SportShift WRX saloon

After a 4 year hunt, I found one already in the UK that was the right colour and not in Aberdeen.



These are unicorn rare, I'm not a fan of bugs but the only ever example I've seen in blob form was on http://www.zerotohundred.com/newforu...tiptronic.html in KL

So, with this factory made SportShift JDM WRX saloon coming up for sale late last year (and only months after buying a wagon variant to cannibalise) I decided that at £3500 the bought not built approach would be a better prospect.

It was originally listed for £4700 on Autotrader but kept getting reduced until it fell to the magic number whereby cannibalising the SportShift Wagon into a newage shell would have cost more than owning both, so my brother-in-law kindly collected it for me on Nov 5th from Hertfordshire on his way home from work.



First mods were organised asap

Get my plate off retention and swap wheels over from the bug wagon...

Bought an STi rear bench and door cards for it off a breaker on s/net trader section (need a hand to fit if anyone would be so kind)






Then bought a turbo-back exhaust system off StoneJedi for £300 and had Slowboy racing do an oil change and fit it ready for JGM to map it at SRR on Feb 5th, the oem pipe was so normal car sounding it could have been a mondeo firing up if you shut your eyes.

Certainly sounds more SUBARU now it has an Afterburner Vortex and Prodrive Performance cat fitted.





Remapping of my SportShift automatic Subaru Impreza, a 2001 JDM WRX remapped by JGM at Surrey Rolling Road on Feb 5th 2014 when it was still in Surrey.

Remap footage

Modifications:
Decat up-pipe
4" angled vortex afterburner tailpipe with 2.5" straight through centre and Prodrive performance cat
STi intercooler (Purchased from and fitted by Moley )


The calculations for transmission loss are set up for manuals on the rollers and the transmission loss maths for autos are different, so although the graphs of truth show 265.3 hp both Charlie and Simon estimate it's actually putting out 280 since remap, maybe this is why the yanks favour whp readings?

JGM http://www.jollygreenmonster.com/
SRR http://www.surreyrollingroad.co.uk/

SS http://www.surreyscoobies.co.uk/
SES http://www.southeastscoobies.co.uk/

 

I now have a collection of Subaru autos unintentionally, and had better find new homes for two WRX Wagons.


Autos are my thing because I'm a wheelchair user.

 

Future plans, blob facelift and '03 STi rear.

 

Looking and sounding good mate.SJ.

 

What's the Applied model code of that out of interest?

 

Top right of plaque says TA GDA

 

It got a new present this weekend, STi spoiler / bootlid.



Will debadge it though, in due course

 

Sorted out the cloudy lamps yesterday with a restoration kit.

 

Blob rear end update, need to de-badge

 

Yesterday another shipment from MB Developments arrived, putting money where my mouth had been, operation blob not far off now hopefully


Today my Dad and Uncle Wilf unwrapped the pallet load of goodies


This is how well stuff is wrapped, somewhere in there are my new headlamps

 

Very interesting project. Looking forward to the updates.

 

Subscribed!

Regards,

Subaru Collector 555.

 

Years ago, in anticipation of one day finding / importing a SportShift bug, I bought this Chargespeed bug to blob adaptor kit via ABW

http://www.chargespeed.com/english/gdb_ab_cd-e1.htm



I only pulled it out of the shed on Sunday, so with the rear end already done with no issue as far as I can tell, the rear adaptors are surplus to requirements, perhaps they'd have been of use if cutting in to a bug bumper but I sold mine after fitting the more rounded rear bumper from a blob.

Not sure whether I'll end up buying a blob slam panel or just chop mine to make use of the front adaptors, maybe I'll try the chargespeed way first and then decide after. Because either way the existing slam panel will be facing a session with a grinder.

 

As always interesting to read. That is pretty much what I intend to do with my wagon (your old one). That reminds me I must start a project thread. I am debating whether to go sti headlights and keep my front end or go blobeye. The cost for blobeye complete is about 1.5k with slam panel fitted.

 

My bug STi headlights which have been rectified are now surplus and once the ballast packs come off they'll be listed for sale.

New slam panel was bought from a fellow member who ordered one and then decided not to use it because his existing one cleaned up nicely with a rub down and paint. The facelift is under way but I need a blob bumper-iron and bumper bracketry to continue.

By bracketry I am referring to items 9 & 11 here, as pointed out by my friend Don

 

Well, here's my blob conversion write-up https://www.scoobynet.com/styling-36...ght=sportshift

and end result








Before and After

 

Finally sorted my brakes, upgraded the fronts to four pots* in a funky colour thanks to A.J. Turners of croydon.
*Auto WRX's do come with crap brakes as standard...



Just replaced pads and discs on rear, because I couldn't put it off any longer.

 

Looking good.