SteelbluesleepR's 2007 OB2.5i build thread

[steelbluesleepr]

IMG_3832 by Jayson Carey, on Flickr

I took a train from St. Louis to Chicago to pick up my new car, a 2007 Outback 2.5i with a manual transmission, and drove it all the way back with my wife. I needed something newer, nicer, and more reliable than my old EP3 Si. I work in the camera department TV and films, so I need something that can carry cases upon cases of equipment, but I also want the fun and efficiency of a car.

 

The only major issues at the moment are a soft clutch and bad hatch wiring. I've already pulled the wiring harness and am about to order the replacement.

 

Mods: As of right now, it's completely stock, but that's probably not going to be true for long.

 

future plans:

25% tint all around

Legacy GT Wagon suspension or similar. I want the nice wagon stance this car was supposed to have, not the pseudo-SUV crossover wheel gap it currently has.

18x8 +40 silver or gold wheels

2008-2009 JDM taillights

STI lip

cool white LEDs all throughout the interior, including extra lighting in the hatch for late-night loadouts.

A more permanent Bluetooth solution

other little bits and bobs to make it a nice, good looking, reliable wagon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_3905 by Jayson Carey, on Flickr

IMG_3831 by Jayson Carey, on Flickr

 

IMG_3846 by Jayson Carey, on Flickr

Edited November 29, 2016 by steelbluesleepr

[xtea]

Those look like first gen forester wheels.

 

Your pictures are awesome. Almost make me want to go back to stock height.

[steelbluesleepr]

Thanks man, I do commercial photography and TV/commercial camera work and I started out doing automotive stills. I went out tonight to finally get some decent pictures of this. They aren't my favorite shots ever, but I like em! If you want, you can see my stills portfolio at http://www.eyelevelstl.com

 

I'm pretty sure they're just the stock 2.5i steel wheels

[xtea]

I shoot too. linky

[steelbluesleepr]

Nice! I really like your work, it's frankly fantastic. I don't tend to do a whole lot of weddings, but they are usually pretty fun. The majority of my wedding work anymore is as a second shooter, so the work on my website is just from a handful of older weddings. Edited November 29, 2016 by steelbluesleepr

[jonnyt88]

If I recall, 08/09 headlights don't fit unless the JDM ones are different. If they do fit, I have a set of USDM ones that will be available soon.

[steelbluesleepr]

If I recall, 08/09 headlights don't fit unless the JDM ones are different. If they do fit, I have a set of USDM ones that will be available soon.

 

I want the JDM taillights, though

 

I'll be clearing my headlights and possibly plastic-casting new clear reflectors to put back in.

[matt_goats]

Dude! I am buying the same car in blue with a tan interior tomorrow! I am excited to follow your build and probably use it as a guide

[lufusol]

Yeah those steelies look like they're from a Forester but I've never seen steelies on an outback, is that what the base 2.5i comes with? They look really good on your black OB. My 17" alloys are fugly I saw someone else painted Forester steelies and put them on their OB as winter wheels, also looks right.

[steelbluesleepr]

FINALLY replaced the hatch wiring harness. It's amazing how nice actually being able to lock my hatch is!

 

Everything I'm finding says that the Forester and the Outback both used the same steelies. They're not terrible, but they definitely aren't staying!

[steelbluesleepr]

My shift boot was really ratty and my shift knob was worn smooth when I bought the car, so I replaced both of them tonight. I got a vinyl shift boot with red stitching, a billet aluminum shift boot retainer, and a black delrin shift knob. The knob isn't quite as big as I'd like, but it was only $11, so I can easily replace it without feeling bad!

 

Also pictured is my bluetooth adapter. I'll be running the cord through the center console instead of leaving it loose pretty soon.

 

New shift boot and knob by Jayson Carey, on Flickr

[steelbluesleepr]

Cleaned and debadged it today:

IMG_20170211_152429 by Jayson Carey, on Flickr

[steelbluesleepr]

I just realized I've never updated this! About 3 months after I got it, I popped the engine due to oil starvation. I figured that since it was my newest car I've ever owned, it should be fine. it wasn't. I bought a cheap 92 EX 5spd Coupe that was hit in the back right quarter and needed a clutch, but was otherwise completely fine while it was down.

 

Long story short, I spent way too long thinking about fixing it before I just found a $250 junkyard motor and swapped it in. It's not perfect, uses about a quart of oil every fillup, and is throwing the annoying P0420 emissions code so it won't give me cruise control, but it's a good car that carries a bunch of shit.

 

I've had some '11 WRX wheels for a while, but I just got back from working in California to no job, so I needed a small project. I sprayed them in Duplicolor metallic bronze wheel paint and wrapped them in some accidentally-too-small tires that I got from a friend.

 

 

 

That was right after swapping them over, so the suspension isn't settled, making it look super monster-trucked, but it dropped another inch or so after driving it. I'm planning on getting OEM Legacy GT springs, shocks, and struts for it, lowering it another 2 inches. This is my daily driver, so I can't slam it on coilovers, unfortunately. It also desperately needs tint.