My 04 STI Type UK
Discussion
Finally got round to doing this, a mere 10 months after buying the car 
It's a 2004 Impreza STI Type UK. A completely original car when it was purchased but I have added a few subtle modifications along the way. Originally I'd set out to buy something a bit different and not have one in blue with gold wheels but this car was so tidy and well looked after for the money I couldn't not buy it, and as much as different is good the blue is the best colour by far.
Here's a few pics of the car not long after I had it with the first couple of small mods fitted, at this point just a different back box and STI style front lip spoiler which I think really finishes the front of the car off.
Since then I've kind of gone a bit further than I planned with this car. Current mods list stands at the following -
Scoobyworld STI style front lip
Scoobyworld sideskirt and rear bumper extensions
Scoobyworld Racebox back and unsilenced mid pipe
Samco red intercooler hoses
Walbro 255lph fuel pump K&N panel filter
H&R 35mm lowering springs
17x8 ET38 Method Racing MR502 wheels with Bridgestone RE070 tyres.
The wheels were a definite gamble choice I won't lie, I still wasn't 100% certain how they'd look on the car when they arrived but I'm really pleased with them. The other cool factor is they're the same wheels used by the Subaru Rally USA team on their rally cars and as far as I'm aware they're the first set on any Impreza if not any car in the UK, and possibly the first set on a blobeye in the world. I've even had a guy from Method racing comment on my Instagram page that he hasn't seen a set on this shape before!
Private plate also fiited last week
It's a 2004 Impreza STI Type UK. A completely original car when it was purchased but I have added a few subtle modifications along the way. Originally I'd set out to buy something a bit different and not have one in blue with gold wheels but this car was so tidy and well looked after for the money I couldn't not buy it, and as much as different is good the blue is the best colour by far. Here's a few pics of the car not long after I had it with the first couple of small mods fitted, at this point just a different back box and STI style front lip spoiler which I think really finishes the front of the car off.
Since then I've kind of gone a bit further than I planned with this car. Current mods list stands at the following -
Scoobyworld STI style front lip
Scoobyworld sideskirt and rear bumper extensions
Scoobyworld Racebox back and unsilenced mid pipe
Samco red intercooler hoses
Walbro 255lph fuel pump K&N panel filter
H&R 35mm lowering springs
17x8 ET38 Method Racing MR502 wheels with Bridgestone RE070 tyres.
The wheels were a definite gamble choice I won't lie, I still wasn't 100% certain how they'd look on the car when they arrived but I'm really pleased with them. The other cool factor is they're the same wheels used by the Subaru Rally USA team on their rally cars and as far as I'm aware they're the first set on any Impreza if not any car in the UK, and possibly the first set on a blobeye in the world. I've even had a guy from Method racing comment on my Instagram page that he hasn't seen a set on this shape before!
Private plate also fiited last week
Cheers dude. 
The wheels were definitely a talking point at Trax over the weekend.
Just the standard stage 1 stuff planned. It's all in place now bar a de-cat or sports cat and remap. I wasn't planning on going quite so mad over the last few weeks on wheels/suspension etc but I saw them and had to have them so some financial recuperation is needed now before I get it mapped If I can get around 330-340bhp I'd be more than happy at that.
Saying that if the standard turbo does give up the ghost then an uprated one and some bigger injectors may find their way onto the car...
The wheels were definitely a talking point at Trax over the weekend. Just the standard stage 1 stuff planned. It's all in place now bar a de-cat or sports cat and remap. I wasn't planning on going quite so mad over the last few weeks on wheels/suspension etc but I saw them and had to have them so some financial recuperation is needed now before I get it mapped
If I can get around 330-340bhp I'd be more than happy at that.Saying that if the standard turbo does give up the ghost then an uprated one and some bigger injectors may find their way onto the car...
Just a small update. The Subaru Rally USA graphic on the rear wing end plates has now gone, the yellow didn't match anything else and it had started to annoy me.
Only other thing is that u have a really stupid issue on both driver side wheel/hub area.
I have a really weird rotational scraping noise, done the tight circle turn to see if it's CV joint but no clicking to be heard.
I've done some searching for the symptoms and it seems the most likely culprit are the backing plates rubbing on the brake discs. It's a problem that can appear with age and after some further searching seems to be quite common.
I'm hoping I can finish at a reasonable time tomorrow and collar a ramp for an hour at my friends garage to get behind d the brakes and have a look for any fresh scrape or score marks. If there are any then it's a nice easy fix with a hammer and/or grinder. If there isn't then serious problem solving is needed.
Only other thing is that u have a really stupid issue on both driver side wheel/hub area.
I have a really weird rotational scraping noise, done the tight circle turn to see if it's CV joint but no clicking to be heard.
I've done some searching for the symptoms and it seems the most likely culprit are the backing plates rubbing on the brake discs. It's a problem that can appear with age and after some further searching seems to be quite common.
I'm hoping I can finish at a reasonable time tomorrow and collar a ramp for an hour at my friends garage to get behind d the brakes and have a look for any fresh scrape or score marks. If there are any then it's a nice easy fix with a hammer and/or grinder. If there isn't then serious problem solving is needed.
Well iin keeping with the delayed nature of the OP I've finally got round to posting a new update. After enjoying the car through summer and having it on the Method Race Wheels stand at a few shows in the second half of last year, I've spent the rest of the time just enjoying driving it and doing a mild audio upgrade in the form of a Double Din touch screen hedunit, Hertz door speakers all round and an underseat Subwoofer for a subtle bit of bass. Nothing stupidly loud or boomy just a vast upgrade on the awful s
t that's fitted to the car as standard.
At the last service the discs and pads were replaced all round with EBC redstuff pads fitted up front for a bit of extra stopping power, once they've got a bit of heat into them anyway. Other than that it's recently had a new rear hub fitted on the O/S rear, it'd had a bearing replaced in August but failed again in December so I knew at that point the hub wasn't going to take another bearing replacement and just bit the bullet. I managed to find a good condition second hand part from Japanese Performance Parts quite luckily on Christmas eve which arrived the Tuesday afterwards.
As I type this post now though a decision has been made to keep the car rather than buy an E46 M3 and so the engine is all apart at the moment due to a slight rod bearing noise... As it was coming apart anyway I've decided to have the bottom end fully forged and once it's run back in go for a full 3 inch exhaust, MD321H turbo and remap, with a couple of small supporting mods in the form of 3 port boost solenoid and uprated fuel pressure regulator that should see upto around 450bhp on high boost.
The list of parts currently going in the car are as follows;-
Brand new Spec C nitirde treated crank
Eagle forged rods with ARP bolts
Wiseco forged pistons
ARP head bolts
Cometic uprated head gasket
OEM STI pink injectors being uprated to flow 800cc
Brand new Subaru Oil pump
Complete new Gasket set
Subaru OEM timing belt kit and new tensioners
Competition Clutch stage 2 clutch and 6.5kg lightened flywheel, new spigot bearing
CDF Racing lightened crank, alternator and auxillary pulley (2.7kgs saved all in)
Mishimoto polished head tank
Silicone Induction hose
Silicone coolant hoses
I've also noticed over the last couple of months that standard shocks have started to become a bit bouncy since fitting the H&R lowering springs so I've got a set of KYB Ultra SR shocks to go on all round, effectively these are OEM shocks that KYB have designed to run with lowering springs upto -35mm.
Can't wait to get the car all back together, new shocks on and the geometry set up correctly. With the lightened flywheel and pulleys it should be a bit more responsive on the throttle which will be nice. Just got to get some money again to get the power mods done as this rebuild has gone a bit beyond the original plan of sort out the rod bearings and put it back together. The £2500 I'd budgeted for all parts and labour has well and truly disappeared just on the parts alone, still have the labour bill to pay yet
Only crap part about this update is that unfortunately I've lost all the pictures I had on my phone from last week when I went to check out how things were going so until I get down to the garage again once the rods, pistons and pulleys arrive I won't get the chance to get some new shots.
Another update soon, maybe in about 6 months
t that's fitted to the car as standard. At the last service the discs and pads were replaced all round with EBC redstuff pads fitted up front for a bit of extra stopping power, once they've got a bit of heat into them anyway. Other than that it's recently had a new rear hub fitted on the O/S rear, it'd had a bearing replaced in August but failed again in December so I knew at that point the hub wasn't going to take another bearing replacement and just bit the bullet. I managed to find a good condition second hand part from Japanese Performance Parts quite luckily on Christmas eve which arrived the Tuesday afterwards.
As I type this post now though a decision has been made to keep the car rather than buy an E46 M3 and so the engine is all apart at the moment due to a slight rod bearing noise... As it was coming apart anyway I've decided to have the bottom end fully forged and once it's run back in go for a full 3 inch exhaust, MD321H turbo and remap, with a couple of small supporting mods in the form of 3 port boost solenoid and uprated fuel pressure regulator that should see upto around 450bhp on high boost.
The list of parts currently going in the car are as follows;-
Brand new Spec C nitirde treated crank
Eagle forged rods with ARP bolts
Wiseco forged pistons
ARP head bolts
Cometic uprated head gasket
OEM STI pink injectors being uprated to flow 800cc
Brand new Subaru Oil pump
Complete new Gasket set
Subaru OEM timing belt kit and new tensioners
Competition Clutch stage 2 clutch and 6.5kg lightened flywheel, new spigot bearing
CDF Racing lightened crank, alternator and auxillary pulley (2.7kgs saved all in)
Mishimoto polished head tank
Silicone Induction hose
Silicone coolant hoses
I've also noticed over the last couple of months that standard shocks have started to become a bit bouncy since fitting the H&R lowering springs so I've got a set of KYB Ultra SR shocks to go on all round, effectively these are OEM shocks that KYB have designed to run with lowering springs upto -35mm.
Can't wait to get the car all back together, new shocks on and the geometry set up correctly. With the lightened flywheel and pulleys it should be a bit more responsive on the throttle which will be nice. Just got to get some money again to get the power mods done as this rebuild has gone a bit beyond the original plan of sort out the rod bearings and put it back together. The £2500 I'd budgeted for all parts and labour has well and truly disappeared just on the parts alone, still have the labour bill to pay yet
Only crap part about this update is that unfortunately I've lost all the pictures I had on my phone from last week when I went to check out how things were going so until I get down to the garage again once the rods, pistons and pulleys arrive I won't get the chance to get some new shots.
Another update soon, maybe in about 6 months
Edited by DanielSan on Sunday 24th January 14:50
Edited by DanielSan on Sunday 24th January 15:52
Edited by DanielSan on Monday 1st February 22:25
Just a few pics of the last bits to arrive last week. KYB Ultra SR shocks, Eagle rods, Wiseco pistons, gasket set, boost, oil temp and oil pressure gauges and the CDF lightweight pulley set. Block is off to have the bores done for the new pistons this week and head is being skinked ready for the new head gasket so it should all start going back together next Monday. Can't wait to have it back now
Definitely on the list, not planning to do as many car shows this year so I'll have more weekends free, all being well anyway.
Main plan once it's run in is exhaust, turbo and map. Bits like the front mount and intake to get that extra bit will come but are less of a priority. If I can get a responsive 400-420 then that'll do nicely. The extra push for 450 will come later in the year.
Main plan once it's run in is exhaust, turbo and map. Bits like the front mount and intake to get that extra bit will come but are less of a priority. If I can get a responsive 400-420 then that'll do nicely. The extra push for 450 will come later in the year.
One extra bonus toy purchased today, I'm on the hunt for a new, slightly smaller, steering wheel. Most likely an OMP 350mm WRC wheel so I've ordered a Works Bell steering wheel boss in preparation, a nice bonus with these is that they keep the horn function and also prevent the airbag light from being lit permanently so no MOT issues
Cheers gents. The wheels are a talk8ng point, mostly positive thi8gh judging from the reaction thwy got at shows and the Silverstone PHSS last year. I'm a big fan of the GB270 wagons, I did look for one before I had this but couldn't believe how well they'd held their value! Just the colour scheme alone on them makes them look meaner than the saloon 270, and the saloon has a terrible wing I'm.
Update.
Engine block is back from the engineers today and all being put back together on Monday ready for installation this week all being well.
Current situation is an empty hole and a pile of bits waiting to go back together
All the shiny bits are in the boxes, I just piled a fee ancillaries in for the photo and then had to put them back in careful order so as not to lose anything
Update.
Engine block is back from the engineers today and all being put back together on Monday ready for installation this week all being well.
Current situation is an empty hole and a pile of bits waiting to go back together
All the shiny bits are in the boxes, I just piled a fee ancillaries in for the photo and then had to put them back in careful order so as not to lose anything
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