Hi from the Canadian Parries

[MrFin]

Hi everyone!

Some of you may have seen some of my photos before. If you haven’t seen the photos, please let me introduce myself.
I currently have a 2001 Outback. The 2001 is my second Outback since my first one (a 1999) fell victim to a guy running a red light back in February 2011. The ’01 had 225,000km on it when I bought it and wasn’t very thrilling, now it has 330,000 km on it and I’m liking how it’s turning around. My other half mistakenly called it a ‘project car’ from the repairs I’ve done to it, which (in my mind) gave me the green-light to turn it into the car I want.

Anyway, enjoy the write-up and the photos.

Repairs:

• Clutch
• Driveshaft
• Front brakes
• Front CV axle
• All new shifter bushings (which weren’t in the Energy Suspension package)
• Replaced the engine since the first engine snapped a timing belt – ‘newer’ engine has new headgaskets, water pump, tensioner, timing belt, spark plugs, plug wires, etc.

Upgrades

• Legacy mirrors
• 20% tint
• Black leather interior swap from a 2000 or 2001 LL Bean (still need to swap the dashboard and find a headliner)
• Center console from a 2003 or 2004 legacy
• Modified front grill
• Headlights baked, orange reflectors removed, assemblies polished, and upgraded low beams
• Dash trim painted in a carbon fibre motif
• RTX rims in 205/55R16 tires
• JDM roof spoiler
• JDM tail lights
• Energy Suspension Main stay & shifter bushings

Stereo

• Sound deadener on the inside of the doors, door frames, spare tire, cargo area, tailgate, etc
• Panasonic head unit (taken from the totalled 1999 Outback)
• JL 6.5 inch speakers in the doors with factory tweeters from the LL Bean (for now)
• Kicker XZ 350.4 and ZX500.1 amplifiers
• One of three Kicker subs (either one of the two ten-inch Kickers, or a single eight-inch Kicker)
• Custom amp rack which will have plexiglass and lights
• Custom sub box which will have a plexiglass windo

Future plans:

• Finish the interior swap
• Find a Mono steering wheel
• Finish the stereo installation
• Upgrade the headunit for one that has a USB port (and still retain the 3 pairs of RCA outputs)
• Upgrade the brakes and have rims to clear the upgraded brakes
• Upgrade sway bars
• Add strut tower braces
• Upgrade suspension bushings
• Replace the Outback struts for the Legacy struts
• Fix the rust
• A hood with the hood scope – I really miss having the scope (like my ’99 did – even if it was not functional)
• Colour match the lower trim panels
• Air intake
• Exhaust
• Possibly and engine swap (currently in research stage)

When the car was sitting on the dealership lot:

Attachment 1966

More current / progression photos:

[MrFin]

Okay... I wasn't able to add all the photos for some reason. Here is attempt #2:

[MrFin]

[MrFin]

[MrFin]

Here are the final photos for the red ’99 Outback I had. It was my first Subaru – I REALLY liked this car.



The door is closed - the frame is bent.


Not only was I hit head on the corner (the guy running a red light caused a multi-car accident), the car spun around and the back hit the guy who ran the red light.









I don’t remember the back seat arching up like that before the accident.

[Go Mifune]

That had to hurt emotionally as well as physically. Just noticed that your new car is a stick. Two thumbs up!

[MrFin]

Thanks man. I was in physio for a few months from the whip lash. My glasses and ring were both knocked off my the air bag. I found my ring bent and laying on the back seat. My glasses were bent, but they landed on the passenger side. The accident happened at 10:00pm at night and I missed an important mid-term the following morning. I ended up providing photos, police reports, and doctor's notes in order to be 'excused' from that mid-term test. The accident did cause a lot of stress because I was unsure if I would pass that semester, or if I would have to withdraw with cause.

The '99 was a manual as well. I've owned two trucks and six cars over the past twenty years. Only two of those eight vehicles were automatics - and I had to replace the transmissions on BOTH of them. The car with the automatic had the automatic transmission replaced three times! Hence, I became leery of automatics and nearly every vehicle (expect for the one-ton truck) has been a manual since. My aversion to automatics was renewed after I had to replace the 4L80E in my one-ton dually. I had just bought the truck from a contractor so I suspect the failing transmission was the reason why the truck went up for sale. I prefer manuals as I usually have to replace the clutch rather than the whole transmission.

[Go Mifune]

Yeah, we have a guy here in town who hates automatics so much that he drives a stick MR2 turbo with just his one arm. I laughed when I read that you miss your non-functional hood scoop. Neither of my Subarus have one and I feel deprived.