August '08-'09 Buildoff '92 Subaru Loyale "FrankenWagon"

[Numbchux]

This is the FrankenWagon. It started life as a 3-speed auto FWD 1.8l POSUV.

It’s current mod list includes:

'92 Legacy parts:
EJ22e
front steering knuckles/axles/hubs/struts
e-brake handle/cables

'85 GL parts:
rear crossmember
front bumper/grill
shift linkage
pedal box

'83 GL 1-piece driveshaft
'86 XT Turbo steering rack (quicker ratio)
'86 XT Turbo Rear Trailing arms (sway bar mounts!)
'87 GL Wagon Manual Seatbelts and trim
’87 GL center console
'88 RX coupe ground effects
'88 GL 3-point front interior door handles
'89 RX FT4WD D/R 5MT trans and mechanical rear LSD
'89 XT6 20mm front and rear Sway Bars
'89 XT6 front seats
'89 XT6 front control arms/rear hubs/rotors/backing plates
’95 Impreza Power Steering pump
’98 Legacy GT cat-pipe and mid-pipe
'02 2.5RS 2-piston front brakes

non-Subaru parts
'88 Nissan 200SX rear calipers
'99 Mazda Miata rear shocks

aftermarket parts:
OBX unequal-length headers
Ground-Control Coilover sleeves running 250 lb/in in the front and 275 in the rear
Innovate LC-1 Wideband with G2 gauge
Kenwood head unit
Hella Optilux combo fog/driving lights with 55 and 100w bulbs respectively.
Optima redtop battery
K&N cone filter
SuperPro partial polyurethane bushing kit
17x8" Gold Rota Torques with 215/45r17 Kumho Ecstas for summer
16" stock WRX Split-fives with 255/55r16 Kumho VictoRacer V700s for the track
15” Impreza steelies with 195/70r15 Hankook iPike snow tires for the winter.


from last fall right after the 5-lug swap:


and from last weekend, all prettied up for a car show:



plans fot his next year?! I've got all sorts of plans. but you'll just have to wait and see what they entail.

[pwned12355]

hay man i love the second pic its awsome cant wait till next year

[firebird999]

lol, look at the lil' ricer neon in the second pic.

[imstock]

Engines pics. Kthnx. ;-)

[Numbchux]

this picture is almost exactly 2 years old......but the only things that have changed are the intake, battery, and a couple wiring things.




looks pretty stock don't it?

[Numbchux]

well, I just spent all day this last sunday at an open lapping/AutoX event. had a ton of fun, learned a lot, and had a professional driver drive my car for a few laps. The guy who wrote this is an instructor with the Northstar BMW club, which regularly puts on major events at Brainerd International Raceway. He also won the last AutoX I was at in an STi (Corvette club event, also pics and vids of that in the Real car section).


"So I'll start with my favorite, its Black, its looks like it enjoys playing in the mud, and climbs hills and sounds a lot like Big Foot from the Monster Truck derby. I guess my mentallity when testing out a car is simple, find the most speed while maximizing the most traction. And in the case of Chux's Wagon, let’s just say it was a lot of fun trying to accomplish that goal. First thing you'll notice about this car is its ride height; she sits much higher than most Subaru's I'm familiar with. She's got some nice long legs on her, she's not much to look at, but she's got experience. The old girl really knows how to work the Subaru AWD system, going thru the fast sweeping corners you can literally feel all four just clawing around constantly searching for traction. She didn't complain much diving into the fast chachains, rotated quite well even with the body roll as if she just tiptoed around the tight corners.

The understeer is noticeable; but with the right amount of braking you can easily get her to rotate just fine, just have to be a little patient and wait for it. The power from the NA boxer engine felt like a great combination for this setup as the suspension felt soft which I think this car is intended for offroad ventures. So I am surprised how well she did on our little tight course.

I felt comfortable using the brake on this car, but than again I don't usually use the brakes very often. LOL Okay I kid, but I think this car was one who had the least issues with wheel hoping while braking when transitioning coming into the fast chachain where there was uneven pavement from two different compounds.

Something’s worth mentions, perhaps stiffening the shift with some bushings to help the driver quickly figure out the gears, a little more brake bite would make it even more fun coming into the corners and simple 4 point harness to help keep the driver in place. Overall I think it’s a fun car to drive around no matter where you take it just the way it is.

Did I mention I really like rumpping on the throttle, the exhaust nodes is what really reminded me of the Monster Trucks.

Many Thanks,

-Cheech"

pictures:









video....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y92IaEWGG2s

[Tmaxxn3]

hahaha love subarus i like how your racing with a trailer hitch gives it a little bit more of a sleeper look you know.

[texan_idiot25]

HUNGRY FOR CONCRETE!!! Quite the nose dive lol


As for your super secret plans... Supercharrrrger!(?)

[imstock]

Nice car, hopefully the engine has been cleaned since you took the photos awhile back.

Oh, and the had braking image (here) reminds me of the 2005 Mitsubishi ad showing all the cars bowing down to the new model Eclipse.

[Numbchux]

Originally Posted by imstock

Nice car, hopefully the engine has been cleaned since you took the photos awhile back.

why on earth would I clean the engine?!

[imstock]

Prior to my current car, all my engines were clean enough to eat off.

Makes it easier to work on them when they are clean, plus they look better. lol

[Numbchux]

ordered some go-fast bits earlier this week.


also started drawing up initial designs for a custom gauge cluster. 9 gauges (water temp, oil pressure, oil temp, boost, tach, AFR, speedo, volt, and fuel) in the stock cluster.

stock:


new design:


with trim:



I already have an Innovate G2 AFR gauge in my car. and I intend to use Autometer Ultra-lite II gauges for the rest to match.

G2:


ultra-lite IIs:

[texan_idiot25]

Go fast bits better be belt driven and better really suck.

[Numbchux]

Originally Posted by texan_idiot25

Go fast bits better be belt driven and better really suck.

supporting mods first.....


I'm told it's boxed up and ready to ship on monday. and it's only coming from the other end of the state, so it should only take a couple days. then I'll reveal.

[Numbchux]

got a few new parts....and ordered some more


got a Link LEM v4 standalone ECU. and an Audi 2-wire IAC valve.


also, received and assembled (yea, it came as a pre-printed board and a bag full of components....) this little toy from Australia:


it's a programmable voltage switch. it detects a voltage on one circuit to control a relay. can be used for nitrous, rad fan(s), warning lights, etc. etc. etc.

did ya have to go with a link? lol man i hate that set up.

but either way atleast its getting tuned!

[Numbchux]

Originally Posted by SPR

did ya have to go with a link? lol man i hate that set up.

but either way atleast its getting tuned!

I've wired 3 link systems into subies. love 'em. wouldn't get anything else.

especially when this one cost $250

well **** cant beat 250 bucks!! link has just never been my favorite, i hate tuning with it. but everyone has their personal preference. ive just heard a lot of negatives about link from other people as well.

have you ever tried a utec or aem? ive even found the cheap cobb more fun to play with. took a friends 98 legacy turbo swap with link from 285 whp to 313 whp with nothing but going utec, losing the front mount for a large top mount, new injectors, and of course a retune. his link would keep sending his tune sour every time he had it redone, it would eventually go to ****. but it would only go so far and then stop. it was weird.


so you going turbo or super?

theres a 94 legacy wagon around here that runs both. car looks like total *** but makes like 370 whp!! its freaking nuts. sad thing is he breaks it every time he runs it. its soo jimmy rigged

[Numbchux]

Originally Posted by SPR

well **** cant beat 250 bucks!! link has just never been my favorite, i hate tuning with it. but everyone has their personal preference. ive just heard a lot of negatives about link from other people as well.

have you ever tried a utec or aem? ive even found the cheap cobb more fun to play with. took a friends 98 legacy turbo swap with link from 285 whp to 313 whp with nothing but going utec, losing the front mount for a large top mount, new injectors, and of course a retune. his link would keep sending his tune sour every time he had it redone, it would eventually go to ****. but it would only go so far and then stop. it was weird.


so you going turbo or super?

theres a 94 legacy wagon around here that runs both. car looks like total *** but makes like 370 whp!! its freaking nuts. sad thing is he breaks it every time he runs it. its soo jimmy rigged

I have worked with many others. EMU, PP6, Hydra, Utec, AEM, Cobb, etc. etc. etc. I do like the Link the best.

my only worry is this is an older unit that doesn't have an intake air temp sensor, so can't correct for different air temps. I'll probably have to have at least 2 different maps for different parts of the year.

coolest thing is they have closed-loop lambda control. tell it what AFRs you want, and it'll auto-tune your map to get you there.



FYI, Doug's wagon is a 1990.

Originally Posted by Numbchux

FYI, Doug's wagon is a 1990.

i work with to many freaking numbers a day, i get em all confused hahaha. either way yeah that thing is sick. but every time ive seen it on the dyno or on the track he bust the poor thing. and zip ties galore! lmao