rkrenicki's 2004 US "RS30" - The End.. 2019-12-20

[rkrenicki]

I figure I should do an MR1 post for my car with the ongoing changes I am making with my car!

I bought this car in February of 2012 from Carlos at Secor Subaru in New London, CT. I had been on the hunt for a newer generation Outback to replace my aging 96 BG w/206k on it. I was originally looking at H6 wagons due to them being cheaper and just outright replace the one that I had, but in the back of my mind I really missed the sedan form factor. When I found this car local with the H6 and it not being that Seafoam Green that everyone seems to have, I decided that it was the car for me. I had never bought a car from a dealer before, but it ended up being a real smooth process thanks to Carlos and the rest of the people at Secor. Since this is a sedan, that would leave me without a larger vehicle capable of moving things, I decided to go ahead and keep the BG as well.. so now we are a 2 Subaru family once again!

This is the only really decent photo that I have, and it was still on the lot at Secor at the time.



Since then, I have been "slowly" converting the car into a Subaru Legacy RS30 replica. I am not ending up with a 100% accurate replica, but it is close enough for me to call it an "RS30". Currently, the front end is fully converted, tinted rear glass and rear wiper, and the badging has been fully changed over.

Front offset shot:


Front end closeup:


Side shot:


Rear three quarter shot:


Overall Dashboard shot:



Modifications so far

Japanese D type HID Headlights converted to flat beam pattern and wired the Turn Assist lights
Japanese Smoked Legacy tail lights and finisher garnish
Japanese A~C Type Blitzen Rear Spoiler
US Legacy Front Fenders
US Legacy Doors
Japanese B4 Factory-tinted rear door windows
Japanese B4 Factory-tinted rear windshield
Japanese B4 rear windshield wiper and washer
NMO Antenna mount on trunk lid
Mistuba Alpha II Compact Horns
Japanese 3rd Gen Blitzen Wheels with Primewell PZ-900 215/45ZR17 tires (Summer setup)
Japanese RS30 badge
US 4th Gen Legacy "Subaru" badge
BP/BL Side Mirrors converted for BE/BH use
Independent fog light modification

UK Market D type BFM Gauge Cluster (85015AE110 version) with a Dakota Digital SGI-5C adapter for accuracy.
Onstar Delete
Japanese Legacy S401 Red Hazard switch
D-type Headlight Leveler switch (Takes place of Front Wiper De-icer switch)
US Forester SG Wiper Control stalk
Connected Front Wiper De-icer system and side mirror heaters into Rear Defogger system
Modified Keyless Entry for single-stage unlock
Auto HVAC controls Modified for Metric temperature readout
Full Black/Grey interior swap from a US Legacy and Outback.
Brand new Grey carpet and Grey "Legacy" branded mats
Japanese Legacy B4 trunk mat
Forester XT Steering Wheel
Sportshift mode selector assembly from a 2003 Legacy GT

Pioneer AVH-1300NEX Carplay Head Unit
Kenwood KFC-1666S 16mm two-way Speakers
SiriusXM SXV300 Satellite Radio
Generic Keystone Reverse Camera mounted on Center Garnish.

KnuKonceptz 4GA CCA Grounding upgrade
DC Power Engineering 180 AMP high output alternator
Optima Red Top Group 35 Battery

Front
Outback Subframe Spacer Delete
KYB Legacy Struts
Original Outback Sedan springs
Japanese Aluminum Control Arms from Legacy S401
Whiteline W51709A Polyurethane LCA Bushings
19mm Front Sway Bar from 2nd Gen Legacy L (-2mm from stock) [20410AA050]
Moog K750049 Front Swaybar links
Legacy Steering Rack (16.5:1 Ratio)
Impreza 06-07 WRX 4pot Calipers [26292FE041, 26292FE051]
Centric "e-Coated" 120.47018 Rotors
StopTech 309.11820 Street Performance Brake Pads
StopTech 950.47005 Stainless Steel Brake Line Kit

Rear
Outback Subframe Spacer Delete
KYB Legacy Shocks
Original Outback Sedan Springs
Whiteline W63398 Trailing Arm bushings
2 pot Brembos from Japanese Legacy S401 [26692FE020, 26692FE012]
Japanese S401 trailing arms w/Backing Plate and Parking Brake Assembly
Centric High Carbon 125.47020 Rotors (2004 STI Fitment)
StopTech 309.09610 Street Performance Brake Pads
Japanese STI Braided Stainless Steel Brake Lines [ST2655066050]

Currently stock

None

[rkrenicki]

What I was greeted with this morning.


After the plow came by and cleared out the middle of the lot some, I wiped off the front window, and drove the car (and truck too, 4x4 Lo helped) straight through the remaining 5-6 feet of snow in front of them and let the plow take a swipe at where my vehicles were.

[rkrenicki]

Yet another stereo. This time I have given up thoughts of Minidisc for improved Satellite Radio integration, improved iPod integration, and vastly improved navigation. I went for the Kenwood DNX571HD paired up with a SiriusXM SXV300.

[peugoby]

That stereo setup looks awesome! How do you like it?

[rkrenicki]

I like it a lot so far. I have had it for a week now, and it is much better than the Pioneer AVIC-X940BT that I had before it. Just about every function is better. The only thing that bugs me about it is that it is slightly slower to respond than the AVIC when switching between modes or entering addresses in the navi.. But, all of the extra functionality more than makes up for it.

Added functions over the X940BT: Much larger volume knob (easier to use), HD Radio, Garmin based Navi (which also allows garmin updates, and navteq traffic), HDMI/MHL input, SiriusXM now displays more than one line of text, SiriusXM now has pause/fast forward/rewind, iPod integration is SIGNIFICANTLY improved.. better searching/unicode support/more intuitive operation.

After buying the new setup, and selling the old setup.. It only cost me about $140, money well spent for all of the plusses.

[rkrenicki]

Well, I managed to get my steering rack changed out today, just in time for my tire install/alignment tomorrow morning. Along with the Legacy steering rack with its 16.5:1 ratio (as opposed to the 19:1 ratio of the Outback rack), I also installed Whiteline steering rack bushings and replaced the swaybar endlinks with Impreza GD/GG type Moog parts.



Since I was on a time crunch before sunset, I did not take any pictures of the process, but there are a number of clean/shiny parts underneath now

[rkrenicki]

The STI one would work, but the splines are different so you need to chop up two steering couplers and weld them together. Seems like a whole lot of work for only a relatively small increase from 16.5:1 to 15:1.

A remaned 05 rack is also $385 plus the cost of the knuckles and welding. The Legacy rack was only $250 and needed no extra parts.

[rkrenicki]

So, I had a combined front toe of almost -5! It was downright scary to drive to the shop this morning, but it is very happy now with its new alignment and winter tires. Just in time for me to take them off the car, and put the XV wheels back on!

[rkrenicki]

I swapped the noble2's and XV wheels back on, so I snapped a picture of them with the General Altimax Arctics on the outback wheels.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[rkrenicki]

On my way to a business trip in Pennsylvania last week, I hit a pothole (*gasp* Pennsylvania has potholes?!?) which caused a significant shake at speed. I pulled over and didnt see anything obviously wrong, so I sort of assumed that I threw a wheel weight.

After I got home, I pulled the two wheels on the passenger side off to swap them around, assuming that the thrown weight was on the front, and I found this.

Front wheel:


Rear wheel:


... So, now I need to find a place to fix these wheels. Of course, Pennsylvania has a law that expressly prohibits them from having to pay for wheel/car damage from road defects, so I am stuck footing the bill on this.

Luckily, both of these wheels are still holding air, they are just a bit out of round and cause the car to shake a bit above 50mph.. but I guess I need to go put the winter wheels back on the car.

[geckoboy86]

Sorry for my state's shitty roads.

[98legwag]

Yup. PA might have the worst roads I have ever encountered.

[rkrenicki]

Well, my car is now grounded for a few days as I am getting the bushings pressed out from the front control arms.


Up on stands until I get them back.. Hopefully my landlord does not complain about the car on stands...

[peugoby]

PA has terrible roads, especially inside of Philly. Feels like driving in a bombed out 3rd world country. Pittsburgh is definitely better imo in terms of road quality. Sorry about your wheels.

[rkrenicki]

Thank you, @Subafreak for getting these bushings pressed out for me today. My car gets off the stands tonight, as long as the weather holds out.. I am not installing control arms in the rain

[rkrenicki]

The car is back on the ground, but I need to find a 22mm box wrench to tighten up the nut on the rear LCA bushings so my rattles will go away. Otherwise, it all seems pretty good!

Whiteline goodness:


While I was in there, I regreased my swaybar bushings as I had some extra moly grease with the bushings, but I managed to snap one of the bolts during the reinstall.. so I need to dig out a replacement bolt for that too. Oh well.

[dodik]

Sucks about the wheels, having that happen a number of times to me my advice is find new wheels or run these on the back. Proper repair is gonna be close to 150 per wheel if not more and truthfully I haven't had luck with anyone actually doing proper job, bending lip back is easy but truing the wheel is not, if its just the lip then maybe fix them but if the wheel is oval scrap them.

[rougeben83]

Yeah, they also say that once a wheel is bent, the likelihood of it bending again after the repair is higher...likely because most time they have to heat the rim during the repair. Check the tire pressures too, its harder to spot low-air in low-profile wheels. Lower tire pressures increases the chance of a bent rim.

[rkrenicki]

Well, there is a junkyard relatively close to me that has some XV wheels for about $150 each. I might just get those instead of repairing these, especially if the cost is going to be so similar.

[rougeben83]

If youre willing to make the drive,I've used a really good place in Queens in the past - they charge about $65-80 to fix a bent rim. Its easier to fix damage on the inside barrel vs. the face, as well.

[rkrenicki]

I have been wanting to modify my dash harness for a while to merge in all of my wiring mods and complete a few things on my mental "to-do list", but I wanted to mod a donor harness instead of the one in my car as it was going to take me a while to make it all work nicely. It took me quite a while, but I finally found a Non-VDC 03/04 H6 car at the yard, so its harness is now mine.

I first hacked out the Onstar crap. I had done this to my existing harness, but I only cut it back, instead of outright removing all the wiring.


Next, I started on the cluster wiring. My goal is to have a D-type cluster plug-and-play here.


I had to extend a few wires to reach their new locations, add a few power wires, and also pre-wired in Sportshift and power/hold. I had forgotten how many duplicate wire colors there were, so I made sure to tag a few as I went along.


Drivers side is 90% done here. Cluster wiring is complete, I also merged in the headlight leveler switch from a D-type JDM harness. I am now working on the Fog light switch relocation down to the center stack. Once that is complete, I can tape this harness up.

[dodik]

make sure to use proper harness tape, otherwise it will become a sticky mess

[rkrenicki]

make sure to use proper harness tape, otherwise it will become a sticky mess

Part of me really does not care that much about it, as I should "never" have to touch it again... but I am using some low-residue tape

[thesavo]

You may benefit for from spiral wrap than harness tape. Don't get me wrong. I love using harness tape when putting it all back together.

[rkrenicki]

You may benefit for from spiral wrap than harness tape. Don't get me wrong. I love using harness tape when putting it all back together.

I hate working with spiral wrap, it is obnoxious to work with, and the fact that the overall diameter of the loom changes quite drastically in some places means that I would be changing wraps fairly often. But, with all of the vinyl sheathing that Subaru put in originally, I am happy with the results thus far.

That being said, I keep finding little differences between the 2003 and 2004 harnesses.. I have spent the better part of the day double checking every connector against the 2003 and 2004 FSMs to see what is different. I have everything checked at this point except for the SMJ and i53.. Some of the changes I can understand, but why would they decide to move the right front speaker wiring from i20 to i40? I am not looking forward to checking the SMJ, but it needs to be done before I power anything up with this..

[thesavo]

If only subaru consolidated all the connector pinouts like they're done in helms manuals. I hate scanning through all the pages that contain circuits for a certain connector just verify all the pins.


Perhaps they made the change because sharing the connector with the blower resistor caused a "hum" in the speakers

[rkrenicki]

So, after some deliberation and discovering that wheels from Japan are not nearly as expensive as I thought... I decided to pick up some new-to-me wheels.

Fresh off the Fedex truck from Upgarage in Kanagawa, Japan:




There are some marks and knicks in the paint, but they were only $60 for the whole set of 4 plus another $220 for shipping to my door. These ended up costing me less for the whole set, than it would have cost to fix the two XV wheels.. or even less than one XV wheel was brand new.

[86bratman]

Holy shit, that's cheap. I've been debating checking shipping charges for a few things on UG.

[98legwag]

Holy shit, that's cheap. I've been debating checking shipping charges for a few things on UG.

I bought something from them using http://www.croooober.com/. Shipping was fair. They use Fed Ex for shipping to the US.

[soba noodle]

I am so glad those XV wheels are gone, sorry

Love the wheels, will complement your project nicely!