So this has taken me a good 5 years too get to where I am at present with this build. Decided to buy myself a bug shell and rebuild it to help give me something to do and to learn how too do more on these cars from scratch. So here's a build diary of how it's been going. This is how it started 5 years ago. Original plan was to get it built up and made into a 600bhp fast road car with a 2.35 rcm built engine.

I remember these days looking at this thinking it won't be long


Fitting doors by yourself can be somewhat challenging



Carpet, door cards and front seats all fitted.




Nice flocked dash and centre console was the next job to be done. Had a go myself and made a hash out of it so had a friend do this for me. Feels pretty decent and stops the glare



2nd hand 3inch exhaust will do the trick for now


Rotated gt30 turbo setup ready


Os clutch ready too go on


Full set up from rcm with the rcm intercooler


Sadly the bug project was put on hold for a few years due to financial trouble and the shebeast (ex) draining my funds so was then called the dustbru. I'm sure you can work out why




6 speed gearbox finally put in place 2 years later



Few pics from the engine builder.... getting quite excited now



Fast forward a year and the dustbru finally sees day light.


The first part of some carbon fibre goodies added.



Decided after this I need to update it a bit so went from this




To this


For the more observant of us, you will notice a set of these hiding



And a set of these



Should help with the stopping power I suspect.

Unfortunately I couldn't afford too keep the unit so the car had too be relocated to where it still sits today awaiting to go for the engine build



Thanks for reading. I'll add more as I go along

 

What happened to the engine built out of the EJ22 crankcases from your post?

 

Covid appeared mate but as I work as a paramedic I couldn't put the engine builder at risk. Engines all there and built just till coving calms down I won't do anything and put anyone in any risk

 

Looking forward to seeing more

 

Cheers mate. Just spent another £350 on few parts today, £600 on the bike. Should have a nice selection of stuff too fit in a few weeks time but I'll get the car home for the weekend then. Heres a few other parts that I've got and cleaned up


Can see the difference on the red inlet with some light elbow grease

 

So you have a forged 2.35L on standby

What turbo are you planning on running?

 

Yep all ready to be put in. Going for a link g4 mapping setup.

Only running a baby gt30 Rotated set up at present as I'm not able too afford the super tech valves and gt35 billet. The ex left me with nothing in the house so gotta get myself back on my feet first.

 

Lots of us would like to "only" run a 2.35 with a rotated GT30

 

Maybe so mate but at the age of 36 I don't even have a family so money wasn't ever an issue. Never really thought about buying a property as when I kick the bucket who's it gonna go to etc

 

Same as that but 38 & without money not being an issue

 

Good on you mate for getting back on with it!
I'm in a similar position with my car its sat in my garage waiting to be mapped when we are allowed out again!
Mine also has a 2.35 in it with a link g4

 

😆 the pandemic helped me money wise tbh with the government giving the service a blank cheque. Any overtime shifts was being paid with double time and £150 bonus so bought a lot more stuff but me being me decided I needed a bike on top of the impreza and range rover in my life so trip to superbike factory and bought this 2 months before the pandemic. Bought on finance and paid off within 6 months.

 

Cheers mate. Since I got ridgot the nasty poisonous dead weight in my life, feel soo much better n just doing what I want without having to get permission.

 

I really should stop spending money. Getting down to the last parts needed. Last parts on the list is the fuel injectors and the cambelt kit. Been in-between minds about buying the clear cam covers from rcm as I know you'll pay rcm tax ontop of regular tax with their prices.

What would you guys do? Would you spend £370 on a set of cam covers.


Oppppps expensive weekend 😆




And here's the daily as well




Think I should have shares in my local shell garage the amount they get from me

 

Just cut the front of your cam covers & glue in a clear perspex sheet.

 

Hahaha that would work. Got plenty of the persplex from the greenhouse

 

I have definitely seen clear cambelt covers elsewhere online but cannot remember where.
There's a good chance RCM just rebrand and resell them like most of their other products.

You could try giving AS Performance a call to see if Alyn knows where to get them if a google search fails you?

 

Pretty much my thoughts that. I know cdf initially made them clear but I found a few people didn't approve of their quality. First site it was all well n good but after a while apparently they started melting or something.

Think I'll bite the bullet and go with rcm but I'll do that another time when I have the spare money to pay for cosmetic upgrades and to pay rcm tax.

Still on the other hand had a few more goodies turn up today and now just about to pay for some more.

 

This was depressing seeing the car parked up like this for so long.

Dashboard feels pretty nice after it was sent of for flocking.




Sti clocks installed with pretty much the same mileage.


Ordered myself a few extra bits today such as whiteline anti roll bars with the drop links from east Kent subaru. Soon as they turn up, think I'll get the impreza out of storage and back home as the current list of items is getting longer some what. This list of parts I've gotta do consists of the following

Fit the rear drive shafts
Adjust the rear handbrake
Fit the rear abs sensors
Fit the rear seat
Change the door locks
Fit the exhaust
Gearbox oil top up
Fit the anti roll bars and links
Remove all the excess sealant from roof spoiler and roof flap
Figure out why it's not getting no power to anywhere in the car.

Not too much to do.

 

New box of goodies turned up last week. I'll be bringing it home soon to play around with it for a weekend and fit all the parts. 1st job I've gotta do tho is sort the trailer lights. Rewired the trailer a while ago and for some reason when I indicate left or right the whole light comes on so I get side, reverse, brake, hazard lights all come on at Once as I upgraded the lights too led lights

 

Looks great

 

Well let's see how the old vinegar trick works out. Washing up bowl has been left over night and small one was done this morning. Hopefully will clean the bolts up ready for the subaru too come home for the weekend

 

And the results.... pretty impressed from a £1 bottle of white vinegar. Only difference I'd do next time is not do so many in one go. Happy with the results tho. Car due too come home in about two weeks time so hopefully some decent work will be done.

 

AS Performance just posted a picture on Twitter that clearly shows the RCM covers are from Satis Tech. No idea if you can purchase from them as an individual but they also do translucent colours.

 

Interesting I'll have a look at that shortly

 

Let us know how you get on. I’d love a set for my Bug but no way am I paying RCM prices. I’ll admit I’m in the process of experimenting with some old covers and lexan but I have a spare set of covers ready to go if they’re terrible which there’s a good chance they will be.

 

So bought the subaru home for a week or so and started making a dent on some.of the work.

Managed too clear some of the mess up with the toffee wheel with the overspill of tigerseal.



Previous owner put some fake roof flap on so that was loaded up with silicone so spent an hour getting shot of all that.

Fitted the front and rear anti roll bars. One of the front bolts decided it didn't want to leave so out with the trusty angle grinder.



For the more observant of us, I'm sure you will notice a very big school boy error. Took me an extra 2 hours to change... doh!!!!!



Decided after I done the arbs it was time to get the rear shafts in however I run into another problem. I've got a set of r180 shafts but turns out I've got an r160 diff so that job has been put on hold for the time being till the diff turns up. I'll get the diff out over the next day or two so it's out the way. Think while the r180 diff is on its way, I'll look into a refurb kit and set of bearings for it seen as it's easy access I guess.





Still while it was on the trailer decided to give it a wash and cleaned the inside out so it looks more presentable now.





Few other jobs to be done like the arches, fitting the exhaust, splash guards on the front,

Dam car is expensive......bit I really can't wait for it too be done. Plan is too take it to gatebil and the nurburg ring next year.

Fuel bill might hurt in a 4.4v8 range rover tho 😆🤣😂

 

So had a few new parts turn up in the form of some fuji 1000cc injectors, and a rotated turbo fuel lines setup with the fuel rails. Car is nearly ready tho to go to the builder. Other then that just waiting on the rear diff to turn up so I can get that sorted and then get the abw arches done. Slowly slowly catchy monkey as they say

 

Nice

 

Nice project! Fun parts =)