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The Gray Goose - 6 Speeds of Fun

('06-'08) 
861K views 3K replies 251 participants last post by  2.5x_sleeper 
#1 · (Edited)
The Gray Goose - 513WHP / 6 Speed / Rotated Twin Scroll

December 31, 2007, started out as a typical day. We stopped in our local Subaru dealership and took a look around. We spotted a 2007, urban gray metallic, Forester XT. It was a dealer demo with 5,800 miles on it. We hopped in, took it for a spin and just had to have it. The plan was for this to be our new family hauler and to remain stock. However, the mod bug started to itch and of course we scratched. As of 2011, we have reached the point of no return to stock ever with our FXT. Is anyone really ever "finished"?

Here is how the Goose sits currently.

Pam's STI forester by dkfx photography, on Flickr


And a huge thanks to David Higgins for checking out the build at the 2013 Subaru Challenge!

IMG_4311new by Pam_Cakes_KY, on Flickr


SponsorsWe would like to thank the following companies for helping sponsor the build.

Subtle-Solutions For the hard to find Forester specific accessories.
Moore Performance Parts Our vendor for custom parts as well as friendly customer service.
Carbotron Composities Quality carbon fiber at a great price!
Grimmspeed The source for quality Subaru parts at a reasonable price with top notch quality.
KS Tech Manufacturer of some of the best intakes on the market.
Anarchy Motive The shift knob supplier of the Gray Goose!
Please take a minute and check out the sponsors above for awesome deals on Forester product!



Accomplishments
SubaruForester.org newsletter feature.
Forester of the month winner.
Forester of the year 2012
Top Scoob 025 trophy and Rally Armor flaps.
Modified Magazine Feature August 2013


Exhaust Systems and Upgrades
OEM Catback, STI OEM Catback and Extended Hangers
Traded a 20 oz Dew for this…
HKS Hi power turbo back
Turbo XS Turbo back.
Exhaust hanger rewelded for extension
Exhaust reinstalled with extension
STI header
Lightly porting the STI header
STI header VS FXT header and heat shield mod
No Name axle back system.
Video clip of the no name exhaust
P and L Motorsports Race Cat Back Exhaust
Moore Performance Catted Divorced Downpipe - Current
Grimmspeed Exhaust Gaskets - Current
P and L Motorsports Forester Specific Cat Back - Current

Suspension
WRX take off suspension
Swift springs
Moar swiftness
Sti Rear sway bar and stock endlink failure
Whiteline 27MM Front sway bar – Current
Whiteline 24MM Rear sway bar - Current
Rear subframe locking bolts - Current
Rear endlinks and Kartboy hangers - Current
Front Kartboy Endlinks - Current
STI alunimum control arms - Current
JDM STI pink spring install
Adding Zerk fitting to the suspension for lubrication. - Current
Primitive Racing rear diff protector. - Current
Subaru STI/SPT Pink Adjustable Struts with Pink Springs and Group N Top Hats. - Current



Engine Mods / Engine
Brand new VF48 and slightly used 08 TMIC - Current
2008 STI passenger side mounting bracket extension
Stylin Hose Kit
Gimmick turbo inlet
http://www.subaruforester.org/vbull...xt-build-thread-91796/index20.html#post882532 Samco inlet
P&L Intake
Dyno Sheet
SPT Oil Cap and Battery Tie Down
Intake manifold powder coated wrinkle red and APS turbo inlet. - Current
Intake manifold reinstalled with Perrin turbo inlet. - Current
Trying Subaru Synthetic motor oil.
Subtle-Solutions Alt cover / Rad shroud. - Current
Bending the Moore Performance Parts TMIC sprayer bar - Current
Dropping off more parts for custom powder coating - Current
Subtle-Solutions Radiator Shroud and Alternator cover.
GRIMMSPEED! - Current
Grimmspeed Crank Pulley
Grimmspeed 160 degree Theromstat
Grimmspeed 3 port EBCS with manual controller
Hyperflow TMIC
KS Tech 73MM Cold Air Intake
Metal coolant take powder coated.


Transmission Mods
B&M Tranny Cooler
Tranny Cooler Relocated here.
Trans cooler blew a hose.

6 Speed Swap photos
6 Speed Swap journey discussion thread – Current
R180 Rear Diff with STI Driveshaft and STI axles.
Exidy STI Replacement Clutch – Current
Group N Trans mount
Turn in Concepts shifter linkage bushings
Turn in Concepts rear end bushings
Kartboy shifter bushings and stay


Wheels and Tires
Stock Wheels
Stock Wheels V.2-2.5x_Sleeper style
Repainting the stock wheels
Stock wheels and BBK painted and installed
Adding a red lip to the stock wheels
BBS RK
STI Wheels
Rota Tarmac III
Winter Wheels
WRX wheels
Borrowed time wheels
Custom center caps
245/40/18 Hankook RS-3 Tires
Rota MXR 18x9.5 with RS-3 Tires.
Teaser of the MXR's
Video of the MXR's
2011 STI Enkei Wheels


Brakes
Painting the stock brakes red.
Big Brake Sleeper Kit Installed AKA Legacy GT brakes.
Repainted the Sleeper big brake kit.
Brake pad upgrade time for the Big Brake Sleeper kit. Akebono
P and L stainless brake lines.
More brake line photos.
[URL="http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/1261310-post1168.html"]Turn in Concepts master cylinder braces
Modifying the TiC master cylinder brace to fit the 07-08 XT Sports Auto brake lines.[/URL]
TIC modded MCB installed/ Custom license plate delete
Grimmspeed Master Cylinder Brace - Photos coming soon
2005 STI Brembos


Exterior Appearance Upgrades
OEM headlights and Canadian spec HID headlights
CDM HID manual level switch wiring
CDM level test video
CDM headlight wiring part 2
CDM headlight wiring part 3.
Blacking out the CDM housing and adding LED eyebrows.
RavSpec Carbon Fiber lip
GarageXTi Hood struts
Lightbar for behind the grille.
Hella off road lamps with custom aluminum lightbar
Hella install photos
JDM/Australia OEM headlight sprayers.
Headlight sprayer video with Pam_Cakes!
Headlight sprayers installed.
Tinkering with Audi headlight sprayer covers.
STI Diffuser
JDM STI Hood Scoop
Installing the rear diffuser
Rally Armor mud flaps.
Flat Black vinyl wrapped roof.

Interior Appearance Mods
2005 WRX seats
Adding seat heaters to the 2005 WRX seats
Seats installed in the FXT.
STI shift boot and shifter bezel surround
Modding the oem console for the STI boot/surround
OEM coin tray
Homelink Mirror with compass
Tint for the moonroof.
Clarion VX400 Touch screen DVD unit.
Back up camera
Navigation add on for Clarion VX400
Navigation and ipod install.
Radio relocation and back up camera install
Defi 60mm gauge install
Defi gauge controller and sending units
Building the Defi gauge mount.
Moar mount photos
And moar mount pics
Finish work on the mounting system
Drawing the gauge location on the mount
Version 1 lexan cover-Hinged
Dash and steering wheel taken apart
Boost gauge sending unit mounted under the hood
Carbon Fiber wrap
Shifter console wrap
Upper dash console wrapped
Gauges and Dash nearly complete
A better photo of the dash nearly complete.
My custom made ash tray bezel Version 1.
My custom made ash tray bezel Version 2.
STI petals
Radar Detector
Re-wrapping the console in 3M Carbon wrap.
Replacing the black WRX seats with Blue STI seats
Both STI seats installed
Teaser of the rear STI seats
TMIC sprayer switch installed.
Rear STI Seats installed


Custom Made Parts
Custom 2008 STI TMIC Splitter & Airbox
Custom air scoop for bumper (still in the works)
Part 1 - 2008 STI TMIC Splitter Prototype
Part 2 - Custom Airbox Prototype
Part 3 - Finished 2008 STI TMIC Splitter
3D model of Splitter
Part 4 - Installed Photos of 2008 STI TMIC Splitter & Test Fit Airbox Photos
Part 5 - Finished Airbox Install Photos
Powder Coating the custom parts
Final fitment of the custom parts
Exhaust extension
Mike's Custom block off plates for removal of secondary air system
Nasty OEM Cabin Filters
Handmade reusable cabin filters


Racing Events
Drag Racing
Whats quicker, 4EAT or 5 Speed?
VF48-4EAT runs 12’s!
AutoX
Road Course
RallyX
Subaru Challenge 2011.
Subaru Challenge 2011 v2.0
Subaru Challenge 2011 V3.0
Subaru Challenge 2011 V4.0
2012 Subaru Challenge
Aftermath of the autoX. Look at the tires!


Random Photos
Engine bay photo
Breaking 36,000 miles.
Compression check and injector swap
Freshly washed
The Goose getting detail love at Turn in Concepts.
Driveway photos of the 18x9.5 wheels
Lifting a tire pulling into the driveway.
Broken down.
Flawless Reflections cleaning up for a full detail.
Featured on Killboy.com blog for the Subaru Forester Deal's Gap Meet 2012
2012 Wicked Big Meet
150,001 journal views and counting
2012 Subaru Forester calendar entries
2011 Cincinnati Cavalcade of Customs indoor car show.
More photos from the 2011 Cavalcade of Customs

Photoshoots
Night Pics - LGT and FXT 01/2009
Niagara Falls, Canada – 10/2009
Triple Trouble – Subaru Forester XT Photo Shoot in Canada – 10/2009
1840s Ammo Factory – 10/2009
River Photos
We made the 2010 Calendar
Scooby Snow Day - 01/2010
US129-Tail of the Dragon-3-2010
Mid Ohio Grand Am race photos
Airport Hanger photoshoot.
Airport Hanger photoshoot part 2.
Airport Hanger photoshoot part 3
Cemetery photos
Bigwoofers Cemetery photos
Turn in Concepts detail day 3-2011
Driveway photos after the detail day
Tail of the Dragon v2.0 photos
Tail of the Dragon V2.0 Videos
Tail of the Dragon Killboy photos.
Flawless Reflections blog on his amazing work detailing The Gray Goose
Flawless Reflections cleaning up the Goose.

How to:
How to remove the rear bumper cover

Pam_Cakes 2010X premium
Adding our 2nd Forester to the family.
Both Foresters in the garage

Updated to page 73
 
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2
#3 · (Edited)
Installed 2007 WRX suspension sedan spec struts/wagon spec springs.

The finished product. We took great measures to get the pics almost exactly the same distance and same spot as the stock height to give a true comparison. So here they are.

Started looking like this:



Lowered:



Stock:



Lowered:



Strut Differences:





Half Way Down:

 
#4 · (Edited)
Power Mods..

Pictures of:

Brand new VF48
MY08 STI tmic
B&M Tranny Cooler
Stylin Hose Kit
Gimmick Turbo Inlet
P&L Intake

Turbo:





Side by Side, VF48 and TD04:





Turbo removed from FXT:



New turbo installed:



Fitting the larger 08 STI TMIC:







Stock vs 08 STI TMIC



And the finished product. Includiing a Gimmick motorsports turbo inlet, and P&L short ram intake.


UPDATE!!!!10/25/08

Thats right, finally got the forester dyno tuned by Jorge at P&L Motorsports in Chicago. Wonderful shop, great group of guys and we will bring our Legacy GT back to have it tuned this spring.

The mods are as follows:

2007 Forester XT auto

2008 VF48 STI Turbo
2008 STI TMIC
Walboro Fuel Pump
Gimmick Motorsports Turbo Inlet
P&L Short Ram Intake
Turbo XS 4" downpipe, 3" high flow cat, 3" Ti cat back
B&M Trans Cooler

WRX Suspension

The graph speaks for itself. Jorge cut off the power at its current points sue to the transmission being not up to par. It has more power in the set up, and alot more tq. This was done on 17-18psi on pump gas. The VF48 is superior to all other oem sti turbo's as it doesnt fall on its face as the other's do.

 
#2,442 ·
08 TMIC Install

Tried to mount my own 08 STI TMIC to my 07 FXT.

Clearly not a bolt on affair. Do you have measurements or diagrams for the brackets that you used for the install? I take it that the tmic is leaning on the ac line and that-s the reason fir the hose wrap.

thanks in advance!

Jorge
 
#13 · (Edited)
One of the 1st visual mods we did was to paint the inside of the stock headlamps. This was a smiple process thanks to the walk thru's on here.

Stock Lights;

Unpainted.



Painted.






Then came time for a big decision. To keep the painted lights or go with a uber rare set of Canadian Spec H.I.D. headlamps...and the choice was clear.

CDM HIDS

2008 Sports black out taillamps











 
#24 ·
what did you use to get the wheels so clean, other than elbow grease?


And, just to add a bit of nabisco to the forums:


OMGHI2U! A girl on the interweb!!! :woohoo:

Pics are a must to prove that you are a girl, and on the interweb, and drive a turbo!!!!!!!

:icon_rolleyes:


Seiously, though, car looks good. I am all for keeping it clean and tasteful.
 
#26 ·
No kidding! I was just reading about the caliper stickers, and thinking that I'd never find a flea market around here to do it. Didn't pay any attention to where you're at. I visit family in Cinncinati and Dayton all the time, and grew up in Lawrenceburg, IN. Small world. So which flea market was it?
 
#28 ·
^ I don't know how he did it, but I've done it both ways on multiple cars. Obv you can do a more methodical job if you pull them off. On my last job I didn't pull them off and slid a piece of thin cardboard behind when painting. You can't get as much surface area but no one can tell the difference.....so really it's a toss up.

If you have the time and know how.....and want a perfect pristine job, pull them off. If you want them to look good and only you know you there are some unpainted spots....leave them on there :biggrin:

My wife painted her Nitro's (black) with them on using the above method....they came out great! She was pumped afterward.
 
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