Just another,

Next phase: Blacked headlights. I will admit, I had a set of headlights given to me, (THANK YOU) so I figured "what the Hey, Nuttin' to lose". I'm gonna really experiment and try to re-finish the lenses and black the trim. So first I got some 2000 grit wet/dry sandpaper and wet sanded the lenses. I rinsed that off, then did 2-3 sessions with some rubbing compound. After buffing that off, I used MOTHERS plastic polish.

I taped off the reflector around the directional bulb.

And yeah I know it needs fogs. I'm expecting those any day now. Ordered last Mon. Might have to call to see where they are. Anybody else ordered from RALLYLIGHTS and had stuff take that long??

Before

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After

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There are two small screws on the back of the assemblies that need to come out.

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I put the assembly in the oven at 195 for 10 minutes. There are some tabs around the housing. Take a thin screwdriver and gently start prying apart the housing at the tabs.

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When removing the lights this post kinda holds it after you remove the bolts. The post is towards the outside of the light/car.

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I didn't take pics of removing the grill and side pieces. The "hard" part of that, is one of those push-clips on the bottom of the side piece, behind it. It's a little hard to get to and real hard to explain.

"Baking" the lights, and getting them apart is actually wicked easy. If your thinking of doing it, just use your common sense and go for it.

I have also replaced the original strut/spring assys with some sedan take-offs. I put some 1/2" spacers on the rear. I read I should get some camber bolts to get negative camber for alignment. I'm just gonna run the tires that came on the car for the summer, ( they're only good for about that anyway) then probably get the camber bolts and an alignment this fall before I put the snows on.

 
all I can say is, John's attention to detail is still evident in his old RS, I keep finding stuff done and go, "hey that's pretty sweet"

I esp like the fabbed up driving light mounts at the grille, they are beefy! ditto for the rubber covers over brake bleeders, ditto ditto short shifter (tho the u-joint is gettin wobbly) exhaust mods etc etc. the wiring job on the fogs and driving lites is first rate--set up so fogs can be on with just the low beams, or also w hi beams or also w hi beams and driving lites, yeah!

so here is THE magic trick for removing dog hair....masking tape balls. wad up a handful of 1" or 2" masking tape, pat down seats n carpets. this removes individual hairs that have inserted themselves behind those button/loopy bumps in the WRX seat fabric that vac cleaners just won't get. (discovered by WRX owner w/white dog) another tip: my new Kenmore vac came with a miniature powered beater brush, ooh man does that work wonders on pet hair.

 
Latest update:

I picked up and installed a used GReddy cat-back. Why did they design the axle-back to midpipe flange so it hits the rear dif??? I got looking at the stock exhaust and the midpipe is shorter so that flange is closer to the front of the car. I have a 3" universal gasket, but that leaks. I'll have to get something better. I kinda temporarily jury-rigged it for now.
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I also bought what I thought was a WRX rear sway bar. It's a nice PERRIN adjustable bar with heavy-duty mounts and bushings. Well, it turns out it is too wide. I assume this means it is actually for an STi. I learned it didn't fit the hard way. After struggling with the mounts, especially the bolt above the fuel filler tube ($#@%&*!!!!). Those of you who have changed mounts probably know what I am talking about. So the bar will be for sale. I will take pics and put up a thread.

Today I changed the oil and filter, trans oil, and rear dif oil.

Oh and I don't think I mentioned it before, but the coolest thing I've done yet is install one of Nate's shift knobs.
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I also changed the trans and rear dif fluids in the FXT, today.

 
Latest update:I also bought what I thought was a WRX rear sway bar. It's a nice PERRIN adjustable bar with heavy-duty mounts and bushings. Well, it turns out it is too wide. I assume this means it is actually for an STi. I learned it didn't fit the hard way. After struggling with the mounts, especially the bolt above the fuel filler tube ($#@%&*!!!!). Those of you who have changed mounts probably know what I am talking about. So the bar will be for sale. I will take pics and put up a thread.
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You can mount an STi bar on the outside of the endlinks as opposed to the inside like you would normally (might be different for wagons, I know it works on sedans). It works, but the overall effectiveness is reduced. Still probably best to try and get into a wrx bar, but good info for when you do make a sale thread.

 
You can mount an STi bar on the outside of the endlinks as opposed to the inside like you would normally (might be different for wagons, I know it works on sedans). It works, but the overall effectiveness is reduced. Still probably best to try and get into a wrx bar, but good info for when you do make a sale thread.
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I was thinking of doing that, but it looked like I would have to force the endlinks in to connect them. I was thinking that if/when I were to get solid links it wouldn't work. ?????????

 
I was thinking of doing that, but it looked like I would have to force the endlinks in to connect them. I was thinking that if/when I were to get solid links it wouldn't work. ?????????
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The endlink fitment looks funky, but depending on how you have your car jacked up, that may affect where things are floating around and creating a gap. I ran an STi bar on my 02 sedan and it worked fine on the outside.

This link says it should work:

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showpost.php?p=18688733&postcount=2

"All rear swaybars for any 02-07 RS and WRX will fit. STi rear swaybars will mount on the outside of the endlinks and their effectiveness is reduced."

So going by what Dan said, I would have the same issue on a GC?
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I cannot vouch out of experience about the GC, but according to the RCE suspension thread linked above, you'd have the same issue.

Here's the specific link to the GC fitment post:

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showpost.php?p=18820009&postcount=7

"All rear swaybars for any 93-01 Impreza will fit.

All rear swaybars for any 02-07 RS and WRX will fit. STi rear swaybars will mount on the outside of the endlinks and their effectiveness is reduced."

I've got a 25mm STi Cobb bar I can bring to meets or something if anyone wants to eyeball fitment.
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A question I have is:

If the effectiveness is lessened, but the bar is an adjustable, and I installed it using one of the stiffer mounting points with solid endlinks, would that make it less "less effective"????

As stated earlier, I will get up some pics in a FS thread, but if someone is reading this and really wants it, I just want to try to get my $ back. $200.

 
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