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The Uber Wagon - Now with 100% more Prova! (Post 100)

GR Hatch: 
28K views 102 replies 22 participants last post by  user1029 
#1 · (Edited)
This is my journal for my 2008 STi in Dark Gray Metallic. The car arrived 07/11/2008 and was a special order with zero options. I like to think of it as a "clean pallet"! :)

I owned an '04 STi for two years and am excited to start participating actively in the community again. I will be using this journal to keep track of modifications to the car and report on track day and autox activities.

9/27/2008 Flatirons/Subaru Track Day:






[highlight]Modifications List[/highlight]

Engine/Exhaust:

Post #99: Cobb Accessport V3 running Stage 1+
Post #99: Cobb SF Intake with Airbox
Post #120: Blitz Nur Spec-R Exhaust

Currently Stock

Suspension:

Post #62: Current Alignment: Camber -1.5 degree front, -0.6 degree rear, 0 toe front/rear
Post #23: Cobb 25mm Tubular Front Sway Bar (Stock endlinks)
Post #53: Whiteline 20mm Adjustable Rear Sway Bar with KBR15 supports (Stock endlinks)
Post #62: Whilteline Steering Rack Bushings
Post #62: Whiteline Rear Camber Correction Bushings
Post #90: RCE Functional Non Lowering Springs

Brakes:

Post #42: Ferodo DS2500 Pads (Front and Rear)
Post #42: ATE Super Blue Fluid
Post #42: Stoptech Stainless Lines (Front and Rear)
Post #82: Stoptech Two-Piece Aerorotors (Front)

Wheels/Tires:

Post #33: Motorports 18x9.5 +45 / Dunlop Z1 245/40-18 (Summer)
Post #69: O.Z. Ultraleggera 18x8 +48 / Dunlop Wintersport M3 225/45-18 (Winter)
Post #33: McGard Spline Drive Lugs (Black)
Post #44: GraphicSTI custom center cap decals

Drivetrain:

Post #23: Kartboy Short Shifter/TiC Pivot Bushings
Post #57: Whiteline Differential Bushing Inserts
Post #62: Whiteline Rear Subframe Bushing Inserts

Exterior:

Post #2: 3M Clear Bra (Hood, lights, door handles, rear bumper, mirrors)
Post #7: Subaru Sport Grill
Post #61: Subaru "V-Limited Style" JDM Front Lip
Post #66: Perrin 3" Shorty Antenna
Post #68: Harman Motive Taillight Overlays
Post #94: PIAA Si-Tech Wiper Blades
Post #96: Grillcraft Lower Grill Mesh Insert

Interior:

Post #3: Passport Escort Radar Detector Hardwire
Post #79: SRP Satin Machined Pedal Covers
Post 100: Prova D-Shaped Alcantara Steering Wheel
Post 101: Prova SI-Switch Cover
 

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#2 · (Edited)
Re: The Uber Wagon

I picked up my new 2008 STi in Dark Gray Metallic today! With less than 10 miles on the odometer I drove it straight over to "Rags" at Advanced Clear Mask in Boulder. He did a 3M Clear Bra on the hood, head lights, door handles, rear bumper, and side mirrors.


Rear Bumper (looks a lot better than the Factory protection strip and was way cheaper!):

 
#3 · (Edited)
Re: The Uber Wagon (Updated 7/12 with pics of clear bra and Escort hardwire)

I hardwired by Escort 8500 x50 today. I used the wiring guideline from here: 2008 Subaru WRX STi - V1 Hard Wired Installation Which I found very helpful in saving some time figuring it out myself!

The only big difference is I chose to solder my wires in place, as I feel it is more reliable.

I tapped into the auto compass harness, not the easiest place to solder! I also wrapped the fused holder in foam to prevent rattles:



Clean and simple (I considered a more permanent visor type mount, but felt the windsheild tint up that high would hamper reception):

 
#5 ·
Re: The Uber Wagon (Updated 7/12 with pics of clear bra and Escort hardwire)

I don't enough about the material to comment on the UV, although I have had the same stuff on my Forester for 4 years with no discoloration in the film or noticable differences in the paint.

No problem with the headlights (think about how hot a black cars gets in the sun). :cool:
I strongly reccomend it to anyone doing track days, etc.
 
#7 ·
Re: The Uber Wagon (Updated 7/18: Sport Grill Installed!)

Sport Grill Installed!



The install is super straight forward and takes only 20 minutes or so. I saved about $200 off the price of having it installed by the dealer. The fit is almost perfect, but there is a little gap around the headlights. I can't remember what the old grill looked like to compare.
 
#8 ·
Re: The Uber Wagon (Updated 7/18: Sport Grill Installed!)

The fit is almost perfect, but there is a little gap around the headlights.
is there a gap on both sides or just one side? i noticed the fit of the stock grill to be slightly "off" as well... at least on mine it was... small gap on the passenger side... but its nothing you can really tell just by looking...

sweet ride btw! :tup:
 
#12 ·
Re: The Uber Wagon (Updated 7/18: Sport Grill Installed!)

Sweet ride man, looking forward to seeing what you have planned for it/maybe seeing you on the road haha. Did you buy it from Flatirons by chance?
Thanks! I did buy it from Mark Berger at Flatirons. He was super easy to deal with....

Are you coming to the track day on the 16th of August?

-N
 
#16 ·
Re: The Uber Wagon (Updated 7/18: Sport Grill Installed!)

I painted my grill (silver section) and my emblems on the fenders body color (dgm too). The rest of the eblems I removed because they were hard to keep clean around them
 
#18 ·
Re: The Uber Wagon (Updated 7/18: Sport Grill Installed!)

That one in the picture was a five year restro on interior drivetrain and suspension. Body and paint was good enough to wait till the end. It was hammered by a drunk driver and is no longer. Spec list and mod/fab list is extensive. In short 280ZX brakes and struts up front, tokicco ill 5's inserts, porterfield pads, 84 200sx rear disc brakes, custom spax coilovers in the rear, 3/4 quickor adj rear swaybar, penultimate rear X member (manditory for any 510), 1.25" quickor front swaybar, bumpsteer spacers, AP calipers, braided lines, ground control coilovers up front, custom mod upper strut top for camber and more travel, 4.11:1 open rear diff, 15x7 compomotive ML's (usacomp.com), insain build on 1800 SSS, reshaped intake ports in the head, fully ported and polished, .520 lift cam, spraybar, forged flattop pistons, forged comp rods, forged crank, 7lb flywheel, roadster clutch, dual 1.5" SU's for street, Mukuni 44's for the track, recurved electronic dist, msd blaster coil, nology wires, blue streek cap and rotor, bla bla bla



The sr20det project is an even gnarlyer full caged, full length box flaired, wilwood calipered, 4.11:1 nismo lsd diff, H&R custom coilovered SOB all in black. It is insain, but not finished yet and even is for sale, but not cheap
 
#22 ·
Re: The Uber Wagon (Updated 7/18: Sport Grill Installed!)

Hey Rewind,

What's your real name? I will come show it to you next time I am at Flatirons. I am pretty sure it isn't down to the primer, I just need something more aggresive than hand polishing to get it out.
 
#25 ·
Re: The Uber Wagon (Updated 7/18: Sport Grill Installed!)

Hey Rewind,

What's your real name? I will come show it to you next time I am at Flatirons. I am pretty sure it isn't down to the primer, I just need something more aggresive than hand polishing to get it out.
Lol that is where I got the name from, here at work. No one knows my real name, they all know me as Rewind :lol: but I won't be at work for about another week, I'll shoot ya a PM and let you know.
 
#23 ·
Re: The Uber Wagon (Updated 8/9: Suspension Work)

Just installed a Cobb front sway bar. Install is pretty staigh forward but don't believe Cobb's instructions to torque the mounting plate bolts to 30 ft lbs. The factory spec is more like 18 ft lbs and I sheared a bolt off following the Cobb instructions... Easy enough to correct though!

Also installed the Kartboy Short Shifter. Pretty involved but straight forward. I used a very small Allen key to help align the reverse pin with the cable. It was pretty easy this way....

I am waiting to install the other TiC shifter bushings until I get a feel for how the car behaves with just the short shifter...
 
#24 ·
Re: The Uber Wagon (Updated 8/9: Suspension Work)

Also forgot to mention that I got a "warranty alignment" before all this. Our cars are NOT aligned during the PDI but the dealer told me Subaru honors a one time alignment under warranty if you come in complaining about it.

The only draw back is to keep it done under warranty they have to keep the specs within the factory range which means the mechanic had to stop at -0.9 degrees camber up front. (There is a bit more to be had.)

Once there are some better spring and camber adjusting options I will do a more performance oriented alignment.
 
#26 ·
Re: The Uber Wagon (Updated 8/16: Subaru/Flatirons Track Day!)

First a couple notes on my sway bar install:

I noticed a clunk after driving it for a few days, and crawling under the car it turned out that one of the end link nuts had loosened which seems fairly common after reading around. I cleaned everything up and added blue Loctite and some lockwashers, and all was well in 60 minutes of track driving today, so I think its fixed...
 
#27 ·
Re: The Uber Wagon (Updated 8/16: Subaru/Flatirons Track Day!)

My first track day in the '08!

Subaru and Flatirons Tuning sponsored a track day/driving school with Go4IT racing today. The best part was that it was raining! :cool: This was the first time I got to really drive the car and I have a couple of observations:

Good points of the car:

With the more agressive alignment and cobb front bar the car felt quite neutral and handled fine. At this point it is quite obvious the tires are the biggest thing holding it back, they get greasy fast!

Bad points of the car:

Overboost! :tdown: With the Cobb Stage 1 reflash I was hitting it in 4th gear fairly often. Maybe it was the cool and rainy day but it was still pretty frustrating. In the end I did the last two sessions in "S" mode just to not have to deal with the CEL.

(Special thanks to "Brand" for loaning me his Accessport to pull and delete codes.)

One thing of note was that his Accessport read my map as V 1.00 while I was pretty sure I had installed the 1.01 map. I will have to go check this weekend.

Brakes: It was 50 degrees out on a reasonably brake friendly track, but after the second session my pedal was to the floor. I will be doing fluid, lines, and probably pads before my next HPDE.

Other than that it was lots of fun, and pretty cool of the local Subaru rep to step up and sponsor the event!

Pictures:





The Uber Wagon ready to go out in the rain!

 
#29 ·
Re: The Uber Wagon (Updated 8/16: Subaru/Flatirons Track Day!)

^^ That looks like the "CHP" track! Is that right? The only time I ran that track was at night but I remember that "jump" and hearing the revs go up a little while taking it. Then it's that left turn you need to make before you go straight into that huge rock!

Car looks sick man.
 
#31 ·
Re: The Uber Wagon (Updated 8/16: Subaru/Flatirons Track Day!)

^^ That looks like the "CHP" track! Is that right? The only time I ran that track was at night but I remember that "jump" and hearing the revs go up a little while taking it. Then it's that left turn you need to make before you go straight into that huge rock!

Car looks sick man.
You are correct!
 
#33 ·
Re: The Uber Wagon (Updated 8/16: Subaru/Flatirons Track Day!)

Got new tires and wheels today:

TireRack TRM 18x9.5 +45 with Dunlop Z1 245/40-18s

(Before anyone asks, I got the 245s because that is the limit for STU class Autox...the 9.5s stretch them out nicely though.)

The wheel tire combo weighs 4.5 lbs less per corner which is a nice benifit as well!

Pre-install:



Comparison to the OEM wheel/tire combo in width:



Post-install:



Before/After:




Driving impressions and better pics to follow!
 
#34 ·
Re: The Uber Wagon - Updated 8/23: The Uber Wagon gets new shoes! (Post 33)

I also swapped out the stock lugs for McGard spline drives in black. They compliment the DGM nicely...I will have to get a better pic once I get my new custom center cap stickers to show off!
 
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