Gigs

Gridlife Fall video finally done

This weekend I dropped off my LGT at Flat Four Automotive in Troy for a valve cover job and it really needed it. There was minor oil consumption but nothing crazy I just got tired of the smell with the heat on.

Did a shoot with a local photographer that turned out great !

We are going to do another one in the spring

http://www.ianpokriefka.com/

Prepped the LGT for winter and the Wrx for storage over the last few weeks.

LGT had a seized caliper which wore the brake pad down to nothing but a backing plate , not a bad life for over 12 years of abuse. Replaced with 2015 Wrx calipers that I got for like $90 on ebay. Brakes work wonderful now and the car is pretty much ready for winter. I might be having a local shop do valve cover gaskets on it but its in pretty good shape for living its entire life in Michigan.

Showed up in S3 Mags coverage of Speed Ring

https://s3mag.com/speed-ring-presented-by-motovicity/?fbclid=IwAR2K0xO1PW7460oL987mGoWL5l7fWdGXSky4nxgK7i2vtqhpksKvlpRrzzU

Track Day bro

I come from the rallyx side of things, so I can appreciate suspension travel, but it's looking pretty perfect right about now. Can it be resolved by using camber settings for the track, maybe more than -3 degrees?

Possibly bumping it to -3.4 degrees but that is a debate for next spring. I have some service items to take care of and get a quieter exhaust on it to drive around town.

Ugh. That stance, bodywork, and drivetrain setup. And to top it all off, that plate!

 

Warms a bugeye enthusiast's heart.

I still have to raise it a half inch I was rubbing at Grattan

Oh man Gridlife Round 5 was amazing , set a new personal best of 1:47.22 at Gingerman and drove at night !

Its an amazing experience and everyone should make it to one of these events , I am doing midwest and south for sure next year !

Fixed the ATF cooler hardline on the legacy this weekend , next weekend is Gingerman with the Wrx as well.

Corrosion happened and the ATF hardline was peeing ATF all over when the system pressurized. Swapped in a new oem hardline and its good to go for another 12 years.

Took very few pictures of my own car this weekend because I was busy covering speed ring

So I have been driving the Wrx for the last week due to the Legacy springing a little hardline leak on the ATF cooler lines. I really really like daily driving my Wrx on the nice days and the LGT on the crappy days like today when its pouring rain.

Wrx is going to become the nicest summer daily driver possible while also being track capable. This means nice sound system , Sound deadening , quieter exhaust and all sorts of little creature comforts. I really would love to add in automatic hvac controls but that is kinda a nightmare wiring wise , maybe in the future.

Fixing the LGT was not that hard , used some JB Weld and let it sit for like 36 hours while also getting screwed so I had to drop the wheel off at discount tire. I also ordered replacement hardlines and will get around to replacing them sometime in the future after I fix the front brake calipers. I have all new front calipers , rotors and pads ready to go on.

S202 Wagon conversion begins ...

Big projects for the next six months

• Get Ohlins rebuilt or replace with another high end 1 way shock like MCS / KW
  
• Finish interior and bring its quality up to the level of the exterior of the car
  
• Hunt down STi Wagon fold down seats
  
• Upgrade and replace/modernize the entire sound system while adding a backup camera
  
• Acquire all S202 interior / exterior goodies possible
  
• Recharge and upgrade AC system
  
• Flex fuel system* and fuel system upgrades
  

Stretch projects if the others actually get finished*

• Upgrade / Refresh rear LSD
  
• DCCD 6mt
  
• STi clutch*
  
• Balanced flywheel
  
• PFC 2 piece rotors*
  
• Brake cooling setup*
  

I just want this to be the best possible all around Wrx wagon possible , It must be comfortable , quiet unless you are on the throttle , able to sleep in the back at the track and also capable of laying down respectable lap times.

If you were curious where I have been I have a bunch of videos and pictures coming to explain Gridlife , Pebble Beach Concours and more I just have been slacking with editing it all.

But first , Track Day Bro !

Due to being sent to California for work I was far behind on my preparations for this track day and I really hate rushing anything especially a radiator swap the night before the track.

I was able to swap out the radiator , oil cooler thermostat and install a new coolant temp sensor. Its a little tight due to the CSF radiator being way larger than the Koyo so some hose trimming was needed but it all fit and survived the entire track day without failure so that is a win for me.

Filled the car with distilled water , water wetter and 5w50 Redline then drove it out to the track the next morning.

Track day went great , Car felt very good even with my PFC Z Compound Street pads on and had no cooling issues even after 6 hard laps in a row. I tried to overheat it and I could not so it should be even better on a track like Gingerman that is faster with more airflow.

Some things that need fixed are the car needs stiffer springs in the rear as 5k is just too soft and a host of other little things that just annoy me.

I am thinking about selling all my wheels then just sticking to a set of 17x9 wheels for track and street use with a full size spare. I want to drive this chassis over 200,000 miles and also take it to tracks like Road Atlanta and Laguna Seca. So it will be a street car first and track car second. Nothing I do will reduce the cars ability to be driven into work and enjoyed on the road. I still want to be running 1:45s at Gingerman though so we will see how that goes along with a flex fuel system in the future. DCCD gearbox is high up on my list of wants as well.

I also want to make the car more comfortable and quiet as the older I become the more I appreciate cars like a BMW M3 , CTSV and Chevy SS which can be sporty yet still drive comfortable. It will also pay off by making my body able to handle more track abuse as since I have Lyme Disease all my joints feel awful after a few session and I wake up after a track day extremely sore. I think a set of new Recaros should be able to solve a few of those problems.

Basically I am going to be building an S202 / RA-R Wagon which sounds absolutely stupid and insane because it is.

Here are some pictures and video !

Last night was wild at the Woodward Dream cruise then a few of us got lunch today

Couple of Bugeye

Unfortunately I won't be making Gridlife South due to being sent to Pebble Beach concours for work to support Ferrari which is even more awesome.

Hopefully get some time to take pictures of the historical race cars there and everything else in between.

If you want to follow along I am on instagram @JN_Garage

http://www.supercars.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/1106587-800.jpg

My bug just went into the shop today and I noticed rust developing on the passenger side fender (driver's side already has it). The thought of a sedan fender conversion definitely crept into my mind...

You should do it , its just money.

In LGT news I ordered some replacement calipers for the front and will be throwing something together then working on it over the holiday weekend

Ambitious, and awesome!

Its nothing compared to the sedan widebody , that was way more of a nightmare. This is all about sourcing stuff that bolts up really.

Meanwhile my LGT continues to rust and be driven daily. It just hit 152,000 miles and still drives great. Its gonna get some service items before winter.

So here we go again another change in direction

Over the next few years I am going to start working towards a complete RA-R wagon conversion which might even involve a Hawkeye front end conversion if I get bored with the Bugeye look.

The reason for this is that I want a car that is easy to drive , comfortable and also track worthy. If all that sounds absolutely idiotic it is because it is , But I think it can be done. I really miss driving the car all over the place , I put over 65k miles on it in about two years and I want to bump it over 200k on the chassis in the near future.

Goals for 2019

Summer Daily driver

Travel around the country

Experience more tracks

2018 - 2019 plans

Engine and Drivetrail

Fix AC

Flexfuel tuning

Quieter exhaust or elimination of highway drone

STi RA-R / S204 DCCD 6mt

Stock clutch

Balanced flywheel

CSF Radiator

Suspension , wheel and Brakes

Rebuild or upgrade coilovers , Possibly with the new RCE Superstreet line

Try to source 6 piston STi brakes

PFC 2 piece rotors to match the brakes

removable brake ducting

Another set of RA-R wheels with NT01 or R comp tires

Refinish RA-R track wheels gold

Ceramic coat white wheels ( If I keep a set white )

TLDR

Getting buried in my Wrx so I might as well drive the shit out of it

More pictures from @m.fortyfive

I have to clean the car this weekend for a car show at Sellers Subaru and maybe even will get to meet Patrick Sandell

Pictures by @m.fortyfive

https://www.facebook.com/SubaruMFortyFive/

Some behind the scenes stuff from a Photoshoot with the guys from M45 in Ann Arbor , It was a great experience. They will have a full feature on my car coming in the near future.

I suspect my high oil temperatures were due to a thermostat failure so I ordered a replacement and a spare AVCS solenoid. Going to install it with a new radiator before the next track day at the end of August.

Made it into Super Streets coverage of Gridlife Midwest

http://www.superstreetonline.com/event-coverage/motorsports/1806-gridlife-midwest-2018-the-biggest-party-of-the-year/

I also offer lawn care services

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDSyy1rwCPk]Bugeye Lawn service - YouTube[/ame]