Classic Impreza Track Car Build/restoration Project

[fmj]

With close to seven years of Classic Impreza Turbo ownership under my belt I have decided to take the next step and buy another one!

I was always torn between keeping the car comfy and stripping it out for track days. But common sense prevailed and I just settled on the usual mods and kept it relatively comfy. I also wanted to completely strip and restore the car binning anything rusty or worn. I did the suspension a year and a half ago (the thread is still on here somewhere) and after that I decided that I wouldn't be doing anything like that on a daily driver again as the car was off the road for weeks.

Now I have found the solution hiding in a barn somewhere in the English countryside.

At this point you may be thinking you're mad... and yes I probably am. But It was only £300.

It's a 1998 2.0 Sport and was missing the following:

ECU

Engine

Some of the loom

Steering wheel

Boot

Bonnet

Driver door

Front and rear bumpers

Wheels

Exhaust

Quite a bit really!

Apparently this was brought by somebody at Prodrive and given to his wife as a gift. At the time it was fitted with various Prodrive parts. About seven years ago it was taken off the road and the engine taken out for use in another car. Since then it has been striped of the various missing parts. The car was then left in a barn for seven years.

I picked it up last winter and trailered it back home where it sat under a car cover during the winter. Now the work to transform it into a turbo powered track car begins.

****Before anybody starts to tell me how there is no point doing a turbo conversion due to the time/cost/insurance etc please don't worry. This car is being used as a shell only. All the non turbo parts are being sold or binned and the car rebuilt from the ground up.****

Please note I have limited funds/time/resources/equipment/training/skill etc. This may take me some time!

[fmj]

The reason I didn't bother in the winter...

My home for quite a few days while I strip the interior:

Slowly the interior striped is striped out. Oh and removing sound deadening... is my new favourite hobby! I found a hammer and chisel works best but you do have to be careful not to catch any seems as the metal is so thin!

Always handy to have a girlfriend with a practical car for trips to the dump!

Some bits taken out! Check out the surface rust on the dash beam!

In total the sound deadening weighed in at 12kg plus a further 3kg for the foam/rubber on the firewall. So 15kg was worth the effort! The front an rear seats also weigh a ton! You wouldn't believe how heavy until you lift them all out but they really do weigh so much! I wish I had weighed them before I dumped them.

Much better. Just a little bit of sound deadening left to chip off, last few bits and bobs to remove and a tidy up.

I did manage to sell a few bits including the struts, a front brake calliper and the door cards.

Edited May 14, 2013 by FMJ

[dougy]

Oh mate youve taken a big one on there...good luck and keep the build updates coming

[fmj]

Oh mate youve taken a big one on there...good luck and keep the build updates coming

Cheers! Well here the next part:

The outside (thanks to a little bit of sunshine at last!)

What I had to contend with at the rear:

Rear cross member and subframe removed along with hubs, lateral link arms and drive shafts.

Rear Diff out.

The space left behind.

Prop shaft removed from gearbox.

Next target, the fuel tank.

Done.

A fuel tank shaped hole.

Strangely the part that put up the most fight was the filler neck! The screws that hold it in and the top were stuck solid all they did was round off. Drilled them out in the end. Now all that's left on the rear of the car are some hard fuel and brake lines, the boot hinges and the boot seal!

[RosieFreak]

Thats some build, its really interesting see you go about the work and the different stages being taken back, cant wait to see more. Do you have a mechanical background or are using information from various areas?

[fmj]

Thats some build, its really interesting see you go about the work and the different stages being taken back, cant wait to see more. Do you have a mechanical background or are using information from various areas?

Thank you I have always preferred to do things myself rather then pay somebody and it tends to be a mix of trial and error with some research on the net. I am quite mechanically minded but have zero training.

I have made more progress and will put pics up when I get a spare ten minutes. Today I have started to self teach myself mig welding... mixed results there so far!

[fmj]

So here's the next round of pics:

The front end:

Drive Shaft and Wishbone off as well as the hub.

Leaving the steering rack and front subframe.

A mornings work and getting the ball joints out of the hubs was a bitch!

Front subframe. Now you see it.

Now you don't.

Not too badly rusted up front either.

More bits and bobs from the front.

Gearbox mount.

Followed by.

Getting the gearbox out safely on your own is really not an easy task without a hoist or lift!

Gearbox gone.

The shell so far.

[g1983]

Looking good so far, liking the pictures too. I find there is no time or forget to specify what bolts to remove etc. Once i remember its too late.

[RobFarro]

Looks great , I know the joys of sound deadening removal all to well. Budist monks should use it as patients training!

Fingers crossed the weather behaves itself for you

[Bryan d]

Grate project you got thare mate and no ramp just the trusty trolley jack and the wheels well done will b keeping a eye on this 1

[fmj]

Grate project you got thare mate and no ramp just the trusty trolley jack and the wheels well done will b keeping a eye on this 1

Cheers, it's so light now you can pretty much lift it off the stands by hand!

As for the sound deadening yeah it's a nightmare. But I have found that getting rid of the sticky residue left behind is far worse then chipping off the deadening itself. Brake cleaner works but a heat gun and a rag works better... luckily there is nothing left to set alight!

[DR Motosport]

That's some project you've started, good luck with it.

Best way to remove sound deadening is in the winter months after a heavy frost. Use a chipping hammer and it shatters into big chunks, leaving very little residue. A wipe down with some paint thinners takes off the rest.

If the car is bare inside, 2hrs does it

[fmj]

That's some project you've started, good luck with it.

Best way to remove sound deadening is in the winter months after a heavy frost. Use a chipping hammer and it shatters into big chunks, leaving very little residue. A wipe down with some paint thinners takes off the rest.

If the car is bare inside, 2hrs does it

Sounds logical! Shame everything else I want to do is better suited to the summer! If I had though about it I would have done it when it was still cold.

[fmj]

So another two days off and despite it being overcast it stayed dry so I got on with some more bits.

First removing the tacky tar stuff that the sound deadening leaves behind.

My method of removal:

Brake cleaner also works buts it's an expensive way of doing it as you would use loads. Probably also die from the fumes!

The tar.

So you heat the tar and wipe it with a cloth and off it comes. Thicker bits needed a scrape with the chisel. A few cloths and small burns to my finger later and we have the results:

Not bad but then again there is still this... as well as some in the boot!

A quick hoover around makes it look a bit less daunting as some of it was loose.

After many hours.

Also removed the last few bits from the chassis. Brake servo/master cylinder, brake lines and fuel lines.

Door seals, central locking motors, more brake lines various clips redundant fittings, some trim and the brake bias valve and bits.

Completely empty engine bay.

The project so far

Next job:

Once that is done I literally have a bare shell. The only bits left on the car are bits inside the doors. I would like to swap the electric windows for manual ones but cant find them anywhere! Locks and handles etc will remain but I have removed the central locking motors as it wont be needed and is just extra weight.

I have sourced a drivers door and boot so they will go on soon (mainly because they are taking up room in the house/loft). Then I will be on the hunt for a facelift bonnet and will be striping the old underseal from the chassis. Doing a spot of welding and POR-15 aplenty.

[DR Motosport]

My mate restores old classic cars and no longer uses POR 15,

Epoxy Mastic 121, goes on better and harder wearing and less prone to peeling. Do a Google search, plenty good write ups

[fmj]

My mate restores old classic cars and no longer uses POR 15,

Epoxy Mastic 121, goes on better and harder wearing and less prone to peeling. Do a Google search, plenty good write ups

Never heard of it but I will look it up!