[Rambo]

So I thought since I actually plan on doing something to my car now, I might as well put all my thoughts and pics in one place. Here goes:

Car: 2003 Midnight Black Pearl WRX sedan

Purchased 10/4/2010, 77k miles, bone stock.

Modifications to date:
NOTE: I linked to writeups/pics/reviews when possible. Hopefully this helps somebody.


Interior

• Pioneer DEH-400UB Stereo
• Forester DIN tray with trim-matching lid
• Sold OEM sub and installed Infinity BassLink in the trunk.
• Subaru MOMO shift knob
• 2004 STI gauge cluster
• SMYCluster gauge pod
• Prosport Halo Boost Gauge
• AEM Wideband O2 gauge w/ Denso sensor
• Replaced all of the stock incandecent bulbs and green bulb covers with red LEDs. Now all of the nighttime dash illumination matches the cluster.

Exterior

• Hella Supertones
• Hella 500 foglights w/Kartboy adapters
• PIAA Crystal Ion H3 foglight bulbs
• Philips X-treme power headlight bulbs
• RallyArmor mudflaps

Engine/Exhaust

• Intake Silencer Delete
• Perrin Intercooler Hoses, beefier clamps
• Full STI Intercooler Spray System (STI trunk tank, carpet liner, OEM controls)
• GrimmSpeed ceramic-coated catless uppipe
• Cobb catted downpipe
• Cobb SS head shield
• Testes1010 OS Stage II map tuned with guidance from WTF Tuning
• STI axleback exhaust
• RalliTek urethane exhaust hangers

Transmission

• Cobb Short Throw Shifter
• Cobb shifter bushings front and rear
• New OEM clutch at 90,000 miles
• Redline Gear oil

Handling/Brakes

• SS brake lines, ATE SuperBlue fluid, Hawk HPS pads
• Whiteline 24mm fixed front swaybar, Whiteline 22mm adjustable rear swaybar with supporting endlinks.

Stuff to install:

• STI intercooler
• Need to get a new HU

Photos:

The day I bought it!

Stereo installed

Tinted OEM foglights

The accident. 17 year old kid plowed into front quarter panel. $6k in damage (which his liability covered completely) :sadwave:

One month in the body shop later, and my subie is back!!! :thumbup:

Hella foglights installed:

Test run of the STI cluster before getting the ODO corrected:

Freshly detailed at my friend's detail shop:

Rear Whiteline 22mm swaybar installed (24mm front bar installed as well):

 

[spirited09wrx]

very nice...what other plans do you have for the car (besides the lights you mentioned)

 

[Rambo]

Later this year, I plan to do a TBE (leaning toward Cobb), and get a Stage II protune at Cobb Surgeline, which is 15 minutes from me.

After that, I have some suspension plans. I'd like to get swaybars (Whiteline 24mm front, 22mm rear) and endlinks, but before that, I'll need new struts and springs (STI pinks on KYB AGX struts). STI BBS's are in the plans, although with a set of shoes for them. That's about it, really.

 

[Rambo]

Ordered the Grimmspeed uppipe, OEM gaskets, subframe lockdown bolts, and bushings from Rally Sport Direct on Monday. They came yesterday, and then sent me an email checking to make sure everything was arrived ok, and if I had any questions. Not the first time I've bought stuff fromt them, but these guys always make me happy. Good stuff!

I have to work this weekend, but I'm taking a couple days off next week, and I'm devoting one of them to the uppipe install.

Here's a short video of the STI cluster installed. It's becoming my favorite mod by far. It only took a day at Tacoma Speedometer, ended up being a $100 including shipping, and took 4 days from the time I shipped it, to when I had it back (their shop is only 2.5 hours north of me though).

I just need to get an OEM OAT sensor, then I can finish the air temp circuit and splice that in. Pulling the speedometer takes 5 minutes, so no problems there.

 

[2002SubieWRX]

I like the looks of the STi cluster! Might just need to do that on my '02.

 

[Rambo]

If you get a 2004 STI cluster, it's plug and play, aside from clipping the B28 wire. It takes all of 15 minutes, more if you want the outside air temp gauge to work properly and if you want to turn off the diff. temp warning light (WRXs don't have rear diff temp sensors).

 

[2002SubieWRX]

Thanks for the heads up on the year!

 

[bakerderek0]

The gauge cluster looks awesome.

 

[Rambo]

Thanks, I'm pleased with it as well. It was a very worthwhile mod.

 

[Ruh Roh]

i likeeeee.. i have a little lego stormtrooper on my keys too lol. and do u get a Check engine light from the intake silencer delete and is it noticeably louder??

 

[Rambo]

i likeeeee.. i have a little lego stormtrooper on my keys too lol. and do u get a Check engine light from the intake silencer delete and is it noticeably louder??

It's Admiral Ackbar, actually. :rotfl: My wife and I have an inside joke about "It's a trap!", so she gave it to me for my birthday one year.

No check engine light with the silencer delete, and yes it is louder, but the big thing is hearing the turbo spool. It's not outrageously loud, but when you hammer down the turbo whoosh is definitely there, and you can hear the stock BPV as well.

 

[Ruh Roh]

well your car looks good lol and i did that mod not too long after i posted this and i like it. yesterday i actually cut my snorkus and then kind made a u shape thing out of the top so that way its not sucking air straight from the fender but taking it from the scoop

 

[Rambo]

Update time!

So despite not being a huge fan at first, I bought Ron's set of Morettes:

Since my car isn't white, the white strakes had to go. I sanded, primed, and rattlecan'd with glossy enamel, but it turned out unsurprisingly meh. I'll be getting these painted the OEM MBP later, but it'll do for now:

The front grill, trim piece, and headlight removed. Easy stuff, takes just a couple minutes:

Ron did a great job converting the harness, so it was all plug and play, except for running power and ground to the battery for the high beam relay. Basic stuff.

Beam cutoff is pretty good, but there's some tuning to do:

High beams:

Worth it? Let alone your thoughts on the style, the improvement in lighting is huge. The road is much more clearly illuminated across the entire beam pattern, while keeping a safe and courteous cutoff for oncoming traffic.

 

[Rambo]

Next project is finally finishing up the STI cluster stuff: outside temp gauge and grounding out the rear diff warning light. Not too challenging, but the temp gauge is taking awhile to source. I might break down and buy one from subarugenuineparts.com

 

[Rambo]

One more update: I removed the pathetic underseat OEM subwoofer, and installed an Infinity Basslink.

My headunit has RCA subwoofer outputs, so that part was easy, the difficult part was running the power, trigger, and ground. I told out the passenger seat, rear bench, and most of the trim to neatly run all of the cables under the floor. I tucked the subwoofer itself into the small trunk cubby next to the jack.

The woofer comes with a controller that I decided to locate in the armrest box next to my USB port. It allows for easy gain adjustment to respond to various kinds of music.

As for the sound, it's impressive what that little guy can do. I'm not looking to bounce the car up and down, but it could if I let it. I prefer more mellow bass, complementing the mids and highs, not overpowering them, and it's easily up to this task. I usually have the gain below 20%.

 

[Donkey]

Hey nice lights!! They definitely out perform the stockers. Another great upgrade for them if your out in a rural area is to stick some Osram Rallye Ultra high optu H7's in the lowbeams.
Osram Rallye 65w Ultra High Output H7 Special-Service Bulb

 

[Rambo]

Interesting, I might look into those. I've also considered a future bi-xenon retrofit in the low-beam slot, then replace the existing high beams with driving lights, assuming I could find one in the same size. Hella makes lots of OEM lamps (like the Morette turn signals), so I'm thinking they might have one that fits. I'm not a big HID fan, though, so I'll probably stick with the halogens.

 

[michaelwfox]

Car looks awesome Issac!

 

[Phobic]

very good looking mods. Some great ideas for others like myself too.

when you did the STI cluster, did the milage sync up or did you need to get that fixed at a shop?

 

[Rambo]

Interior bling update! Moar updates to my DIY thread as well: