Back From the Dead Rebuild Thread

Sub'd. That battery tray/panel is gorgeous.

Are your alternator and main fuse box wires running off the back of the B+ post and under the shroud you built into it?

Cool stuff.

Are your alternator and main fuse box wires running off the back of the B+ post and under the shroud you built into it?

 

Yes the positive terminal will act as a power distribution stud for the engine compartment all from behind the panel.

I have a hydraulic terminal crimper so I will be making my own custom length cables when the time comes for that.

 

In the rear I will be running a 34/78 battery which has two terminals for positive and negative.

For track duty I will have a slim mini battery with a insert sleeve to keep it put. That is unless the weight back there is better for balance.

 

My brother in-law says I should make more and sell them, which sounds great but I’m still a little ways away from that.

I would definitely buy one - it looks like it would drop right in to my setup, with room for my Bussmann panel. I’m envious of your composite working skills. I’ve done plenty of sheet metal enclosures but always outsourced plastic and composite stuff.

Question do you do any welding? I have a mounting bracket I need fab’ed up. We might be able to work something out.

I have a drawing with measurements ready to go.

Look what you made me do! (Thanks for the motivation.. )

 

As I was disassembling I remembered that the alternator feed on my setup is protected by the 120amp SBF in the fuse box. Just wanted to circle back on that - I'll stop cluttering up your build thread!

If only you had done that sooner....

I could have skipped the fuse holder. Too late now, plus it is handy to have a place to kill the circuit I guess.

On the up side I can just route the battery cable directly to the stud on the back of the panel in the future and have my catch can there.

It's good to have options! Plus the overall design is so clean - bonus points for style and redundancy.

Love me a well-detailed, well thought out build thread. Subbed to see how this progresses

Love me a well-detailed, well thought out build thread. Subbed to see how this progresses

 

Thanks for the compliment.

 

I have been making some progress just nothing too interesting to take pictures of.

I just sold a bunch of parts locally and have a fist full of money burning a hole in my pocket. My question now is do I make one big purchase, (coilovers, 2015 steering rack, full brake kit) or do I get a bunch of smaller bits, bushings, links bearings, etc. You know all of the things that nickel and dime a project to death.

 

I am waiting on some things to get delivered before I can get the rear subframe installed and the trailing arms bolted up.

I finally got all of my odds and ends in. Long story short I had to special order a few fasteners from Subaru before I can get everything bolted together.

 

I got new bushings pressed into the subframe, they are only $13 from Subaru but a total PITA to get done in the car, this was the time to do them.

 

 

Also since I have the subframe out I am putting some fresh paint on it. It is not rusty, but I do get snow here in DC so a little extra protection is worth it.

 

If you look in the bottom of the picture you will see the front knuckles also have been painted.

So here is a quick update on my "progress". I got a bunch of parts all cleaned up painted, I even cured them in the oven per the directions (I actually read those...).

 

 

I got all of the new bits installed (I'll post a picture soon), but I still need some odds and ends to call the rear end done. The big part that is missing are the coilovers. I was going to order them but the wife asked me to take it easy on the spending so we can pay a few bill since we are thinking of buying a home at the end of this year. Now she tells me to go ahead and order them... That did not take a lot of arm twisting.

 

Side note, anyone running the fortune auto 500 series coilovers, I have heard a few positive things so far and like the made in the USA aspect. I would love to hear your opinions.

 

Next on the agenda is to order the rear brake set up, before I move on to the front. That will be new aluminum control arms a 2015 steering rack. I already have the sway bar, the perrin steering joint gizmo, and the roll center correction kit on hand. You don't realize how many parts add up until you are buying a whole cars' worth one part at a time.

Edited January 19, 2021 by socalsleeper

Looking awesome man!! You know I understand and appreciate the attention to detail and labor going into this!!

Oh and in response to your question about Fortune 500's -- we are a Fortune Auto distributor and I've helped many folks with their set and they are extremely well received. The folks at FA are very passionate about their products (and motor sports, and cars in general) and it really shows in the quality and continuous improvements. They're on the 7th generation now of the 500 Series and features that used to be optional upgrades are now part of the base product such as the Radial Bearing and new USA made springs (along with other improvements). I'm sure you'd be happy with the 500 series from FA!

Amazing build, subscribed and can't wait to see the progress!

Here is a picture of the rear suspension in the the car.

 

 

I am still on the look out for some rear Brembos. I have the stock parking brake bits but those won't work with the new brakes, so I guess I have some packages to hide from the wife in the near future.

 

Which leads me to the front...

Considering I went to all the hassle of removing, cleaning and painting the rear subframe, I guess I might as well do the same for the front right? You know what they say you are in for an inch you are in for a mile.

 

 

 

Got the steering rack out, that will be replaced with the 2015 unit, I have the whiteline bushings for that on had. There is still a lot to go but seeing the rear bolted in make me feel like I am making progress.

Edited January 24, 2021 by socalsleeper

Subbed, loving the build..err... rebuild I guess lol. I can appreciate seeing hard, tedious work, and all just because you love your ride.

 

Btw, regarding the 2015 rack swap, since your using the whiteline roll center kit (I'm assuming kca313), will you still need to cut a little off the tie rod end? Like you would with oem ones? This combination had me wondering about getting proper alignment and possibly avoiding grinding the short amount off of the tie rod.

Trimming the inner tie rod is optional but recommended, whether you use OEM or whiteine outer tie rods (I was using the KCA313 when I wrote that DIY). It’s a super easy mod that’s a lot easier to do off the car, but it’s not strictly necessary. Wouldn’t it suck to get to the alignment shop and once it’s on the rack they tell you they can’t bring in one side to your spec?

Yes I have the whiteline kit in hand already. I do plan on trimming around 1/2” or so from each side

Trimming the inner tie rod is optional but recommended, whether you use OEM or whiteine outer tie rods (I was using the KCA313 when I wrote that DIY). It’s a super easy mod that’s a lot easier to do off the car, but it’s not strictly necessary. Wouldn’t it suck to get to the alignment shop and once it’s on the rack they tell you they can’t bring in one side to your spec?

 

I'd imagine that would me some bad news indeed. Fortunatly for us that read the write up, we know better now.

Quick update, I just got my steering rack. I will be picking up some Aluminum control arms tomorrow. After some clean up in the wheel wells the rack will be installed with the whiteline kit.

I had an interesting day yesterday. The wife and I hit the road and picked up some parts for the Legacy. I got the 60/40 folding seat brackets from some guy near Philly, and I got aluminum control arms in Hanover PA.

 

Today I got the STI steering rack installed. I trimmed 1/2 inch from either side of the inner tie rods. Installed the Whiteline roll center correction outer tie rod ends. I did have a little bit of hard time getting the new ball joints into the aluminum control arms. I had to rent a tie rod removal tool to get the steel insert cone off from the cheap ball joints that came on the control arms.

 

 

 

Here is where things went a little side ways... I was cleaning one of the fender wells and I debated on how to best finish them. As you can see in the picture I have some inconsistent rubberized coating. While I do want to make the whole fender well consistent I did not want to just spray more rubberized coating over the mess that was under there.

So I scrubbed the area with a degreaser prepped it for paint and gave it a quick coat with some black chassis paint. The problem is while it cured just fine on the metal surfaces it would not dry over the rubberized coating and remained tacky even hours later and a lamp drying the area.

 

 

 

I am going to remove the paint with some brake cleaner. If I have to strip it all the way down I will. Although that does not sound like a lot of fun, stay tuned.

I had the control arm on the bench waiting to go in. Side note all of the fasteners are getting paint stripped when they are getting torqued down.

 

 

So I do have some good new on my wheel well dilemma. I was able to get some of the regular old rubberized coating to properly dry over the existing paint.

 

UPDATE (ERRRR yeah the good news did not last, let the scrapping begin...)

 

 

Lastly I started to trim the rear brake dust shield to eventually fit larger rear rotors.

 

Edited April 1, 2021 by socalsleeper

Teaser for what I have coming up soon.