WR3 Build Diary [Archive]

b33fy

09-30-2010, 04:53 PM

Hi all, just a quick post to let you know I pick up my WR3 kit on saturday and have also started a build diary at the following address

http://scoobystorm.tumblr.com

please feel free to comment and post. I hope you enjoy following the build.

Karlo

09-30-2010, 08:09 PM

:thumb2::thumb2::thumb2:

fuoriserie

03-12-2011, 12:04 AM

Gage

03-12-2011, 05:26 AM

Also following.

b33fy

03-12-2011, 01:40 PM

Wow, thanks guys for taking such an interest, I feel very privileged that both of you are folowing the post. The diary was intended to be a general overview, light hearted and not too technical record of the jorney of the build, I guess its also a bit of a personal journey as well, as I was unwell a little while ago and had to make some major lifestyle changes.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5016/5398091987_32ca914003.jpg

Please let me know via the blog or through exocars if there is anything specific you would like me to cover more or focus on. I rely considerably on Simon, (he is an absolutely massive help) as my profession (nurse) is far removed from building cars! At the moment I'm working on the engine wiring, it is very slow as James, my 13 year old son and I are learning on the job so I'm not expecting to make great strides over the next little while.
Thanks again Guys and all at exocars for following and all your support

easisatman

03-17-2011, 09:12 AM

b33fy

03-17-2011, 10:01 AM

hi I have just read your Blog great reading The storm is looking good. which imprezza is reccomended? it looks like the best way to get the Engine /gearbox is buy a whole car? then sell on the bits or shell as you did ?

regards
Paul

(raw striker at present)

Hi Paul, thanks for the positive feedback appreciated. The original Classic impreza is the recommended donor. I believe it was made from 94 to 2000. In terms of the variant uk car, wrx, STI, JDM, etc, there are advantages for choosing any of them so that is down to personal preference. I chose a standard UK wrx (non sti) as I wanted the least molested example I could find, my one came up with a full dealer service history. The JDM cars are a little simpler with the ecu wiring as you don't have to worry about the immobiliser side of things. The sti's give more power (as do some of the JDM variants) and the ecu's are tunable to a degree for that bit more.

I also chose to go for a whole car as I was guaranteed parts compatability as there are some minor variances in wiring, the ecu's and a few other small bits.
If I was to build a second car I would just as easily source the parts rather than a car. Again advantages to both.

One last point. The gearbox needs to be the 5 speed version,you may also want to consider the gearing as well. some of the imprezas have a close ratio box and final drive which gives good acceleration but low top speed.
I hope this is helpful, bear in mind these are my own views. There are loads of subaru experts out there to help you with your own descision and of course Simon himself, who is a great help.

Gage

03-17-2011, 10:14 AM

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5016/5398091987_32ca914003.jpg

Great picture!!

b33fy

03-21-2011, 07:08 AM

Reached a bit of a milestone late last night, and successfully started the engine

There's a link to a short video clip below, James was filming standing by the open exhaust and was a little startled by the noise, hence the short clip!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/buckmoreboy/5544241279/

b33fy

08-04-2011, 02:06 PM

Karlo

08-04-2011, 04:19 PM

Those twin radiators are placed perfectly :)

Scoobybits

08-18-2011, 02:02 AM

Looks fantastic!
Great effort
What have you left to do?
Jase

b33fy

08-18-2011, 10:11 AM

Looks fantastic!
Great effort
What have you left to do?
Jase

Cheers Jase

Left to do is pretty much as mentioned in previous post.

Mike

Scoobybits

08-23-2011, 12:30 AM

Thought I'd post a brief update on the business end which is pretty much there eventually, except some plumbing and a couple of tanks to install.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6135/6009926422_128b9ec429.jpg

Still a way to go including ironing out some gremlins, dashboard, gearlinkage, brake issues, bodywork etc, though its getting there slowly.

Gearlinkage was awkward but once you get it working all about little tweaks to get it spot on, bodywork takes time doesnt it!
Have you got aftermarket dash, I have retained a Subaru one, but looking like having to admit defeat as fual gauge a swine to get working going to go with standalone fuel gauge.
With the plumbing I found using both the Metal header tank AND the extra expansion vessle on inner wing on Subaru it was fine but with just header tank and no expansion vessle it was a swine to get working correct,
Looking great will you be ready for a V Storm track day soon then :D

b33fy

08-23-2011, 05:47 AM

Gearlinkage was awkward but once you get it working all about little tweaks to get it spot on, bodywork takes time doesnt it!
Have you got aftermarket dash, I have retained a Subaru one, but looking like having to admit defeat as fual gauge a swine to get working going to go with standalone fuel gauge.

With the plumbing I found using both the Metal header tank AND the extra expansion vessle on inner wing on Subaru it was fine but with just header tank and no expansion vessle it was a swine to get working correct,
Looking great will you be ready for a V Storm track day soon then :D

I'm fitting an RT Dash2, JP's the electrical expert so will be following his lead in terms of set up. Thanks to James my son, we have done some trick wiring for the savage switches so the LEDS backlights work in two stages and act as illumination as well as tell tales when the switches are activated. Had problems with latching relays for the indicators so am replacing them with some solid state ones from the states which have a built in timer option as well.

Awaiting completion of a bespoke header tank to complete the cooling (substantially bigger and more inlets) hoping that there will be no need for an expansion tank, though will fit one if required.

Not planning on having the car on the road now until next year, with the extensive delays on the supply of parts we have missed this summer so have decided to go for IVA and registation prior to next easter.

Once completed the car will hopefully go to Slowboy Racing for final set up, then on to Brands Hatch for a bit of a shakedown on a trackday. Other than that no other trackdays are intended as the cars engine isn't currently specced for them.

Mike

b33fy

08-27-2011, 04:27 PM

Just a quick post to let you know I've updated my blog and filled in the details over the past couple of months. Thank you again to all for all your support.

http://scoobystorm.tumblr.com/

b33fy

10-07-2011, 05:04 PM

Dash fitted though yet to wire it in, bit of a mission to do but worth it as its a superb piece of kit

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6055/6221179361_e8a996c8d0.jpg

Going off piste with the gearchange decided to fabricate it myself, floor mounted rod setup based on the KISS principle no doubt I'll go through a few versions and it'll probably look nothing like the image below once finished.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6234/6221181445_16d4569bb6.jpg

b33fy

10-24-2011, 02:39 PM

Couldn't resist it, now have a nice new shiny gear knob and 4 out of 6 gears.

:spin::yipee::coolnana:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6214/6277908606_e356bcbb97.jpg

b33fy

11-19-2011, 05:13 PM

Just a quick note to say that the gears are all present and correct now. So now on the home straight, with some bodywork jobs, tweaking, titivating and preping for the IVA test in the new year.
:yipee:

b33fy

11-26-2011, 03:27 AM

Not a happy bunny, yet another dodgy weld, whilst sorting the throttle cable this morning the metal stop plate on the pedal box across the throttle pedal literally fell out. It obviously had only been held by the powder coating on the pedal. Now means the pedal box has to come out!! Steve if you haven't done so already, I would suggest checking all welds on the chassis for either being missed or poor quality.

Mike

Arct1k

11-26-2011, 05:02 AM

Sorry to hear about bad weld. Is a bit worrying on an exocar.

Do you have details on the switches and rear lights? They put mine to shame!

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/Arct1k/SLR/V1/de788066.jpg

b33fy

11-26-2011, 10:55 AM

Hi there, the switches are savage motorsport switches, this company stock them

http://uk.rs-online.com/web/
though best to google/ebay for the best price

The light units were sourced via SDR though are available through the following link

http://www.s-v-c.co.uk/category/mix-match-lights/

Hope that's helpful

b33fy

01-03-2012, 01:49 PM

A quick update and a couple of modifications made that may interest other V-Stormers. I swapped the clutch master cylinder for a bigger bore (0.750 instead of 0.625) which also comes with a slightly longer push rod enabling a complete range of pedal movement without the clevis hanging off the end of the thread. This also gives more travel at the gearbox end. The clutch feels more positive and the bite point is further up the pedal. There were no bleed problems either.
Simon has the product details and is trying this on his next demo car.

We are looking at making an adapter plate to change the supplied fuel tank sender unit to a dip tube type as the original sender does not have enough clearance in the tank to work properly. Dan if you catch this reply I've just found your blog entry relating to this, I've a suggestion which is to overlap one or two of the holes fully and screw the dip tube right through into the tank mounting it slightly off centre I was hoping you'd check it out on your scale drawing if possible.

b33fy

01-08-2012, 09:12 AM

Just a quick update on the fuel tank sender, Jeremy has fitted a dip tube by redrilling the dip tube flange to the six bolt pattern on the tank, so no adapter needed.:thumb2:

b33fy

04-10-2012, 02:32 PM

Looking at this thread tonight made me realise I haven't posted for a good while. A brief update, the car is pretty much there except the gearchange and final fitting of the rear seats and engine cover /air scoop. The dash is all wired and calibrated. I ran up the engine to operating temp over the weekend, all systems seem to be functioning ok, cooling fans etc.

Here's an image of the dash, it's showing a few strange readings when ignition is on, which settle quickly once the engine is runnning. I could probably tweak the settings to read zero but they are ok for me.

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5194/7062279001_7e38328269_z.jpg

b33fy

04-23-2012, 11:11 AM

Gearchange mechanism finally done and all working well. a couple of images below pre paint stage, all painted and adjusted now. A big thankyou to Eddie (locost forum) for converting my sketches into CAD and to Russ at Furore Cars for getting the parts laser cut for me, both top men two of life's gentlemen.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7088/6954329664_a98fb969f1_z.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7115/6953878966_1b9fcced7a_z.jpg

thebionicman

04-26-2012, 10:05 AM

Nice job on the shifter!

Karlo

04-26-2012, 10:58 AM

I so clean and tidy.

golftdibrad

04-26-2012, 02:09 PM

Very nice. But copper brake lines! Why?

b33fy

04-27-2012, 09:44 AM

Very nice. But copper brake lines! Why?

Thanks all, copper pipes are pretty much the standard over here, as you can cut and flare yourself, unless you get flexible stainless steel pipes made to measure.

golftdibrad

04-27-2012, 09:48 AM

Thanks all, copper pipes are pretty much the standard over here, as you can cut and flare yourself, unless you get flexible stainless steel pipes made to measure.

We have tools to bend and flare our lines cheap. Its not a matter of if copper brake lines will fail, its when.