Kyle T
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 04
Location: Selby, North Yorkshire
User status: Offline
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I made a post last week in GC to show everybody my new toy, and I've already started faffing so I guess it's only right that the car deserves a project thread.
Hopefully I'll keep hold of this car for a while and this project thread won't be a list of false promises, much like my CTR thread which I made early this year.
The car is a 2005 Impreza WRX STI which was factory fitted with the "Prodrive Performance Pack" or "PPP". The PPP cars have got a different exhaust system (sports cat and backbox) to the standard STI and a 305bhp map over the standard STI map of 265bhp(?).
The PPP is well documented as being "not particularly worth it" as an aftermarket exhaust and custom map would yield better output, but I didn't feel that I paid a premium for a PPP car over non-PPP equivelant examples.
The car has got 38,000miles on the clock and the previous owner has had the car since Feb 2012. He sold himself as an amateur wanabee car detailer and claimed the car to be standard with the exception of an additional remap and detangoed headlights. He's not sure of the power output since the remap he had done in the summer, but he tells his mates in the pub it's 320bhp...
The car has got full service history, and had it's cambelt, tensioners etc changed at the last service @ 35k.
I "found" the car by way of a ScoobyNet PM, the guy contacted me in response to some of the questions I'd been asking about Impreza's and although he wasn't actively trying to sell the car, he'd be interested in dealing with me. The photographs he sent me all suggested a mint car, and the colour looked amazing.
The car was £1k cheaper than the three other Scoobies I'd looked at locally, and it was significantly tidier and was half the mileage of them too. For this reason, I was sceptical on my trip over to St Helens to view/potentially collect the car - but everything checked out as far as I could see, and I made the deal.
The ~100mile drive back was uneventful and my face was aching from the stupid grin I wore back all the way home, I'd been dreaming of owning a Scooby since I was a wee boy - nothing like aiming low eh 
Immediate plans are to get it looking as close to mint as possible, I've already been identified as an anal bastard through talking with Barnshaw but it's the little things that count for me. Once I'm on top of it, I'll get some advice on the engine and/or suspension upgrade paths and take it from there.
First Job was to replace the standard Subaru Head Unit:
With an Alpine W530BT to give me iPod connectivity/control, and BT Hands free.
No drama with this install, other than the incorrect adapter I had. £15 in Halfords fixed that, iPod is tidily wired into the glovebox from the rear of the unit, and the hands free microphone is up on the top of the drivers A pillar trip.
Upon cleaning the car for the first time, I found several body panels had a rough feel to them despite looking fine even on close inspection. These patches were later identified as overspray from what appears to be the alloy wheels which have been sprayed whilst still on the car  Shoddy to say the least, but I've been assured by a local detailer that this can be rectified.
Next jobs were to book the car in for a detail, and to get the wheels properly powdercoated. I've got the detail booked in for 3days on the 26th November, so I'm really looking forward to that and I'm still to sort out a powdercoater locally who can do the work - I'm hoping I can get it sorted quickly though. I'm thinking a glossy gunmetal grey, as follows:
I don't know my paintcodes or any good colours to use though similar to the above, so I'm open to suggestions.
The wheels haven't been the only evidence of sloppy workmanship, the headlight clusters were leaking quite badly, fogging up and one of them had a hair stuck in it!
I knew the lights had been detangoed so I looked at some guides and decided to dismantle the clusters, dry/clean them out and then reconstruct them hopefully without the fog and debris. It also looks like the lights were placed face down on the floor somewhere, as they're covered in scuffs and scratches  I may need to replace the headlights to get these sorted properly, but for now I've held off spending £400 by the following:
With the help of good friend Simon, the lights and grill popped out with minimal effort.
Took the lights inside the house, stripped out the bulbs and wiring and then popped them in the oven for quarter of an hour 
(It seems like car parts suddenly become massive when you've got them indoors!)
After the first light had been cooked, I prized open the front and back casing to reveal the inside of the lense and the chrome light cone thingies. It seems like last time this was done, the stringy melted sealant had got into the lense and has just made a mess of the inside. I cleaned it out throughly and then carefully put the light back together with another 15mins in the oven to allow the sealant to spread into all the gaps/screw holes properly before going hard again.
I repeated with the other light, no real drama except a snapped clip which doesn't look too important
The last little touch I added, was a silicon gel packet or two taped into the inside of the bulb holder so it can easily be replaced or removed. No idea if this will help in the slightest, but I got a pack of 100 gel packets for £2 on ebay - and I've now got 96 sweets to give out next halloween.
Final bit of drama came on the light test... we'd broken a bulb, so off to Halfords for a £7 replacement to sort that.
Lights back on the car were an immediate improvement, they seem to have survived a pressure washer attack and after 24hours there's only a tiny bit of condensation inside the lights... so hoping that will dry out/clear.
Next job was a bit of an odd one, but I got some mist type windscreen washers off of eBay as opposed to the OEM ones which squirt four individual... squirts at the windscreen. I love the mist ones, makes the car feel a bit more modern.  No before/after photographs for those... they're really not that exciting
Also replaced the wipers, standard maintenance job as the other ones were about the only thing I could hear over the sound of the exhaust 
I received the car with three genuine floor mats, and a generic rubber mat in the drivers seat. No chance of getting a drivers mat on its' own... so bought these from ScoobyParts:
I also got from ScoobyParts a pink grill badge, which I've now realised is not a genuine part and is more of a decal than an actual badge... luckily it's cheap, so it's gone in the bin. I gave the front grill a good inspect when sorting the headlights, and it looks like the badge has been replaced before - by being chiseled off with a screwdriver  The grill is a right mess because of that, so messy it took me 9 days of ownership to notice it
Either way, I've sourced some overnight parts from Japan and I've got a second hand grill en route to replace it. I'll order some genuine badges for the new grill tonight.
On the topic of badges, if I'm going pink at the front... I should probably do so at the back too.
I always thought the back of these cars was a bit "busy" in terms of badges, so I may remove the WRX and TYPE UK badges - and replace the black STI badge with a red/pink one.
Another job for the list is the number plates, for whatever reason the previous owner had them made with illegal spacing and a dodgy honeycomb background... looks crap, and isn't legal so I'll get those replaced as soon as my V5 arrives.
Final job on the short term radar is to get the passenger side foglight cover resprayed or replaced, as it's got a massive stonechip on it. It's not an urgent burning requirement to fix, but I'm keeping an eye out on eBay etc. Once I get it sorted, I can put on the STI decals which the previous owner has taken off.
This is how it stands after todays' quick wash:
[Edited on 11-08-2015 by Kyle T]
[Edited on 25-08-2015 by Kyle T]
[Edited on 13-09-2015 by Kyle T]
[Edited on 23-09-2015 by Kyle T]
[Edited on 10-10-2015 by Kyle T]
[Edited on 29-10-2015 by Kyle T]
[Edited on 11-12-2015 by Kyle T]
Lotus Elise 111R
Impreza WRX STi
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3CorsaMeal
Member
Registered: 11th Apr 02
User status: Offline
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looks very nice 
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AK
Member
Registered: 5th Jul 00
Location: Aberdeen City
User status: Offline
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shit a brick thats clean
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jay.jay
Member
Registered: 28th Dec 10
Location: Gloucestershire
User status: Offline
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Those headlights look so much better than standard 
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Kyle T
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 04
Location: Selby, North Yorkshire
User status: Offline
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Thanks gents, I've been thinking about the grill currently on my car. I could quite easily sand down the damage around the badge recess I reckon and then cover the grill in some of that carbon effect wrap or something(?).
I'm not into the fake carbon look myself, but it may be something I can sell on quickly/easily to get back a few ££ for the next job!
Lotus Elise 111R
Impreza WRX STi
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Rich H
Member
Registered: 26th Oct 05
Location: West Sussex Drives: E46 M3
User status: Offline
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 - off to a good start mate!
Have to say, if the previous owner was a hobby detailer, despite it looking fairly clean from the pics, from the couple of issues you've had so far (ie overspray and hair in the headlights) his attention to detail wasn't too great! So good to see it's in the right hands now!
Who's detailing it out of interest?
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Kyle T
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 04
Location: Selby, North Yorkshire
User status: Offline
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Thanks Rich.
My impression of the previous owner is that he meant well, and had the best intentions for the car - but was maybe just a bit naive with the services he purchased (wheels being sprayed, and paid somebody to detango the lights).
The detailer I'm booked in with is Mike @ Deeper Detail.
http://www.deeper-detail.co.uk/
I've had a nice long chat both face to face and over e-mail with Mike and we've decided on a "phase 2 enhancement detail" which is the following:
quote:
A stage 2 enhancement detail addresses medium defects within a vehicles paintwork. Usually removing 85+% of defects.
It will restore lustre to tired paintwork and restore clarity.
A stage 2 enhancement detail utilises more polishing compounds and pads, to address the defects, but at the same time removing the least amount of paintwork, that is often overlooked by some, which can be detrimental to the life of the vehicles finish.
With these safe techniques you are ensured that the vehicles paint is well looked after and gives you the option of further enhancements in the future, should you so wish.
A stage 2 Enhancement detail consists of:
Vehicle rinsed thoroughly via pressure washer, snow foamed and left to dwell to break down any dirt on the vehicles surface, before being rinsed again, prior to the wash process.
Traffic/factory film removed, using citrus degreasers. A multi point wash to clean the car exterior including wheels, arches and door shuts using lambswool or microfibre wash mitts and natural soft hair detail brushes, two bucket method with grit guards to give the safest possible hand wash using quality pH balanced shampoo. A separate bucket is also used for the wheels.
All surfaces are then applied with an iron contaminant and fallout remover, to safely remove these deposits prior to the claying process.
Any tar or glue deposits are then safely removed.
The whole vehicle is then clayed, with use of clay bars to remove any further bonded contaminants.
Dried with plush drying towels and air dryer.
Paintwork readings are extensively taken via a paint depth gauge.
A 2-3 stage enhancement to the paintwork, via rotary machine polisher and various polishes to remove any medium markings carefully, through the correct choice of polishing pads and compounds .
Alcohol wipe down to ensure no oils or fillers are present on the paint.
Apply 2 coats of premium wax of your choice from my stocked range/ or multiple coats of sealant of your choice.
Clean and seal all interior/exterior glass.
Wheels sealed with multiple coats of sealant. Tyres/arches/trim dressed.
Paintwork assessment is required, prior to booking.
Prices from £250-00
Ceramic coatings are available as an optional upgrade, offering the most durable protection.
Time taken: Approx. 2-4 days.
[Edited on 11-11-2012 by Kyle T]
Lotus Elise 111R
Impreza WRX STi
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Gareth T
Member
Registered: 14th Feb 06
Location: newcastle
User status: Offline
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This lools so good. I'd love to have one. Keep this updated.
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Rich H
Member
Registered: 26th Oct 05
Location: West Sussex Drives: E46 M3
User status: Offline
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Awesome, I know Mike quite well through Twitter and DW, a very good choice, you won't regret going with him!
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Kyle T
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 04
Location: Selby, North Yorkshire
User status: Offline
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Ah that's nice to know
tbh I just found the nearest detailer on DW and took it from there I've seen some of his reports though, he's done some lovely cars.
I'm hoping he gets lots of photos whilst doing mine, as it's the sort of thing I can pleasure myself to
Lotus Elise 111R
Impreza WRX STi
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Kyle T
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 04
Location: Selby, North Yorkshire
User status: Offline
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Just done a bit of wheeler dealing and bagged some headlights for £130... My work over the weekend wasn't a complete waste as I now know how to replace and dismantle them comfortably. I'm also hoping I can sell my existing lights on to cushion the cost.
They're off the same 2003 sti as the grill I have bought and I've been assured they're clean and don't leak
I need a drive in and out within a day job on the powder coating. Cheapest I can find is 320quid.
I may put the wheels on the post Christmas back burner for now.
Lotus Elise 111R
Impreza WRX STi
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whitter45
Member
Registered: 15th Nov 02
Location: Norton
User status: Offline
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I would get winter out of the current wheels and then refurb for spring and summer
Looks awesome car - enjoy it
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Kyle T
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 04
Location: Selby, North Yorkshire
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by whitter45
I would get winter out of the current wheels and then refurb for spring and summer
Looks awesome car - enjoy it
Yep that's the sensible thing to do really, gives me 5 months or so to get them curbed
Thanks Whitter, enjoying it for sure. Took a colleague out in lunchtime in the pouring rain - booted it in 1st and through the gears up to... 60mph and it didn't so much as think of spinning up... I really don't understand how physics works anymore
Lotus Elise 111R
Impreza WRX STi
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Wrighty
Member
Registered: 28th Feb 04
Location: Howden
User status: Offline
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Looks clean, nice hands on effort so far.
Powder&Paint @ East Cottingwith near elvington for your powdercoating mate. TOP job in any colour inc Kandy
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Kyle T
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 04
Location: Selby, North Yorkshire
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Wrighty
hands on effort
I think I was scared of the Civic with it being a bit newer, I'd never dare put my headlights in the oven anyway
OEM parts for this car seem much more reasonable, so can be a bit braver when taking it to bits.
Lotus Elise 111R
Impreza WRX STi
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big eck
Member
Registered: 20th Apr 03
Location: Tullibody. Drives - Audi B8 S4 & Fiesta Zetec-S
User status: Offline
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The cars looking superb mate. The wheels a bit darker would set the car off.
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Kyle T
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 04
Location: Selby, North Yorkshire
User status: Offline
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Cheers eck.
Postie has been busy this week, brought me some new goodies:
Front plate is as small as I could get it legally, rear is standard size.
Second hand lights from a breakers, not chipped and scuffed like my current ones but need de-tango'ing and new bulbs installing before putting them on the car.
Installation day tomorrow!
Lotus Elise 111R
Impreza WRX STi
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BarnshaW
Member
Registered: 25th Oct 06
User status: Offline
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i just fitted that exact pink badge to my front grille.
thats a bargain for the headlights, i am on the lookout for some myself to detango, you dont need to put them in the oven, you can separate the headlights using a heat gun and do it all like that, look better spraying the reflector inside black aswell.
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BarnshaW
Member
Registered: 25th Oct 06
User status: Offline
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ps - next mod for your car should defo be a full lower zunsport grill in black
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3CorsaMeal
Member
Registered: 11th Apr 02
User status: Offline
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Doesn't need a pink badge imo, will look silly, looks really smart at the moment, quite a classy impreza
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Rich H
Member
Registered: 26th Oct 05
Location: West Sussex Drives: E46 M3
User status: Offline
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Have to agree with Jim, I'm not feeling the pink badge tbh - just makes it look like an import too
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Kyle T
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 04
Location: Selby, North Yorkshire
User status: Offline
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I'm not sure if I like the zunsports tbh Barnshaw... though to be honest I mainly see chrome/silver ones which look terrible - a black one may be alright.
Will see how the pink looks on the car, but I've seen a few Scoobies now with the pink ones and I think it just sets them off a little better.
Barnshaw, if you want my old scuffed up to fuck lights... you can have them cheap cheap
Lotus Elise 111R
Impreza WRX STi
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kedowan
Member
Registered: 8th Oct 11
Location: Irvine
User status: Offline
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I love the sound of Scooby's.. Even better when your lying in bed with the window open at night 
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Darryl H
Organiser: South Central
Premium Member
Registered: 19th Nov 09
Location: Camberley Drives: Porsche 944
User status: Offline
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It looks great Kyle
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Mark.W
Member
Registered: 3rd Jan 07
Location: County Durham
User status: Offline
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Lovely Scooby this
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