83 replies to this topic

[GNGBNG]

Hi, I'm GNGBNG. You may remember me from previous threads such "RS Liberty Turbo", and "How to sucessfully not move on in life and continue playing with Subaru's"

 

Thought i'd throw up a build thread/story on my GDB Bugeye STI.

 

Where it started:

I first came into contact with this car when I ordered it from the factory back in May 2002.

The car arrived into Australia in July 2002 and was then prepared by the Local Dealership (Subaru Tamworth) for delivery.

Items/accessories fitted by the dealer include tow bar, STI floor mats, mud flaps/spats all round, headlamp protectors and the removal of the STI foglight covers to have a set of Narva driving lights fitted.

The car was then delivered to its new owner, where it stayed, being used daily, until January this year.

How do i know all this? I was the young punk Salesman who sold the car to them, and it was the first STI i had ever sold.

Being a car nut, this was an exciting time, selling a Blue/Black Impreza WRX STI  was super cool.

 

So i kept in contact with the original owner for the last 20 years, letting them know to contact me if they ever wanted to sell, as previously stated, it was the first STI i had ever sold.

So in January 2022, they contacted me, she wanted to move it on, I bought it. (there's actually quite a long story in its self here, but less chat, more pictures)

 

Here it is just before i took ownership of it (she kept her plates)

 

 Old STi 2.jpg   836.77KB   1 downloads

 Old STi.jpg   269.33KB   1 downloads

 STi 10.jpg   939.32KB   1 downloads

 

[Barbbachello]

Sick. Assuming a good tidy up and keeping it basically stock is on the cards?

[GNGBNG]

So what do we have?

It's a one owner 2002 Subaru Impreza WRX STI with 235,xxxkms on the clock.

Completely stock, as it was the day i handed them the keys, just used.

The car spent its life on dirt roads around the Tamworth area its whole life. (Farming family)

Never garaged, rarely washed (only when serviced by the dealership), just treated as a means of transport for grubby kids and dogs.

Service history is questionable, its had all its oil changes, just everything else is still original and worn out from country dirt road driving.

All the log books are still there with my business card in it.

 

Here it is when i got it home.

 

 STi 11.jpg   1.17MB   1 downloads

 STi 12.jpg   957.35KB   1 downloads

 STi 13.jpg   745.5KB   1 downloads

 STi 14.jpg   781.24KB   1 downloads

 STi 16.jpg   979.64KB   1 downloads

 STi 17.jpg   877.47KB   1 downloads

 

This picture was taken a while after just before i started the paint correction.

It has actually been washed and claybarred in this picture, ready for the first heavy cut.

 

 

 Paint 9.jpg   767.01KB   1 downloads

 

Still had the RS at this stage.

 

 STi - RS.jpg   985.67KB   1 downloads

 

 

So as you can see, its a pig.

No clear paint on the roof, bonnet paint is shagged, dents and scratches all over it.

[GNGBNG]

Sick. Assuming a good tidy up and keeping it basically stock is on the cards?

 

Pretty much. Few little things here and there, but definitely cleaning.

[GNGBNG]

So the next step was to decide what to do with it.

 

Option 1: Do i strip it for its Brembo's, six speed, R180, EJ207 and transplant into the RS?

 

Option 2: Do I flip it and make a very tidy profit and spend it on the RS?

 

Option 3: Keep them both?

 

Option 4: Sell the RS and and spend the proceeds on this lump?

 

Option 1 was the original path as that would be sick. But, no. This would ultimately get me a sick RS that has been overcapitalised on (no doubt more funds would be required to make this happen) and i would have a useless GDB shell on my hands.

Option 2 was considered. But ultimately i'd then be looking to buy a six speed, R180 and brembos. In the current market, this would cost more than the STI I just bought.

Option 3 I went along with for a couple of months, mainly to get it straight in my head if i wanted to go with option 2 or 4 as i drove them both daily. One had to go, they both do the same job, no point hoarding cars.

Option 4 it was. So the RS went up for sale, good price was paid.

 

Gone but not forgotten (Sold in March 2022)

 

 ray 4.jpg   164.48KB   1 downloads

 ray 3.jpg   1014.49KB   1 downloads

 interior.jpg   1.19MB   1 downloads

 Engine 2.jpg   977.73KB   1 downloads

[GNGBNG]

So whilst I was deciding what to do with these cars, time to clean. (Timeline January 22')

Up on the jack stands, high pressure washer, scrubbing brush, degreaser and crap clothing.

 

 STi Exhaust 1.jpg   722.29KB   1 downloads

 

 Wheel well 3.jpg   973.36KB   1 downloads

 

 Wheel well 4.jpg   922.47KB   1 downloads

 

 STI 18.jpg   1.01MB   1 downloads

[GNGBNG]

Lots of scrubbing, heres what the wheel wells looked like after much cleaning.

This will be further improved later.

 

 Wheel well 5.jpg   934.71KB   1 downloads

 wheel well 6.jpg   1020.63KB   1 downloads

[GNGBNG]

Little bit of engine bay degreasing and cleaning under the wipers.

 

 Clean 1.jpg   999.07KB   1 downloads

 Engine.jpg   249.12KB   1 downloads

 

 

[GNGBNG]

At this point I was sick of travelling in filth, so the interior was next.

I started from the rear.

Everything out, washed, scrubbed and dusted.

 

 Boot 3.jpg   849.28KB   1 downloads

 

 Boot 4.jpg   934.25KB   1 downloads

 

 Boot 6.jpg   1.23MB   1 downloads

 

 

Whilst this was all out, cracked tail light removed and replaced with a non cracked dusty one.

 

 Tail light.jpg   764.78KB   1 downloads 

 

 

[GNGBNG]

Moving forward, again everything out. Seats, carpet, door trims etc.

As mentioned, it was a family car, young kids, dogs, dirt roads and zero fucks given.

So dust, dirt, batteries, lego, lollies, coins all vacuumed and washed and removed.

 

 Garage.jpg   645.35KB   1 downloads

 

 Interior 1.jpg   1.02MB   1 downloads

 

 Seat 1.jpg   915.25KB   1 downloads

 

 Interior 2.jpg   137.81KB   1 downloads

 

 Interior Pt2 2.jpg   134.38KB   1 downloads

 

 Interior Pt2 3.jpg   1012KB   1 downloads

 

 

[Barbbachello]

STi family car is gangster and travesty at the same time

[GNGBNG]

The seats were dirty not surprisingly.

The drivers seat was the worst, to the point that it had just about turned black.

Back seat was full of hair and dirt.

 

 Drivers seat1.jpg   1.2MB   1 downloads

 

 Drivers seat 2.jpg   1.3MB   1 downloads

 

 Seat 3.jpg   870.87KB   1 downloads

 

 Seat 4.jpg   827.31KB   1 downloads

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GNGBNG]

After a couple of goes at scrubbing the seats, letting them soak, wet vacuuming them, repeating, they came up a lot better.

Unfortunately the STI logos on the back rests disintegrated.

 

 Seat 8.jpg   1007.13KB   1 downloads

 

 Seat 6.jpg   927.44KB   1 downloads

 

 Drivers seat 3.jpg   1.45MB   1 downloads

 

 Seat 7.jpg   940.61KB   1 downloads

[GNGBNG]

Other trim pieces and door trims all scrubbed up before going back in.

Much better place to be and more pleasant on the nose.

 

 Interior Trims.jpg   103.08KB   1 downloads

 

 Door trims 2.jpg   267.93KB   1 downloads

 

 Floor mats.jpg   1.21MB   1 downloads

 

 Interior 5.jpg   878.1KB   1 downloads

 

 Interior 4.jpg   994.37KB   1 downloads

 

 

[GNGBNG]

So far, no money has been spent, just time.

But some surfing on Yahoo Auctions yielded a new gear knob, and centre console trim to replace the section that was butchered to fit the keypad for the now disconnected factory after thought alarm system.

 

 Gear Knob 2.jpg   165.87KB   1 downloads

 

 console.jpg   145.11KB   1 downloads

 

 Consol.jpg   956.63KB   1 downloads

 

 Clean console.jpg   128.79KB   1 downloads

[GNGBNG]

Whilst we're in the interior, i'll add this here, but this happened futher down the track.

Again, Yahoo Auction bargain find.

The factory STI steering wheel was worn. I compromised and settled for a non red stitch MOMO wheel here. A red stitch MOMO wheel commanded a premium.

This wheel was mint, and i won it for $28 plus shipping, so under $150 to my door. That will do.

Re-fit the horn pad, transfer air bag and cruise control bits and pieces, looks sweet......even without the red stitching. 

 

 Momo.PNG   738.54KB   2 downloads

 

 Momo 1.jpg   997.44KB   1 downloads

[GNGBNG]

I was now happy with the interior ( actually, I pulled the carpet out again after all this and gave it another go as i wasn't 100% happy)

So moving onto the paint. I have practiced paint restoration/correction on my RS and my Commodore over the last couple of years.

Nothing as bad as this though, so I was looking forward to it.

I used Menzerna products (heavy cut, medium cut, polish and a finish) and a random orbital polisher with a couple of different types of pads.

So wash car, clay bar, wash again.

Remove lots of trim and other bits and get into it.

 

 Paint 9.jpg   767.01KB   1 downloads

 

 Polish 4.jpg   871.79KB   1 downloads

 

 STi 13.jpg   745.5KB   1 downloads

 

 Polish 3.jpg   797.79KB   1 downloads

 

 Polish 1.jpg   790.75KB   1 downloads

 

 Polish 7.jpg   427.05KB   1 downloads

 

 Polish 8.jpg   750.67KB   1 downloads

 

 Paint 7.jpg   613.4KB   1 downloads

 

 Paint 6.jpg   581.18KB   1 downloads

 

 Paint 8.jpg   394.29KB   1 downloads

[GNGBNG]

The above pictures are in progress shots, and some more refining was done.

Obviously some of the paint is way beyond saving, but it looks better.

Nicely shows up all the dents now.

 

 Paint 1.jpg   899.29KB   1 downloads

 

 Paint 5.jpg   757.16KB   1 downloads

 

 Paint 4.jpg   950.25KB   1 downloads

[GNGBNG]

More to come.....timeline above is approximately end of January 22'

[GNGBNG]

STi family car is gangster and travesty at the same time

 

It's currently being used as my daily and does the school run.