Hello From a New, Old Guy!

[lumpy]

Well, you can take that any way you want!

I am old and I have been around most of the other Subaru boards for quite a long time having owned four Subarus. I've been lurking around here for a while, mostly doing some searching and gathering information. I just sold my 2002 WRX Wagon and picked up this little gem on Saturday.

Subaru number 4. 1995 L AWD with just a few miles...




She's pretty nice for the age, miles and what I paid for her.

All the room and half the power of my WRX...

Paul

[lumpy]

Number 1... 2002 WRX Sedan


Number 2... 2000 RS Coupe. Why, oh why did I sell this???


Number 3... 2002 WRX Wagon


lump

[Huffer]

And now he's here, with a used econobox, for family hauling and no more payments.

Getting on track Paul, getting out of debt and getting ready to win!

[lumpy]

It's all about my family Rog, it's all about my family.

Now to resist modding the crap out of the wagon!!!

Paul

[Wiscon_Mark]

Good luck with resisting.

Congrats, and welcome to the '95 Wagon club :smt033

The RS rims look hot.

I'd ditch the silver trim ASAP. Your car isn't silver

And the RS is by far the hottest of your other cars

[lumpy]

Thanks Mark!

My first course of action is to tighten up some things in the car and do the normal maintenance items. I just want to make sure that it is worth keeping before I make any sort of long-term commitment to it.

The shifter feels like a wooden spoon in a can of Crisco and I've read about your trials and tribulations with finding a pre-1997 short-shift. Do you happen to know if I can simply swap in the linkage from a 1998 Legacy GT and then go with KartBoy pieces? I've done a bit of looking here and on nabisco, but haven't found anything yet.

I'm also going to keep my eyes open for a rear swaybar and am hoping to tackle some miscellaneous bushings. I really need to do some research to find exactly what fits, what is optimal, etc.

On the horizon might be a DOHC 2.5L swap, since I have access to a full drivetrain from a 1998 GT that now has a full STi swap. I'm going to see how the next 30 days go before walking down that road.

Thanks for the hospitality!

Paul

[lumpy]

And the RS is by far the hottest of your other cars

Agreed! Of all the cars that I have had in my life (my Legacy is number 25 BTW ), the RS and my old 1990 Civic Si are the ones that hurt the most...

lump

[Wiscon_Mark]

The shifter feels like a wooden spoon in a can of Crisco and I've read about your trials and tribulations with finding a pre-1997 short-shift. Do you happen to know if I can simply swap in the linkage from a 1998 Legacy GT and then go with KartBoy pieces? I've done a bit of looking here and on nabisco, but haven't found anything yet.

Yes, you can swap linkage, but it's tricky. I'm in the process of trying just to swap identical linkage to fix the damage I caused and it's a PITA. You have to remove the exhaust & heatshield (for the midpipe) just to have access to that stuff.

I'm also going to keep my eyes open for a rear swaybar and am hoping to tackle some miscellaneous bushings. I really need to do some research to find exactly what fits, what is optimal, etc.

I reccomend an Outback Swaybar. 18mm, direct fit, easy to get and inexpensive. Otherwise, the Whiteline adjustable swaybar (18,20,22mm) on boxer4racing is a good buy.

On the horizon might be a DOHC 2.5L swap, since I have access to a full drivetrain from a 1998 GT that now has a full STi swap. I'm going to see how the next 30 days go before walking down that road.

I'd skip the EJ25. It's really not that much more powerful than the EJ22 for all that effort. It's more peaky, and has more top end, but the EJ22 is more solid and reliable (read: no Headgasket issues, forged internals) and has a better powerband, even if it is a bit underpowered for our AWD vehicles.

[Plays_with_Toys]

I like the wheels alot! They look small though, are they a 15" wheel? I think the silver trim looks good. I actually plan on painting my gauge shroud thing white, to match my shifter, which will match my wheels. It brightens up an otherwise dull interior.

[Wiscon_Mark]

I'm thinking they're 16s, as they're 98/99 RS rims.

[lumpy]

Yep, stock 16" x 7" alloys off of a 1999 RS. The car could use a little lower and stiffer set of springs which may or may not get done. Wheelgap is a bit large right now.

Mark, as far as the 2.5L goes the only way that I will consider it is if it does not entail major wiring. I'm still researching that information and have found varying opinions. I can get my hands on the 2.5L ECU and most of the wiring, but I really refuse to cut harnesses and solder a zillion wires. I was thinking of putting the 2.5L up on a stand, pulling apart the head, replacing the gaskets and seals, maybe do a mild PnP and sending the cams off to Delta to get a slightly more aggressive grind. That would be the extent of it and I have absolutely no desire to boost the engine. I would consider building up the 2.2L, but parts availability and downtime work against that plan. I don't know at this point. The 2.2L is obviously a workhorse, but I'm not sure if I want to put money into an engine (albeit strong running) with 234,000 miles on it.

Thanks for the information on the Outback bar! I am only looking to make the car more streetable and adjustability does nothing for me. I had a 20mm bar off of a WRX on my RS and it was cheap and worked great. I love cheap shortcuts, especially with OEM pieces. What would my year limitations be on that piece? Any 1996 to 1999 Outback?

What are the challenges that you are having with the linkage? Just the lack of room to work? I had some crapola ebay linkage that I bought my RS with and promptly swapped it for a STi short-shift linkage. It was a pain because it's tight up there, but nothing horrible like an uppipe install or steering rack bushings.

Man I feel like such a no0b with these long posts! Someone point me to the "search" button!

Paul

[Wiscon_Mark]

Any '96-99 outback will work for a swaybar. If you find 2, let me know

Challenges with the linkage? It's very cramped. A lot of bolts on the exhaust that would require either a long pipe (not doable unless the car is on a lift, really) or an impact wrench. If you've already swapped linkages, then it's the same deal.

[Huffer]

Last time I tried, the search engine on this board doesn't work too good.

If you want a Legacy GT sway, I have a stock one lying around. Dunno if it's any better than what you have now. You can have it though...

You might want to drain the trans fluids etc.

I thought the 5-spoke RS wheels were 16x6, until 2000, when they came with the 6-spoke 16x7?

[Wiscon_Mark]

Last time I tried, the search engine on this board doesn't work too good.

No, it doesn't...

[lumpy]

If you want a Legacy GT sway, I have a stock one lying around. Dunno if it's any better than what you have now. You can have it though...

I appreciate it Rog. I would think that it would be an upgrade, but I will have to do some poking around. I will certainly give you something for it.

You might want to drain the trans fluids etc.

That goes without saying given my history of transmission adventures! I had the pleasure of taking my WRX transmission out of the car on four seperate occasions!

I thought the 5-spoke RS wheels were 16x6, until 2000, when they came with the 6-spoke 16x7?

I'll have to look, but I'm pretty sure that they are 16x7, 53 offset.

Paul

[badbasser98]

Number 2... 2000 RS Coupe. Why, oh why did I sell this???

I ask you the same question sir.... I absolutely love the GC RS's.

And Welcome to SLi

[blackgtbeauty]

Hello From a New, Old Guy!

so uh, how old is Old?

[Huffer]

If you want a Legacy GT sway, I have a stock one lying around. Dunno if it's any better than what you have now. You can have it though...

I appreciate it Rog. I would think that it would be an upgrade, but I will have to do some poking around. I will certainly give you something for it.

Heck no. You can have it. I have an adjustable Cusco on my GT that isn't coming off. Literally.

[lumpy]

Hello From a New, Old Guy!

so uh, how old is Old?

I'll run face first into 40 in a matter of weeks...

lump

[Wiscon_Mark]

That's not old, dude. 70 is old

[pdawg]

Hello From a New, Old Guy!

so uh, how old is Old?

I'll run face first into 40 in a matter of weeks...

lump

40 is great, I'm almost half way through and couldn't give a @#$% what anyone thinks about anything I do. Ya just gotta own it. Old is a state of mind.

O btw welcome from another old dude.

[blackgtbeauty]

Hello From a New, Old Guy!

so uh, how old is Old?

I'll run face first into 40 in a matter of weeks...

lump

40 is great, I'm almost half way through and couldn't give a @#$% what anyone thinks about anything I do. Ya just gotta own it. Old is a state of mind.

O btw welcome from another old dude.

your old too?!?

Sli is being taken over! ahhhhhhh!

[Huffer]

I'm 30. Does that count?

[pdawg]

I'm 30. Does that count?

30 was fun but forty is even better