Subaru impreza RB5

[RB5Steve]

Just looked at how many subaru impreza RB5's are left on how many left and there's only 153. Was chatting to a lady at Curborough sprint course a few weeks ago and she said, wow your one of the RB5 owners that actually use there cars, which I said yes. I show at classic car shows and its my daily driver as well. She has one, but the engine is being rebuilt, she said there's only 70 being used full time on the roads now! Mines been featured I'm the modern classics magazine and I've now noticed the RB5, P1 and 22B are being featured more and more in classic car magazine's. Before it was your a bit to old to be driving one of these, but now they've been recognised as a classic, more and more people come and chat about it and take pics at classic car shows.

[Pelo]

definitely a classic

[StuTheGrouch]

A car I've always wanted, that one looks great!

[SuperAd]

lovely

like you say, not many left. a couple of months ago there was a mint example with about 15k on the clock going for £30k and a heap going for about £3k with 200k on it.

if i could find a 100kish one with clean rear arches i would seriously consider it

[wjb]

Very nice OP.

I owned one a few years back, #287. Was a perfect road car.



Sold it for £6k and not seen one on the road since, well, until I saw this on the A1

[jbaddeley]

This is a nice example and I see you in it every now and again in Meir Heath. Was it parked outside goodfellazs today. There's a good group of stoke pistonheaders I'm pals with if ever you fancy catching up. I'm just down the road in Fulford. Got 997s, e36 m3 and I've just about to pick up a 1.9 gti pug project. Had an RB5 back in the day. Bloody loved it!

[DanielSan]

Jon has told me about this car god knows how many times, still can't believe I haven't seen it locally.

[RB5Steve]

Yeah. My mum lives up Meir heath, I take her the hairdressers dressers every Thursday. I live along Tean Road in Cheadle. There's the Midlands Subaru owners club meet at Curborough sprint circuit near Lichfield on the 16th of July, some nice Imprezas there. Last year mine was the only RB5 there out of a hundred or so cars, there was even more P1s, about 6 if I remember rightly.
I used to spend many a happy hour at the shoulder of mutton in Fulford in the 70s, then I had a MK1 RS 2000. I've had the RB5 nearly five years now, I always wanted one and when I saw this advertised in a showroom near Coventry I went and had a look and put a deposit on it straight away. Mines got the PPP on it, plus it's had an expert engine rebuild and is now a 2.1 and various competition mods added, I've put an induction kit on and the 18 inch Prodrive alloys since I've had it. I've got all the receipts from the engine rebuild and mods added, it's apparently runs 350 BHP and hits 60 in 4 seconds. I use the car daily, but also show it at classic car shows in the Midlands, Cheshire and Derbyshire. I wanted the Prodrive rear boot spoiler as the original owner didn't want that put on. Every time a second hand spoiler comes up on eBay they fetch crazy prices, so I think I will forget about that option!

[jbaddeley]

Sounds like it'll have some serious punch then. The Pistonheads meet on 2nd Thursday of every month is a good meet. Red Lion Sutton, 10min from eccleshall. I'm from Cheadle . If you've seen Mark Carr in his modified Cayman , from Hewitt and Carr in Cheadle he comes over.

[RB5Steve]

I've seen a red Porche knocking about round here, my pal up the road from me has a nice 996 as well as Gilburn Genie, Chevrolet Camero, Mercedes 190e, these he mostly uses for classic car shows, he's daily runaround is a series 3 BMW. Alright for Some!
Yeah. Will try and get there sometime, be nice to meet up with other enthusiasts.

[RB5Steve]

I had the rear arches done on my RB5, They started to bubble, so took the car into a good body shop here in Cheadle and had them done properly. It's quite rear to find a very clean one now, even the first on the new gen shape are now suffering from rear arch rot!
If you find an RB5, make sure you also look at the near side back seal under the side skirt, as they go there as well.

[RB5Steve]

Thanks for that. Yes I'm thinking of coming to the meet at the Red Lion, a mate of mine mite come to. Just giving the old girl a nice was wash, the roads round Cheadle and Tean get very dirty when it rains, all that sandy water the gravel pit lorries drop from Mobberley gravel pits!

[RB5Steve]

Hi. What time do you usually get in the red lion. I'm coming in my RB5 and my mate will come in he's 996. There's a guy in Fulford I met up with last year spectating on the RAC rally of the tests. He's got a red Lancia evolution.

[jbaddeley]

Usually for about 630 645. That's Andy Mcfarlane in the Evo.

[RB5Steve]

Cheers. Isn't Mark an architect in cross Street. He must of seen my car as I use cross street as a cut through to get on Tean Road, I only live just down from the Master Potter, a bungalow on the corner of Dandillion Avenue.

[jbaddeley]

Yes. That's him. Well be going next Thursday weather permitting. See you there or come to me in Fulford and drive over with us.

[RB5Steve]

We will probably make our own way there. It depends what time my mate has tea. I know the eat late. I haven't that worry now I'm divorced, time's my own now. Yeah let's hope the weather stays fine. I've got a good meet on the 16th of this month. It's the Midlands Subaru owners club meet at Curborough sprint course near Lichfield, went last year and mine was the only RB5 there out of around 100 cars, but as usual there's people who just use there old Impreza's just to show and most of those are two door imports WRX STI's and type R's. Last year a few people were very surprised I use my car all year round and not keep it in a heated bubble. Lol. Cars are for using and enjoying it say.

[DanielSan]

Good to see someone else who thinks that when it comes to performance cars.

[Shadow R1]

Why not update the thread from April, rather than create another one ?

[jbaddeley]

Stev.he venue has changed to th Wharf Taver at Cheswardine for the pistonheads meet this Thursday.