Project: IMPRZIV

[seadoo2006]

So, here is the build of my 2000 Subaru Impreza 2.5RS with a bit of history to the car.

July 17th, 2010:
Purchased the car from a guy down in Florence, KY. Got jimmied slightly on the price, but it was the exact car I wanted and it was worth the price I paid for it. So, I drove down with Tony and picked up the car and drove it back to Cleveland. Now, this was a car I had always wanted to own. I loved the styling, loved the sound, and loved the advantages of AWD.

• 2000 Subaru Impreza 2.5RS Sedan 4-Door
• 155,000 Miles
• 165hp/166ft-lbs tq.
• 5-Speed Manual
• Blue Ridge Pearl Paint Job
• B&M Short Shifter Kit
• Injen Cold-Air Intake
• Borla Headers
• Apex-i N1 Turbo-back Exhaust
• JDM STI Tail Lights
• JDM STI Lip Kit
• Full tint with windshield sun strip

Driving it back with the GTI:


Doesn't it look good?




August 8th, 2010:
Imprziv made its first appearance at the track and ran a respectable 15.65 on it's best run. Not too bad for full-time 50/50 AWD and a 165hp 2.5L Flat-4 ... still slow though.



August 20th, 2010:
After a fun night of mudding and other shenanigans, I let one of my friends drive my car with the understanding that he knew it was a car, and not a truck. Well, he almost immediately went to one of the pits, got about halfway through when the car stalled out and got stuck. My baby was dead, or so at least I thought. With some flashlight inspections, we realized the CAI got clogged and removed it and VROOM, there was life again. Unfortunately, the characteristic white smoke of death was almost immediately apparent.

However, my friend Sam and I definitely got our Subarus properly muddy ... )



September 20th, 2010:
Finally, after another month of driving, the weakened connecting rod finally gave way leading to some hellacious, but all too common "rod knock" failure of the EJ motors. While it's sad that it had to happen, it gave me a chance to build the car how I had always planned - with a WRX-sourced EJ205 swap! Adventure ho!



September 29th, 2010:
As a 23rd birthday present to myself, I finally did it. I put the downpayment on the ENTIRE swap. Every part I needed conveniently palletized on two full pallets and another box of parts.


The parts list of stuff I got included:


At this point, the "OH GOD, What the HELL have I gotten myself into?!?!???" thoughts started to pop into my mind. However, one of my friends said that he'd help me do the swap and the project moved to Columbus at the end of November.


December 4th, 2010:
The WRX EJ205 starts to be disassembled for a full gasket and seal rebuild. I'm happy as the valve cover comes off and the whole thing is still looking minty. Guess I got a good donor block for the swap



February 20th, 2011:
By now, we've pretty much finished rebuilding the new engine and started on disassmbly of the 2.5RS. Dead of winter, 10' temps, and a 100-pound propane tank and top heat heater to keep us warm. But, by the end of February 20th, we have the 2.5RS torn down and readied for install of the new parts.





But then, it started sitting ... and sitting ... and sitting ... and well, sitting some more. Somedays I'd remember and try to get some movement in what needed to be done, other days I'd forget I even had the car in Columbus. When flooding would come on the news in the area, I'd get worried for a moment and then remember how we still have more to do. But, it kept sitting, and sitting, and sitting until finally, the situation blew up. Live and learn I guess, but it's tough when you choose the wrong person to help you with a project.

So, after 9 months of sitting, waiting for someone to do some work on it, I yanked it from Columbus and decided my friends in Cincinnati were way to stoked about working on it to not let them have at it in the meantime. Because, after all, this swap shouldn't take even CLOSE to this long to complete.




December 3rd, 2011:
The car finally is moved to its new (and hopefully MUCH more temporary home) in Loveland, Ohio. Because the car had been sitting for so long with pretty much the entire swap in the trunk, the suspension, brakes, and wheels/tires are looking prime for replacements. Sigh, oh well, add a bit more to the list of things to do. At least now I know work will be getting done to it. Oh, bonus is now it's permanently inside a garage instead of in a back yard in the grass ... YAY!!!! Respect my car has well-deserved at this point.


Well, stay tuned for updates as the work continues. ) ) ) ) ) )

[seadoo2006]

December 5th, 2011:
All parts out of the car... wheels off... and windows down to air it out... here we go!




Gas tank dropped... fuel pumps swapped... Wrx subframe in... 2.5rs rack in... wrx ps lines and reservoir in... that was heavy... lol

[seadoo2006]

December 6th, 2011:
Most of the bulkhead harness out and almost ready to be shipped out for the harness merge.




LOL ... I'm proud to say I have some great friends to help me with this project. It should be running here in literally no time at all at the rate we are working on it.

[seadoo2006]

December 7th, 2011:
And more wiring...bulkhead harness is completely OUT!

[Time for a GTI]

[seadoo2006]

December 8th, 2011:
Engine bay is detailed while we wait for the return of the harness!




Scooby Scat ... O_o

[Air-over-water]

Looking good!
In for updates.

[justdrive88]

Gladly awaiting updates

[Fisherson]

Gladly awaiting updates

Seriously. I'm a little jealous.
Kudos though. It should be a riot when it's done.

[sunofernest]

I was expecting some terrible euro trash showcar build with chrome 20s and a body kit based on the name for some reason

IMPREZANTLY surprised

[seadoo2006]

Thanks guys. I'm really excited to get this finished as it's been WAY too long at this point. Nothing like putting all the money and effort together to do a project like this only to have the person you originally were going to do the swap with abandon it for almost a year.

Glad I've found a good couple guys to work on it now.

[Eightysixturbo]

Damnit this is remarkably similar to what I wanted to do.

[Noisyninja]

Damnit this is remarkably similar to what I wanted to do.

Me too. However, I took the easy way out and just sold my 2.5RS and bought a WRX.

Cool beans.

[six_banger]

Probably wouldnt add new rotors or calipers...

[seadoo2006]

Probably wouldnt add new rotors or calipers...

Am I missing something, lol?

[six_banger]

Am I missing something, lol?

nah im just messin around...

i would get new brakes for it though

[BSD]

December 8th, 2011:
Engine bay is detailed while we wait for the return of the harness!




Scooby Scat ... O_o

I have the EXACT same heater! GL with the swap! Looks sharp!

[22AudiQ]

As a fellow Ohioan and former Subaru owner:

[seadoo2006]

nah im just messin around...

i would get new brakes for it though

Yep, planning on it ... sitting for a year rusted the stock ones pretty badly ... :-/

[02vwgolf]

Cant wait to see how this turns out... love the 2.5's

[TooFitToQuit]

Wow. My parents live ~3 miles from that shop and I've never heard of it. How'd you find that tiny place?

[seadoo2006]

Wow. My parents live ~3 miles from that shop and I've never heard of it. How'd you find that tiny place?

Saw a post on RS25.com of someone selling a EJ205 block and responded to it ... turns out the guy had everything i needed to do the swap.

[TooFitToQuit]

Saw a post on RS25.com of someone selling a EJ205 block and responded to it ... turns out the guy had everything i needed to do the swap.

Interesting. TopSpeed and Speed For Sale are right by there. Both are customers of mine.

[uniseriate]

What did you use to detail the engine bay?

[seadoo2006]

What did you use to detail the engine bay?

Purple Power, Dish Soap, and an ass load of scrubbing.

[The Kilted Yaksman]

Not a terrible ET. Way back when I was renting a house with Trey Cobb (Cobb Tuning) he bolted a small N2O kit on his 2dr 2.5RS and ran a 13.9.

[seadoo2006]

December 9th, 2011:
MOAR CLEANING!!!

[Polski Ogier]

kerosane heaters are quite toxic

[seadoo2006]

kerosane heaters are quite toxic

LOL ... Well, you work with what you have, haha. If anyone wants to donate a Forced Air HVAC system, I'll take it though

[Heffernan]

Hell yeah, my kinda build! That 2.5RS is going to be a riot to drive once complete. Keep up the good work.

I would suggest throwing on some Forester struts/shocks/springs while your at it....but that's just me.

[B3passatBMX]

You're currently building one of my dream cars. Always loved that car and always wanted that car with the running gear from a WRX.

[gls:maverick]

kerosane heaters are quite toxic

I have been using one in my garage for years with no ill effects what so ever. If the room was completely air tight then maybe but any drafty garge will be fine.

Awesome build BTW

[DeathKing]

Mmmmmm 4-door <3 Those cars are sexy enough as is, after that swap it will really be the complete package. In for more!

[Chapel]

I have been using one in my garage for years with no ill effects what so ever. If the room was completely air tight then maybe but any drafty garge will be fine.

Awesome build BTW

it won't get you now, it'll get you later, just crack open a window or unseal the garage door, just to be safe. Hate to see this get curtailed because you died...

[seadoo2006]

it won't get you now, it'll get you later, just crack open a window or unseal the garage door, just to be safe. Hate to see this get curtailed because you died...

There's a man door just to the right of the picture (not in it) that is usually cracked.