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Forchs 97 Brighton Build

20K views 72 replies 16 participants last post by  scruff3333 
#1 · (Edited)
Hello everyone and welcome to my build.


Intro
This is my first Subaru but my 17th car. I've always wanted to build a lightweight track car with very usable power. For the past few months I've been searching for the perfect car to do this and I landed on a GC coupe. It's fairly light from the factory, awd and a huge after market following as everyone here already knows. After searching craigslist and forums I finally found a cheap car to start the project. It's a 1997 brighton auto with 115k miles. The body was pretty clean so I bought it on sight and drove it home.

The Build Plan
My plan for the car is to gut it, swap it to a 5MT, turbo the 2.2, over fenders front and rear, and beef up the suspension for as little money as possible. <-(Ha that was a funny thought)

Mods/Maintenance:

Engine
Custom Removable Radiator Support
A/C Delete
Rebuilt Power Steering Pump
Full OEM Gaskets
OEM Timing Belt/Covers
2.5rs Dual Port Heads
OEM 12mm Oil Pump
OEM Turbo Cast Water Pump
Grimmspeed Phenolic 8mm Spacers
Mishimoto Thermostat
Mishimoto Lower Radiator Hose
Mishimoto GC8 Aluminum Radiator
Mishimoto Overflow
Mishimoto Dual 12" Slim Fans
Kartboy Crank Pulley
Kartboy Pitch Stop Mount
Group N Engine Mounts
Braille 15lb Battery
Braille Aluminum Mounting Bracket Relocated behind Passenger seat
Tsudo Full Exhaust

Drivetrain
98 2.5rs 5spd w/ Matching Diff Swap

Transmission "Cocktail"
Exedy Flywheel
Exedy Clutch
OEM Shifter Bushing (The bushing the shifter clips in to)
Kartboy Short Shifter
Kartboy 5spd Bushing Combo
Kartboy Trans Cradle Bushings
Turn In Concepts Shift Linkage
Group N Transmission Mount
All New Wheel Bearings/Hubs

Suspension
Raceland Coilovers (temporary)

OEM Inner Tie Rods
Whiteline Steering Rack Bushings
Whiteline Anti-lift Kit
Whiteline Ball Joints/Roll Center Kit
Whiteline Front Strut Bar
Whiteline Rear Strut Bar
Whiteline Front Sway Bar
Whiteline Rear Sway Bar
Whiteline Front Sway Bar Endlinks
Whiteline Rear Sway Bar Mounts
Whiteline Rear Sway Bar Endlinks
Whiteline Outrigger Bushings
Whiteline Rear Diff Mount Bushings
Whiteline Front Trailing Arm Bushings
Whiteline Rear Trailing Arm Bushings
Whiteline Adjustable Lower Control Arms
Whiteline Subframe Locking Bolts
GroupN Rear Subframe Bushings

Brakes
Rear Disc Conversion
JDM GC8 WRX Non Abs Proportioning Valve
PowerStop Single Pot Rear Calipers
StopTech S.S. Brake Lines
Motul RBF 600
Rear Parking Brakes Rebuilt

Wheels/Tires
XXR 530 17x9.75

Hankook RS4 255/40

Interior/Audio
Radio/Speaker Delete

Panels Painted Low Gloss Black
Momo Hub adapter
Momo Mod 07
TWM weighted shift knob



Exterior
2.5RS Hood
AeroCatch Hood Latches
Prodrive Carbon Fiber Hood Struts
Fiberglass Mafia Fender Flares
Door Trim Removed/Holes Filled


I tried to post more pictures but it will only let me attach one.
 

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#36 · (Edited)
Can anyone tell me if it's normal that the crankshaft gear I can easily move with my fingers from the back tab to the one with the timing mark back and forth. (In the picture the two red tabs in the back). There's a lot of play in it and idk if it's the keyway or what but once I put the belt on everything was very tight and now there's no play.
 

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#41 · (Edited)
They are all set back a tooth it just shifted after we put the belt on. I put the belt on twice so far. The first time I turned the motor over by hand using the red bolt and by the time I got it all the way back to the marks the belt had jumped about 5 teeth? Any idea what can cause this? I was thinking I might have been taking tension off the tensioner so it was causing it to jump because I would notice that move up and down quick. Is there anyway I can hand crank the motor to make sure everything is right without this happening?
 

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#43 ·
Order a new crankshaft pulley and key, a few things for my transmission, group-n motor mounts, OEM wrx header, OEM 550cc injectors, and fittings to run coolant lines to the turbo. Hopefully they all come in before Friday so I can get some wrench time in!
 
#44 ·
Picked up a 04 wrx up pipe today for dirt cheap and it looks like all the parts will be in tomorrow! Plan Friday is to finish the timing belt, install the new injectors and mock up the header/up pipe with the subframe so I can see how much of it I need to notch out.

Yesterday I took off all the brackets and shift linkage on my 5spd and cleaned it in preparation to be looked over at the transmission shop. Then today I cleaned and painted some of the mounts for it.
 

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#46 ·
The new crankshaft pulley and key seems to have fixed the problem. Got the front all buttoned up and test fitted the exhaust and turbo. Got some more trimming on the subframe to do and have to relocate the harness and some other lines because I don't see how any of this is going to work. Anyone running a td04 on a 2.2 please chime in! In the mean time I'll be reading build threads lol
 

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#48 · (Edited)
Well today started as a good day. Got the subframe fitting perfect with the up-pipe so I decided to finally take off the oil pan to clean and prep for the turbo oil return line..... Well.... I found this.... FML...

All those black dots in the bag are metal shavings I found in the oil pan AFTER I rinsed it out in the slop sink. I'm guessing it's a rod bearing but now I have no idea what to do (well I know what to do but I don't have the cash to). I cut open the oil filter that was on the motor and found two shavings in there so I know they didn't just make there way down into the pan while I was cleaning the block.

My buddy is convinced since the car ran before, the cylinder walls were fine, and the old head were fine it's just normal wear. But I'm convinced this thing is toast. I'm thinking I'm just going to finish the build and if it pops on the dyno then I'll just have to find and build a new shortblock.
 

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#49 ·
Got the subframe welded yesterday just need to clean it up a little more and paint it. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. Also got my power steering pump rebuild kit in today so that's up next. Hopefully will have both pieces finished and installed by Friday.
 

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#51 ·
Subframe painted and in along with Whiteline Steering rack bushings.

Rotated the turbo just have to make a bracket for the wastegate.

Cleaned the power steering pump and started the rebuild kit until I mistaked the new black seal for the bearing seal.... Looks like I'm either going to try and find a new bearing or I'll just have to buy a new pump. :facepalm:
 

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#52 ·
Picked up some parts over the last week, should be getting a lot of wrench time in tomorrow!

Picked up used intercooler piping for a front mount along with a HKS BOV, K'N intake, and Perrin turbo inlet hose. Also bought Kart boy crank pulley and pitch stop mount, Group N trans mount, Grimmspeed phenolic 8mm spacers, Walbro 255lph fuel pump w/ installion kit, and Whiteline outrigger and rear diff bushings :)
 

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#55 ·
Clutch, flywheel, starter and trans fluid came in today. Also got to work on her for a little bit. Installed GC hydro pedal box (fits so much better) and started installing all the shift linkage and bushings. Hoping to get the trans in on Monday or Tuesday and wheel her out of the garage for the first time in a year!
 
#57 · (Edited)
Transmission is in! Still waiting on a few nuts and bolts from the dealer to put the rear diff and and driveshaft in. Hopefully they come in tomorrow then she’ll get her well deserved engine bay cleaning. (Pics will come once I figure out what to post with now) Picked up a GD aluminum radiator for super cheap with fans, over flow tank and hoses. Ordered the iWire bracket and a new power steering pump which should be in Monday. If everything arrives on time the motor will hopefully be in next Monday or Tuesday!
 
#58 ·
Had some problems with the stock rear axles going in the new diff so I had to buy used ones from an 2.5rs and forester which went right in. After that I was able to button everything else up in the driveline and roll her out of the garage for the first time in over a year! Also cleaned and degreased the engine bay the best I could. Hopefully tomorrow I can get the motor in then it’s just waiting on the rest of the exhaust and finishing the wiring for the 5spd swap before I can drive it.
 
#59 ·
Updates!! Went to put the motor in shortly after my last post and realized the auto trans bolts wont work with the new flywheel. So I had to order those along with the bolts for the clutch cover and the hardline for the clutch. Got the motor in about two weeks ago and now it's just been hooking up all of the lines and figuring out what parts I'm missing or need. Also got cheap ebay headers from someone on craigslist that didn't fit at all but managed to make work with the help of a grind a pry bar :D Hopefully will be uploading a video of the first start up sometime after the new year.
 
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