MBasile's 2002 WRX

[MBasile]

Here’s the whole story of my 2002 Subaru Impreza WRX! (sorry for using people's actual names, but this was first written/posted on a team forum where people knew who I was talking about)

I got the car in April of 2005, a month after my Dodge Stealth finally called it quits. The car came with ~19,000 miles on it and was a wingless and rather turbo-laggy automatic.

First photoshoot ev4r!
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/MBasile/Imprezas/5100.jpg
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/MBasile/Imprezas/3ecd.jpg


Testing the limits of the new car
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/MBasile/Imprezas/PSM02WRX36.jpg


Eventually came a used Helix catless DP and brand new Helix cattless UP installed at Winfield’s house, which was later on topped off with Marc’s used Borla “Hush.” Somewhere in this time period I added the STi wing (also installed at Winfield’s place).

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/MBasile/Imprezas/PSM02WRX33.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/MBasile/Imprezas/PSM02WRX32.jpg


Then came a sweet deal on some Morette proction headlights for $150! They came painted in blue so Marc and I were going to switch skins, but the seller thought that I had flaked out on the transaction because I didn’t respond to his email the few hours I was at work, and sold them to someone else. Marc kept in touch with this person so he could still swap the skins, and found out the guy no longer wanted them because his wife bought him EDM projectors (lucky bastard) so I ended up getting the Morettes!
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/MBasile/Imprezas/ac00re2.jpg
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/MBasile/Imprezas/b2f2re2.jpg

Before getting tuned in March of 2006 I did a track day at Laguna Seca in January (Automatic transmission+untuned=fun but still untapped potential).
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/MBasile/Imprezas/LaguaSecafrontpass.jpg

In March came I got tuned by Ed of EQTuning in Davis, CA. We did road tuning and he did a 91 octane pump gas map for the street and a 100 octane map for Rally-X and other racing events. No dyno graph of 100 octane but heres the 91 octane
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/MBasile/91octane.jpg

After growing fond of Rally-X, but wanting to be able to run some nice summer tires on the street I knew I needed a second set of wheels so I bought a set of 2005 WRX wheels with RE92 tires on them, mounted the RE92’s on my 2002 wheels, and put Potenze RE050A’s on the new (nicer looking) 2005 wheels.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/MBasile/Fort%20Ord%20Test%20Shoot/DSCF0050.jpg
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/MBasile/Fort%20Ord%20Test%20Shoot/DSCF0046.jpg
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/MBasile/Fort%20Ord%20Test%20Shoot/DSCF0038.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/MBasile/Imprezas/Moving.jpg

When one of my stock fog lights burnt out I used it as an excuse to upgrade to some $75 Hellas instead of replacing a $3 bulb.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/MBasile/DSCF0028.jpg
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/MBasile/DSCF0012.jpg

Earlier this year a good friend gave me his CF trunk that he had no room to store and didn’t fit all that well on his STi. I’ve never been that big of a fan of CF trunks, but it definitely grew on me! I switched back and forth between the wingless CF trunk (although it does have holes for the STi wing, but I’m trying to track down a Syms replica wing) and the painted STi trunk.
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/MBasile/CFTrunk-03.jpg

Over the span of 8 months I slowly gathered the parts needed to convert the car from a 4 speed automatic to a 5 speed manual. This process took a little longer than expected because I upgraded the transmission to a cryo treated RA gearset, which set me back $1000! The conversion cost a total of less than $4000 thanks to great deals on all the parts and a great shop doing the conversion. The conversion was done in early August 2007 by LIC Innovations in Novato, CA. The work was immediately followed by one of the shop owners giving me a 30 minute driving lesson so I could get the car home

I wasn’t planning on doing much more to the car, but then a set of 17x8 Rota Torques for $435 on I-Club.com so I jumped on the deal. I decided to get these so I can run wider rubber for the track day in early 2008.
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/MBasile/GarlandRotas110507-01.jpg

Before the track day in 2008 I want to do another mod, but I haven’t decided between new brake rotors or a nice rear swaybar. Unless Marc can find some cheap brakes in Japan for me

Rally-X Pictures!
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/MBasile/Rally-X/062407RallyX1.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/MBasile/Rally-X/062407RallyX6.jpg
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/MBasile/Rally-X/091706RallyX1.jpg

[BlueRu]

Your gal looks very nice. Hope you get the tranny done fast. I know I hate it when I dont have my girl to use while she is in for repair or upgrade.

[409industries]

Nice... good luck on the tranny. That will be sick once its in. I prefer the wingless look. If you have a CF trunk, then you're already ahead in the weight game... you dont need that heavy STi spoiler! :)

Nice looking REX. keep it up!

[MBasile]

the CF trunk already has the sti wing holes in it, and I think the weight of the wing will help with the gap thats on one side...stupid poor fitting CF free parts :p

[MBasile]

tranny swap is done. The car is now a 5MT with cryo treated RA gears. I'm also swapping the STi trunk for a WRX trunk at the Mt. Hammy meet in a few weeks. I'm then using the money I get from that trade to buy an STi wing to put on the CF trunk (so I'll have two trunks)

[409industries]

nice job on the transmission... how does it feel?

[MBasile]

it feels great now, I need to find somewhere to practice for the next rally-x though

[JacksonRally]

Sweet, congrats on the tranny. See you in Antioch?

[I Like It Sideways]

Nice work on the transmission! How was it?

[MBasile]

Nice work on the transmission! How was it?

the shop did a great job on the conversion and it feels awesome :) New wheels will be coming fairly sun and the car definitely will have more balls :twisted:

[MBasile]

91 octane dyno graph
WHP:205.5@5570 RPM
WTQ:214.3@3450
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/MBasile/91octane.jpg

later on I'll get the one of the 100 octane map

[MBasile]

I now have rota torques in bronze :D

I'll post pictures in a few days

[MBasile]

edited first post with complete history (boo for 20 picture limit!)

[MBasile]

:headbang:new picture

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2372/2276481472_7456c86d9f_b.jpg

[I Like It Sideways]

Niiice! The torques look awesome.
I personally like the cf trunk

[MBasile]

Niiice! The torques look awesome.
I personally like the cf trunk

I like the CF trunk too, but without a wing theres too much of a gap on the right side and the holes dont look good. Eventually I'll get a syms replica spoiler for it and then I'll be one of those people that switched back and forth between trunks :)