[wdb]

Table of Contents

• Chapter 1: Initial post + bumper hole plugs (this post)
• Chapter 2: Defi boost gauge
• Chapter 3: V-Limited front lip
• Chapter 4: 'cleared' trunklid
• Chapter 4.2: Mastro floormats + Autospeed deadpedal
• Chapter 5: Mines replica rear spoiler
• Chapter 6: Winterized - Rallyarmor mudflaps + winter rims/tires
• Chapter 7: Prodrive springs
• Chapter 7.2: Lighting - 9011 HIR1 bulbs, wow!
• Chapter 8: Rear foglight
• Chapter 8.1: Rebadged - STi rear badge is back (finally!)
• Chapter 9: Cobb short shifter
• Chapter 10: Cusco Type OS front/rear strut tower braces
• Chapter 10.5: Upgraded strut tower braces
• Chapter 11: Hotchkis Street sway bars
• Chapter 11.5: a few doodads
• Chapter 12: STi GT begins in earnest
• Chapter 13: Time to stop
• Chapter 14: Time to go!
• Chapter 15: The ultimate accessory
• Final Chapter: The end of the line

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Chapter 1 - Initial post + bumper hole plugs

I have a 2005 STi in Crystal Gray Metallic w/ silver wheels. Factory/dealer options:

• fog lamps
• 'short throw' shifter
• auto-dimming mirror
• security system upgrade
• wheel locks
• blue floor mats

I'm going to assume that you've seen enough pictures of people's brand new unmodified cars and just jump right to the mods.

First "mod" was to plug those ugly holes in the front bumper. I considered the brushed aluminum plates that Autospeed sells but decided that simple = better and went with a couple of 3/8" hole plugs, painted to match. I'm very pleased. This is a simple, cheap fix that really cleans up the look of the front end.

Next up: Defi boost gauge.

Cheers!

 

[wdb]

wdb's journal chapter 2

After driving the car for about a month I realized that a boost gauge was going to be either essential, fun to watch, or both. A fair bit of research led me do decide to go with the Defi BF line. They look and act like the factory gauge cluster, plus they are well thought of and appear to be of high quality. At the present time I just went with one gauge, although I must admit to being tempted to go with the centrally mounted cluster and may do so in the future. I bought the following:

• Defi BF boost gauge
• Defi Control Unit II
• Defi Visor (single gauge)
• Defi Mounting Kit

I put it in yesterday. It took me the better part of 7 hours, including one trip to the local hardware emporium. The bulk of the time was taken up with figuring out where to put stuff and running the necessary wires to those places.

I'm impressed with its looks, the way it blends with the other gauges, and its extremely quick response. I'm less impressed with the illumination, which is certainly sufficient but uneven across the face of the gauge; for this kind of money I expected better. Also I came to realize that a lot of the extra cost is for stuff I'm likely to use very little such as record/playback. (That's also why the Control Unit went in the glovebox.) Still I'm pleased with the finished product and happy I went with the 'factory' look.

[EDIT] I initially had an issue with hum in the radio when tuned to very weak FM stations. Noise was definitely coming from the Defi install. Removed all connections to the radio wiring harness and hooked them up elsewhere, and the problem is greatly reduced.

Here is a link to the thread I started discussing the install:

Defi BF boost gauge install​

Pictures show where I put the underhood bits, the Control Unit, and the gauge itself, both from the driver's viewpoint and from the side.

 

[wdb]

wdb's journal chapter 2.5

The V-Limited lip was supposed to go this week too, unfortunately it got damaged in shipment. Ah well, another day.

 

[wdb]

wdb's journal chapter 3

[June 11 EDIT: add images, delete first paragraph about why I didn't have any.]

Second V-Limited lip arrived intact, hooray! First impressions:

• sheesh, the install is ever-so easy - I figured it out without translating the instructions
• wow, does the finished install look 'factory' good
• boy, is that thing llloooowwwww
• whee, was it fun to finally pull the blue protective cover off the STi logo

 

[wdb]

Do you still have the damaged lip? I'd be willing to take it off your hands for you.

Heh. I tried to keep it, because the location of the damage was such that it probably would not show after the part was installed. But it was a private sale and the only way the either the seller or I were going to get any satisfaction from the shipper was if the seller filed the claim. So I had to send it back. I think the way it will work is that the seller will get their insured value and the shipper will end up owning the part.

 

[wdb]

wdb's journal chapter 4

I finally finished 'clearing' the trunklid. No wing, no badges, no nuttin'. So far the look is striking me about the same way the wing did: there are things I really like about it, and things I like not so much.

Likes: clear view out the rear window, super-clean back end look, featherweight feeling of trunk when opening/closing, being asked "what kind of car is that?" at the grocery store.

Not-so-much likes: the back end may be too clean, particularly when compared to the front end.

What I did:

• purchased used trunklid and had it painted to match
• purchased used 3rd brakelight and rear shelf
• purchased new trunk lid torsion springs
• self-installed all of the above

How much it cost:

• $220 trunklid
• $275 paint job
• $45 brakelight + rear deck
• $55 trunk lid springs
• $595 total

Next up: a Mastro floor mat/dead pedal package deal is already in the mail. It's Not so much a 'mod' as an enhancement to the interior look and function, but to be honest I'm really looking forward to getting them!

 

[wdb]

Where did you get the V-Limited lip from?

Mine was a private deal, but there are vendors who support this website and can get them for you. Myles at Racecomp springs to mind but I know there are others.

 

[wdb]

nice work, wdb!

Thanks! I haven't really done much in the way of performance mods yet because I want to maintain the factory warranty. But the itch is getting stronger and stronger.

Only thing you need to do now is get a rear bumper kit to balance out the back. Also, put the STi badge back on the trunk, it looks too plain without it, imo.

Funny you should mention those two things. I agree with you, pretty much. I'm almost certainly going to put an STi badge back on and I've been hemming and hawing about the rear lip pieces. I'm not really crazy about them but I see where people are coming from when they say they lend some balance to the wingless look.

I also recently got a Mines replica CF spoiler which I had on the car briefly (one day, no driving). I think I'm going to attach it more permanently and live with it for a while. Also I got my Mastro floormats and AS dead pedal today. Whoopee more toys! Next up on the "drain wdb's bank account" list is rally-style mudflaps and winter wheels/tires. That is, unless I find an unbelievable bargain on JDM fogs...

 

[wdb]

wdb's journal chapter 4.2

Not really mods, just some pretty stuff; Mastro mats in black berber and an Autospeed deadpedal. Both are well made, quality items. I bought them both from Mastro Subaru via their performance parts website: http://www.mastrowrx.com/

The only advice I'd give is in removal of the old deadpedal. You want to lift the entire pedal, not just the pins that hold it down. Slide a wide, flat, fairly stiff tool such as a paint scraper or trowel under the pedal and gently pry up. The pins and pedal will lift out nice as you please without leaving visible marks. Use the same pins to install the Autospeed deadpedal.

 

[wdb]

wdb's journal chapter 5

The trunklid is 'cleared' no longer. The Mines replica has landed.

I actually had this piece sitting around for a while. I mounted it temporarily to see if I'd like it, then I took it off and lived with a bare nekkid trunklid for a while. Finally I decided that it was too stark with nothing at all, and I had given up hope of finding something I liked better than this, so yesterday the Mines replica CF spoiler went on to stay.

I want to add the STi badge to the trunk, then I'm finished back there. That is, unless someone comes up with something attractive in a combination diffuser/rear wing/maybe whole bumper affair that looks all of a piece...

 

[wdb]

^^^^^ That's a clean look. I put feelers out for a second Mines that I could paint, and I might end up painting this one and blending the edges too. Time will tell.

 

[wdb]

wdb's journal chapter 5.0001

This hardly deserves a "chapter" rating, more of an "admission" rating.

Despite my intenional disdain for the thread about the topic, I actually do have a name for my car. Loud Fast.

When my wife and I are going to go somewhere, we have a choice of vehicles, hers or mine. I ask her: do you want to take your car, or should we take Loud Fast?

Yes. Well. There it is. I've been outed.

 

[wdb]

wdb's journal chapter six

Seasons are changing and it is time to change the car over to its winter livery. Here's what I did. The vendors I dealt with were all extremely helpful, courteous, and responsive. Thumbs up to all of them:

• Bought winter rims; used Rota Boosts in bronze, private sale
• Bought winter tires; 235/45R17 Bridgestone Blizzak LM-22's, H rated, from Tire Rack :tup:
• Had tires mounted on rims at Phoenix Auto Center of Palm :tup:
• Bought McGard lugs from Oakos Automotive :tup:
• Bought RallyArmor mudflaps, "metal" finish, from JnJ Associates :tup:
• Installed all of the above
• Removed V-Limited front lip

I took the lip off because it looks too much like a snowplow and it costs too much for me to experiment with to find out if it will hold up under spirited winter driving conditions.

The Rotas are good looking wheels with a decent reputation for durability. Steel gray would have been my first color choice but the bronze looks good and the price was right. Plenty of clearance for the Brembos and whatever gunk piles up on the wheels when the snow flies.

After seeing how far down a stock lugnut sank into the wheel I decided to spring for McGard lugs. They're not exactly cheap but they work fine with the rims and look to be stoutly constructed. I'll probably use them when I switch back to the BBS rims in the spring.

The Blizzaks are a nice, aggressive looking winter tire. I got 235's because Tire Rack had them on sale. (We picked up a set of LM-25's for the Legacy too, and they are equally aggressive looking and would do fine on an STi.)

I'll post a more thorough review of the wheels and tires and how they change the car's character over in the Technical -> Wheels and Tires forum.

The RallyArmor mudflaps are certainly big, and they'll certainly help keep this winter's road crud off the sides and underpinnings of the car. But the installation hardware for the front flaps is very disappointing and really needs to be brought up a few notches -- especially considering the price tag.

The wheels really darken the whole look of the car. I was expecting it but I was still surpised. I like the overall look but I realize it may not be everyone's cup of tea. I think it will grow on me even more as the hours of daylight dwindle, and especially as the roads grow their yearly layer of salt, grit, potholes and general yuck.

[Edit 11-26: changed image selection to appease the "gap" crowd]

 

[wdb]

wdb's journal chapter seven - Prodrive springs installed

I installed Prodrive springs and Group N tops on my car yesterday with the help of the "we are the suspension kings" crew. See this thread for more about the "the kings" and some shots of the car under siege. See this thread for the long-playing version of my observations and opinions. Short-play version goes something like this:

Prodrive springs installed
No more bobble head! All roads
now bow down in submission.​

The car is truly transformed and I am thrilled with the result.

[EDIT] I've added some pics to this post and the post just above for the purposes of comparison of the look of the car before and after Prodrives. For ride height measurements, please see nhluhr's very useful and continually updated list. The numbers he has for Prodrives look to me to be right on the money.

 

[wdb]

I added some 'before' images to Post #30 and some 'after' images to Post #32 of this thread to appease folks who have wanted to see the difference in ride height Prodrive springs and Group N tops make on an '05 STi with otherwise stock suspension.

 

[wdb]

wdb's journal chapter 7.25 - lighting

No pictures of my car, just a few links and pics from elsewhere.

I replaced the 9005 high beams with a couple of these 9011-HIR1 bulbs:

The extra light they put out is astounding. I also put a set in our 2000 Legacy GT and they completely blew away the previous bulbs I had in that car, even though the prevous bulbs were 100 watters. I cannot recommend the HIRs highly enough for anyone who is interested in improving their night driving capabilities. I got them from Susquehanna Motorsports, a.k.a. rallylights.com and they are super folks to deal with.

Next lighting mod will be to upgrade the stock projector fog lights. (I decided that changing the USDM bumper beam is too high a price to pay for JDM/Euro-style fog lights.) I will either change out the bulbs to something more exotic, or I may go with a set of Hella Micro DE Foglights:

I saw a set of these operating while I was visiting the great folks at rallylights.com, and they throw some serious light. Cutoff was incredible too. There may be fitment issues, so I am probably going to wait until the weather warms up a bit so I can tinker in comfort.

If I do the Hella fogs I'll do a full writeup and pics. More as it happens.

 

[wdb]

I connected them to the clock pod, with the excpeption of "ignition" which I tapped elsewhere. See this thread for more details:

Defi BF boost gauge install​

 

[wdb]

Sorry for the delayed response, my subscription setup apparently isn't sending me emails anymore :-/

I adjusted the factory foglights a couple of weeks ago, and WOW what a difference it made. They throw a lot more useful light now. Add to that the fact that the USDM foglights are already projectors, and I may just stick with the stockers. I still want to get out some night and look at the beam pattern of the foglights by themselves (I'll cover up the headlights with a piece of cardboard or somesuch). If the beam pattern is half decent I will probably leave the USDM foglights in and be done with it.

In other news, I put the stock rims and V-Lim back on the car last weekend. As much as I liked the winter tires, I forgot just how incredibly grippy the stockers are. They're incredible! And loud, and harsh, but oh well.

 

[wdb]

I adjusted them up. It's easy as pie; just pop off the surround and there's the adjusting screw, big as life.

I couldn't find any information on the factory approved method of adjusting them, so I made up my own. I found some level ground and a vertical surface. Then I used a string and one of those little levels that hooks onto a string, and stretched the string from the lamp over to the wall and made a mark. I set the lights just a hair below level at 10 feet; I figured they're already pretty close to the ground so there isn't much value in aiming them down very much. I haven't run them in actual fog yet so I can't tell you whether they toss too much light back at the driver at that height, but I doubt they will.

 

[wdb]

rasetsu, I honestly do not remember which way I turned them. I *think* clockwise turns raised the level but I would not swear to it. If you have the lights on and aimed at a wall it will become immediately evident which way does what.

Ese, that's a very nice procedure (FAR more complicated than the '04 / '05 headlight aiming process) but it says zilch about the foglights. And the added effect should be a CGM '05.