Talon Sorensen's 1998 GT Wagon 5spd build- BC BR Coilovers

[talonsorensen]

This past summer I was searching for a new car it was either a between a Subaru or Toyota 4runner. after searching for a few months I came across a subaru legacy with 143,000 on the body and 14,000 on a rebuilt engine done by a reputable shop! It also has a clean title which was a big thing for me.
there is a few dents here and there but nothing to bad. The car was completely stock when I got it.
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The plan is too ultimately do a engine/tranny swap.. I'm not to sure which swap I want to go with yet, and thats down the road a ways. I want to have another car I can drive before I do the swap.

Things I've done so far;

engine
perrin pitchstop mount
grimmspeed oil cap
catback exhaust
unequal length headers

wheels/suspension/brakes
Rota G-Forces 17x8
Toyo 205/45/17
BC BR coilovers
Mishimoto neo chrome extended locking lugs
grimmspeed mastercylinder brace
whitelines rear strut bar
STI Fuji aerospace front strut bar

Exterior
HID headlights
JDM Tail lights
JDM fog lights (not installed)
JDM side markers (not installed)
Rear windshield wiper deleted
Rally armor mud flaps
Yakima Ski racks

Interior
MOMO 03 WRX steering wheel
Cobb shift knob
black suede/red stitching shifter boot
STI key
Pioneer doubledin headunit
Fosgate amp and sub
05 WRX front and rear seats
Fronts direct mounted
rears needed some modification to fit...
tint 25% all the way around
Blue LED
Sparco pedals


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[talonsorensen]

Here is some more photos
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[Go Mifune]

Good buy and I like what you've done to it. Envious of the WRX steering wheel as my year (1997) isn't doable if the airbag is to be kept operable. Do you have a favorite mod so far?

[talonsorensen]

Thank you Go Mifune,
It's growing on me.... at a crazy rate!
honestly the steering wheel is a good upgrade I'd get the female of a WRX and splice it.. the steering wheel is a huge upgrade over stock.

As for my favorite thing so far its hard to say, I have been purchasing/installing parts like crazy. I'd have to say the front seats it's a nice upgrade and if you spend a decent amount of time in the car the lower back support helps a ton.

[Tylerhartman]

Congrats man, Excited to see the build :)

[peugoby]

Hey Talon, nice seeing your car here on the forum. I'm the one who sold you the JDM tail lights, fog lights & side markers.

Looks like your car is coming together really nicely! Hope to see you around - Toby

[talonsorensen]

Hey toby, theres no way I could forget that car man! after seeing your car it definitely was the final straw, I caught the bug! I'm hoping this weekend to getting around to installing the fogs! Hoping we can get a northwest thing together and all meet up!

[talonsorensen]

Thanks Tyler, can't wait to see where it takes me. I might be building the car but, I feel like the car is also building me! hahah

[Tylerhartman]

Thanks Tyler, can't wait to see where it takes me. I might be building the car but, I feel like the car is also building me! hahah

It goes both ways ;) I completely understand. car parts are power and so is knowledge ;)

[talonsorensen]

attention too details :walk:
STI Key
STI seatbelt pads
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[Tylerhartman]

Holy them seats are so sexy

[talonsorensen]

yeah they're defiantly a good looking seat having the wrx swap front and rear gave the car a facelift for sure!!

[talonsorensen]

Todays project consisted of me installing my UEL Headers and HIDs I'm a happy camper :)
have photos of the UEL need to get some when it gets dark of the HIDs
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[Tylerhartman]

I approve of rumbles ;D

[talonsorensen]

I approve of rumbles ;D

I think I'm going to cut one or two more CATs out and straight pipe what I cut out i want to be loud but not crazy loud....

[talonsorensen]

Well here are some more photos the Blue interior LED and Headlight HID's
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[talonsorensen]

Just bought a STI Fuji aerospace front strut bar!
need to give it a good clean once it gets nice out.
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[peugoby]

Looking good bud.

[talonsorensen]

Looking good bud.
Thank you!

[talonsorensen]

well todays project of installing my RallyArmor mudflaps went from fun and going smoothly to pissing rain and hail! Washington for ya I guess... only got two on
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[LGT Kirby]

Love the car. Did the WRX rear seats just bolt right in?

[98legwag]

Love the car. Did the WRX rear seats just bolt right in?

When I installed 04 wrx wagon seats in my 98 they did not bolt in. The brackets and latches had to be modified. You also loose the ability to fold up the bottom half the of the seat so you cannot fold the rear seats flat anymore.

[LGT Kirby]

That's what I was worried about. Thanks!

[talonsorensen]

yeah wasn't the easiest thing in the world to do.. but it looks so much better and I swear it makes the car look newer

[talonsorensen]

Well today was a good day:) put on my BC BR coils I'm a happy camper.

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[Go Mifune]

Your wagon is really coming along. How difficult was the install for the BCs and how's the ride? Also those Rotas are sweet!

[talonsorensen]

Your wagon is really coming along. How difficult was the install for the BCs and how's the ride? Also those Rotas are sweet!

Thanks! the install wasn't too bad I went to my friends that has a lift. He and I had it back on the ground in a 2hrs. I feel like its too soon to be able to speak for ride quality, and being I've never rode in a car with coils before. Thank you,I like them too.. paint isn't the best, the guy I bought them from rattle caned them this color love the color but wish they were powder coated...

[KNaph]

Nice! What spring rates did you go with? I think the BCs ship with 7k 5k standard, but I went with 8k 6k.


Your wagon is really coming along. How difficult was the install for the BCs and how's the ride? Also those Rotas are sweet!

And from my experience, the BCs were super easy to install. My factory struts were a bit seized to the struts, but they came free with a little prying. Installing them was pretty easy since the length of the strut is shorter, I just loosely threaded the top hat nuts on to keep it from falling down, then jack the fronts up from the ball joint to line the knuckle up to the strut. Same deal in the rear but I used the brake heat shield as the jacking point instead. The camber bolts are pretty straight forward, I just maxed them out in the front and then adjusted camber with the top hats until I could get an alignment. Rear just has bolts so no camber adjustment unless you get camber bolts or rear camber plates.

Speaking of alignments, the front might be toed out unless you got an alignment, but my rear toe was still zeroed out when I got an alignment even with how much lower my car is.

And in my experience, the BCs with 8k 6k spring rates ride pretty nice, they're a bit harsher over bumps than factory, but that's to be expected. My friend drives a gutted AE86 with 8k 6k spring rates on his BCs and that thing feels like someone kicked you in the stomach when he hits bumps, so my car is really comfortable compared to him. Keep in mind that my damping is set at like front 25/30 and the rear is 28/30 to avoid rubbing, so they could be a lot more comfortable too.

At least in my experience, they feel even better the faster you drive lol, the damping seems to be suited for higher speed driving than low speed.

[CaleDeRoo]

I have BC coils 7K F/R. Love the ride. I keep them pretty stiff like Knaph to avoid rubbing as well but it really doesn't ride any worse than a new car with similarly sized sidewalls.

[talonsorensen]

Update.
its been awhile mostly because I haven't done anything to my car, and Les Schwab has cost me some money and much head ache.
Took it to les schwab to have them fix my locked up caliper which they did fix. In doing that they decided to drag my entire exhaust trying to get it on the lift and then back on.. to a point of it breaking at some welds and putting a hole in one of my cats. then on my way home from work 1 day later my car started shaking super bad pulled over and 2 of my wheel studs had snapped off from my lugs not being tight. lucky enough I babied it to a les schwab to but a mile away and they put on new studs and lugs free of charge and now waiting to hear back from their insurance whether they are going to be replacing my exhaust that they destroyed...:sad8:
pretty bummed that I've had to be spending money on this instead of on upgrades for my baby...