Old School JDM Subie
(Boy and Car Article Featuring Brendan Stewart and his 1999
Subaru 2.5RS)
---start---
To say that Brendan Stewart is multi-talented is like saying the Boston Red Sox
had a “pretty good year,” a complete understatement on both accounts. During the late months of 2004, when Brendan
wasn’t rendering a new flash graphic for a customer’s web site, or slinging up
his favorite guitar – a 6-string ’57 Les Paul – he was out in the garage
wrenching on one of his life loves, his 1999 Subaru Impreza 2.5RS.
But once again, the term “wrenching” would be an understatement when you realize just how much work went into the transformation of Brendan’s old school Subie. Now I realize the term JDM is often overplayed, mostly by Ebay sellers looking to sell mad-tight Taiwanese built JDM tail lights for Chevy Cavaliers, but in the case of Brendan’s car, JDM is a proper description of many of the components used to build this exceptionally well thought-out vehicle.
Not content with the 165hp power output of the naturally aspirated 2.5-liter phase II engine, Brendan sourced a 280hp 2.0-liter version 7 JDM STi motor, complete with a 8,500rpm redline and AVCS. “These engines have been known to dyno close to 300hp,” according to Brendan, “and can run safely at upwards of 25 psi of boost, thanks to forged pistons and a tuftride treated forged crank.” Which means once Brendan gets used to the elevated power levels – nearly double the stock power output of the original engine - he’ll have plenty of opportunity to turn the wick up.
An uprated 255 liter/hr Walbro fuel pump helps to feed the new power hungry motor, as do 565cc STi “pink” fuel injectors. Troubleshooting the car’s wiring has been accomplished with the help of a Delta Dash.
Knowing that a stock 2.5RS 5-speed transmission wouldn’t hold up to the increased grunt of the version 7 engine, Brendan also transplanted in a JDM STi 6-speed unit, complete with tighter spaced gear ratios. According to Brendan, JDM transmission come with strengthened steel shift forks, instead of the aluminum units found in USDM units. A Legacy Turbo 3.9 rear end sits under the back of the car now, with a future upgrade to an R180 unit planned.
In order to harness all that new found power, Brendan also
spent some time upgrading the car’s suspension, starting with a set of P1
struts and springs. A 20mm rear
anti-roll bar helps the car rotate better – combined with xxxx endlinks front
and rear - while
From the outside, Brendan’s powerhouse keeps a stock appearance, except for the version 6 STi rear wing and JDM tail and corner lights. The most impressive appearance upgrades, however, are found inside. USDM STi seats sit up front, with a JDM rear seat in the back complete with center pass through. Accenting the seat’s blue fabric, are custom tailored door panels with matching blue alcantra fabric. A JDM version 7 instrument cluster was fitted to the stock GC dash, complete with shift light and 8,500 rev limit. Upgraded thick black carpeting, and STi titanium shift knob and STi emergency brake handle top things off.
Now, one might think this would be a fairly straight forward conversion, especially if you had a fully equipped shop, the experience of professionals to draw from, and a few weeks vacation in the hopper. But when you consider that Brendan, along with the help of a few friends, completed this car during his off hours, in a small one-car garage, it seems even more impressive. Brendan explains “This swap isn’t for the faint of heart, you literally have to take your entire car apart. I would have liked to be able to take two weeks off, and focus only on getting the car done, but my job prevented me from doing that.”
One of the most difficult tasks was wiring the car. “Wiring the car myself took over a month, with a few hours here and there. Using the version 7 instrument cluster and the stock intercooler spray system added a lot of time,” according to Brendan.
The end result is a 2,800 pound all-wheel drive terror that
can see off modified WRXs and unsuspecting STi drivers. All wrapped in what many consider to be the
best looking Impreza body style built to date.
And don’t think this is some car show trailer queen either,
Brendan drives his Subie daily, through the salt-infested and snow-covered
roads of
He isn’t standing on his heels either, as he is already
planning future upgrades, such as a full Garret turbo system. “400whp here I come,” laughs Brendan. Come spring, he also plans to get back into
racing, no doubt making a few passes down the drag strip to help dial in his
setup. Brendan will also be competing in
a few road course time trials with COM, a New England
based organization that holds time trials at numerous New England and
There is nothing Brendan would like better than to show his JDM tail lights off to a few STi and Evo drivers. And the long straight of these tracks will no doubt give Brendan a real opportunity to unleash the power of his old school beast. A car that many Subaru owners could only dream of, but thanks to Brendan’s many talents, became a reality.
---end---