Stu's Wanna be Track Beast (Member Profile - Stu)

[Kekotic]

Very nice Stu.

What's the performance change like?
And when are you taking it for a tune

[senator]

Good work Stu

Is the BOV return hose silicon/plastic lined???? …….. just make sure the braid doesn’t start chewing through wiring harness and also damage the TMIC.

How is the clearance around your clutch reservoir and TMIC?

[Gambit]

wow great work ! nice pics for a camera phone?

[cruisn]

Thats a neat looking engine bay. Nice work.

[Stu]

Finally took the car for its first drive today with all the mods and it comes onto boost way stronger than stock (as you'd expect!). I still have to fit a boost gauge so I've got no idea if it's over boosting or anything. So far no CELs so all is good. Also the Phat dump with X force 3" exhaust is no where near as loud as I'd expected so pretty happy with that too and glad I'd didn't opt for something more subtle. Still have to get a wheel alignment for the suspension changes and then a tune - hopefully the guys I'm thinking of in Queanbeyan can do an open tune (anyone know??).

And yes for those considering true braided hose it's like having a metal file on the engine and it gently scrapes everything, fingers crossed that my Perrin TMIC survives. There's a fair bit of room between the Perrin IC and the clutch fluid reservoir, although it did get its fair share of knocks trying to get the TB hose connected

Also it's time to share something a little different I've been toying with since getting the Liberty. It now has green eyes tm - well the "green eyed monster" as I've been telling the family I took out the foglights and gave them a little green headlight tint with a heat gun. I was really just trying to darken even more of the car but thought anything like blue or red would be a huge no-no so went with green. I'll see how it goes and possibly give them another layer of tint, since I'm not planning on ever driving with them on anyhow.

So "stage 1" is nearly complete, just have to fit GFB pulleys, the boost gauge, the new CyberR scoop and do the tail lights. Who knows I might even drive the car again Just can't wait to see how it goes once tuned....



The green eyes freshly tinted, just a few little creases in the sides, but not bad IMHO for a first go at tinting stuff


The green eyed monster finally out of its "cave"


The green foglight lit up - still quite bright


STI Enkei's powercoated in black onyx (was meant to be metallic black but is almost metallic gunmetal color)


X Force 3" exhaust with dual 4" tips - yes I wanted quads but it was all getting too hard

[cruisn]

Thats come together very nicely. Dont know about the green foggies though.

[hamish_023]

I love the look. Just needs lowering!!

[Stu]

I love the look. Just needs lowering!!

Yeah I wish!! All my other modded cars have been lowered but our new house has a really steep driveway. I had to get some 10mm thick steel ramps made up just to get it into the garage at the stock ride height Our 2.5i Liberty also scrapes occasionally too! So I only need to sell the house to get the car lowered

[Stu]

OK, thought I'd finally give an update on my build. The first round of mods were completed late last year (see first post) but before getting a tune I started playing with it again So a kind of stage 1.5 started around xmas and I've finally got it back in one piece today for its first drive of 2012 Yeah plenty of stuff going on besides cars, so here's 1.5 for now (although things may change a little):

• Gates Racing Belts fitted
• Autobahn88 Radiator Hoses fitted
• Aeromotive Fuel Pump (planning for stage 2?) fitted
• Kinigawa UEL Headers fitted
• DEI Titanium heat wrap for headers fitted
• Another AVO throttle body hose (attempt 2!) fitted
• KS Tech TGV delete kit + 3mm Phenolic spacers
• Cosworth airpump delete
• Cobb short shifter + shift bushes
• Aeromotive fuel rails + fuel reg (stage 2 here I come)
• Ferodo DS2500 pads all round
• Motul 5.1 fluid change
• Cusco brake support fitted

Next weekend, i'll hopefully complete all the current brake and gbox related stuff, and I'll probably put off ripping off the inlet for the new rails and deletes for a month or two. I just want to drive the car now for a bit, after that it will be back for more, but hopefully more handling and braking stuff first. Wish list is currently Federal 595RSRs. DBA slotted 2 piece rotors, Ohlins DFV, some underbody braces (steel) and replace a stack of bushes underneath. Basically I'm doing all I can to hold off going for a GTX3076R and very soon after blowing my engine

Headers before:


Headers after (3 hours of being pedantic):



Also remade a better holder for my Defis and then covered it in carbon wrap:

Still looking for a 2011 WRX STI airbag to complete the interior:


More useless blue stuff in the engine bay I refuse to ever put that engine cover back on!

[Kekotic]

WOW STU!

Crazy good stuff. Awesome work

[cruisn]

Nice work all round Stu.

[Stu]

OK so stage 1 of performance mods is pretty much completed with the car finally tuned. Performance wise my lil ej255 has kinagawa UEL headers, phat dump, x-force cat back exhaust with hyperflow CAI, prospeed inlet pipe, grimmspeed 3port solenoid, Perrin TMIC, AVO throttle body pipe and a Aeromotive 11142 pump. The guys at ESP in Queanbeyan did a great job (open tune too yay!) and got it cranking 211kw atw (dyno sheets soon).

The TGV deletes, air pump delete, phenolic spacers and new fuel rails will sit in the box until the new turbo and injectors (stage 2) which is hoepfully a while away! In the meantime it will be just a few little handling mods... [cough-ohlins-cough]


Anyhow thought I'd get her cleaned up for driving duties and take a few pics. Well wash, wax, polish, repeat, etc but mind you I'm no tangcla in the photography department but here goes. Enjoy!!

[Stu]

So I finally pulled my finger out and got some parts painted, Woo Hoo! So the CyberR bonnet scoop that's been in my garage for about a year finally gets installed. I'm not 100% on the fitment since it's lifting a little at the rear even though it's taped all over underneath. I just know some of you OCD types will be having kittens about it...



I also painted the chrome taillight strips in matching black and tinted the tail lights too (plus the wing mirrors cause I got bored!). So the blackout/murder/hello-kitty look is well underway. I also tried a few LED bulbs in the tail lights but even the big 7W versions seemed dimmer than my standard brake light bulbs. However the 5W cree LED reverse light globes are a huge improvement.


Finally, a while ago I found a cheap legacy leather console cover on eBay which seemed like a good deal. In the end it was a pain in the a$$ and even when stretched it did hold well or look good. So I had a chat with some local trimmers who knocked up a fairly nice job.

and installed...

[Stu]

....and these will feature in my next update coming soon!

[cruisn]

Nice update Stu.

Im liking the dark look.

Its the back corner of the scoop not sitting right??