2013 Subaru Impreza WRX STI - Project Log

[jedi_sol]

Finished up scan gauge ii pod
Installed on the steering wheel cover. It could look a little cleaner, I may bondo it to smooth it out more, but this will do for now.

[Fat Charlie]

Nice fab work.

[UltArc]

I see a fatal error here.

You covered 1450 RPM and lower!

Agree on your production. I thought it looked goofy until I saw the installed image, and that it is mounted near the steering column. Personally, I like it as upfront as possible, closest to the windshield- least amount of time with eyes off the road, and the eyes adjust faster (for me).

You (and others) always inspire me to make good looking mods.

[Fat Charlie]

Crude but effective is good enough. Making it look like it belongs there is an art.

[Eastwood]

Big fan of your project! That 32 trip mpg out of an STI is exciting!

Are you planning on keeping your grill blocks on as the weather warms up? Or is that not really a concern in southern California?

[jedi_sol]

Yes I plan on keeping the grill blocks on all year. I previously made a bigger grill block, but temps rose too high for my liking. I've trimmed down the lower grill block so that the max the temps ever reach is 205*f. The cooling fans kick on at 215*f.

I don't want to keep swapping grill blocks every season.

[jedi_sol]

I decided to revise my rear underbelly tray to make it smoother by make the lower control arm coroplast match up with the rest of the tray and extend it back to the mufflers

Before



After


Coroplast has not melted yet

[jedi_sol]

the perfectionist in me is still unsatisfied on how my upper grill block came out....its too bulky, heavy and "wrinkly."



I'm getting better at fiberglassing now and learned that the better i prep in the beginning, the better the result.

For version 3.??? i lined the outer edges of the upper grill opening with double sided tape and tightly wrapped a tshirt around the whole thing. This way i should hopefully have clean edges, no sagging, no need for expanding foam, and minimal sanding

[Eastwood]

Wow. This keeps getting better and better. Can't wait to see how that new version of the grill block turns out.

Is the front bumper a different color after you removed the black plastidip or did you plastidip it again with a clear coat after removing the black coat? Same on the front of the hood? Or am I just seeing something weird in the picture?

[jedi_sol]

Originally Posted by Eastwood

Wow. This keeps getting better and better. Can't wait to see how that new version of the grill block turns out.

Is the front bumper a different color after you removed the black plastidip or did you plastidip it again with a clear coat after removing the black coat? Same on the front of the hood? Or am I just seeing something weird in the picture?

Yes, i re-plastidipped the front bumper and the hood in front of the hood scoop in clear matte, then a few layers of plastidip glossifier on top.

It looks little faded compared to the rest of the car because of the matte plastidip, but the main purpose of the plastidip is for rock chip protection.