My JDM Legacy B4 RSK

[Legacy777]

It depends on how the gasoline is blended at the terminal, but if they blend a 93 octane premium with 10% ethanol, you are likely ending up with at least a 94+ octane premium. 10% ethanol will raise the octane rating 1-2 points.

[entirelyturbo]

S15 Nissan Silvia on the left, Honda CRX Si-R in the middle, a very rare 99 Mazda RX7 Spirit R, and then a standard JDM RX7 all the way to the right:


The same S15 Silvia next to two Nissan 180SX Type X's and a USDM R35 GT-R on 20" HREs:


My car next to a USDM 2011 STi hatch, and with Domo Kun at the wheel


A DC5 Honda Integra Type R (this car practically requires an anti-theft alarm )... it's next to a USDM 350Z that's getting a 2JZ swap as we speak:


A Eunos Roadster, the JDM version of the Mazda Miata:


Finally, a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV:


During the drive back to Orlando, I ran into my speed limiter:


And, just a random bonus pic:

[beatersubi]

During the drive back to Orlando, I ran into my speed limiter

How irresponsible.

And, nothing screams performance like a set of 20" HRE's. Perhaps thats not the point, though.

I do love a type-x rear wing. I just wish 180s/240s/Sylvias hadn't gotten as riced/drifter'd out as they did. Completely ruined the market on a decent-handling car.

[AWD_addict]

Pretty cool to see a Spirit R in the US! Is that shop an importer?

[05SRT]

Its weird after living in Japan for 4 years. Very few cars mean as much to me anymore. B4s are a dime a dozen and can be had in very nice shape for 2-3k. My friend had a red Blitzen Edition that was pretty cool as well. Those held their value decently though. He bought that in 09 for around 6k.

[entirelyturbo]

beatersubi, that R35 GT-R has some minor mods done to it, and let me just say this: those 20" wheels don't make a damn bit of difference! That's the first car I've ridden in for a long time that made me go "Holy shit, this thing is fast!" Agreed on the 240 scene though... it's the new Honda Civic.

AWD_addict, yes, Black Ops Performance does import JDM cars. In fact, my car, the CR-X, the Eunos, and the Evo IV all came in on the same shipment and were all titled by Black Ops.

05SRT, B4s are pretty common in Japan. However, 80% of them were automatic, as I understand. So the chance to own one here in the US in a 5spd was something I could not pass up.

[entirelyturbo]

Finally got pictures of what is ultimately the cleanest part of the whole car... the interior.




And yes, that is a real Japanese emergency flare in the passenger side footwell, required by the Japanese government. It's very rare that a JDM car makes it here without that flare getting swiped in the process...


Driving this car wouldn't be right without taking a native passenger along for the ride







This is the highest-frequency station I get... I'll never miss another minute of NPR ever again!

And yes, that is a MiniDisc player. I've been meaning to see if I can find a MiniDisc burner just to have an excuse to use it.


Switches for the headlight leveling and the fog lights... which don't require the headlights to be on, so I can drive around with just the fog lights and city lights if it's dusk, which looks beyond awesome (see my last full photo of the car).


I have another adventure planned for it later this month... stay tuned!

[Falken-18c]

i wish i had that car. id even take a 90 rhd legacy lol

[mike-tracy]

Sweet pics as always. One thing about that stereo, if it was also sold outside of japan, there might be a switch on the back or top that lets you unlock the US/world radio frequencies. Seen a couple like that (sans MD player of course!) back in the day.

[entirelyturbo]

Thanks Mike. My speakers are already blown pretty bad... so though I'd like to keep everything as original as possible, an ICE upgrade may be necessary soon.

I was invited to see the 2012 Impreza at a media event in Miami a couple weeks ago, so I took the B4 down there and mingled with some of the big wigs at Subaru. Everyone was pretty blown away, and they essentially confirmed for me what I was already pretty sure of: my car is the only one that's running and driving in the United States.

Time was pretty short while we were down there, so the only pictures I have are of the new Impreza. I didn't get to drive it, but I do like it a lot better than the outgoing model in terms of its looks and its packaging. I think it's a more intelligent design, and Subaru is claiming a 36mpg highway rating. The new engine is an FB20, the same family as the FB25 that's in the new Forester. So it's chain-driven DOHC, AVCS, top-mounted oil filter, offset rods, all that stuff. But the 2012 Impreza will have electric power steering. I'm still working on other stuff, but I should have more details about it written up in an article soon.

As soon as I have one for a press car and an article written, I'll post it up.

Once again, the B4 made the trip without a single problem, making this its 4th trip down to south Florida. It's now almost at 60,000km, meaning it would be due for a government-mandated engine rebuild if it were still in Japan.

Now, the pics:

[Legacy777]

I got to see one of the new imprezas at the Subaru event here in Houston around early October. I'm still on the fence about it. I don't really care for the styling cues of the new legacy, which is what the new impreza is mirroring....but it might grow on me....I don't know.

The one we had was a two tone wagon. I think the monochrome paint looks better.

[entirelyturbo]

Stage 3 Imports did a photo shoot with my car and another very special car here in Orlando: an R34 Skyline GT-R.





My car looks like it has off-road suspension on it compared to the Skyline

There's more pictures in Stage 3's Facebook album (here) and also a video coming soon.

[kimokalihi]

Talk about a conveniently located oil filter! Now you just get a vacuum pump and you'll never have to get under the car to change the oil again.

That B4 is gorgeous inside and sooo clean. I'm jealous.

[kimokalihi]

Without your speed limited and assuming you redline at 7,000 rpm you should be able to hit 160 mph. Not bad.

[evolutionmovement]

Are Skylines easier to get here now? I saw an R32 yesterday and the guy didn't look like he had much money.

[entirelyturbo]

Was it a GT-R? Lesser versions of R32 Skylines can be had for as little as $5k out the door nowadays, legalized and everything, because they're getting so old. GT-Rs are still pretty desirable in any generation, but when I went to the last year of NOPI in Atlanta in 2008 I think it was, there were base versions of R32 Skylines everywhere. I remember seeing an R32 GTS-25 automatic... whoever it was was happy to have it just because it was a Skyline, I guess.


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[SUBYLUV871]

I just read this whole thread from start to finish and come to the conclusion that your car is siiiiiiiiik. yes so sick its dead. you car is dead cool. lol

[evolutionmovement]

No idea. I passed it from two lanes over in traffic, but I probably wouldn't be able to tell unless I saw a badge anyway. I have a rapidly diminishing interest in cars the last few years (no coincidence that it started when I finalized my own vehicle design) and it seems my brain is taking the opportunity to dump knowledge and blur my ability to ID cars. I actually had to look up whether it was an R32 or 33. That disgusted me. I never thought it would happen, but everything's starting to seem like boring boxes to me, no matter how much power or whatever other no longer impressive things they use to sell cars that they might have. Maybe if I build my own car (even if it's just a BAT 7/DeHavillland Mosquito inspired aero Miata at this point), it'll renew my interest like restoring/customizing did for bikes, but I fear it's because it seems there are no worlds left to conquer with performance while fun has suffered and styling stagnated. Except for the Morgan Trike—I love that thing—but that's just a very old "car" brought back to life with a little modernization, so I don't think that counts.

Sorry, but I don't think I've gone on a self-promoting ranted for a while. So there's one for anybody who was missing it!

[Falken-18c]

i would take your car over a wrx sti any day.
Its BEAUTIFUL

[Danny-G]

i would take your car over a wrx sti any day.
Its BEAUTIFUL

ಠ_ರೃ Indeed.

[entirelyturbo]

Thanks all for the kind words.

I haven't found a huge number of instances of it, but it does seem like these cars had an issue with headlights collecting moisture in them. After enough car washes and rainstorms, my driver's side headlight was full of at least a PINT of water.

This is just what's stuck in it... I dumped the rest of it out:


eBay UK has been nothing short of a godsend for getting parts for this car. I managed to find this headlight, which was BRAND-NEW in the box:
Subaru Legacy B4 NEW right hand headlight 281

So, I swapped it out, and also got my front lip properly repaired and painted:



Slowly working on getting the other issues straightened out... but I feel it looks good enough now to officially be entered in a local exotic car show called Cars for the Cure, to benefit the American Lung Association in February.

EDIT: Forgot to add that the battery finally died in it a couple weeks ago. I was actually kinda sad about it, because it was so cool to have the Japanese battery in it . But I actually ended up putting a Mazda RX8 battery in it. Since I'm still good friends with everyone I worked with at my old Mazda dealer, I got another hookup, and because Mazda had so many starting issues with RX8s, they began selling batteries for them with more cold cranking amps. So, the car turns over much more smoothly and quickly now.

Will update again soon... hope everyone has a safe & happy New Year.

[entirelyturbo]

By the way, that Stage 3 Imports photo shoot with the R34 Skyline above... was actually done as part of a 3-month-long video editing process... and the final product has just been released. Check it out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PCW91Da42g

[mike-tracy]

Wanted to say, I've really enjoyed the EDM Momo steering wheel I bought from you. Get compliments on it all the time.

[entirelyturbo]

Glad you're enjoying it, Mike. I used to take the center pad out whenever I did an autoX or rallyX and tell people "Okay, I'm going to change this into a race car now."

I haven't done anything with the B4 lately except oil changes and wash jobs. It's just about to hit 65,000 kms. I get enough enjoyment out of just driving it... and freaking people out on the road


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[entirelyturbo]

This is currently what my driveway looks like:



EXTREMELY rare Midnight Purple.