Yamazaki's '02 S401 / nothing new

[Yamazaki]

The recent weather here reminded me a little of what life was like in Japan. Here's the S401 a month after I bought it:

[Yamazaki]

Okay, so it isn't getting ready yet. But I ordered new tires and I'm going to buy gas this weekend.
The tires aren't anything special. I wasn't going to shell out for the Pirelli P Zero's that the car came from the factory with because of the recent Mercedes purchase, but they'll still outperform the current worn-down winter tires that are on now.

[amgarrety]

How are you getting the wheels off?

[Yamazaki]

How are you getting the wheels off?

I removed the annoying wheel locks a long time ago. It now has the STi lugnuts that used to be on the Impreza.

[Dead91silvia]

Anything you will need my help with when I arrive?

[Yamazaki]

Anything you will need my help with when I arrive?

Actually, because the sub-zero cold destroyed the strut on the Imprezaab's driver door, you'll be driving the S401 for the meet
..that is, if you're okay with that.

[amgarrety]

Or.... orrr..... since it's been awhile since since you've driven a 3rd gen Robin, and they are very difficult to drive (nearly uncontrollable), I'll lend you mine and I'll take the S401. I'd rather you crash mine if there were, say, some hazard in the road, such as ice or a 30' sinkhole. I don't mind taking the bullet for a good friend.

But really, that's a pretty cool trade-up :P

[Reuben]

Anything you will need my help with when I arrive?

Actually, because the sub-zero cold destroyed the strut on the Imprezaab's driver door, you'll be driving the S401 for the meet
..that is, if you're okay with that.

.... HAH!

You might have to twist his arm a little harder actually.

[Dead91silvia]

Anything you will need my help with when I arrive?

Actually, because the sub-zero cold destroyed the strut on the Imprezaab's driver door, you'll be driving the S401 for the meet
..that is, if you're okay with that.

.... HAH!

You might have to twist his arm a little harder actually.

Hmm... I could be of some assistance with this little problem.

Or.... orrr..... since it's been awhile since since you've driven a 3rd gen Robin, and they are very difficult to drive (nearly uncontrollable), I'll lend you mine and I'll take the S401. I'd rather you crash mine if there were, say, some hazard in the road, such as ice or a 30' sinkhole. I don't mind taking the bullet for a good friend.

But really, that's a pretty cool trade-up :P

HAHA!

I would have been able to last year, but I hadnt driven RHD at that time. After driving one almost everyday for about 8 or so months and 3 different cars (GT-B, EVOIII, GTiR), I have all the needed ability I feel I should have.


And Yamazaki, I'm honored to be trusted with your pride and joy and the greatest Legacy legend known as the S401.

[Muse]

You lucky bastid...

[thenines']

Just weld the doors shut and the two of you can put on your best impersonation of the "Dukes of Hazzard" and I'll be Daisy Duke.

[Yamazaki]

I told S401 that somebody suggested welding its doors shut and it cried. Even in jest, that's just mean...

[Muse]

I think she means the Saabaru.

[Yamazaki]

I think she means the Saabaru.

Oh... :confused4:
Yeah, it makes sense now that you point it out. I didn't connect it to the earlier post made about the Impreza's doors. Oops.

[Yamazaki]

Today we showed that five guys in a car with low air doesn't make for happy tires.... So huge thanks to dead91silvia, rkrenicki, and muse for helping out with putting on new tires on the S401.
We also got to see the donut that fits Brembos!

I am sure some pictures will follow (but I don't have any).

[amgarrety]

I would absolutely love to see pictures of this.

Looks like someone found enough motivation to get the new tires on. And by motivation, I mean of course you had no choice.

[rkrenicki]

I have a few pictures.. I will put them up in the morning after I offload them.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[rkrenicki]

Weight of 5 Guys + Low tire pressure + Very worn out tires= bad.


Dead91silvia did not just drive the S401 this weekend, he also took off the wheels!


Quite possibly the largest spare tire I have ever seen. Designed to clear the Brembos:


Luckily, Yamazaki had a whole set of new tires waiting at the house, so we went over to a Do-it-yourself auto facility and changed the tires. I don't really have any pictures of the actual tire changing, as we were all busy actually putting them on the rims.


Coming soon to a Japanese Subaru dealer near you... the Hover S401.



Prior to the tire incident, we were playing around with the ECU in the S401. After removing the knee bolster on the the car to connect up the test mode connectors, and connecting my computer to the S401, I tried to turn on the car. This was a slightly panic inducing moment for me as the car would not turn on... nobody had told me that the battery was disconnected. Again, Dead91silvia had the honors of actually working on the ECU itself...

[teeceRS]

Luckily, Yamazaki had a whole set of new tires waiting at the house, so we went over to a Do-it-yourself auto facility and changed the tires.

I'm sorry, did you say: diy auto facility?!?!?!?! Where the hell can I get me one of those!!

[rkrenicki]

Yes, it was an amazing resource. Looked to have about 36 or 48 bays of people working on their own cars. The guys next to us were replacing struts, and the ones across from us were welding in a roll cage.

I wish I had access to anything remotely like it up here.

[Yamazaki]

Well, it's not like it was free or anything.

Oh, and we found out part of the reason why the S401 wheels are so expensive.... weight, or rather, lack of it.

[amgarrety]

Any new info on the new ECU?

[Muse]

the ones across from us were welding in a roll cage.

It was really strange. this guy just comes up to me, "How tall are you?"
Turns out he needed someone about my height to check knee clearance for the roll cage.

[rkrenicki]

Any new info on the new ECU?

The ECUs were identical, confirmed with a ROM comparison.

[Muse]

I still have to say, the S401's black headliner is one of the coolest bits on the car, styling-wise. I'm not sure that I've ever seen that on any kind of car before...

[teeceRS]

I'd pay in a heart beat to have access to something like that though!!

[dewess]

Just noticed you have a different bumber compared to other S401. It looks like a Blitzen bumber? Was it a option when ordering?

[Yamazaki]

As far as I can tell, the earlier numbers got the regular sedan bumper and the later numbers got the same bumper as the Blitzen. Mine is the earliest that I've seen with the Blitzen bumper. The others that I saw were in the 200's. That's also why the S401 brochures and press releases have the regular sedan bumper. That car was 000/400.

[98legwag]

So someone on Facebook posted that this is 1 of 2 S401's in the US. I am 99% sure that is not true. Can anyone confirm or deny that another is here?

[rkrenicki]

I suppose it is possible there is one that nobody here knows about, but I find that extremely unlikely considering how rare it is and only an enthusiast who would bother bringing another one here... Someone either here, LGT, or even NASIOC would have posted something about it.

But, being that it was someone on Facebook that is claiming it.. I am 110% sure that they are either wildly misinformed, or making it up.