Well, since the cold and snow is now here, i’ve slowed down work on the car and have diverted attention and funds elsewhere…
I am feeling the need to replace or repair my transmission before the summer, as it’s slipping badly and the AWD is just not working nearly as well as it used to.
Swap in a 5MT or rebuild the 4EAT, it’s an hard question, and i’m still not sure…
Oh, Ecsta 712s don’t make great snow tires 😀
I’ve all but finished a few writeups i’ve had on ice for a few months. I don’t have pictures of the installs, but they aren’t the most important thing. The MSD DIS-2 ignition is one of the best upgrades i’ve done and the STi top mounts are a great addition to an upgraded suspension.
Dan sent me a few pics of his super-nice Touring Wagon featuring the stunning 18″ TSW Hockenheim wheels. Definitely a must-see.
Well, it’s been a very busy month for me 😀
The Tokyo trip was fantastic, almost beyond words for a car nut like me. The sheer magnitude of Subarus, not to mention all the other makes, was overwhelming.
I just got back from SEMA in Las Vegas. It was missing some of the cooler displays, like Apex-i, but there was a lot of neat stuff there. Thankfully the show was at least as big as last year, and attendance was good, though i’m certain reluctance to fly factored into the numbers.
I got to meet Trey Cobb from Cobb Tuning and Brennan from SubySports, as well as Rod from Arizona and some of the other guys at the 4th Annual West Coast Subaru meet. I did miss a lot of the festivities, for various reasons, but i’m glad i came.
In other news, i’ve got some pics of Kevin Crisp’s 93 Touring Wagon in the Members section of Turbo-Centric. I’ve also got some very nice pics of a Touring Wagon with 18″ wheels on that i just received. I’ll scan them in as soon as i can.
Finally, i’ve gotten around to installing the CUSCO lower arm brace. Jump over to the Library and have a look. It’s hard to get, but compliments the suspension and looks good to boot.
Well, i’m back from my vacation to Tokyo and i must say that for a Subaru and Japanese car enthusiast, it really doesn’t get any better anywhere.
I saw so many Touring Wagons, B4s and WRXes that it was overwhelming, and that was just the nice Subaru stuff. Nissan Skylines, Silvias, Lancers and the like can be found there occasionally as well.
I got a few things while there, a CUSCO lower arm brace and STi top mounts. The mounts are in, and they made a very noticeable difference. Quiet and firm, removing most of the rest of the bounciness i was getting from the worn stock parts.
The bar is a very uncommon item in the states, but everyone in Japan uses them, and i got it in the equivalent of a Pep Boys store, on the shelf. Amazing.
I haven’t done a lot for the past month on the car, as i’m trying to save a few dollars for my trip…to Tokyo!
I’ve got relatives over there that i’m staying with for a few weeks, and i’m going to be a big time tourist, taking a lot of pictures and perhaps some video.
Best of all, my uncle has arranged for a tour of the Subaru manufacturing plant! Man, i’m stoked!
I did add a JC Sports STi Style front strut brace a few weeks ago, nice addition to a car with an updated suspension. Highly recommended for the low price of $125.
Miki sent me some more pics of his nice Touring Wagon along with some changes and i’ve updated his corner of the Members section.
I recently got a set of these tires installed and thought i’d write up my impression of them. They’re a very good tire, and cheap to boot.
I’ve also finished my writeup of the SMC Stainless Steel brake line install.
Well, I got the STi-Style brace from JC yesterday and installed it last night. It’s a piece of cake, mostly, looks good and works well so far.
The STi-Style is the kind of brace that angles back and hugs the firewall to clear intercoolers. This one is shiny aluminum with red ends and is adjustable.
The hardest part is tightening up the adjusters, as it takes a large-ish hex wrench on one end. Once you have that, it’s a cinch.
Pics and a writeup will follow.
I ordered some Kumho Ecsta 712s from a local place called WheelWorks last week, and plan to have them installed this afternoon.
I opted for the 225/45 size, based on the width and similarity in size to stock rolling diameter. The only concern i have is with rubbing in the fenders, which is likely, but can be worked around.
I should have some pics later, and impressions on whether 225s on 7″ RS wheels work on the BF.
I got some SMC stainless steel brake lines from a Legacy owner in Washington yesterday and got to install them last night. It was a bit of a pain, and a writeup is in the works, but the results are nice.
No more mushy brake feel now! It’s nice and tight!
I also replaced my rear brake pads with generic AutoZone ones. They were old, REALLY OLD, and i needed a hammer to get the inside ones out. Sheesh.