Tyler's Legacy SS.... under an impreza shell

[bmxpunk]

Happy new year! I’ve started painting, or at least priming the car. Hopefully I can start 2021 off well and make a dent in the body work tomorrow.

I’ve already started to prime a few bits. I’m using a commercial epoxy primer, PPG CRE-321, as recommended by my local refinish supply store. I’ll admit I’m a bit lost with body work and paint. I am far more mechanically minded so for me it is extremely stressful. Honestly it is more stressful that having having surgery this fall. I don’t have the patience for it. Which is an ironic statement when you see how long ago this thread was started.





Now if I could just decide on a color.


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[bmxpunk]

Made a touch more progress. Not much but hope to have the entire car finished with primer on Saturday. Passenger door is off, apart and on the stand for primer. I have a throttle body stuck in DHL system somewhere between here and Russia along with some S5 WRC hood vents. Still also considering opening the vent holes a bit more and have some lips made for the front edges. I was headed to have some Mini service done in Denver tonight and that was a good excuse to drop in to pick up my harness but 90mph winds and snow on the interstate changed those plans.

Also made some more progress with the engine. Acquired the the old school separate timing belt tensioner, pulley and mount and the final timing cover. I also got the shorter SVX oil fill tube that is shorter and more out of the way.




Still need to pick a color.

A memory from just after I had the cage finished popped up on Facebook today. The car that day, much the same as today, weighed in at 2480lbs so I’m a bit under weight.


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[Legacy777]

Looking good and keep up the work!

[bmxpunk]

She’s primed!

Picked up my harness this weekend and it’s a mixed bag. The engine harness is great. At least it’s short and clean. The body harness wasn’t really touched so now I have to figure out what to do there 1 year lost. Now what to do?



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[arse_sidewards]

I didn't see it mentioned anywhere in the thread but where did you get that aluminum LCA and did you ever wind up reinforcing the crossmember?

[bmxpunk]

I didn't see it mentioned anywhere in the thread but where did you get that aluminum LCA and did you ever wind up reinforcing the crossmember?

I never did reinforce the crossmembers beyond welding up the seams. I still contemplate having some subframes made, but the advice I’ve received from most American rallyists is to think of the stock one as a fuse. In an off hopefully it will fail and bend versus having a strong tubular subframe that could instead twist the shell.


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[arse_sidewards]

Where did you get the aluminum lower control arm? Is it a aftermarket piece or is it from an OE application?

[bmxpunk]

The aluminum front arms currently on the car are from an 06 Wrx Sti. The front bushing is a different width on the bugeye and newer control arms and has to be replaced to fit. There are earlier Sti models that are a direct fit for the early impreza/legacy but the track is narrower.


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[arse_sidewards]

I'm really unfamiliar with what happened to the various platforms after they all diverged from the basic Legacy based floor-pan and suspensions in the mid-'00s

When you say "the track would be narrower" you mean narrower than an '06+ STI or narrower than a stock 90s/00s Impreza/Legacy/Outback/everything else that shares that platform?

I was under the impression that the front and rear suspensions basically didn't change (other than some trivial stuff like how the sway bars mount) across the model line until the late '00s.

[Legacy777]

I never did reinforce the crossmembers beyond welding up the seams. I still contemplate having some subframes made, but the advice I’ve received from most American rallyists is to think of the stock one as a fuse. In an off hopefully it will fail and bend versus having a strong tubular subframe that could instead twist the shell.


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I would agree with this sentiment, let the subframe bend vs. the chassis.

[Legacy777]

I'm really unfamiliar with what happened to the various platforms after they all diverged from the basic Legacy based floor-pan and suspensions in the mid-'00s

When you say "the track would be narrower" you mean narrower than an '06+ STI or narrower than a stock 90s/00s Impreza/Legacy/Outback/everything else that shares that platform?

I was under the impression that the front and rear suspensions basically didn't change (other than some trivial stuff like how the sway bars mount) across the model line until the late '00s.

Starting in 2002 (for North American cars) The WRX sedan had a slightly wider track/width than the sedan and previous model legacy/imprezas. This was accomplished with different lower control arms. As Tyler mentioned the newer wider arms can be used on the older cars with some retrofitment.

[bmxpunk]

BBS you are the first to see these, even before my co-driver! Car is nearly painted! It’s been a little tough because I’ve been moving but at least I know have a garage to work in and store this beast.
Strange situation this has turned out, though probably for the better. While I tackled the body work and the priming, my cousin promised this shop out to someone else while I was in there. The new tenant happens to be using the shop as a paint booth. So to motivate both myself and the new tenant a deal was worked out and he would paint the car for material cost. While I’m bummed to not have learned the final steps in painting, the car will at least look better. Hopefully not too good to spray with gravel as I’ve had to remind the painter a few times.


Anyway, I’m finding out GC parts are getting difficult to buy. also did you know the Subaru system at dealers lists the Sti Kevlar timing belt as discontinued?!?! Luckily they can still be found through the tuning shops but that surprised me.

Also the engine is nearly complete. Just waiting on the cam tool to finish the timing belt install.



That leaves me with wiring, which I still have not figured out what I’m going to do. It’s looking like custom harnesses but I’m still fleshing out options.


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[arse_sidewards]

The timing belt is just standard cogged belt in 30mm (I think, you should measure) width.

There's no reason you can't go through the Gates, Goodyear or Dayco catalog, find a belt product line you like and then order up the relevant part number. Cogged belts are sold by a part number that designates their specs just like V-belts are.

[Legacy777]

Paintwork looks nice!

[bmxpunk]

It’s painted!!!






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[Legacy777]

Looking shiny

[bmxpunk]

Slow tedious process of reassembling everything. The doors have been the worst. Maybe I shouldn’t be surprised but Subaru no longer stocks a lot of body parts for this guy.

Also I finally have a garage(!) that I can keep the car in and work on it anytime! The downside is that much of my free time has been spent on the new house but it’s a good thing.


Also the engine is mostly built now. Fighting with the Heatshield Products Header Armor on these twin scroll headers.

And finally I laid the harness out and stared at it for what seemed like weeks and I came to the conclusion it will be best to start over, and simplify. I have a new relay box and chassis harness coming that I will have to do the finish work on. Then I’ve ordered all of the connectors for the engine to build my own harness from the ground up.

Oh and I got a new “totally unplanned” matching tool box. Trying to improve the efficiency of my garage I got rid of my old tool box, some tool carts, and a work bench and replaced it with this guy. Haven’t even totally filled it up yet! This phone site doesn’t do justice for all 72” of wall that takes up.


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[bmxpunk]

Long time since I have updated. Have more of the car back together. Engine and transmission are in.
This week my engine harness arrived from Australia.
I’m conflicted at the moment because although it’s nicely constructed, it’s not the plug and play it was supposed to be. It’s also much longer than I had hoped. I had planned for it to come from behind the manifold run along the pitch stop mount and attach at the firewall. It was made to come out the side of the manifold, run down the driver side frame rail and mount to the firewall. I also have to weld in some new bungs for sensors when I thought it was going to be plug and play. I’m conflicted, Motorsport grade sensors or factory ease?

I’ve collected (nearly) the connectors for the chassis harness so I can start in that next. Power distribution is the current bane of my existence. Trying to find a relay panel with enough circuits to work the whole car has proven difficult, as I’ve bought and sold a few already. The other option which seems overkill is a PDM.

Made some fender liners





Fit mud flaps



Nerded-out a little on my toolbox with Wrapmybox.com



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[Legacy777]

Sorry to hear you're not completely happy on the wiring. I've found that the only way I'm happy with the wiring setup is for me to do it myself. I think wiring routing and some the tucking/hiding can be preference based and what may be good for some may not be good for others.

What are you using for fender liners?

[bmxpunk]

Sorry to hear you're not completely happy on the wiring. I've found that the only way I'm happy with the wiring setup is for me to do it myself. I think wiring routing and some the tucking/hiding can be preference based and what may be good for some may not be good for others.

What are you using for fender liners?

The plastic came from Speedway Motorsports. Will (one day) see how it holds up.

I’m not getting any help with the harness so I’m going to rework it. I spent tonight mapping it out and I think I can accomplish everything I want. I think the harness is long enough I can reroute some things and cut it down by at least 15”. I’ve pulled a few wires already on sensors that I didn’t need or wouldn’t work with my ecu.

Plan is to run the bulkhead connector (or 2 if I must) to the firewall just to the side of the pitch stop. The harness can tie to the pitch stop for strain relief.


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[bmxpunk]

Not the best representative, but hopefully you can see the before(below) and after. It’s getting cleaner and making more sense. I’ve removed the sensors that aren’t compatible with my ecu and I’ve started reorganizing wires so they fit under the manifold better. Straight away everything to the right of my yellow screwdriver is waste. Time to get some terminals and some crimpers and get to work.


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[Legacy777]

I'm glad you're able to work with it and make it fit better for what you need.