Suby Club

Hey Guys,

 

Finally had a chance to sit down and put something together for a build topic. The story thus far, I have had a few turbo libs in my time RS wagon, to gen 2 RX STI Conversion, Gen 3 Stroker STI conversion and now onto my current build project.  What started out a bit of a joke with a mate of mine lead me down the path I am on now. Having decided to put my once 10sec XR6 turbo on the market for sale my mate wasted no time in finding me something else to get my hands dirty on. I went over to his place and looked over it, was a wrecked liberty with a bitsa conversion in it, i.e. STI motor, 4.44s, wheels suspension and the likes as well as some other fruit etc. I looked at it long an hard in garage and decided to buy it either with the intention of A, fixing the damage to the panel work as it had been in an accident and drive it as a daily, B, find something clean and tidy to put it in. The older libs aren't really worth much any more an I couldn't find an RS to put all the good fruit in so I set about looking at other options, firstly trying to source a brumby, as a bit of fun seriously light and would respond well to minor mods I could do later. That didn't eventuate, I was trolling gumtree and Ebay rigorously for nearly a month, knowing I had a good solid recently rebuild drive line that would make any liberty a lot more fun.

 

So what appeared was a fairly tidy 99 RX wagon automatic, had full service history from subaru but a young guy had bought thinking a wagon would be good for commercial vehicle for tax, was not to be, offered him a fair price for it and brought it home.

 

Started off like this, I hadn't actually seen the car in the day light as both times I went to look at it was dark unfortunately. Anyway not to worry, I had the car at my place and it meant I could get to work. sorry for bad photos only had phone.

 

 

 

Anyway was a pretty straight car apart from the few shopping trolley marks and a few chips on the front bar. So I was originally going to attempt this at home, but another mate of mine has a hoist and I thought more sensible to do this with the right gear just to make my life that much easier. So the other car was stripped, the engine cleaned and serviced make life easier once I put it in its new home. Towed the RX to my mates shop and set about doing the same by removing the 2.5 and remaining bits out of it that weren't needed. Day 1 ended and I had a complete drive train sitting on a work bench from the donor car, and a gutted wagon on a hoist.

 

Here is said 2.5 on its way to a new home on the sunny coast.

 

 

fits in a D40 Navara if you are ever stuck for a vehicle to move it in!

 

Day 2 started with some subway for breakfast and some time assessing the best way to get it back in ease, we dropped the whole cross member out, would only suggest that with the like of a hoist makes life so much easier. Around lunch time we had the engine near where it needed to be and set out about re attaching it all to the car. Spent most of the day under the car putting the bilsteins in and the rest of the drive line, tailshaft and diff etc. But anyway a great end to the day we had an engine in place and a drive line installed.

 

End of day 2, bilsteins in stock brakes still on unfortunately

 

 

Day 3

 

So the 3rd day just saw the car being finalised ready to head back on a trailer to my place from my mates workshop. We did some make shift piping, fitted a new full exhaust from dump pipe back, and just made sure it was all together and that all the parts were loaded back into the car. Definitely appreciated the help he gave me, the conversion became a lot easier with that help.

 

First setup for FMIC, piping has since been played with isn't as close to the ground now but will be getting the bottom part rejigged so it sits up behind the bar.

 

 

 

 

Day 5 to whenever

 

Car sat for a while once it returned home, had a whole other heap of stuff on and the car sat on the back burner for a little while. When i got time I set about doing the medial tasks, I knew the engine was fresh less then 20k on it but the car had original heater and cooling lines in it so I set about replacing all of them with new items, that was a bit of a task, but I also did a bit of engine bay tidying while I was at it just to make sure I didn't end up on the side of the road from poor workmanship or small things that often get overlooked.

 

Few updates, Full dash out to get to the Harness, big task looks daunting but its not to bad

 

 

 

Engine bay update a bit tidier

 

 

Also decided that the rev a to c RX stock front end is a little uninspiring so I set about making it a look a little more aggressive, I picked a up a bonnet for a good price of another member off here, I have an RX front bar I know its off a sedan but it looks ok and I have fogs and covers already from a previous car so it will be repaired and painted unless someone knows of a rev d e wagon bar that they want to part with. Im not fussed either way!

 

 

Recent updates are

 

Another mate of mine had a set of 4pots with slotted and drilled with Project Mu pads that I managed to score for a reasonable price.

 

 

These found there way into the front, not overly 100% on how they sit but im tossing up what to do instead. Just been cleaned in that pic and still drying.

 

 

Picked up some new wheels also off another mate on here and a tinter friend is half way through that job.  As you can see front end is full Rev D - E conversion obviously the bar needs work but when its tidied up and painted should look really good.

 

 

 

So leaving it for now things to come,

 

- Have to finish the radiator mount for the wrx radiator as they are completely different in this car.

- Finish prepping the bonnet and the bar for paint

- Source some other bits and pieces odds and ends

- Finish off the grille

 

All in all its almost complete, has taken about 3 months to do on an off on weekends when I get a chance but its almost there the car runs and is 100% driveable has had a number of heat cycles since it was put in, starts first time every time. Am Auto did the wiring conversion for me they did a great job as usual, I would recommend them every time they have done 3 turbo liberties for me and they just know there stuff. Ill update this as time progresses on once the cosmetic stuff is completed like ARC scoop and legacy styling stuff is put on but all in all I am definitely looking forward to getting out there in it with you guys in a Subaru again!

 

cheers

Very cool.

Looking forward to seeing this when it's all together. Very cool man!

Awesome! Gonna look great when done!!!

Mad build! Loving the updated front end, too

those wheels are hawt. Looking forward to reading this

Looks good!

I always wondered what a Rev D/E sedan would look like with a D/E wagon front bar on it. Or vica versa like in this build. I like it!

Rise of the Gen3's!

Looks good. Keep it up.

Go the wagon!

 

Looking very nice with those black wheels on that dark green.

 

There's going to need to be a Gen3 wagon conversion meetup.

Thanks guys. The wheels have really set it off im really looking forward to getting it out on the road. I agree I was worried about the front bar being a sedan what are people's thoughts? Looks good or should I look at changing it?

I'll be honest and say I'm not a fan.

It's your car though. Do what you think looks good

Looks good

Sweet build mate

Thanks guys. The wheels have really set it off im really looking forward to getting it out on the road. I agree I was worried about the front bar being a sedan what are people's thoughts? Looks good or should I look at changing it?

 

Keep the sedan front - the best Rev D/E front and it'll be unique too!

i kinda wish i did this to my Heritage when the engine started to go! if i had some mates like yours i probably woulda!!!

Love build threads like this. Nice work.

 

I like the front as its genuine, one of the best looking Gen3 fronts and different for a wagon. Keep it i say.

 

What springs are in the Bilsteins?

Cheers guys. Its definitely unique with that front im going to look at preping it next week and then asses. It has become what it has today by some really helpful friends and alot of parts laying around that needed a new home in my car : )

car has bil struts and shocks and pink sti springs mate from 2 different cars lol its lower then I thought it would with them in it though will see how it goes once its on the road whether they stay in it or not.

Nice work bud.

Awesome! I sell my gen3 and now theyre taking over lol

Nice project mate, what are those seats like, do they sit a little high?