aim's JDM 1994 Legacy RS

[aim]

The 1994 2.0 litre turbo JDM legacy RS - log

Firstly I'd like to describe the state of it when it first arrived in my uncles driveway. Food mashed into the seats. crumbs EVERYWHERE, I mean everywhere - like you wouldn't believe. Mud on the doors, floor, seats and ceiling. Food and old lolly pop sticks and popsicle sticks in the door storage, parcel shelf and under the seats. Stains on nearly every piece of upholstery. Grease and brake dust all over the wheels and wheel arch and beyond! Covered in police fingerprint dust, normal dust, and unidentified particles. There was old clothes in the boot, a worn out crappy booster seat in the back. Looked like someone had got old macdonalds, k-fry, coca cola, a big lolly mix and a hand grenade and let it off in the car. When I took the dash off there was stuff there too, including earrings, lolly wrappers and ten cent coins, more about that later. The exterior wasn't much better minor scratches all over, black rubber was now grey, minor dents all over, nearly half the paint on the wingmirror gone, the spoiler had a lot missing too, Anyway, mechanically the car appeared fine. It passed its Warrant of Fitness with flying colours.

Think I'm gonna sell it once I've finished with it, get something I really want :)

Car's just arrived, doing the initial service, checking out the engines condition more closely. All's positive except for the turbos, which don't work, vacuums normal.
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/01/y2p6El-1.jpg

Wing mirror in pretty shoddy nic.
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/01/cyZMQl-1.jpg

Spoiler isn't much better tbh :P
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/01/vTcH8l-1.jpg

Replaced the ignition barrel, removing the dash for vacuum and cleaning, removing door locks for retumbling to new key.
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/01/VMMcKl-1.jpg

Removed the intercooler, checking out the turbo setup (I have had no experience with turbo'd cars before!)
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/01/ZDpDOl-1.jpg

Got the intercooler completely off, removed heat shields and removed primary turbo. Found the culprit, the evil bolt! Notice the stripped compressor wheel.
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/01/p6n18l-1.jpg

Wash, cut and polish. Trying to restore the paintwork. Still pretty dull unfortunately...
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/01/xjgDEl-1.jpg

So far: - This photo is w/o rubber restored, so it's still a little dull. But it's since been done.
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/01/OnGC8l-1.jpg

Been done;

Carpet and seats been shampooed and vacuumed. Dash nearly entirely dismantled cleaned and and vacuumed under dash (there was McDonalds fries under the dash and a half eaten biscuit on the parcel shelf! Yes the car smelled funky when I got it) Dash coated in a silicon protection film. New headunit (nothing wrong with old one, just didn't like it) Key barrel replaced. 15000k service - UEC, oil filter, airbox etc... (hasn't done 15000ks since I got it, I just did it as a precaution), BoVs removed and cleaned, replaced one BoV, vac lines checked for leaks, primary turbo replaced, belts replaced and the exteriors had a wash and wax. Wiper blades replaced, so were a few blown bulbs. Rubber been restored to its original black state. Engine been degreased. Wheels been degreased once but there's still crud on the wheels and I think that's it so far...

To do;

New aerial, won't take long just gotta go down and get one! Paint bonnet, wing mirror and spoiler. Replace one piece of broken dash, then the cars done!



Hope you enjoyed and thanks for looking

:)

[impreza_GC8]

Ah gorgeous, we never got those turbo RS's in the states.

[aim]

It probably needs a really good tune. Because it's a bit weak in the power department. Might change the diff/tranny fluid too.

I would love to get a '98 and drop a WRX (STI?) engine in it. However, that's a project a long long long way down the line... Probably after I'm out of uni :P Right now I'm on the look out for my next legacy to 'restore to working order' I love the legacy shapes/looks/function, but I want WRX performance :P I've been recommended the kybs from the v7's. I'm keeping that on my to do list :P

[impreza_GC8]

Why not convert it to single turbo, larger injectors and get that performance you want?

[j_saffron]

good job with the resurrection! that Legacy's probably been waiting most it's life to meet you

[aim]

Why not convert it to single turbo, larger injectors and get that performance you want?

While I'd love too, It's not a small job, and the 4000 that I'd probably have to spend at least (even doing it myself) I just can't afford it. And even if I could, I probably couldn't justify the cash you see, I bought the whole car for just over $1600. I'm still at university you see, so I don't have a steady cash flow :P


good job with the resurrection! that Legacy's probably been waiting most it's life to meet you

Well we've finally be acquainted. And I've enjoyed our run together so far very much, every thing that's gone wrong so far has been very minor except maybe the turbo. But I knew that wasn't going to be easy when I bought it :P Learnt a lot with this car.

[impreza_GC8]

$4000 is a ton just to do a single turbo conversion! Thats enough for an STI motor!

[aim]

this is NZD remember... :P That's probably less than 3000USD.

[SOREN]

Looks like you did a nice job with it! I think our cars are twins! :)

Once mine comes from Japan, I'll make sure you see my impressions between the WRX the STi and the Legacy RS all from 1994, as a short intro, the WRX is very fun, but once you try an STi, you wonder how the WRX could have been all that fun, it's just so much different and powerful, but getting in the WRX again, it's still fun, and the power is quite adequate. I'm curious to see what the RS is like...