Subaru Impreza WRX V1 track and hillclimb car
Discussion
Firstly, I'm writing this on my work PC but can't access my image hosting, so if you read this before I manage to edit it and add them in later, apologies!
So, where to start? It's been a bloody long time since the last update, but the car is still with me. I did absolutely nothing with it in 2019, mainly due to a six month stint working in Afghanistan. All my plans went out the window. Upon leaving for Afghanistan in January 2019, I moved the car to a friend's garage, where it at least remained indoors for twelve months.
In that time, during my time off in the middle of the stint and upon my permanent return, I have added a few more bits to the car. These are the rear Brembo conversion with Godspeed discs, front and rear strut braces, an underbody brace, Whiteline Anti Lift Kit and polybushes on the steering rack and front wishbones. Oh and a decat downpipe! It sounds quite nice now
I also purchased a set of rose jointed rear lateral arms from eBay after deciding to give them a punt. These aren't on yet. I have an ESL ECU to put on the car too and will next week have a front mount intercooler.
Unfortunately it isn't all good news... The rear of the sills are starting to rot and the rear arches could do with a proper "once and for all" repair, although they're not in too bad a state currently. The lacquer on the roof has also cracked and lifted somewhat... Although I've just got my hands on a 2 door Type R rolling shell, I'll be jumping right back into this project ahead of the new season. The Type R is one for next year.
Other things I've got ready to go on are uprated rear drop links, a short shifter, some newage coilpacks, yellow injectors, FPR and new rocker cover gaskets. Plenty to keep me busy in the short term...
So, where to start? It's been a bloody long time since the last update, but the car is still with me. I did absolutely nothing with it in 2019, mainly due to a six month stint working in Afghanistan. All my plans went out the window. Upon leaving for Afghanistan in January 2019, I moved the car to a friend's garage, where it at least remained indoors for twelve months.
In that time, during my time off in the middle of the stint and upon my permanent return, I have added a few more bits to the car. These are the rear Brembo conversion with Godspeed discs, front and rear strut braces, an underbody brace, Whiteline Anti Lift Kit and polybushes on the steering rack and front wishbones. Oh and a decat downpipe! It sounds quite nice now
I also purchased a set of rose jointed rear lateral arms from eBay after deciding to give them a punt. These aren't on yet. I have an ESL ECU to put on the car too and will next week have a front mount intercooler.
Unfortunately it isn't all good news... The rear of the sills are starting to rot and the rear arches could do with a proper "once and for all" repair, although they're not in too bad a state currently. The lacquer on the roof has also cracked and lifted somewhat... Although I've just got my hands on a 2 door Type R rolling shell, I'll be jumping right back into this project ahead of the new season. The Type R is one for next year.
Other things I've got ready to go on are uprated rear drop links, a short shifter, some newage coilpacks, yellow injectors, FPR and new rocker cover gaskets. Plenty to keep me busy in the short term...
Edited by TroubledSoul on Tuesday 7th January 15:38
Yeah, I'm going to get this one up to scratch for the coming season before switching focus to the new project... Its replacement!
So the remaining things I want are:
Harnesses and seats
Front mount intercooler
Oil Cooler
Uprated Whiteline anti roll bars
New discs up front
Track alignment
Sill repair section
Mapping cable for my ESL ECU
Samco silicone intake hose
Rust free front wings
Jobs currently outstanding:
Bleed the brakes
Fit the new rocker cover gaskets I have
Fit the new sparkplugs
Fit the rose jointed rear suspension arms
Fit the inner wing braces
Wish me luck...
So the remaining things I want are:
Harnesses and seats
Front mount intercooler
Oil Cooler
Uprated Whiteline anti roll bars
New discs up front
Track alignment
Sill repair section
Mapping cable for my ESL ECU
Samco silicone intake hose
Rust free front wings
Jobs currently outstanding:
Bleed the brakes
Fit the new rocker cover gaskets I have
Fit the new sparkplugs
Fit the rose jointed rear suspension arms
Fit the inner wing braces
Wish me luck...
It's probably too late now to switch focus for the coming season but there's a part of me really itching to try actual racing and enter something like the CSCC's Modern Classics series. I think I'll have to stick with the hillclimbing this season but next year I need to race properly...
Various bits have started turning up and work will commence in earnest shortly...
Various bits have started turning up and work will commence in earnest shortly...
That's great, glad to see it at Harewood! I'd give it a good.go.this season and you may get hooked on hillclimbing.
A couple of friends compete and have got the bug big style and got carried away big style! There's a very quick classic Impreza my mate always ends up battling with for top spot in their category funnily
A couple of friends compete and have got the bug big style and got carried away big style! There's a very quick classic Impreza my mate always ends up battling with for top spot in their category funnily
danllama said:
Are you putting the Impreza aside to work on the Type R now then? Or adapting the Impreza to suit?
No, the Impreza is the focus for the next few months at least. The Type R is actually an Impreza Type R, btw, just in case anyone isn't sure!scottos said:
That's great, glad to see it at Harewood! I'd give it a good.go.this season and you may get hooked on hillclimbing.
A couple of friends compete and have got the bug big style and got carried away big style! There's a very quick classic Impreza my mate always ends up battling with for top spot in their category funnily
Yeah I loved it the last time I competed, but it would be fantastic to get a proper season and a bit of continuity from one event to another. I know Andy Hill who runs a classic in Mod Prod. He's a sound bloke and he's fast for an old lad. A couple of friends compete and have got the bug big style and got carried away big style! There's a very quick classic Impreza my mate always ends up battling with for top spot in their category funnily
Well, I really don't like how I look or sound here, but I did a thing!:
https://youtu.be/He7cMU1nVow
The first of many hopefully. And hopefully I will learn how to make these better as I go.
https://youtu.be/He7cMU1nVow
The first of many hopefully. And hopefully I will learn how to make these better as I go.
TroubledSoul said:
Yeah I loved it the last time I competed, but it would be fantastic to get a proper season and a bit of continuity from one event to another. I know Andy Hill who runs a classic in Mod Prod. He's a sound bloke and he's fast for an old lad.
Just had a google and it definitely looks like the car!Yeah he has a turbo mounted right at the front! Gets lots of air into it!
Put another video up on my channel, check it out if you like that sort of thing. I'll add some photo updates here soon. Basically swapped out the starter motor and confirmed the battery was too knackered to even start the car when charged. Also started taking the front bumper off but ran into another snag; the bumper brackets below the wing on the driver's side is attached to the bumper with a bolt that won't screw out and the bumper to wing bolt is doing the exact same thing FFS...
Planning to swap the brakes out this weekend. The current K-Sports seem to have seized on out of the blue. Can't move the car until they come off now...
I'm also planning to use a pressure bleeder on the brake system with a universal reservoir cap so that could lead to some "comedy"
Put another video up on my channel, check it out if you like that sort of thing. I'll add some photo updates here soon. Basically swapped out the starter motor and confirmed the battery was too knackered to even start the car when charged. Also started taking the front bumper off but ran into another snag; the bumper brackets below the wing on the driver's side is attached to the bumper with a bolt that won't screw out and the bumper to wing bolt is doing the exact same thing FFS...
Planning to swap the brakes out this weekend. The current K-Sports seem to have seized on out of the blue. Can't move the car until they come off now...
I'm also planning to use a pressure bleeder on the brake system with a universal reservoir cap so that could lead to some "comedy"
Decided to pull the coil packs and fit newage items, which revealed 3 that look like the one on the right!:
While I was at it, I decided to compression test the car too. I didn't have any real need to, although the car did throw the occasional engine light now and then when previously being used...
Results were:
Cyl 1: 143psi
Cyl 3: 140psi
Cyl 2: 148psi
Cyl 4: 140psi
Looks like there's a little wear but for an old car like this I'm happy enough with that. All being well, that should get me through a season with no major problems.
While I was at it, I decided to compression test the car too. I didn't have any real need to, although the car did throw the occasional engine light now and then when previously being used...
Results were:
Cyl 1: 143psi
Cyl 3: 140psi
Cyl 2: 148psi
Cyl 4: 140psi
Looks like there's a little wear but for an old car like this I'm happy enough with that. All being well, that should get me through a season with no major problems.
Edited by TroubledSoul on Wednesday 19th February 11:41
Edited by TroubledSoul on Wednesday 19th February 11:42
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