STi gone...

And I actually thought this one was going to be a keeper!!

It's been less than a year since I purchased her, but due to unforeseeable circumstances I've had to sell up. 

I believe I've achieved my goal of modifying it to a level where its got enough power without compromising comfort and drive-ability for a street car. 

The 06/07 STi is definitely one of the better looking Subaru shapes to come out of Japan.

And with the addition of the front lip and aftermarket wheels it sure is a head turner.

  And with all the creature comforts one could need..

I've been extremely lucky as it SOLD to the first person to inspect it only after having been listed for a few days. I do hope the new owner is as meticulous as I once was with maintenance.
   
A BIG thanks to my friend Michael for taking some great shots that definitely helped with the sale. 

No I idea what my next car purchase will be, but it definitely won't be anywhere near as thrilling as the STi. 

Andrew

TCP Auto TBE Exhaust

A quick video for those who wanted to hear how loud the TCP Auto exhaust is from a cold start...

Excellent exhaust system, definitely recommend it to anyone.

Andrew

More Samco goodness!

The standard Subaru rubber hoses aren't so great. 

As you can see after multiple removals of the TMIC, the clamps have eaten into the rubber. Lucky Samco have an alternative.

No more potential boost leaks after installing the new piece. Looks heaps better too...

Preventive maintenance

As the weather starts to heat up, the urge to ensure all fluids are fresh becomes stronger.

I started noticing a coolant smell after short drives. Turns out my lower radiator hose developed a slight leak.

So a replacement set from Samco was purchased. The silicone hoses Samco produce are top notch and at the price the standard rubber hoses sell for, it makes financial sense to purchase the aftermarket alternative.

Wouldn't surprise me if these hoses out last the actual radiator... 

Before the car was filled with fresh Castrol Radicool coolant, the overflow bottle was removed and thoroughly cleaned from the mildew that was had started to form on the insides. 

Second item that required replacing was the turbo to intercooler silicone elbow. 
The standard STi item had developed a slight rip from previous IC removals/installs. 

Samco part E9051 was sourced and cut to fit the tight squeeze.

Next item on the list to be replaced is the intercooler to throttle body hose as the standard rubber item developed a rip...

Mods Mods Mods!!

It's been awhile since my last post and how soooo much as changed!!

Change is good, especially when its in the form of a power increase.

First things first, the stock exhaust was to go. This was replaced with a TCP Auto turbo back exhaust system. I decided to go with the TCP system due to the lower db reading it produced, which apparently comes in just under the legal limit. I wasn't after a noisy full blown race system, just a decent flowing system that would help improve the power output and give that unquie subaru exhaust rumble. 

Gotta love the shiny new bits...

First the intercooler comes out...

The dump pipe bolts would have to be the hardest bolts to remove in the entire install

Second item to be installed was an AEM Cold Air intake system.

The oversized filter sits in the guard for that stealthy look...

I forgot to take an actual pic of my intake in the guard....however the above is pretty much it!

And finally a Walbro 225 fuel pump was installed and the car started first time perfectly without a hitch. 

The car was driven (off boost) to Springy Motors for a Dyno Tune. This is the first vehicle I've owned that I've taken in for a tune, so I was quite nervous. But thankfully Danny did an excellent job and with a conservative tune managed 200KW's ATW. 

My main goals is to maintain reliability, gain a little power while keeping the car as stealth as possible. And so far it seems to be working.

A BIG thank-you to Cambs for helping me install the parts! It's great to be learning so much from an experienced DIY'er! 

Lightweight Enkei RPF1's

The strong Aussie dollar lead me trolling through Tirerack.com for new wheels for the Subaru!

Whatever my decision was it had to be lightweight and black!

The Enkei RPF1's had value for money written all over them!! I decided to stick with the OEM 17x8's as I had no intention of rolling the guards or having scrubbing issues...

The pictures don't do the wheels or the car any justice! Still working on getting some nicer pro shots taken soon...

And so it begins....

So over the past few months as I quickly got acquainted with the new STi, the modding bug slowly kicked in :-/

I was quick to order an STi front lip from Ultrex Performance, which helped transform the front end of the car. 

Then the Greddy Infometer was next to be installed, which I might add has saved me a few times with it's alarm notification....

And replaced my old scratched gear knob, for a newer more lighter STi duracon style knob!

I also had a box of Duragloss products arrive from the States. Its the first time I've used any Duragloss product. They seem to have a good warp on a few detailing forums, so I thought why not. 

I noticed a couple of marks on my roof lining and on my floor mats, so Duragloss 451 Fabric & Carpet Cleaner was put to the test.

I applied the foam aerosol cleaner and let it set for 20 secs then scrubbed the surface with a dry towel.

The roof lining came up great and the mats have never looked better. It also leaves the surface smelling fresh. So I'd definitely recommend this product.