control arm bushing kit
• Whiteline plus diff cradle mount
• Whiteline rear diff support lock
• WhiteLine steering rack bushings
• STi aluminum control arms
• STI steering rack
• STi carbon fiber front strut bar
• JDM rear strut bar of some sort
Interior
• 03 WRX dash swap
• Katzskin 2 tone leather seats from 03 WRX
• JPM Coachworks door cards front and rear to match seats
• STi EDM black face gauge cluster MPH
• New OEM 2.5RS carpet
• New OEM 2.5RS floor mats
• New OEM rear trunk mat
• Autometer oil pressure and boost gauge in cluster pod
• Kenwood head unit
• JL 6.5 components
• JL 12W6 sub
• Massive audio amps
• JDM red hazard switch
Body/Exterior
• OEM 2.5RS re-painted with 2 coats of clear (AMAZING how much red metallic with a fresh paint job)
• Carbon fiber fender flares painted to match (fenders cut, welded, sealed with welded screw inserts where applicable
other hardware used for plastic areas)
• Carbon fiber hood scoop painted to match
• RS hood scoop also
• Depo headlights
• Hella supertone horns
• Prodrive CF front lip spoiler (Cracked)
• Oem Side Skirts
• XXR 522 18"
• Michelin PSS 265/35r18
• ARP extended wheel stud kit
• JDM corner lights
• In-fender coolant tank
• 22B rep hood vents
• Garbage Kartboy poly exhaust hangers
• Custom side mount front plate
How the car appeared in the two year old classified add.
I was able to salvage 4 of the plugs, the rest are too far rotted to reuse. I did find some for a classic mustang that may work, or just use some thick plastic.
BAR is the main focus right now... except I am unable to start the process until I get the mileage reprogramed. It reads lower than the last registration and that would flag me for odometer fraud.
The car had a significant oil leak and it seems to be coming from the rear oil galley plug that had a oil pressure gauge adapter that was tweeked. There was about one thread holding it down.
Removed some plumbing to gain access. Not sure if I will use that rear galley again if I run an oil pressure gauge.
DIY floor board body pan plug plate thingy. Subaru wanted $75 each and I need 6, no thank you. 1ft x 1ft 22 gauge sheet metal from Home Depot was $8, hole saw bits from Harbor Frieght were $10. I recommend better bits or just buy one good one of the size you need. The HF one warped after only a few passes. Sorry about the pic quality.
I did not want a pilot hole in the center of the plug, so I drilled a hole in a piece of plywood in order to use it as a jig/guide. I then removed the center pilot bit and sandwiched the steel between the wood and C-clamped them together.
Made a few sizes, filed down the edges and saved myself some cash. They will be sealed, undercoated and seam sealed to the floor!
Thank you! Rick is a great guy that gave me a great car to work with. No crazy plans just little things here and there. The OCD in me will never let it be completed. Not sure if I am goin to rebuild the PPG or go 6spd.
Most products worked as advertised minus the Eastwood rubberized rust encapsulator. I used it to undercoat the inner rear fenders and various spots of the undercarriage. Any place I sprayed it over existing undercoat stayed tacky and never cured. Now I get to start removing this sticky nasty mess.
Found some rusted welds under the seam sealer. Appears the original flare work was not sealed properly as water made its way to the bare metal.
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