The Daily/Family Whip: 06 STI

[Hulakatt]

I love the 86 I just drove and would happily pick one up. Yes, the car seats technically fit in the back but with almost no extra room. I feel like it's even less of a responsible family car than the STI already is . With an 86, practicality is out the window entirely but with the STI I can still pretend.

 

[Hulakatt]

Moar updates: Spent new years day replacing the turbo with a shiny brand new one! Exact same one as the one that came out and no more oil puffing out the rear of my car! Quite a lot of play on the shaft in the old one. Again, the STI is noticeable quieter. Noise level is somewhere between my old Si and the biblical wall of sound the STI made when I first got it. I will be able to survive a road trip this summer and my wife and I don't need to shout to hear each other in the car anymore

Also been working insane hours at work this past month and a half so I haven't done much else.

 

[Hulakatt]

Whoops! Been 2 years since posting in here and my photo hosting got switched out so all the pics are gone . I've been hella busy with the STI too, getting it back into fighting shape. I'll try to get some moar pics soon to show off a bit, it's really starting to come together! Since last on here I've switched out/upgraded/blown up and replaced:

swapped out the Perrin FMIC to a stock TMIC with Mishimoto hosing
Swapped out the random parts RAM with a complete Cobb intake setup
added a pillar gauge mount with a AEM UEGO and a Defi boost gauge
got the AC fixed!
I took it in to have the rear passenger hub replaced when the ABS sensor ring broke and the dealership accidently stripped out the Brembo caliper while they were working with it. They fixed their mistake at their cost but it took a few weeks as Brembo does not stock the calipers in the gold color that they sold them to Subaru in. When the dealership took delivery of the new one, they sent it back believing it was the wrong color (13 years of heat cycling and sun will change the color a bit). They figured it out when they got them back from Brembo again.

everything was running so nice that I blew out the exhaust header on the way home from work a few weeks ago so:
Tomei Unequal Length headers with the up pipe. The old headers looked like they had been patched more than once and the up pipe was blown complete clear of the oem headers.
and I had them replace the old, worn clutch with a new Southbend Stage 1 Daily and a new OEM flywheel.

All of this, especially culminating with the new clutch and headers has really transformed it from on par with the better Hondas I've driven to a real monster. I have clearly never owned it in a fully functional state until the new headers went in and I'm still kinda relearning how to drive it.

 

[Grinder34]

Whoops! Been 2 years since posting in here and my photo hosting got switched out so all the pics are gone . I've been hella busy with the STI too, getting it back into fighting shape. I'll try to get some moar pics soon to show off a bit, it's really starting to come together! Since last on here I've switched out/upgraded/blown up and replaced:

swapped out the Perrin FMIC to a stock TMIC with Mishimoto hosing
Swapped out the random parts RAM with a complete Cobb intake setup
added a pillar gauge mount with a AEM UEGO and a Defi boost gauge
got the AC fixed!
I took it in to have the rear passenger hub replaced when the ABS sensor ring broke and the dealership accidently stripped out the Brembo caliper while they were working with it. They fixed their mistake at their cost but it took a few weeks as Brembo does not stock the calipers in the gold color that they sold them to Subaru in. When the dealership took delivery of the new one, they sent it back believing it was the wrong color (13 years of heat cycling and sun will change the color a bit). They figured it out when they got them back from Brembo again.

everything was running so nice that I blew out the exhaust header on the way home from work a few weeks ago so:
Tomei Unequal Length headers with the up pipe. The old headers looked like they had been patched more than once and the up pipe was blown complete clear of the oem headers.
and I had them replace the old, worn clutch with a new Southbend Stage 1 Daily and a new OEM flywheel.

All of this, especially culminating with the new clutch and headers has really transformed it from on par with the better Hondas I've driven to a real monster. I have clearly never owned it in a fully functional state until the new headers went in and I'm still kinda relearning how to drive it.

Lol @ the brake color!

Must be nice to finally have everything dialed in and working properly! Did you do most of the work yourself, or do you take it to a shop?

 

[Hulakatt]

Lol @ the brake color!

Must be nice to finally have everything dialed in and working properly! Did you do most of the work yourself, or do you take it to a shop?

I did the exhaust, intercooler, intake and gauges myself but dropped it off at my shop for the AC, hub, exhaust header and clutch. I just didn't have the time to do it myself and I don't have another car to drive while it's down for work. I'm also in between friends-with-lifts at the moment. My one friends dad had a lift in his driveway and was happy to let me work on cars there whenever I wanted, he was also a MatCo tool rep and let me borrow whatever I needed from his work truck but he passed away about a year ago. I'm helping one of my other friends finish a 6 car garage on his property and we're building the workshop part now, we're in search of a 2 post lift for one of the bays.

Edit: My local scooby dealership is actually pretty good. They have no problem with me supplying my own parts, they're about the same price as everyone else in my area, they do pretty good work and the loaner cars are a nice bonus.

 

[Hulakatt]

New gauges

SPT rad cover, cherry blossom badges and mishimoto rad stays

Cobb intake, FHI titanium strut bar

 

[Hulakatt]

So...
Current upgrades:

Engine:

Fuji Heavy Industries Titanium strut bar
SPT Rad cover
South Bend Stage 1 Clutch
Cobb AccessPort v3
full Cobb Intake setup
Cobb Turbo Blanket
Cobb Turbo Back Exhaust
new stock turbo
return to stock TMIC setup
Mishimoto TMIC hoses
Mishimoto Rad Stays
Koyorad Radiator
Tomei Expreme Unequal Length Headers

Exterior:
Cherry Blossom Subaru badges

Interior:
OEM JDM Hazard Light
OEM STI Leather/Steel Shift Knob
Double Din Sony Airplay/Nav unit
2 gauge A pillar cluster
AEM AF Gauge
Defi Boost Gauge


To Do:
replace interior carpet, preferably non-stock color
Bride Stradia seats
harness bar
Cobb shifter and bushings
2 sets of wheels (summer and snow tire sets)
front lip
start looking at suspension (KW Varient 3's, new bushings, sway bars, etc...)
repaint/repair/replace trunk due to rust at rear spoiler
Mishimoto Coolant hoses
Cobb Air/Oil seperator
new OEM front bumper crossmember
Seibon CF Rear Roof Spoiler
Mishimoto Coolant overflow tank (need to install)
SPT Turbo Heat Shield (need to install)
properly reinstall windshield washer fluid reservoir

 

[Alin]

I vote for sway bars, end links, and bushings before coilovers!

Can you post a picture of the rust in between the trunk and the spoiler? I'm curious how severe it is. (This is the reason I sold my STi trunk and got a WRX one.) I never looked into it once I got rid of my trunk, but maybe you have. What will you use as weatherstripping between the trunk and spoiler when the time comes for you to repair it?

 

[Batmobile_Engage]

I vote for sway bars, end links, and bushings before coilovers!

+1 :tup:

 

[Hulakatt]

Any thoughts on lowering springs and performance shocks along with the sway bars, endlinks and bushings as opposed to coilovers? I'd honestly be happy to retain as much stock performance as possible and take it down an inch or two, maybe take some roll out of it in the corners.

 

[Alin]

Unfortunately, I have no experience outside of the stock struts/springs, even though I've had sets of coilovers and aftermarket performance struts/springs in my possession in the past that never ended up getting installed on the car. The people who will chime in will have good arguments for either or. [MENTION=652]Grinder34[/MENTION] [MENTION=692]Eagleye[/MENTION] [MENTION=662]Batmobile_Engage[/MENTION] [MENTION=1868]Boogieman98[/MENTION]

 

[Grinder34]

To Do:
replace interior carpet, preferably non-stock color
Bride Stradia seats
harness bar
Cobb shifter and bushings
2 sets of wheels (summer and snow tire sets)
front lip
start looking at suspension (KW Varient 3's, new bushings, sway bars, etc...)
repaint/repair/replace trunk due to rust at rear spoiler
Mishimoto Coolant hoses
Cobb Air/Oil seperator
new OEM front bumper crossmember
Seibon CF Rear Roof Spoiler
Mishimoto Coolant overflow tank (need to install)
SPT Turbo Heat Shield (need to install)
properly reinstall windshield washer fluid reservoir

Nooooooo, do NOT do the harness bar!


Basically, if you get in a crash and the harness bar buckles backwards (think of a t-bone collision) it pulls you into/through the seat and all the good internal organs come squishing out the sides. If it buckles forwards, it could impale you.

4-point harnesses pose another problem.

if you slam into a wall or another car all the momentum of your body wants you to continue to go forward. With a factory seatbelt you do just that and an airbag helps cushion the blow. With a 4-point, the top of your body cant go forward so the bottom does. Basically, you can get jettisoned into the area under the steering wheel and end up a ball in the footwell.

Also, harnesses are usually illegal to use (not have) on a car on public roads.

The reason is the above two safety issues PLUS, if you have it tightened down properly, you cant really turn your head/body to check blind spots and whatnot. Thats why many racecars have that huuuuge, panoramic rear-view mirror.

 

[Grinder34]

Any thoughts on lowering springs and performance shocks along with the sway bars, endlinks and bushings as opposed to coilovers? I'd honestly be happy to retain as much stock performance as possible and take it down an inch or two, maybe take some roll out of it in the corners.

Whats your goal? A good set of fixed perch struts matched with springs is gonna be great for most people. If you need to be able to adjust settings for street/track and even between particular tracks, then coilovers are going to be the way to go. But for every "right" way to set coilovers there's about a million ways to make the ride terrible.

 

[Hulakatt]

Whats your goal? A good set of fixed perch struts matched with springs is gonna be great for most people. If you need to be able to adjust settings for street/track and even between particular tracks, then coilovers are going to be the way to go. But for every "right" way to set coilovers there's about a million ways to make the ride terrible.

Not looking for much adjustment, the car is my daily/family ride and gets autocrossed only once or twice a year at best. I'm looking for a small step up from OEM in handling and flat cornering and a step down in ride height.

 

[Grinder34]

Not looking for much adjustment, the car is my daily/family ride and gets autocrossed only once or twice a year at best. I'm looking for a small step up from OEM in handling and flat cornering and a step down in ride height.

Then even just a set of lowering springs will definitely get you more bang for the buck. No need for coilovers!

But definitely do swaybars & endlinks, that'll realllly help keep the car flat and dial out some of that understeer.

 

[Batmobile_Engage]

I agree. Forget that harness bars even exist.

As for supension, my suggestion would be:

Tokico D-spec gas shocks
RCE Black springs
Whiteline adjustable sway bars, endlinks, sway bar mounts and urethane bushings
Group-N top hats
Trunk X or V brace

 

[Grinder34]

Omg i totally forgot about a trunk brace! I did the home-depot "chassis bridge" and it stopped about a million creaks I would get everyday. Cost like $15. :tup::tup::tup:

 

[Batmobile_Engage]

Omg i totally forgot about a trunk brace! :tup::tup::tup:

Thank you! Thank you very much. I'll be here all week. :thumbsup:

:rofl:

 

[Hulakatt]

hmm, hadn't thought or heard much about trunk chassis bracing before now.

 

[Alin]

There are many different variations of the trunk x brace. Looks like this is the only picture that I have of my car's and it's not the best :lol: , but you can see the rear strut bar and my x brace: