1993 WRX Sentimental Project
 

Hi all,


So a while ago, my late father was conned into swapping his fiesta ST for a complete bag of nails - he had always dreamed of owning a decent Subaru but my mother had never allowed him.


Let me start with the bits that most will find boring. MY dad was a doctor and a good man, although in between patients he was drinking hard and smoking heavily - without filters. After he retired due to COPD, he got a nippy little Fiesta ST in mint condition and spent what he could on it. The end product was a 210bhp pocket rocket.


Not satisfied he hastily went and swapped it for the first Impreza he found as it was his dream motor. Some of you may remember this thread on here:
https://www.scoobynet.com/scoobynet-...-l610-hdv.html
This was the car he swapped for.
The culprit went by the name of Tom McKenzie from the Manchester area. By the time dad got home the Impreza was smoking badly due to oil leaking from the crank and cam seals plus the rocker gaskets straight onto hot headers.......


A mere two weeks after this, my dad passed away. He never really got to enjoy his dream, so here I am doing my best to make it a reality. I was never really interested in cars, I was more of a ice skater lol.


I took the project on because I will never ever let this car go. So here it starts: A local garage took the car in and completely ****ed it - they fitted the timing belt the wrong way and didn't seal the injectors properly.


After a plea for help on here I was quickly answered by David from API engines. They collected the car and set to work. Despite the work that this lad had advertised as being done to the car, David informed me that it hadn't been looked after at all and had been nothing short of abused.


So, they set about rebuilding the engine. They fitted a V5 STI engine with Mahle pistons, V9 rods, Racing bearings, competition clutch with lightweight flywheel and an Alckatec ECU. They also tidied up the engine bay and made it look so much better.


Then again - disaster struck. In December 2013, right as the work was completed, I was made bankrupt. Imagine the embarrassment of having to tell API that I couldn't pay because my undertaking business had gone up the swanny.


I managed to get a job as an excavator operative and paid what I had slowly - final payment being made at the start of this month (12 motnhs later!!!!)


So I would like to say a huge huge huge thank you to Simon and David and all the team at API - not only for their excellent workmanship but also their sincere patience and understanding through this difficult times.


I finally have the car back on its running in map and it is currently at West Midz having a full respray in its original Flamy red (paint code 936 / 336)


So I am going to try and put some pics up here and now and show you the progress as we go along.


So far the spec is:
STI 5 engine with forged internals and race bearings
TD05 16G turbo
HKS front mount intercooler
440cc Injectors
Pipercross cone filter
Alckatec ECU (on running in map until 1000 miles is covered)
3 bar map sensor
HKS SSQV BOV
Walbro Fuel pump
Stage 2 clutch
API lightweight flywheel
Full HKS de-cat 3 inch exhaust system


Plus the car has apexi suspension and a strut brace


The pictures show it in its prepped stage, we are spraying it sunday and so I will put more photos up then. It is having a Clifford alarm fitted on Monday so hopefully that will keep it nice and safe.


Once it goes back for its full map, I am hoping for a reliable, every day usage 300 (or just over) bhp.


Anyway, if you have read all this without falling to sleep then kudos to you :) For those interested I will keep updating until the finished product and then I will post a video.


I know there are many highly tuned and highly desired Subarus on here and mine will not compare, I just want to honour my hero - my dad. Still my inspiration and my best friend. I promise dad I will make a good example of a pre face lift for you.


Again - MASSIVE THANKS TO API ENGINES!


Thanks for looking at my post guys and gals and stay safe :) Tom.

OK...... If anyone can walk me through how to post pictures I would appreciate it LOL!

Hello

sorry to hear about your father..

to add pictures go to www.photobucket.com

once you register. you can upload pics to that off your phone or comp. just select upload..

then select the pic you want from your library and on the right hand side you will see IMG [URL=pic URL] just copy and pate that URL bit

hope that made sense if you need anymore help just ask :thumb:

Can also just copy the IMG code from the gallery page on Photobucket.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i7.../imagecode.png

Look forward to seeing some pics. :thumb:

http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/...ps4593839c.jpg


http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/...ps170757b0.jpg


http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/...psdf6fc929.jpg


http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/...ps49cf5c0e.jpg


http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/...psdf6fc929.jpg


Hopefully these will show! Thanks very much for the advice guys! Really Appreciate it :)

going to put original vents in tomorrow plus refurb the wheels :)

Will look better with the OEM vents. :thumb:

Make sure you have a good look underneath at the rear end, the arches rot from the inside out.

Hi micky yeah definitely I hate those stooped vents lol.
Had a good look at the arches and was pleasantly surprised - they are good and solid - first bit of good news with this car lol :)

Didn't get as much done today due to rather evil hangover but have managed to flatten down the primer. Full spray tomorrow and then make a start on the wheels - keeping white with red rim. Will add some more pics of the paint job tomorrow evening.

Thanks for the advice and comments so far all really appreciate it :)

Looks a project, long as it get painted properly it will be a nice car.

You keeping as it is ment to be with lights etc....not face lifting it :)

Saturday morning hangover is a good thing. :thumb: :D

When you come to refit the rear lights, make sure you seal them properly. You need to use a non-setting sealant like Carafax or similar.

ah micky I found that one out the hard way before this rebuild lol -

originally it had some lexus style lights and they were full of moss and mould so I went and spent 200 on some sti rears. Put them straight in full of excitement and now they are full of condensation!!!!! grrrrrrrrr

Nice one though micky I will be bloody sure to seal these properly now they are dry lol. As for hangover - this one is not good noooooo!!!! its like manful but worse! having to drink more to get rid of it haha

very nice spec .. will look good when its sprayed and the engine looks v-clean :thumb: ..

Thanks Zac appreciate it :) Simon at API did a lovely job on the engine bay, I just wish I could find the pics of how it looked before it was horrendous!

Definitely keeping it as a pre face lift :) Don't see many about now so to have a nice fresh one will be an honour :) Changed the rear lights to STI but front is staying standard. Will probably even put the low level original spoiler back on there :)

Hair of the dog is the best medicine. :thumb:

Got a better, less blurry, under bonnet pic? Is your name Tom?

:thumb:

:thumb:

:thumb:

Have you seen Simon's RA thread? :eek: https://www.scoobynet.com/projects-4...n-project.html

heya mick,

yeah im tom, ill do a nice couple of pics of engine bay tomorrow and post up...

Yeah simons thread is great - that's a proper sexy classic that :) hopefully mine can get to that level

micky - just had a look at your motor - fook me that runs good quarters!!!

What splitter is that you have? that looks mint especially in silver....

nice to finally meet someone else running a L plate, your car is pure sex for the eyes, love the 22b vents they really set the front end off :) We need to have a few bottles of the old brown stuff mate :)

That's exactly what I'd do low spoiler....keep it mint :thumb:

Nice one - im going to look in the classifieds now and post a wanted. Really want to try and keep the classic pre facelift alive just as dad would have wanted to.


Really appreciate all these great positive comments all :) thought I may have been slated at first but you guys truly have lifted my spirits and made this all worthwhile :)

Don't worry about replies, I have a thread and it has about 3 replies about my car :lol1:

Nice to see you doing and keeping it orignal :thumb:

Standard is the new modified. :thumb:

Thanks. :thumb:

Which splitter? I had 2. One was a Jun replica, the other is a P1 replica.

I don't drink broon ale, I don't like it. Are you local?

Just noticed Birmingham as your location, if I'm ever in the area I'll give you a shout for a pint, or two.

Gd on u m8 for taking it on through sad times, good luck with the rest of the project

thanks guys - means the world to me really does :)

I really look forward to meeting you all at some point and having a good natter :)

Must admit, although a sad situation, I am really enjoying getting it all together and I know dad would be pleased

more pics coming tomorrow evening hopefully better progress than today! :D

micky - its the p1 splitter - really sets your front end off especially with those fog covers they must have cost you some :)

You have an awesome classic there, very well done mate! Yeah if ever your nearby or when I come on holiday up north we must have a nice cold one :D

Splitter was £65 IIRC, foglight covers were about £50 IIRC.

Splitter is no more, it came off driving through a massive puddle and I drove over it. :lol1::lol1:

I've got a facelift bumper to go on at some point, when I get it painted.

It was this splitter. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Subaru-Imp...item3a5cda7d21

The fit was good, didn't need much fettling either. :thumb:

I think the pre face lift bumper looks miles better with a splitter it really sets it off....

I have some sti fog covers think I will fit them and they are carbon fibre ones - so if I do the mirrors and roof and the rear spats and the bonnet vents in c/f do you think it will look half decent or shall I just stick to the flamy red all round?

didn't get a lot done today due to the air compressor snapping a hose, but have jet washed and rubbed it all down with a 500 pad.

It all feels nice and smooth now, all stone chips removed and all parking dinks gone. Spray is happening tomorrow daytime and then once dry it will have to be mopped again for the perfect finish.

The next to go on after the wheels are done are the tires:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/205-40-17-...item27dd514b7d

and then due to MOT advisories there are CV boots to go on the front and Poly bushes from scoobyworld to the front and rear anti roll bars.

Lots of pics to come tomorrow and with a bit of luck, ill be driving it to cover the 1000 mile wearing in period come Wednesday. Cant wait for the full map = 7 psi is sooooo boring and 4000rpm limit is even worse!!!!

Keep it all red. :thumb: