Almost OEM Lower grill block 2013 Subaru Impreza WRX STI
 

Almost OEM Lower grill block

---
See also: http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...3-a-30182.html
---

Sorry for the lack of pictures, I was trying to knock this project out in 8 hours, so I forgot to take pics along the way.

But it's essentially the same thing as my other fiberglass builds.
1) get the rough shape
2) use painters tape to smooth the edges
3) fiberglass
4) sand
5) bondo
6) paint
Mounted using existing holes in the bumper and L brackets with speed nuts

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m...927_103235.jpg

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m...004_133722.jpg



http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m...104_173445.jpg

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m...104_173426.jpg


http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m...104_173502.jpg
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m...104_173613.jpg

about 5 spots of paint, and i think you could call it OE level appearance
http://ecomodder.com/forum/member-20...6485-image.jpg

Thanks! Much better

Or maybe I should go buy some Subaru pop clips and reviewing drill the holes? ..... Nah, too much trouble.. :)

Wow...that is quite a bit of blocking. This is for winter mode then?

I am interested to see how the engine temps are when it gets colder.

I love the car bro. I followed your kill switch quide for my KIA too#

I actually need to trim it back a little. Per scan guage, Engine temps fluctuate from 188* to 206* max. Normal operating temperature is 186* to 188*. Subaru manual says radiator fan turns on at 196*. So I am pretty sure that the radiator fan is running a lot.

Man you must really love your car to do all that work to please your girlfriend :P

Yes I do very much.

Happy wife, happy life....happy car

Glad I was able to help!

How about a fan indicator light?

I'm glad you gave the finished project a fresh thread. It's one of the two best looking grille blocks I've seen here. Great work!

With Ziptie Plugs you can remove the block without any tools.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmmZ...w9QrxO&index=2

https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.n...ae6bb5e242800c

Yep, that's next on my list

Thanks for the kind words!

oooooh let me do some research on these

I'll say it too: Nice work!

Thanks!

Front paged.

I've seen a lot of negative comments in regular gearhead forums about ecomodders' cars looking like junk because of cardboard, coroplast and duct tape. (I'm guilty of that for sure, but I also don't really care what the car looks like.)

Mods like this can be held up as examples for people who want to have their nice-looking cake and save gas with it too.

AWESOME!!

Thanks Darin for the recognition!

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m...104_173445.jpg

What's the reason for the pop-out edge there? Something to cover up aero-wise? Other than that, I dig it.

Great looking block Jedi! Lot's of hard work went into this one, I can tell.

You've given the best advice on the forum also: saving money on fuel is nothing without a happy wife/girl :)

My original idea was to make the block completely flush with the bumper, but I didn't have enough bondo to finish both sides of the bumper. :(

So the lip is just a little something I came up with to make both sides look symmetrical. :)

Thanks for the kind words!

I thought the best advice on this forum is learning to EOC.... Jk:)

Yes, happy girlfriend let's me tinker more with the car. But at the same time, she took away my video games! But, that's OK because beewbs.... Ok that was a little immature :p

Really nice work. The ziptie plugs would probably please the g-friend even better (somehow that seems dirty, but it's not, sorry).

This makes it look even more OEM for me. As if it is just a part you screw in. Subaru should sell this!

Yeah, but there's a market for probably less than a dozen in the Subaru turbo crowd.

But it actually makes the car faster!

In reality most people are bench racers that only care if they think the car is faster or if it looks faster.

Yes, that sounds dirty, you pervert :)

lol, more like a market of one...me!

Yup, just like these puppies for $199+shipping
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m...TANTO_1_sd.jpg

In a heretical, non-nabisco approved manner.

Hey jedi sol, been watching your build thread(s) for ages and just wanted to say you're doing a great job. Car looks eco as hell, and still retains its coolness.

EDIT: Congrats on the front page!

Thanks for the kind words!

Wow, nice work. Now I just need to find someone with the skill to do that for my TDI Golf

Uh... why don't you just get an impreza? You'd save even more money. Having an STI and eco modding it doesn't make much sense.

.

Because driving.

Well, to you, no it doesn't. To me I can understand it. If I hadn't wrecked my camry, I would still be driving it to this day, and I would be content with the 28-32mpg I was getting out of it. Why? Because I loved that car. I loved everything about it, the way it drove, the way it looked, the way it felt (interior wise). Sure my insight gets double what I used to get in my camry but man, I loved that damn car.

Jedi_sol, what happens if you decide to slam the car around with that grill block on there? Will it overheat?

Reason's why i didn't get "just" an impreza"

1) It doesn't have a hood scoop
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m...9_IMG_2517.jpg

2) It doesn't have a wing
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m...8_IMG_2490.jpg

3) It doesn't sound like this
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m..._VIDEO0222.mp4

4) it doesn't have 305 horsepower

5) If ever wanted to go rallying...it can't do this
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m...sti/images.jpg

With an Sti...i can have ALL of that....with a cherry on top :thumbup:
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m...pgfuelly-1.jpg

Actually, slamming it around promotes better cooling due to more air flow through the bumper.

My main issue is when cruising on the freeway, there is less airflow, therefore, the temps start to creep up a little. That's why I am planning on shaving about 1-1.5" off the lower grill block, that way i don't have to worry about temps all year.