Hitokiri_Gensai Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 So, my story is kind of far reaching and going to be a crazy build but here we go. I purchased my 05 Legacy GT Limited about a year ago. It had a blown turbo when i got it, but the purchase price was right (3800 before dealership fees). I replaced the turbo with a ued stock unit that failed about 5 months after. Despite what i had been told here, i went ahead with getting her on the road and getting it to daily driver status. She made it a good 6 months before i had a catastrophic failure of the timing system, and the engine was cooked, which was good considering on breakdown we found that every bearing surface in the entire engine was scored to hell and back. After considering the options i decided that i wanted to drop in a full EJ257 with VF39, rather than go down the same path and run another EJ255. Fast forward a couple months, the STi swap is in and its been tuned by EFI Logics in Bethel CT. They did a fantastic job on the tune, putting down 281 awhp and 328 ft/lbs of torque. I average about 24 mpg on a mountainous daily commute and she runs smooth everyday with every start up. Then i started thinking, where do i take this build now? All in i had about the value of the car, invested in the car, and im still paying off the initial loan. It had some minor rust on the rear quarters and trunk. It would be no big deal to fix those parts up and move on, but i want to keep this car, its had my blood, sweat and tears put into it, so where can i go from here that hasnt been done? So a few weeks back while skimming through some old Subie pics i saw the 22B STi and immediately thought: I wonder if that could be incorporated into the LGT but a little more subtly? Im a mechanic by trade, went to school for it, have ASEs and so on, and i have my best friend, as well as another good friend who is a bodywork specialist with a perchant for doing crazy projects. So here we are. The plan, widen the front and rear fenders about 2 inches on either side, for a total of 4 inches wider. The rear fender will be widened from about half way down the rear doors on both sides. I have my best friend ( an artist) doing some sketches together to get some better idea of how the car will look widened. Once i had some sketches together, ill upload them here for all to see!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Capacity Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 IMO save your money for stuff you really need. Is this your only car ? If you have the extra income where a few thousand dollars doesn't matter...then go ahead. I'd say do the shocks, and springs, a few bushings and be done with the car. It makes good whp and is fun to drive. Put that money into some other toy or save it for when something breaks. Dover VT, do you ski ? 305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD). CHECK your oil, these cars use it. Engine Build - Click Here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitokiri_Gensai Posted May 12, 2015 Author Share Posted May 12, 2015 I have a little extra income, although not a TON or anything, but mostly with this, ive done the fast daily driver before. Ive owned RX-7's, RHD Subaru's and so on, so its time for something different. I want a stand out project car with this, something unique thats never been done. From what ive seen, in my research on this car, no ones ever done a widebody like this. Ive seen fender flares on this generation but thats the most ive seen. I was also thinking a custom paint job, thinking of a Wine Red Metallic. Actually i dont ski despite living ten from mount snow haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobo2701 Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 There are jgtc legacys with some serious wide body Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitokiri_Gensai Posted May 13, 2015 Author Share Posted May 13, 2015 Thats true, but those are also dedicated widebody race cars, im looking to build a unique street car. No one outside of racing seems to have done this type of build before, so why not try? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSaladino Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 Sounds interesting! Can't wait to see what you come up with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dujo Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 Fyi ... your scored and destroyed internals on the last one are due to the engine sharing oil with a blown turbo. It is not due to the fact that it was an EJ255 vs an EJ257. Unfortunately, as you have learned, rarely can you just slap another turbo on and away you go. Regardless, a new 257 wasn't wrong in the end. Looks like you have that problem all sorted out with a new shortblock and a rebuilt engine, so you should be good to go for a long time. As far as going forward, there's always going faster, but that gets expensive and honestly isn't really appropriate for a street car, let alone a daily driver. Extensive bodywork modification is not common as it above most people's skill level and then they don't want to pay to paint the car afterwards. Most of us are just armchair mechanics with a socket wrench and the Internet to get us through. Are you changing the color? Are you gonna mask and spray the outside or are you gonna take everything apart and spray the individual pieces so the door jams and underhood all match? Keep in mind that there's a pretty huge difference in labor between those two solutions (by several orders of magnitude, imo). But it's also often the difference between cheap rice and show car status. So which is more important to you? Also, what are you planning to do as far as suspension? Generally, the reason to run a widebody is to be able to put huge meaty tires on there. What did you have in mind? Are you sure the bearings and axles and cv joints can handle all that extra width and grip at your power levels? How does the suspension geometry need to change to make this work so that handling improves and doesn't just get worse. Subscribed to learn something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rester5350 Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 I'm in for future goodness Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitetiger Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 I hope this comes to fruition. Just dont make it hellaflush crap. Make the car fit some nice meaty 315mm wide tires on 18x12 wheels. yum/grip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitokiri_Gensai Posted May 13, 2015 Author Share Posted May 13, 2015 Thankfully, my engine woes are behind me, all things considering. Ive got 61k on the 257 and it hasnt burned a drop of oil in 2500 miles. If i do a colour change it will be a full change, although honestly now that the sun is beating down on my car in the lot, im falling a little bit more in love with the Regal Blue Pearl, but i want a little more metal flake in it. I think itll really make the car shine, while really needing a LITTLE less prep work overall. Almost all the wheel bearings on the car are new, since they were shot when i picked up the car. Suspension wise, im thinking of going with a set of LGT Spec B control arms, up front to lighten up the whole set up and keep it fresh. We may only go an inch and a half wider per side. The idea isnt to go nuts on this, i just want a subtle shift from the "norm". I want a subtle waistline to form in the car, to give it that sleek hourglass feel, rather than go nuts with a racing body kit made for downforce. I dont do hellaflush or stance or any of that crap, i think its useless and ugly. Itll be lowered on coilovers and get a nice wide set of wheels and tyres but nothing stupid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boxkita Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 check out LIC Engineering. They have spindle/hub conversions that might help you with the bearing problems. Also search crazymonkey8 (forgot exact spelling) who did a flared lgt. and the "manta ray" - a japanese wide body wagon. Build my car Boxkita Track days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dujo Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 Ah, sounds more like you actually did a full motor swap 2500 miles ago with an sti that had 58,000 miles on it, rather than a rebuilt longblock using the same (remachined) heads and a new EJ257 shortblock. Nothing wrong with that. Just trying to get a handle on what you've got. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitokiri_Gensai Posted May 13, 2015 Author Share Posted May 13, 2015 Right. It was a full STi long block with turbo and top mount. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dujo Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 Got a wheel picked out? Going for sexy or for performance (lightweight)? 18x10.5? +30-something offset? x11? x12? I know a guy running 315s on 10.5 on a screw on fender flare sti (autocross special). In my SCCA class. We both had a good laugh when I told him it was my 225 street tire vs. his 315 R-comp. I really wanted to get some Enkei RPF1s in 10.5 with a 255 or even 275, but I just don't think I can make that width work without some serious fender work, which I'm not willing to do at this point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitokiri_Gensai Posted May 14, 2015 Author Share Posted May 14, 2015 Well, something performance, but this isnt a race car, its still my daily driver, so it has to be somewhat reasonable in terms of cost of tyres and such. Right now i have 215 hankook ventus v12 evos on prodrive p7's. I was talking with a co worker about wheels and tyres, and he thought i should probably stick with a 235 when the widebody is complete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boxkita Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 235? I run that on a stock body. If going to the expense of widebody at least try a size that makes it worthwhile. Like 335. 285/295 is an easy fit on a wrx with custom panels. Build my car Boxkita Track days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitokiri_Gensai Posted May 15, 2015 Author Share Posted May 15, 2015 Well, ultimately, it all remains to be seen as the project gets under way. Ive got plenty of options to choose from. Its going to depend alot on budget, whats available, and so on. I did decide on a colour, its going to stay Regal Blue Pearl, but i want to add in a lot of light blue pearl flake to really make it pop in the sunlight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitetiger Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 I fit 255's with camber and fender pulling with the stock fenders. unless you are going to do 285 or more, the widebody will be just for show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dujo Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 I think you're making the right choice on the color. Can respray the entire exterior and really liven it up and make it pop, but the hidden parts of panels will still match closely enough that nobody but you will really be able to tell. I think you'll probably save yourself 50-100 hrs of work since you don't have to disassemble the car to paint it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitokiri_Gensai Posted May 15, 2015 Author Share Posted May 15, 2015 Well thats ultimately why i chose to do that kind of colour. Itll really pop and look fantastic in the sunlight, but the door jambs and everything wont matter nearly as much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quick4dr Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Im wide bodied, running 265/40/17 at -1. camber all around for handling. i could run 0 if i wanted. Plenty of room clearanced under my flares. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightmaresmk Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 I run 255's on a stock outback. as stated before for 305 or larger with a widebody.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitokiri_Gensai Posted May 31, 2015 Author Share Posted May 31, 2015 Small update, waiting for funding from a settlement. Judge should make a decision soon so i hould have a budget soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnusonsubie Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 In for updates. fwiw I run a 235/40r18 tire with just rolled fenders on a stock body. You need to go to 285 295 territory with your widebody. 2005 Vader Wagon Material Tests on Ringland Failure Piston I should have held off and purchased a wagon instead of the spec.B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boxkita Posted June 7, 2015 Share Posted June 7, 2015 I had 275/18 on my wagon. It fit in front but needed flares in back Build my car Boxkita Track days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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