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New member & impreza owner in Hinckley, Leicestershire. I've seen a few other imprezas driving around here so maybe some are on this forum?
Anyway, I've been dreaming of owning a blue blob eye impreza for many, many years and now I've finally bought one. [color=left=#333333]Totally unmodified other than a scoobyworld racebox rear silencer because the original needed replacing by the previous owners, 89k miles, FSH, nearly 12months MOT and in the right colour. Unfortunately I'm not driving it yet- still in the old daily Fiesta 1.6 tdci for now. However I've obviously test-driven it and driven it a fair way home from buying it, plus on local roads a bit. Eventually that'll start being used by my gf and the impreza will be my daily. Just waiting for the insurance to run out on the fiesta and starting afresh on the impreza later in January to avoid admin fees and get another year of NCB etc. for the sake of a few weeks and let my finances recover from both Christmas and buying the car & parts.
Due to life getting in the way over the festive period I haven't touched the car much other than starting it, rolling it about and letting it get up to temperature. However I have been spending £s and accumulating parts in the background over the past few weeks, including:
full cambelt kit and waterpump (dayco belt, all bearings same as OE but not bought from Subaru, much cheaper!)
Millers oil
Genuine Subaru oil filter
Coolant
NGK iridium spark plugs
Cabin filter
Bosch Fuel filter
Thermostat (think also genuine from memory)
Milltek De-Res Centre section 2nd hand
Centre Decat link pipe (not fitting yet)
STI Spoiler on a bootlid
Replacement gearknob, stereo surround, cup holder and boot carpet as mine are all tatty
lightly used set of midrange tyres for free. Not what I want to run forever but it's got a slow puncture on one tyre and all are ditchfinders currently
I got a really good deal on all the 2nd hand bits! Absolutely can't wait to start driving it and also to start fitting some of them! Hopefully an update with some of that soon. Getting my friend to help me fit the cambelt kit. He's been in the motor trade for decades so hopefully should be OK.
Last edited by RetroPug; 30 December 2018 at 11:24 AM.
Reason: Fixed bullet points
Very nice genuine example and a perfect base to make it howyou want
really good to see you getting the sensible bits out of the way andfirst you’ve got the cabin filter aswell!
let the mods begin look forward to seeing the progress I did same on my little brothers wrx
New member & impreza owner in Hinckley, Leicestershire. I've seen a few other imprezas driving around here so maybe some are on this forum?
Anyway, I've been dreaming of owning a blue blob eye impreza for many, many years and now I've finally bought one. [color=left=#333333]Totally unmodified other than a scoobyworld racebox rear silencer because the original needed replacing by the previous owners, 89k miles, FSH, nearly 12months MOT and in the right colour. Unfortunately I'm not driving it yet- still in the old daily Fiesta 1.6 tdci for now. However I've obviously test-driven it and driven it a fair way home from buying it, plus on local roads a bit. Eventually that'll start being used by my gf and the impreza will be my daily. Just waiting for the insurance to run out on the fiesta and starting afresh on the impreza later in January to avoid admin fees and get another year of NCB etc. for the sake of a few weeks and let my finances recover from both Christmas and buying the car & parts.
Due to life getting in the way over the festive period I haven't touched the car much other than starting it, rolling it about and letting it get up to temperature. However I have been spending £s and accumulating parts in the background over the past few weeks, including:
full cambelt kit and waterpump (dayco belt, all bearings same as OE but not bought from Subaru, much cheaper!)
Millers oil
Genuine Subaru oil filter
Coolant
NGK iridium spark plugs
Cabin filter
Bosch Fuel filter
Thermostat (think also genuine from memory)
Milltek De-Res Centre section 2nd hand
Centre Decat link pipe (not fitting yet)
STI Spoiler on a bootlid
Replacement gearknob, stereo surround, cup holder and boot carpet as mine are all tatty
lightly used set of midrange tyres for free. Not what I want to run forever but it's got a slow puncture on one tyre and all are ditchfinders currently
I got a really good deal on all the 2nd hand bits! Absolutely can't wait to start driving it and also to start fitting some of them! Hopefully an update with some of that soon. Getting my friend to help me fit the cambelt kit. He's been in the motor trade for decades so hopefully should be OK.
welcome along, I'm also in hinckley,where about are you? I'm just off the the perimeter road before triumph island.
Yes, definitely doing the sensible bits before going OTT with modifications. I really don't like it when cars don't drive as they should, particularly handling-wise! The goal with this is definitely to get it to great mechanical condition, however that will definitely take time and money.
As has been mentioned, yes I bought a cabin filter. It definitely needed replacing:
The gearknob on this car was pretty worn:
So, I fit a replacement 2nd hand one:
Likewise, the stereo surround was damaged, presumably by whoever fit the head unit. This has been removed along with the head unit. I've got a good surround to fit but will do so once the head unit I want to fit is no longer in use in my current daily car.
Finally, the boot carpet looked like this:
However, this has been replaced with a second hand one and it now looks much better:
I'm debating just fitting my midpipe decat along with the non-res centre section. I'm slowly gathering bits to remap, eventually the aim is to have a decat up pipe & a sports cat in the downpipe exhaust-wise, but this is a fair way off once everything else is sorted. Research suggests just the centre pipe decat should be fine with no remap and shouldn't throw a CEL (it has a lambda fitted). I've got 2x 2.5" flange gaskets on the way. I believe for the downpipe to midpipe joint I'll need a conical wire gasket?
Hi and welcome.
When you're ready if you need any with insurance for your new car then please feel free to drop me a line. I'd be only too pleased to try and assist.
Regards,
Dan.
So, this is now on the road as of yesterday. I washed it last weekend in preparation. That's the corner of my 306 gti behind it:
Then last night went and filled it up with Vpower:
Then took it into work today. Swapped my standard centre and rear cat for a milltek non-res centre and a straight link pipe. A couple of blows where the gaskets are ok but need a little sealant, which I'll apply tomorrow to sort. I'll reserve judgement until its not blowing, however I still find that the racebox sounds good, but very quiet. I'm toying with the idea of a blitz nur spec r or another catback.
The rear cat to centre section joint flange had completely rusted away and the previous owner had plastered it in sealant (or their mechanic had) and it was already blowing so the old mild steel items did need swapping out anyway:
Other than that, had a good poke around on the two-poster and there are a few bushes that I'd like to change at the rear end as they're looking pretty tired. Other than that some areas to maybe and down and kurust but nothing major at all.
It drives great and I'm really enjoying it so far.
So, this is now on the road as of yesterday. I washed it last weekend in preparation. That's the corner of my 306 gti behind it:
Then last night went and filled it up with Vpower:
Then took it into work today. Swapped my standard centre and rear cat for a milltek non-res centre and a straight link pipe. A couple of blows where the gaskets are ok but need a little sealant, which I'll apply tomorrow to sort. I'll reserve judgement until its not blowing, however I still find that the racebox sounds good, but very quiet. I'm toying with the idea of a blitz nur spec r or another catback.
The rear cat to centre section joint flange had completely rusted away and the previous owner had plastered it in sealant (or their mechanic had) and it was already blowing so the old mild steel items did need swapping out anyway:
Other than that, had a good poke around on the two-poster and there are a few bushes that I'd like to change at the rear end as they're looking pretty tired. Other than that some areas to maybe and down and kurust but nothing major at all.
It drives great and I'm really enjoying it so far.
looking good so far buddy, that look likes the filling station in nuneaton just passed them sodding road works. How annoying is it that it only has 1 v-power pump.
There is a shell garage at mill on the soar buddy if your ever stuck, probably 15 mins away from that garage.
Yeah I run a full 3" decat downpipe into a de-resonated afterburner centre section and an afterburner vortex backbox........it sounds awesome
I'm aware of that one as well, thanks! At the moment on a standard map if I get stuck I think the premium fuel from one of the Esso garages around here should be ok, but I intend to run V-Power at all times.
That sounds a bit too loud for what I want! I do love a loud exhaust when driving for fun, but do want something at least a bit tolerable on longer journeys! I think ultimately I need a louder rear silencer than the Racebox. Do you have any experience of a blitz nur spec?
The other day I brought this back into work and cured all the blows in the exhaust. Also, either my centre-link or mid pipe is 10ish mm too short, so when all together it pulled the backbox rearward until the rear hangar contacted the rear subframe. So whilst curing my exhaust leaks I also solved this issue. I cut a ring off of the joint of the old catalyst, then cut that in half to make a two round C-shaped collars, opened them out in a vice, then hammered them around the collar on the centre-link that the mesh conical gasket fits over. This means that there's enough collar sticking out still to locate the mesh gasket, however it also means that the gasket is moved 10mm rearward. This all worked perfectly and is all sealed with a thin dab of high-temp RTV which I used on all the other joints. So, all in the right place and all sealed!
It does sound a bit deeper and better when at WOT with the de-res and decat centre-link pipe, and with no blows. However, still quiet.
I also weighed the car with probably about 7/8ths of a tank of fuel:
FL: 415kg
FR: 420.4kg
RL: 281.2kg
RR: 281.2kg
So a total mass of 1,397.8kg. Very nicely balanced left to right as well.
I'm aware of that one as well, thanks! At the moment on a standard map if I get stuck I think the premium fuel from one of the Esso garages around here should be ok, but I intend to run V-Power at all times.
That sounds a bit too loud for what I want! I do love a loud exhaust when driving for fun, but do want something at least a bit tolerable on longer journeys! I think ultimately I need a louder rear silencer than the Racebox. Do you have any experience of a blitz nur spec?
The other day I brought this back into work and cured all the blows in the exhaust. Also, either my centre-link or mid pipe is 10ish mm too short, so when all together it pulled the backbox rearward until the rear hangar contacted the rear subframe. So whilst curing my exhaust leaks I also solved this issue. I cut a ring off of the joint of the old catalyst, then cut that in half to make a two round C-shaped collars, opened them out in a vice, then hammered them around the collar on the centre-link that the mesh conical gasket fits over. This means that there's enough collar sticking out still to locate the mesh gasket, however it also means that the gasket is moved 10mm rearward. This all worked perfectly and is all sealed with a thin dab of high-temp RTV which I used on all the other joints. So, all in the right place and all sealed!
It does sound a bit deeper and better when at WOT with the de-res and decat centre-link pipe, and with no blows. However, still quiet.
I also weighed the car with probably about 7/8ths of a tank of fuel:
FL: 415kg
FR: 420.4kg
RL: 281.2kg
RR: 281.2kg
So a total mass of 1,397.8kg. Very nicely balanced left to right as well.
Blitz nurspec is probably the loudest exhaust you can buy. Why not pop into custom chrome in nuneaton to see about a custom made back box, I have used them many times and never had any issues.
Miltek do nice exhausts but I felt mine was too quiet on my 1st Impreza so I sold it on.
I think something like a vortex or ninja backbox with a resonated center section might be what you need.
Cobra exhausts also have a good reputation and offer resonated sections.
I quite like the non-res centre. I was thinking of just adding an afterburner vortex backbox or similar. There's one in ebay in Loughborough at the moment but £200 secondhand is a bit steep and I'm not in any rush.
It does now sound good with the current exhaust, just would like a bit more volume at some point.
I've used custom chrome before, the centre-section on my 306 was made by them.
I quite like the non-res centre. I was thinking of just adding an afterburner vortex backbox or similar. There's one in ebay in Loughborough at the moment but £200 secondhand is a bit steep and I'm not in any rush.
It does now sound good with the current exhaust, just would like a bit more volume at some point.
I've used custom chrome before, the centre-section on my 306 was made by them.
yeah £200 is way too much for a 2nd hand one, i would say around £130-£150 tops.
Been driving this daily for a couple of weeks now. First tank averaged 20.45mpg.
Finally fitted my STI rear wing. Also gave it a wash on the underside to clean any salt and mud off and then gave the top half a clean too, and wiped all the inside down with vinyl care.
Today I did a geo at work:
The "actuals" are what it was adjusted to. "before" is self-explanatory. I knew there was too much camber on the left rear as I could see it but this is non-adjustable as standard. I'd like to get this into spec. but I'm still deciding how to proceed. I could use camber bolts, do the ones on the front struts fit the rear struts as well? I could get new OE bolts then instead of aftermarket.
I'm planning to replace bushes and arms etc. at some point anyway so might wait and see what that does. I may even go for adjustable arms but leaning towards OE at the moment.
Been driving this daily for a couple of weeks now. First tank averaged 20.45mpg.
Finally fitted my STI rear wing. Also gave it a wash on the underside to clean any salt and mud off and then gave the top half a clean too, and wiped all the inside down with vinyl care.
Today I did a geo at work:
The "actuals" are what it was adjusted to. "before" is self-explanatory. I knew there was too much camber on the left rear as I could see it but this is non-adjustable as standard. I'd like to get this into spec. but I'm still deciding how to proceed. I could use camber bolts, do the ones on the front struts fit the rear struts as well? I could get new OE bolts then instead of aftermarket.
I'm planning to replace bushes and arms etc. at some point anyway so might wait and see what that does. I may even go for adjustable arms but leaning towards OE at the moment.
looking good buddy,glad your enjoying the car. looks so much better with the sti wing. im finally back out and about in mine.......missed it so much
This now has an afterburner vortex fitted rather than the racebox, definitely wakes me up in the morning!
Cambelt has now been changed, along with the tensioner and all the rollers etc. The old tensioner had a small fluid leak so glad it's been changed. Whoever did it last had changed everything except for one roller, weirdly.
The previous owners had to replace a front caliper as it stuck. The other one became noticeably sticky recently so I replaced it with a refurbished caliper. It has probably been sapping performance and mpg for a while but it's only really become noticeable recently, with lots of dust on that wheel, and it was getting warm and the car felt slightly unwilling to roll. Much better again now.
While doing this, bled the brakes and flushed through with new fluid etc. The pedal feels better.
I've got a full set of disks and pads from godspeed brakes to go on, left the old ones on for now as there's plenty of meat on them and I didn't have much more time.
Had a good poke around under the car and I'm gradually building up a big mental list of all the things that need sorting. Definitely needs lots of rear bushings replaced, front top mounts, possibly the engine torque reactor although I forgot to inspect this. The list goes on. That's before I start modifying further!
Bought a whole bunch of cleaning products and gave her a thorough clean inside and out at the end of the day.
Last edited by RetroPug; 31 March 2019 at 11:28 AM.
This now has an afterburner vortex fitted rather than the racebox, definitely wakes me up in the morning!
Cambelt has now been changed, along with the tensioner and all the rollers etc. The old tensioner had a small fluid leak so glad it's been changed. Whoever did it last had changed everything except for one roller, weirdly.
The previous owners had to replace a front caliper as it stuck. The other one became noticeably sticky recently so I replaced it with a refurbished caliper. It has probably been sapping performance and mpg for a while but it's only really become noticeable recently, with lots of dust on that wheel, and it was getting warm and the car felt slightly unwilling to roll. Much better again now.
While doing this, bled the brakes and flushed through with new fluid etc. The pedal feels better.
I've got a full set of disks and pads from godspeed brakes to go on, left the old ones on for now as there's plenty of meat on them and I didn't have much more time.
Had a good poke around under the car and I'm gradually building up a big mental list of all the things that need sorting. Definitely needs lots of rear bushings replaced, front top mounts, possibly the engine torque reactor although I forgot to inspect this. The list goes on. That's before I start modifying further!
Bought a whole bunch of cleaning products and gave her a thorough clean inside and out at the end of the day.
making good progress there buddy, which brand of cleaning products did you buy? i will listen out for you around town
Autoglym mostly. All of their products have worked well for me and they make a quite a few products that I think of as shortcuts which still give you a decent finish but save you lots of time.
I took my mum out for mother's day today, she hates fast cars, and loud cars
I'll have a look out for you as well.
I'm still working out my options for the rear suspension bushes:
standard bush and bolt kit, 2nd hand arms, refurb and swap them all over
totally new standard arms
full hard-race rear end
I don't want to polybush any bushes that affect wheel geometry. I might use them on certain mounts etc if they're the best option, but not actual suspension preferably. Out of those 3 the hard race is actually looking like good value in terms of price & minimum messing around. Totally new arms seem expensive, and standard bushes and refurbing is expensive-ish but also loads of faff which I have limited time for at the moment.
The previous discs and pads weren't in amazing condition as the previous owners did very, very few miles and didn't drive the car hard. I also don't think that they were particularly nice or expensive ones.
These have made a nice difference, they feel good to me and there's more initial bite. The WRX has very progressive braking which is something I prefer, but these compliment it nicely. I haven't really pushed them more than a few times as I wanted to bed them in but they stopped the car no issues under hard driving. They don't make any noises at all. The black coating on the non-friction surfaces is a nice touch and will hopefully keep them looking in good condition for longer.
Overall I'm happy with them, they came very well wrapped and even the delivery company they used were really good.
Good day yesterday, took the car to TDR and did a power run. The power run was for 3 reasons: fun, to check that the car is making decent power and is running healthily with good AFRs, holding boost correctly etc, and to scope out TDR and see what they were like. It was my first visit to TDR and they were very friendly and helpful. I feel confident using them for future remapping work when I get to that stage.
The car was healthy, boost control was good as were other figures. I was pleased with the power figure of 248hp for a standard car with only an aftermarket exhaust and the centre-pipe cat removed. This was on vpower.
I've also bought some blue side skirts on ebay which should look good when I get hold of them and get them fitted.
Glad you went over to see TDR, they are very professional and will look after you. Nice healthy car you have there and still making book figures after all these years.........a result I say
I bought a brand new, unfitted Cobra sports cat off someone who bought new and never fitted it today. Comes with Subaru gaskets etc. as well. Slowly gathering parts for a remap.
I bought a brand new, unfitted Cobra sports cat off someone who bought new and never fitted it today. Comes with Subaru gaskets etc. as well. Slowly gathering parts for a remap.
happy days buddy, wonder if yours has been mapped already if its producing that sort of power?
ive noticed quite a few imprezas now around the hinckley area, i see on a regular basis.....
a black blobeye wrx
a grey blobeye sti
a blue bugeye with some type of ricer spoiler on it
a grey hawk wrx wagon
a grey hawk sti
a black hatch sti
30 December 2018, 11:19 AM
RetroPug's Blobeye WRX
