Pleaides 5MT wagon build log - saving a rare bird from extinction

[SoobyDoobyDoo]

17 hours ago, Pleides said:

Front grille emblem is Avicii's logo. He passed away by suicide in 2018. Was a big EDM star and I loved his music growing up!

I think that background car is a Loyale? There were so, so, so many cars that I just can't remember too many individual ones, but lots of older Subarus there!

That’s a cool way to pay tribute. Have no idea who he was but it’s definitely a unique look. Always sad when something like that happens. Makes e wish I had seen Chris Cornell for his last concert when he came to Indy.
 

Idk if it’s a loyale or legacy wagon… They both look alike. Now that I own a Subaru wagon always cool to see older Subaru wagons. There’s a brat and loyale that come to the semi annual subie meet here, always nice to see those cars represented, not a lot of love anymore for those…

[Pleides]

It's been a small eternity since I updated anything here. The only mod that I can think of that has gone on the car since October of 22 was the Fluidampr crank pulley. Big fan of that one. Bad news though - the Koni struts up front have both failed during the time on the car. Right front went a year and a bit ago while Surgeline told me the left front had some odd movement within the shock, causing it to not bounce linearly up and down. I just ordered some Tein Flex Z coilovers a couple of hours ago and I think I'm going to lower the car a smidge more, maybe a half inch? That's going to look quite drastic, but I'm a young single guy and my commute is about 3 miles one way to work on smooth roads, so I'll live with the stupidity of a very low car. I'm 24 and my hairline doesn't appear to be coming back, so I'll enjoy the fun of having a slammed car while I can. 

My trailing arm bushings also need replacement. The coilovers I'm comfy doing myself but the trailing arm bushings look like such a pain in the ass to do that I'll let the shop handle that one. I had them done at 203K and now have 251K on the car and they're already completely gone. The car handles so incredibly poorly right now  Gonna opt for Whiteline bushings back there this time, hopefully for some better longevity. Not looking forward to all the added NVH, but such is life. I can't remember the last time I drove the car more than an hour. Maybe to Wagonfest 2023? Speaking of which, I neglected to get any photos myself, but have a couple from friends. 

Not much else going on with the wagon. I hit my quarter life crisis like a freight train starting midway through last year which meant reassessing a lot of things in my life after my grandad passed at 99 years old. I've felt less inclined to spend money on the car because I feel that the car serves me well as-is, and not everything has to be perfect on a car that is now old enough to vote. I've always been slow to buy with things that others might buy on impulse, but I think the money that I've spent on it is good enough for now and I have been putting money aside only for things it really needs. With 50K on the clutch and 251K on the transmission, both items are beginning to have their... oddities, so the 6-speed Spec B transmission that sits in my garage needing a rebuild is probably next, and I think that may just be the last thing I do to the car that isn't a basic maintenance item. I've always wanted to put a JDM bumper on it and all that cool stuff, but I also would like to experience other cars (looking at a silly Honda SMX as my next purchase), travel, and, now that I'm graduated after 6 long years of working full-time and studying full-time, just wanna be 20-something without worrying about the car as much.

If anybody here has tried the Flex Zs, do let me know. I suppose I've already been charged for them, but couldn't find much out there for this set on this car.

[Bobsyouruncl]

Where did you get the black badging? 

[boxkita]

it's probably time to find a serious car hobby. Have you tried autox or, gasp, lapping?

btw, love the look of your wagon. The flex c/o should be alot of fun. get an alignment and corner balance when you are done. It really makes a difference.

I drove a "slammed" wagon for alot of years. Suspension travel was practically nil unless heavily G loaded. Never let age interfere with your right to smile doing something fun. My gr86 is the most impractical road-legal car I've ever owned or driven. I still smile like an idiot driving it.

[Pleides]

On 3/27/2024 at 4:38 PM, Bobsyouruncl said:

Where did you get the black badging? 

Black badging? If you're talking about the rear of the car, I plastidipped the rear badges years ago back when I had black wheels. I removed the plastidip when I bought the wheels off of Nick Avgeres' wagon.

 

7 hours ago, boxkita said:

it's probably time to find a serious car hobby. Have you tried autox or, gasp, lapping?

btw, love the look of your wagon. The flex c/o should be alot of fun. get an alignment and corner balance when you are done. It really makes a difference.

I drove a "slammed" wagon for alot of years. Suspension travel was practically nil unless heavily G loaded. Never let age interfere with your right to smile doing something fun. My gr86 is the most impractical road-legal car I've ever owned or driven. I still smile like an idiot driving it.

It's my only car, so I'm just not comfortable tracking the car, to be frank. I'm not at a point where another car makes a lot of sense right now and, with plans to move to a more urban area in the coming months, two cars is likely off the table. Maybe if my only car were a Miata or GR86 (wink) that has cheap consumables or whatever, then sure. I am liking the Teins, for sure. They're stiffer than the Konis were, which is a bit of a bummer, but the handling is a bit better and steering feedback feels more alive.

I've considered a GR86 if I replace this car as it looks like a fun little car that also isn't giant like every other modern car. I really liked your car! Just looking at the finances and the desire to live somewhere more urban while it still makes sense and keeping the wagon going as a fun daily makes the most sense for the time being. I'd like a Boxster soonish - I will say.

[boxkita]

cayman is much better car. almost bought one before getting the 86.

86 is definitely light on cargo space. although it will haul everything you need for a track day including 4 tires. it qualifies for the "small" car discount on the washington ferry system too.

lapping is tuff in a wagon. heavy car is painful on brakes.

if cruzin is your thing, the wagon is pretty much perfect. Wife and I did alot of trips in mine

[Febreze Mee]

Did someone say Cayman?!

[SoobyDoobyDoo]

Mmmmmm….a Porsche would be a lot of fun….a friend at work just picked up a GR86…looking forward to taking it for a drive. It’s still brand new so I’m thinking about waiting for it to be broke in though so I can really see what it can do…

Edited April 20 by SoobyDoobyDoo

[Bobsyouruncl]

Did you plastidip on car or remove and actually dip?

[Pleides]

13 hours ago, Bobsyouruncl said:

Did you plastidip on car or remove and actually dip?

I left the badges on the car, sprayed the plasti dip over the course of an hour or two, then peeled the excess off. If sprayed correctly, it's pretty easy to do. You'll need a toothpick to get between letters like hole in the capital A.

 

If you were to remove the badges and dunk them in plasti dip, you'd lose the adhesive properties of the back of the badges.

Edited Thursday at 04:52 PM by Pleides

[Bobsyouruncl]

On 4/25/2024 at 9:51 AM, Pleides said:

I left the badges on the car, sprayed the plasti dip over the course of an hour or two, then peeled the excess off. If sprayed correctly, it's pretty easy to do. You'll need a toothpick to get between letters like hole in the capital A.

 

If you were to remove the badges and dunk them in plasti dip, you'd lose the adhesive properties of the back of the badges.

How many coats?