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The BattleWagon -- Mud's Outback

154486 Views 761 Replies 62 Participants Last post by  abacall
12
On the road again... lifted, loud, and angrier than ever.

Car: MY'00 Outback (Base) 4EAT w/premium sound + Rear limited-slip differential (oddball option on the car)
Purchase Date: 8/14/2000
Purchase Location: Bremerton, WA
Mileage: 176,000, and counting (updated 1/5/12)

Mods: Updated 1/5/12

**Engine and Trans**
-Full 3" intake setup w/torque box mod, snorkel coming soon
-Borla replica UEL header, ported/polished
-Gutted stock catpipe
-Custom stainless 2.25" catback tucked into trans tunnel, glasspack muffler
-Painted stock intake mani wrinkle black
-Valve covers and injector guards shot in gloss black
-Ported/Gasket matched intake manifold
-Gasket matched and shaved heads (higher C/R)
-Gates Racing Timing Belt
-FelPro PermaTorque MLS head gaskets
-NGK Iridium Plugs
-Injectors cleaned, tested to new condition
-STI GroupN engine mounts
-Fully rebuilt 4EAT w/mods
-Centre diff lock switch
-Radiator fan shutoff switch (coming w/snorkel)
-Prosport Oil Pressure Gauge
-Prosport Oil Temperature Gauge
-Prosport Water Temperature Gauge
-Scangauge II displaying TPS, Water Temp, IAT, and Bat. Voltage
-Air conditioning delete (including condenser, etc)
-Shell Rotella T6 5W-40 engine oil
-Wix 51365 Oil Filter
-Subaru ATF-HP auto trans fluid
-Subaru OEM 4EAT filter

**Suspension and Rolling Stock**
-KYB GR-2 Struts
-Subaru OEM Subaru Baja front springs and Subtle Solutions spacers (+2" lift)
-RalliTEK Heavy Duty Rear Springs (+2" lift)
-Custom Alignment
-Axxis Ultimate Ceramic brake pads
-225-60-16 General Alitmax HP's on stock 10-spoke alloys
-Full size spare, roof mounted

**Interior/Exterior and lighting**
-MY'04 FXT 4EAT leather shift knob
-Pioneer DEH-P6000UB Head Unit
-Custom single DIN toggle switch panel
-RoadBlockR sound deadening in the hatch
-All weather front floor mats
-Subaru A/W rear floor mats
-Custom aluminum front skid plate
-Thule crossbars
-cheap Swagman bike rack
-DRL delete + GE Tungsram Selective Yellow H1 lowbeams
-Trailer hitch + various balls/hooks for towing/offroading
-Front tow hook cover removed, hook painted red


TABLE OF CONTENTS:


-The story, and the first detail job (You are HERE *big red dot*)

-Hawkeye WRX rim's (just a photoshop...)

-'04 FXT 4EAT Leather Shift Knob

-Comparison with '09 Outback, and Foglight rockguards removed

-Mystery box arrives, and what's inside

-HomeDepot hybrid CAI (for MAP Subbies)

-First pic with the new suspension setup, I say good-bye to the car for a few months

-Adding some more parts to the MOD box!

-I'm not a parts-whore... I swear...

-It's BACK!

-Permatex Headlight Restoration

-Custom Lightbar installed

-'07 FSXT 6CD Changer

-Borla Replica header installed

-Link to my Hella wiring mess, and Bbottomley's helpful expertise

-Just some more pics!

-Magnaflow muffler painted, ready for catback install!

-Soundclip of new stainless catback

-Got some SNOW!

-RoadBlockR Sound Deadening

- Protection for the dangly bits...

-Bad news :(

-Axxis Ultimate Ceramic brake pads

-eBay Swagman Bike Rack installed

-Trip to Paris Landing State Park, BattleWagon turns 150k miles young

-Spring Cleaning, and undercoating! :smile:

-Finished up the Pioneer install, painted my shifter surround

-Got tint!

-Subtle Solutions front lift installed

-Couple pics from the alignment shop

-Ordered the new engine

-Scangauge II installed

-Starting the engine replacement!

-Finished pics!

-Murphy's law... I get torque bind and a failed transmission clutch pack, as well as a new throttle position sensor.

-The TuRD... my transportation while the Scooby is in the shop!

-All fixed up, showing off the new shoes!

-A loose wire leads to another trip to a different dealer, and a tow truck along the way.

-GE Tungsram Gold (Selective-Yellow) Low Beam Bulbs

- DIY Intake V2... 3 inch, modded airbox!

- Painted my 'new' spare set of wheels.








[story snipped to save space... shoot me PM for details... lol)



First mod... resonator deletes! Eventually I will get a different tube to replace the piece between the scoop and the airbox, but for now, it adds a little more growl. I neatly sealed off the holes with electrical tape. Ghetto-tastic.

Before:



After:




Next, I removed the silly piece of plastic that Subaru put in front of the intake scoop to deflect air away from it.





Now, for my first appearance mod. This may not seem like a mod, but it certainly made a difference in the way the car looks. The paint's clearcoat was contaminated with all sorts of stuff, from old wax buildup to waterspots to ground in road grime, you name it. It gave the car an odd grey-ish tint. :huh:

Today I was determined to remove the aforementioned 'tint', and make her shine again.

First step was removing the bug deflector, and doing a two-bucket wash. Here's what it looked like after that:


Then, I claybarred the entire car. The clay took out most of the surface stuff that was left behind, but the paint still felt rough to the touch. So I broke out the Griot's/Porter Cable buffer and Meguiar's Swirl X for a test spot. Here's a pic of the spot:


After verifying that the method worked, I started working my way across the hood. Here you can see that the right edge of the hood is whiter than the rest. :icon_razz: I love seeing progress being made.


After that, I added a coat of Meguiars Gold Class wax for protection. I'll follow up with another coat of NXT 2.0 Tech Wax once I get some at the store later. Then I moved on to the interior... sorry, no before pics, just an after:


I <3 big gauges...


After pics of the exterior (total time invested: 12 hours):










More to come, I have some fun stuff in mind. :biggrin:
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my mom has an '03 outback, how much do you reckon i could get done before she started noticing all the mods? hahaa
Wow, that much weight and little sag! (Either that or it's REALLY jacked up in the rear with no weight!). I bet it's great.

His dad is moving to NC and using the car (he's not). He mentioned he might make the fall Pisgah NC meet coming through; I think you should too Phil!
Wow, that much weight and little sag! (Either that or it's REALLY jacked up in the rear with no weight!). I bet it's great.

His dad is moving to NC and using the car (he's not). He mentioned he might make the fall Pisgah NC meet coming through; I think you should too Phil!
well of course I'll be there!

those struts look great on the car! I need to get some new GR-2s on my car ASAP. 145k, still on the original struts...
Wow, that much weight and little sag! (Either that or it's REALLY jacked up in the rear with no weight!). I bet it's great.

His dad is moving to NC and using the car (he's not). He mentioned he might make the fall Pisgah NC meet coming through; I think you should too Phil!
It does sit a little higher with no weight, but not much. It handles like a dream... I can't wait to add the RalliTEK RSB later on, that should make it perfect.

I'm not sure about the Pisgah meet yet, looks like he may just drive it up to Nashville, hand it over, and catch a plane back down to Jacksonville. :icon_sad: We'll see.

well of course I'll be there!

those struts look great on the car! I need to get some new GR-2s on my car ASAP. 145k, still on the original struts...
Get the GR-2's, you'll LOVE them. Duder was right, they make a huge difference. If you haven't added a thicker rear sway bar, toss one on too while you're in there, it will help take advantage of them.

Oh, I forgot to add, I got new front springs as well, they're just OEM H6 Outback springs, so they're a little stiffer. I think they charged me $50 for the set, so I didn't mind paying a little for an upgrade.
That's a really good setup for the thing. And yeah Phil, my 99 Foz had 150k on it when I sold it and I was thinking about getting a set of GR2's myself before I sold it.
2
I don't have the car now, but a pile of parts is waiting for it... not pictured is a 4'x4' sheet of 1/8" diamond plate aluminum and a few lengths of 1/2" steel tubing. Can anybody guess what those will be for? :biggrin:




Gotta thank SeattleNate for being uber quick on the sale for this, it should get here sometime soon. :icon_razz: My OE one has a bad display, so I figured I'd upgrade.
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Alright, goodies for the "MOD" box! :cool:

Bobby...
2
I AM NOT A PARTS WHORE!!!!!!!! :icon_cry:


Thanks Bobby. Now I can have Aux Input! :biggrin: As well as a spare for either the BattleWagon or the Foz!





Header wrap phail. :icon_rolleyes:

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did you spray the wrap?
No... should I? :confused:
I would.

Thermotec said:
Hi-Heat Coating

To finish off a clean and well-protected Exhaust Insulating Wrap application it is recommended to use the Hi-Heat Coating.

The coating will protect the wrap from abrasion and harmful liquid spills. Extra resins and binders toughen the surface, extend the life of wrap by protecting it from friction, and seal the pores to minimize the penetration of harmful liquids.
Thermo-Tec: Hi-Heat Coating
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I'll do that then! Thanks! :biggrin:
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ROFL @ you! Yeah, spray it. Nice score on the radio....makes me think long and hard.....

BTW, where'd ya score the header, they were scarce a couple of years ago when I was looking for one!
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ROFL @ you! Yeah, spray it. Nice score on the radio....makes me think long and hard.....

BTW, where'd ya score the header, they were scarce a couple of years ago when I was looking for one!
DO NOT LAUGH WHEN I'M TRYING TO BE MISERABLE!!!!! :chair:

:lol:


They're all over eBay again, but I was able to snag mine cheaper here. Welds are very nice, not sure about the fitment yet as the car isn't home yet. :icon_frown: (20 days!)

www.speedyracer.com Home Page
Thanks Bobby. Now I can have Aux Input! :biggrin: As well as a spare for either the BattleWagon or the Foz!
No problem! It looks pretty good on the picture... maybe I should have charged more! :wink::wink:

Header wrap
Hey, where'd you get the header wrap? I had the dealership steam clean the '03 engine & they blasted off some of the heat wrap. :mad:

Bobby...
No problem! It looks pretty good on the picture... maybe I should have charged more! :wink::wink:
:cool:

Hey, where'd you get the header wrap? I had the dealership steam clean the '03 engine & they blasted off some of the heat wrap. :mad:

Bobby...

I could have gotten it from my local auto parts place (same stuff), but saved $10 and got it on Ebay instead. :shrug: I didn't mind the wait. Free shipping on mine too.

New DEi Exhaust Header Thermal Wrap 2" x 50' Black:eBay Motors (item 120448974749 end time Oct-14-09 18:24:28 PDT)
:
I could have gotten it from my local auto parts place (same stuff), but saved $10 and got it on Ebay instead. :shrug: I didn't mind the wait. Free shipping on mine too.
Thanks for the link! Is that stuff fiberglass? I like the darker color. The one on the '03 down pipe is off white & it looks dirty to me. :frown:

As to spraying it. I never sprayed the one on the '03, but I've heard it sheds water better if it sprayed with a silicone wrap spray. :wink:

Bobby...
Thanks for the link! Is that stuff fiberglass? I like the darker color. The one on the '03 down pipe is off white & it looks dirty to me. :frown:

As to spraying it. I never sprayed the one on the '03, but I've heard it sheds water better if it sprayed with a silicone wrap spray. :wink:

Bobby...

Yep, fiberglass! I got the black since we have a dirt/gravel driveway. Figured it being a dark color wouldn't look as bad.

I'll probably spray them, I actually have some laying around somewhere. :smile:
Thanks again for the info! I've got some PayPal moola to burn, so eBay is calling me! :biggrin:

Bobby...
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