Rickdrizzle

Been lurking on this forum for a very long time since I've been a long time fan of the 2.5RS Imprezas (known as the classics to you folks) and there seems to be a lot on here! One downside is that in America the classics never came turbo'd. However, it didn't stop me from getting one and doing a few things to it

The car:
2001 Impreza 2.5RS with a 2005 WRX EJ205 (I know, a crappy engine compared to the EJ207) swap.

Engine:
2005 WRX swap
TD05 Forced Performance 18G 7cm
TurboXS front mount intercooler
Hallman MBC
APS by pass valve
Modded 850cc injectors
Walbro 255lph fuel pump
K&N typhoon intake
Full 3" exhaust to a magnaflow muffler
Grimspeed up pipe
Tial 38mm wastegate
Grimspeed ported header w/ crosspipe

Transmission:
01 Rs transmission
ACT street
Kartboy short shifter

Wheels/brakes:
Work emotion Cr Kai 17x8 +42
Crossed drill and slotted front rotors
JDM 4 pot front brakes
Stainless steel brake lines

Suspension:
Tein Monoflex coilovers
Cusco front strutbar
Cusco rear strutbar
Cusco front 20mm swaybar
Cusco rear 20mm swaybar

Exterior:
JDM clear corners
ver.5/6 STi grille
STi ver.5/6 foglight covers
STi ver.6 lip
JDM ver.2 rear bumper
JDM rear splats
ver.5 STi wing
JDM tail lights

Interior:
JDM ver.5-6 STi seats
Eclipse in-dash
Momo Champion steering wheel
Center gauge pod with prosport water temp, oil pressure, and boost gauge

Just for reference, the 2.5RS in America looks like this:



So it took a while to get it to where I wanted it (pretty much the standard look you guys get over there, in stock form).





The white GC8 belongs to another good friend of mine. It also has an EJ205 swap but with a VF34 turbo and supporting mods.






As of now my car is currently in the shop being stripped and having new exterior goodies installed along with a new paintjob. Until then I'm just playing the waiting game

birchy2010

iTrader: (12)

Wow what an introduction. i already hate you because i want a california lifestyle and cars look sooo much better in caliornia. I have to say yours looks amazing! A true california stunner!

peter zippy reid

iTrader: (25)

nice looking cars

Rickdrizzle

Thanks for the compliments fella!

Prepare for an essay:

Everything OUTSIDE of the car scene is good here in California. In terms of cars, the state is EXTREMELY harsh on us car enthusiasts. Every 2 years we have to do emissions testing on our car and if we fail it we're not allowed to get our tags. Also California cops really crack down on enthusiasts here. If they see you with a loud/noticeable exhaust they will pull you over and cite you. Some cops will even go as far as popping your hood and citing you for "illegal" modifications and send you to the state ref. While at the state ref they will check to make sure everything is either CARB approved (California legal) or OEM. If your car isn't in compliance then you either have to swap EVERYTHING back or you can choose to pay the fine of 400-500usd.

mattyzWRX

Very nice buddy! Love your work!

peter zippy reid

iTrader: (25)

At least your fuel is cheaper And we have to do emmission test every year after your car is 3 years old exhaust depends on the cop that pull you and our mods have to be declared to insurance

BBB3

iTrader: (7)

lovely cars

Rickdrizzle

That is true about the fuel though, regardless of the fact that gas is now 4.19 a gallon for 91 octane (which is considered to be pricey). The emission tests in California is considered to be the strictest amongst all tests (for states that actually have them) in America. For swapped owners like myself, we have the option of not making it legal and paying under the table at smog/emission places (highly illegal), or going through the State REF and having the swap certified by the state of California. I myself got my swap BAR'd at the State Ref which was a royal pain in the ***. As for our mods, we don't necessarily have to declare it to our insurance company, but if our car were to get into an accident or stolen then the mods won't be covered.

NINJA ED

iTrader: (2)

lovely motor m8

martin850

iTrader: (51)

Both classics are lovely. Seems like every country have their problems with car enthusiasts and the law.

Your photos are also very good, I love the last one of you guys on the move

Abx

iTrader: (15)

A pair of nice classics there!

Rickdrizzle

thanks for the kind words

leecalcars

iTrader: (37)

beauty is (impreza classic)skin deep

mwinter7

love that last photo, both good looking cars

BLU

iTrader: (27)

Welome to Snet and the UK

The cars look awesome, especially sporting California plates
Loving your stance and wheel choice

I want one of your US spec (small number [License to you ] plate aperture) rear bumpers but shipping costs have put paid to that

M444GY

iTrader: (72)

lovely pair of cars mate welcome to the site

love the rims btw

IMPORTPETE

Very nice pair of classics

Rickdrizzle

haha the funny thing about it is that EVERYONE here wants the Jspec/UKspec rear bumper and really hates the US spec ones. I myself have a ver.2 rear and the white one has a ver.6 one.

andythejock01wrx

Welcome!

Those are two v nice looking Scoobs! Especially in dark blue met with white wheels.

Spent some time over in S Carolina, San Diego,S Francisco, then Vegas 6 yrs ago (had both cash and time as I'd lost my job and been paid off). We have supermarkets, but nothing quite beats the Wallmart on the seafront in SD which is always full of hotties in bikinis!

Anyway, here's a pic of mine, even if it isn't a classic! It's called a 2006 Litchfield Type 20 - an uprated JDM Spec C with twin scroll turbo, Milltek exhaust, remap, AST coilovers etc.



Andy

Rickdrizzle

lovely car! I wish we got cool models such as that here in America all we have are the regular Impreza trims, WRX trims, and STi trims. No S20* series, spec c, or anything good like that. You guys also get the cooler high revving twinscroll EJ207 while we're stuck with the torquey yet high end lacking EJ257 with only a singlescroll turbo.

andythejock01wrx

Cheers mate. To be honest, what you describe is what Subaru normally import to the UK - there are just a few specialist firms that import JDM (cars originally sold in the Japanese Domestic Market), or people do it privately. Can that not be done in the States?

By the way, just to be clear, "AndytheJock" means "AndytheScotsman", rather than "Andythe pretentious sporty guy"!

Over here you can modify cars as long you tell your insurer (you pay more of course) and it passes it's annual emmissions test , the MOT test. Some people have full decats on their exhausts (muffler to you ) and just swap back to standard the day before the MOT! My car has a sports cat so passes the MOT and still gives good power.

wrx287

iTrader: (8)

Stunning looking cars mate

bonesetter

iTrader: (9)

Very nice 2 door. I have a 2 door too

Tough laws in Ca. Sounds like you really have to be an enthusiast to keep bothering?

How do you find 20mm front AND rear arb's, oops sway bars? Do they give enough roll reduction?

topshot

iTrader: (4)

that blue one is spot on.

Rickdrizzle

Thanks!

That's a nice 2 door you have there, and yes, the people who mod their cars here have to really be into it to overlook everything. As for the swaybars I bought them as a set, used, off of a seller from another forum. Coming from 19f (which probably made little to no difference with my 20mm) and 13r, there seems to be a drastic difference in the way the car feels.

thanks!

Rickdrizzle

In America there are SOME states that are okay with you bringing in JDM imports. While not being 100% federal legal, you can still drive it around on the roads... at least until the feds come to seize your car. Being 100% federal legal means complying with everything and spending a lot of money (normally more than the cost of the car itself). Simply put, it's almost impossible to get it 100% federal legal. There are, however, laws stating that if the car is 25 years or older then you can have those imported here. But due to California's stupid law they froze the 25 year old exemptions to only 1972 or 1973... so only cars those years or older are able to be imported into California.

wrx-kurt

iTrader: (1)

Both look sweet

Rickdrizzle

Here's a small update



Car repainted Laguna Seca Blue, Mature WRC front bumper, and Mature GT rear bumper. I will take pictures as soon as the car is out of the shop.

Micheru

Sounds like Cali is a difficult place to be a JDM enthusiast. In comparison I think we have it fairly easy over here.

We don't have a legal noise limit do we? Apart from silly external mods like switched on neon's you'd never be pulled over here just for having a modded car here. Saying that has anyone been checked for a decat?

Strangest thing is I've read that Japanese laws are really strict on tuners out there.

Rickdrizzle

yeah it's pretty rough here in California.

No cat = automatic 1000usd fine

I ALSO read that the laws in Japan were pretty strict, but I'm not quite sure on how it compares to the ones over here.