tweedbean's RS Green BRZ Build
 

Well this isn't my first rodeo when it comes to these cars having owned two of its sister car the Toyota GT86. This purchase was a little unexpected and happened very quickly but I cant wait to get stuck into it as its definitely a project.

So I've had a search saved in ebay for years now looking at salvaged BRZ's, however it always seems to be GT86 that come up cheap as the BRZ holds its value better due to there being fewer of them. Nothing significant has come of it until early last week when a 2013 Subaru BRZ with 41k on the clock popped up. It ticked all the boxes with heated half leathers, back 3/4's spotless, engine running, theres just the small matter of half the front end missing. It came up cheap so a quick conversation later to Turbo Monkeys in Burton who were selling it and I headed up there last Wednesday to see it. It was as described so I left a deposit and arranged a tow truck to collect it. It arrived today and I couldn't be happier. And before anyone asks the other cars I have aren't going anywhere this is a +1 project.

Spec wise its stock, pearl white, manual, heated half leathers, CD player etc. It is a Cat S, I've seen why and will get it all checked out before it goes back on the road.

So what are my plans, firstly acquire all the parts to rebuild it, I have a rad pack ready to go on which means its easier to move around. I've never attempted such a project before, I normally start with at least a complete car, so this will be challenge and I am expecting bumps along the way. Once I have all the parts I will fit as much as I can before it heads over to a specialist to ensure its all straight and lines up before everything is bolted down.

Not sure where I am going with the car right now as theres so many options, but one thing I do know is it needs a facelift as those tail lights are really dated. So already have a list of parts to fit the 2017 facelift BRZ front end and I have 2017 style rear lights to be fitted later today. I do know It will be getting a full respray as I've not seen many bodyshops match the pearl paint to a standard I would be happy with, a colour change to something none Toyota/Subaru for sure. It also will be remaining stock body, no wide body kits here.



I also have a HT Auto lip kit ready to go and a Top Sage rear diffuser lip to keep me ticking over while working on the boring stuff up front. I'm tempted to take the approach of building what Subaru would have done if they had built a proper BRZ STI.


Time for some photos:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...470cb90c_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr


The boot was full of parts clearly picked up off the road following the accident:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...b471b5c2_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

The front end, not so tidy:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...29c0b2da_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

And a better look of the front end damage:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...a74d01e5_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

First two mods already done I fitted Vland V2 tail lights to my Subaru BRZ.* They are 2017 facelift style lights with the added bonus of sequential indicators.* It was super easy plug and play.* The before and after difference is amazing, it really refreshes that back end:

Here is a how to video I made for installing them:

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2CAXYwcxYA[/ame]

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...3d7965ac_c.jpgFacelift Style Sequential Lights Vland by James Baker, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...d18c4dd2_c.jpgWhat a difference by James Baker, on Flickr

I decided I wanted to also debadge the rear end of all chrome lettering.* Much cleaner, below is a link to a how to video on removing the chrome lettering:

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YO00wD4HgU[/ame]

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...67326d0b_c.jpgDebadged rear end by James Baker, on Flickr

I then set about stripping the front end removing the damaged metal such as wings, bonnet and parts of the slam panel.* Basically anything damaged that wasnt welded in has now been removed.* This is how I left it at the end of day 1:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...26cf7685_c.jpgEnd of day 1 by James Baker, on Flickr

Next steps are to call Subaru and Toyota tomorrow to order up all the parts needs for the front bumper as well as two wings, wing brackets and slam panel.* I will share the part lists and prices as and when I get them for anyone thinking of doing the same.* Most parts are cheaper from Toyota I have found, however the bumper is a Subaru only item so I need to go to them for that.* Its crazy how many individual parts there are on the bumper alone.

There are plenty more how to video coming up as I modify my BRZ, for additional updates please follow my youtube channel and instagram page:

https://www.youtube.com/subscription...user=tweedbean

https://www.instagram.com/tweedbean

Day 2:

Time to get ordering parts, so far:

Front Bumper

Im going for a facelift front end so I will be ordering the bumper and all associated parts from Subaru including the facelight light trim etc

The one part I left out this order will be the main grill/moustache, from what I understand the UK part come with two big holes to bolt a front plate on. As someone who runs removable plate brackets on all my cars, I have ordered a US spec part from ebay International.

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/YAMAA...h3/s-l1600.jpg

Headlights

Having been impressed with the Vland rear lights and recommendations from another member I have purchased the Vland headlights. There are two reasons why I have gone aftermarket, firstly they have black housings, saving me joey modding a set of lights. The second reason is down to price, headlights are between £575-£700 each plus VAT and finding a decent pair of used BRZ headlights is very rare(Dont want to fit GT86 lights). I purchased my Vland headlights through their ebay store (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/264414046349) They are listed at £419 delivered however I had an offer of £380 delivered accepted.

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/7CoAA...Dl/s-l1600.jpg

Radiator Assembly

Next up the radiator(£295+VAT)/fan(£232+VAT)/ac condenser(£280+VAT) assembly was destroy in the crash. New these were over £800 plus VAT, this doesnt include all the little brackets etc. Matt Baker over at MB Developments helped me out here. They are a Subaru specialist who are building a BRZ based track car, their build looks epic. They had no need for the stock parts and I managed to get all the above for £80 collected which is a super bargain and I really appreciate it. As a bonus is the entire assembly with motors, brackets, filler, pipes etc I was very lucky with this:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...b32eb76e_c.jpgRadiator, fan assembly and a/c condenser by James Baker, on Flickr

Bonnet and Crash Beam

Next up we have the main body panels so a bonnet new from Toyota is around £390 plus VAT, I managed to pick up a used one for £150 from SJ Autosport in Birmingham who are breaking a BRZ. I also picked up the crash for £50 from the same place, instead of £147.97 plus VAT from Subaru. The foam part is £25.49 plus VAT but I can reuse my old one which survived.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...8b8bcb07_c.jpgBonnet, wing and crash beam by James Baker, on Flickr

Front Wings

I also need both front wings, not many decent used examples about so I am going new on these, the one in the photo above is damaged so decided against using that. From Toyota the wings are £109 +VAT new compared to £151+VAT from Subaru so I will be getting them from Toyota. I also need the brackets that sit under the wing to hold it in place, again these are cheaper at Toyota at £19.71+VAT new compared to £20.87 from Subaru. Again going new with the brackets as they are easily bent.

Day 3:

Opting for a facelift front bumper and getting it ordered

As the front end is completely missing from my car, I have to order every brackets, duct, plastic undertray, nut, bolt etc. There was nothing left of the original one. Its crazy how much that adds up to. I could go down the route of a pre-facelift bumper or aftermarket however I really like like the BRZ facelift front end and they dont come up second hand. There is one on ebay but what it doesn't mention in the ad is that its cracked, I know as I drove to see it and refused to buy it after to seeing the damaged.

Pre facelift:

https://s.aolcdn.com/images/dims?cli...212&quality=85

Facelift:

https://www.autocar.co.uk/sites/auto...?itok=jJ4UM6r3

When buying from Subaru the facelift bumper skin is actually cheaper than the pre-facelift one. So I have ordered everything required from Subaru which comes to £617.92, the breakdown is attached below covering part numbers, quantities and prices. This list contains everything including ducts for air to the radiator, headlight brackets, stuff you wouldn't need to buy if you had an existing front end, but it doesn't cover fog light units themselves(Will get aftermarket ones), the moustache as I have the US part on order and the various nuts and bolts.

https://www.gt86.org.uk/forums/uploa...2235848a5b.jpg

The nuts and bolts alone came to £87.21 plus VAT. I have managed to source a number of these on the car, salvaged from damage parts or through ebay to get them cheaper, so shop around.

https://www.gt86.org.uk/forums/uploa...5dc75dc59d.jpg

Common items like the clips(909140007) that hold the weather seal in place, can be had 50 for £5.98 from ebay rather than £1 each from Subaru:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/50pc-Inte...72.m2749.l2649

Not all can be sourced easily but I managed to find some of them, so go the bill down from £87.21 plus VAT to around £25 in the end, just by doing the above.

I also need to buy washer covers however at around £50 a side I will wait until the car is ready for paint then source those.

Parts will start to arrive this week which is great news, the longest wait is the slam Panel

Shopping around for the slam panel


The slam panel for the BRZ has been a pain, its spot welded on so it isnt a straight forward swap however I have a friend who can assist with that. Pricing for these vary dramatically. It used to be around £258 plus VAT for the entire unit from Toyota, however when I called to order they had made a mistake, the part had now been superseded and was something like £520 plus VAT after discount. A big difference, im sure you will agree, so I rang Subaru and they can get one in for £306 including VAT so much cheaper, only issue its coming direct from Japan so there may be a 3 week wait, but price difference is worth that as I'm not in a rush mega rush, even if I am impatient. So thats now on its way aswell.

Theres now not much I can do but wait for parts over the next 3 weeks as I have removed everything damaged that isnt welded on so I will take the time to fit a new head unit, fit rear lip kit and diffuser lip while I wait. I will be making fitting videos for those 3 jobs in the coming weeks.

Day 4:

Buying the parts to upgrade the headunit

As there is nothing I can do RE the front end until parts arrive, its time to tackle some interior bits. The BRZ came with only a CD player headunit so I wanted to upgrade to a more modern headunit. I have purchased the Pioneer DA130DAB which has Apple Car play so I will have bluetooth calling, DAB, music streaming, sat nav etc, its actually the one from my old Mini clubman as the new owner installed an android auto headunit instead.

https://i1.adis.ws/i/washford/603671...cc_tile$&w=680

So I have been doing some reading RE differences between replacing the headunit in the BRZ vs the GT86. I have created the following list based off what other BRZ owners have purchased:

Cable to allow me to connect the stock USB port to the aftermarket headunit:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/184019557009

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/ML4AA...3JQ/s-l500.jpg

Stereo bracket/surround, Ive heard all the options are a bit dodgy fitting so I thought I would try this one for now:

http://www.roadradio.com/wiring-fasc...CT50-282/7429/

http://www.roadradio.com/files/produ...ge_dfp1108.jpg

Harness adapter:

http://www.roadradio.com/wiring-fasc...C2-17-42/4883/

http://www.roadradio.com/files/produ...rge_PC2174.jpg


Aerial Adapter:

http://www.roadradio.com/wiring-fasc...CT21-147/7350/

http://www.roadradio.com/files/produ...rge_Image1.jpg

Pioneer ND-BC8 Reversing Camera:

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....AC_SL1000_.jpg

Day 6: More parts are here

Yesterday all my parts from Toyota arrived including new rubber bushes for mounting the rad assembly, both wing brackets and the wings themselves. Didnt realise how big the boxes would be for the wings, glad I took the bigger car.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...05ae95af_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

Headlights Arrived
Also the Vland headlights arrived, note they did arrived damaged, but Vlands ebay store were really helpful and quick to rectify the problem with a new set on the way to me. Quality so far looks good and I connected them up to the car last night to ensure the wiring on the car was intact and that the headlights worked.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...8e7b3978_c.jpgVland headlights by James Baker, on Flickr

Click the image below for a short video:
https://live.staticflickr.com/31337/...6028e55b_c.jpg

The test went well with the DRLs and sequential indicators looking spot on. I now need to source some stock headlight bulbs and attach the ballasts as the stock bulbs are missing from the car but I do have two ballasts. I will see if I can steal the bulbs from an old set of Mini xenons I have in the garage. I know some people are cautious about aftermarket headlights, I will be very open and honest with my thoughts on them once installed so people hear first hand what they are like, will probably do a video review of them over on my youtube channel www.youtube.com/tweedbean

Newly discovered issue

When I returned from Toyota last night I decided to fit the wing brackets to see how straight the structure was in front of the front wheels. Passenger side bolted on no problem, all appears straight. The drivers side, not so easy, the rear two bolts for the wing bracket go in no problem, the front one, shown in the pic below, doesnt line up. This will be correctable via the specialist the car is going to to straighten everything, worst case I can buy that section from Toyota if it doesnt pull straight. I expected there to be more parts like this, so no surprise here.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...e1d44808_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

Looking good.Keep it up

Day 8: Most of the parts from Subaru are here

Had a call to say most of my parts arrived at Subaru. Only bits missing are 3 brackets and the major part the slam panel on its way direct from Japan, due in next Saturday. Hopefully everyone remains safe and the dealership/delivery company etc are still working next weekend. Its luck of the draw at the moment with everything going on. I have held off ordering anymore bits now until the country gets back to normal.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...49c14047_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...d7eeed21_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

Also received the bits for the headunit this morning, so that can go in this weekend, regardless of the above bits:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...7a062941_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

Day 10:

Collecting more parts

So yesterday I collected a used airbox and washer bottle with pumps, these are the last major parts I hadnt ordered.



https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...d58b9de5_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr



Today I decided to fit the new head unit, it was super easy, as I hadn't bought new metal brackets I had to cut up the stock ones, the filler pieces fit really well, looking at other guides I think people are fitting them inside the metal brackets causing a fitment issue when they should be fitting them outside the metal brackets. I have a headunit fitting video to edit and I will get that uploaded to help others.



https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...ae1d84e7_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr



Have a couple of simple videos I created for removing internal bits like the dash panels and gear knob, I will ensure I do more as I remove bits for mods, again only easy jobs if you know how to do them, hopefully this video series encourages more people to do DIY jobs on their cars:



https://youtu.be/T88gcyQYZ64



https://youtu.be/OcINN6LWlwo



I also fitted a HT auto rear lip and Top Sage diffuser lip, super easy:



https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...cb0356f1_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr



I also threw on the bonnet, passenger wing and air box to get them out the garage, starting to look more like a car now. Ignore the panel gaps as I havent bolted anything down properly yet:



https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...45f5c644_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

Day 14 Still Waiting...

Progress has slowed due to the current climate. *I'm still waiting on parts from Subaru Japan, with the local Subaru dealership now closed, I am unsure if I will be able to collect the remaining parts for 3 weeks plus, although the manager gave me a glimmer of hope, they may be able to leave them outside if they do turn up for me to collect as they are literally on my daily run route. *

My front grill turned up from the USA, big thanks to Quirkparts on ebay for getting it delivered really quickly. *Its only a subtle change, with this piece not having any pre-cut holes the UK spec comes with for the front numberplate holder. * For me its the little details like this:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...d18301f9_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr*

Trying to source genuine STI parts in the UK is really tricky for the BRZ, I'm after the side skirts, rear bumper trims and front lip. *These apparently are out of production now and USA stores want crazy money to deliver them. *A company called Brayson do replica parts and at a really good price, so I may go for them as there shipping is reasonable too:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...76320340_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

Day 35

So its been a long wait for the slam panel, but its finally arrived from Japan. Subaru called today to say the parts are in but the local dealership was closed. They then offered an olive branch that they would deliver it FOC as they had a driver passing by house, so a contactless delivery happened this morning.


So excited as this was the final piece of the puzzle for the front end that I didn;t have alongside the little brackets/seals in the picture that also arrived. It means tonight I can start building the front bumper and bolting the brackets to the front wings etc.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...ca7152c6_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

I will also get the rest of the car stripped down ready for paint with all the mirrors, door cards, handles, seals etc to be removed. Will try and do removal videos for each items coming off the car to add to the "how to" content on my youtube channel. As mentioned the car will be getting a complete colour change so all door shuts etc need painting.

Once this is done I need to sort getting the car over to a friend to ensure it is all straight, he will also do all the welding to fit the new slam panel so we can test fit the lights, bumper etc to to help line up the front end before it goes over to the bodyshop which is 5 mins away from them. This is all dependent are who is still working or not through this as I know even getting the car there may be an issue as not sure what transports companies if any are still working and the car isn't in a position to be driven on the road.

So for now I will work on what I can get done at home to prep it all and see what responses I can get off the other links in the chain.

Also as I have gone for the USA spec front bumper bar cover with no number plate holes, I purchased a number plate holder that bolts to towing eye threads

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...285a9586_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

Luckily I don't need any more body parts to go to paint, the genuine STI skirts, lip and rear bumper trim all come finished in black so no need to get them painted to match the car, decided to wait until all this blows over and order the genuine STI parts direct from Japan rather than go for rep parts.

Day 37

So another £300 order put in at Subaru today for parts including:

- 84942CA010 Headlight seal left roughly £30 plus VAT plus 84942CA000 Headlight seal right roughly £30 plus VAT - These are small rubber seals that sit between the headlight and front bumper, needed if you are fitting brand new lights aftermarket or stock as they arent supplier with the lights. As my original lights were destroyed I didn't have the seal to swap over from my stock lights. Without them you will have a gap between the lights and bumper in the corner.

The green part in this image:

https://dz310nzuyimx0.cloudfront.net...d7c255f6a5.png

- Front washer jet covers for the facelift bumper, these were roughly £50 a side, pre painted and I couldnt find any used examples.

- Miscellaneous clips/bolts I was missing.

- Both front wheel arch liners roughly £50 plus VAT each

In other good news the car is booked in next Thursday if all goes well for welding in the slam panel and an alignment/check to ensure nothing else is bent. I've spoken to the bodyshop and they are closed as all the paint suppliers are also closed so they cant get any paint however as soon as they open back up, I'm first on the list.

Day 38

A video that should have came on day 1 but I didnt have chance to record it back then. Its a video introducing the project BRZ to my youtube channel. Over the coming months there will be plenty of how to content uploaded to the channel as well as blog style videos providing progress updates as I work to get it back on the road then modifying it. This video covers why I purchased it, what I purchased and the plans for the future. Thanks for watching

https://youtu.be/-rpohUfRSGQ

Day 40

Updates will get more interesting, but at the moments its all around an accumulation of parts.

Today I received a Mishimoto Sound generator delete to clear that piping from the engine bay.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...03bea895_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr


I also have purchased a used 2018 BRZ facelift instrument cluster to retrofit into my car. This will give me the additional little screen to give the dash a more modern feel. Not a lot of gain but I thought why not. I have also ordered the Geralds Just Projects retro fit kit to give me a controller joystick replacing the blanking plate behind the gear stick, I will be ordering black controls so it doesnt stand out like in the picture below. This gives me full control of the little screen without having to retro fit the facelift steering wheels, clock spring and wiring.

https://www.geraldjustprojects.com/p...r-kit-4-screw/

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...eaccf7b9_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

Hopefully if everything goes to plan I should have a SARD style spoiler delivered later this week. I think the tuner style look works well with what else I have planned for the car over the duck bill I originally planned to purchase. Here is an idea of what it looks like:

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....mcU2BpatVLkPFk

I'm also purchasing a new rear bumper as mine has damage to the centre diffuser section and I didnt realise it was moulded into the bumper, seems stupid to paint a bumper with damage that cant be repaired.

Day 47: The repair process begins again.


So last week I had a contactless collection of the BRZ as its booked in at a crash collision centre to get the slam panel welded in and ensure everything else is straight. I'm waiting on an update from them this week. Once its done it will come straight back for me to start preparing it for paint.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...bbd97d8e_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr



I also purchased a used SARD style wing which I had delivered via courier. The clear coat has a bit of damage from a pigeon strike, however that will be repaired by my local bodyshop and the side brackets are in solid condition but needed a refresh so I removed the stickers, sanded them down and gave them a blast over with primer before they go full matt black. Once finished it will look like new for a fraction of the cost:



https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...f4717f6d_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr



I also received another delivery from Subaru, this time the wheel arch liners, numerous clips, 1 of 2 washer jet covers (The other is on back order from Japan) and the headlight rubber seals (2 of the most expensive bits of rubber I will ever order, ridiculous but needed to bridge the gap between the headlights and the bumpers). I also purchased a used rear bumper as mine was damaged by the previous owner reversing it into something. It was damaged on the textured part which I didnt realise was moulded to the entire bumper, so decided theres no point painting a damaged bumper if I cant replace that textured bit at a later date, hence the new one. If anyone wants a cheap white rear bumper with a couple of marks on the textured part, give me a shout.



I have also joined the group buy run by Jordan for the HID setup for the Vland headlights to get some decent light output from them.



https://scontent.flhr3-2.fna.fbcdn.n...34&oe=5ECB5227

Day 49


While the BRZ is away at the crash specialists, I decided to start work on the wing brackets. They weren't in the best visual condition, but it was all superficial:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...92fbc6a5_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

- So I used a heat gun to remove the GT86 stickers.

- Followed by a light sand with fine grit to remove any minor surface imperfections or corrosion

- I then cleaned down with a panel prep spray and clean cloth

- I used a number of coats of grey primer

- Finally finished in matt black

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...120505e2_c.jpgSard style wing part refresh by James Baker, on Flickr

I am looking into what protection a matt clear coat over the top would provide as not used it before.

Also had a photo from the crash specialist who are busy working away, they have the slam pane in place and are currently working out if everything else is straight. Once, done it can come back for me to paint the slam panel and get the rest ready for the bodyshop to paint it.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...0df14fb7_c.jpgSlam panel is on by James Baker, on Flickr

Day 51 - More Progress

The car is now completely straight and panels aligned. The passenger leg was bent backwards, but this has now been rectified using the fancy jig setup they have. I'm just waiting to hear when the car can be transported back to me. Excited as its starting to actually look like a car again even if I know the front end has to come apart again.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...b48642a1_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

Photos from when he was lining it all up:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...5a6a03d8_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

Here you can see the gap left if you dont buy or re-use the stick on rubber seals from a BRZ especially if you are doing the 2017 facelift bumper retro fit like im doing. I have the seals on the shelf to stick on when the car gets back to me:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...3e71a8a4_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

Finally I picked up a super cheap set of used Rota Grids 18x8.5 et44 they need a refurb and are currently sitting on a new set of budget tyres Avon ZV7 that came with them, these will keep me rolling while I work on the car and will allow me to sell on the stock wheels which have decent tread and have been painted black by the previous owner. Eventually I will replace the Grids but for now they look better than the stock wheels:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...b310e9b4_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

Day 61

Last week the BRZ arrived back via contactless delivery. Fully aligned and ready to go. Ignore the bonnet gap, the bonnet is open as I needed to fix the lock before I close it:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...df7ce9fb_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

However my first job was to start stripping the front end back down so I could fit the rads/aircon/fans. Super easy job now I have done it multiple times.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...81d47985_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

My make shift painting station where I painted everything within the engine bay/front that had come from other cars or had come from Subaru in the black primer type finish.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...9d82e2af_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

I decided to go with matt black for a simple clean look. I will eventually do the entire engine bay in matt black as it will tie in with whichever colour I do the exterior and the engine isnt coming out for the respray so its easier for me to paint it matt black and get a decent finish. Hence why you can see paint under where the front wings will go.

Next I fitted the radiator/air con/fan assembly, I had to swap over the air con metal hoses as mine were also damaged from the crash. I then followed the correct process to fill/bleed/test the radiators with no signs of leaks:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...37e6c330_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

This was a relief as it means I can move the car with no fear of damaging everything as this now means I have a running car. Idles perfectly, the engine seems good with no error codes which is a bonus.

Once that was done I set about bolting up the front end, fitting the crash beam, crash sensors etc and accounting for all the hanging connectors. All went back perfectly. I also refitted the airbox, snorkel and the surround that sits between the two. New items added to the list of bits to buy include the radiator filler bracket and a new filler neck for the washer reservoir:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...554e41f1_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

Next I plumbed in the new washer reservoir which had been destroy in the crash. Check for leaks and all good. Now I need to order some washer jets for the headlights but other than that the washer system is now fully functional again:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...7700a908_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

Prep for paint


Fixing wise there isnt much left to do so the car can now go for paint, however I need to strip the car to keep costs down. So I stripped everything needed to get the car painted including:

-Both wings
-Rear Lights
-Door Seals
-Window Seals
-Aerial
-Roof trim
-Wing Mirrors
-Kick Plates
-Door cards (I will replace weather seal plastic once painted)

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...a51209c7_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

So the only things left that I need to do this week are the:

- Rear Bumper
- Door Handles

Then its ready for paint:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...b37fcef6_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...0f86f84e_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

Also my bonnet lifters arrived, they will go on the shelf to be fitted once the car has been painted as they will only have to come off again:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...8ecdb285_z.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

Also a courier today is collecting a Boral Unequal length manifold and a Milltek Overpipe that came up for sale at a great price. I fancy a bit of Scooby rumble from the boxer while I save up for forced induction.

Removing Exterior Door Handles

If anyone has any tips for doing this on a BRZ/GT86/FRS that have the touch sensors, please let me know. Only way I can see so far is to remove the glass to get to the connector to disconnect it. Its super easy for cars without this feature as its one torx headed bolt and you are done, not so simple on the UK spec cars with the touch sensors.

Day 63
I had confirmation yesterday that the bodyshop can now get paint so the car is being transported over there this coming Monday for paint to begin. So yesterday I removed the final parts, the door handles and the rear bumper.

The rear bumper must have been off previously as half the clips were missing.

The exterior door handles looked to be a tricky task as the UK spec car has an extra sensor which I was told you need to remove the glass to disconnect the connector before removing the door handle in the normal way. However under investigation I worked out you could just pull really hard and the connector comes out with the handle then you disconnect once off, saves the faff of removing the glass:

https://youtu.be/nx1Zb0Q6amY

Day 63 Continued.

After waiting for a while due to Covid I finally put in an order to Japanparts. This is my first order with them so hoping for a good experience. Ive gone for the following, all none UK parts:

Genuine STI lip kit including front lip, side skirts, rear bumper trim and STI strut brace:

https://www.japanparts.com/images/im...ase=0&no=62340

Alcantara/suede visor cover with red stitching:

https://www.japanparts.com/images/xr...ZoGv3vFW1g.jpg

Black buttons to integrate with the controller for the retro fit cluster which comes in black:

https://www.japanparts.com/images/xr...0Yyg8GmCXn.jpg

Driver and passenger side TS upper door trims in Alcantara/suede with red stitching:

https://www.japanparts.com/images/im...b.php?no=61974

Day 64

I decided to test fit the facelift dial cluster which contains the additional digital dials. Pretty much plug and place on push button start cars. This is part one of the install, once I have the controller unit to make up for the lack of steering wheel controls I will do a second video:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...b74fe711_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

https://youtu.be/cSc_IDcAtBM


Also my Borla unequal length manifold and Milltek arrived today, this should release that Scooby rumble:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...a304a41c_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

Day 68 - Things are moving along nicely

So yesterday I gutted the dash so I can get the trim painted by the bodyshop to match the exterior and all the grey trim rings etc will be going matt black:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...862c88a4_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

This morning I dropped the BRZ off at the bodyshop for its respray, cant wait to see the new colour on it. I've asked for progress photos throughout so I can keep you all up to date.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...07aeeddd_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr


I also test fitted the Grids on the car, just to check they actually were 5x100 before I get them refurbed. Note coilovers will be ordered come pay day to reduce that wheel gap.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...b5b7aa25_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...2bd79e59_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

I also used my day off today to take a trip to City Wheel Refurbishment to drop the Rota's off for a full refurb. Going for a matt finish, for the first time from them, I've always gone gloss from them.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...4a483bce_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

My plans are starting to come together now, its just a shame I still dont have the V5 due to Covid closing down half of the DVLA, 68 days a counting since they received the paperwork.

Day 71

Well the BRZ is away at the moment so I have very little to progress until its return.

SARD Style Wing Refresh Part 2

In regards to the SARD style wing, the brackets etc I refreshed and look like new, so focus turned to the wing, this had suffered a pigeon strike when fitted to the previous owners car. Luckily the carbon wasnt damaged, just the clear coat. Therefore I dropped it off at a local bodyshop that I have used in the past to repair similar carbon items. They flicked off the damaged clear coat and then worked their magic. As per the pic below you can see a before, during and after repair. The final picture is the clear coat being applied, once that has dried for a couple of days they will be giving it a full polish:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...4736cf37_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

Really impressed with their work, its a bodyshop that used to do all the bodywork/paint jobs for lots of the Max Power cars of the past so they know their stuff.

I love buying a used item like this a bringing it back to life for a hell of a lot cheaper than buying new. Obviously there are certain components I tend not to buy used like coilovers items as you dont always know the history/true mileage/amount of cars they have been fitted to, but visual items like this especially have little risk if you know the right people you get big rewards.

BRZ Fog Lights

As mentioned above, some areas of a car you have to go new, such as the front bumper as I couldnt get any used parts but with the fog lights I refused to pay the ridiculous amount Subaru wanted for a brand new fog lights. So I went for some generic ones on ebay for £20 a pair.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pair-Fog-...72.m2749.l2649

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/t6MAA...uc/s-l1600.jpg

Ive then bought some H8 female wiring connectors to attach to the cars wiring as my connectors were ripped off anyway and these will plug straight into the new foglights:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2PCS-H11-...rwfgWWeipz4f4U

All the electrical components have arrived for me to wire up my fog lights. On a BRZ the wiring goes into the bumper mounted DRL then back out of that into the fog light. Therefore I had to use a multimeter to identify the fog light wiring amongst that. Once the car is back I will get some photos of this.

Day 76

More Parcels

Finally my parts from JapanParts are here. First of three parcels to arrive were the alcantara with red stitch door toppers and instrument cluster cover from the JDM TS version:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...5ca35241_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

I love alcantara, I cant wait to get these in alongside some other bits once the car is back from paint.

Next up with have my SARD style wing. I collected it from my local bodyshop and oh my they have done an amazing job. Its like glass, theres so much depth to the clear coat now with no sign of the previous damage, I would go as far as to say the clearcoat is better than when it was new for sure:



https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...98cbcb10_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

I'm expecting more parts tomorrow.

Day 77

More parts from Japan, this time a full STI kit including front lip, sideskirts and rear bumper trims. All finished in a satin/matt black finish and will be fitted as they are. Glad I went for the genuine bits over rep parts as they should fit no issue, even if they hit my wallet hard:

Side Skirts

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...12aa5df4_c.jpgSTI BRZ Parts by James Baker, on Flickr

Front Lip

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...8cdb672f_c.jpgSTI BRZ Parts by James Baker, on Flickr

Rear Bumper Trim

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...719c7c9e_c.jpgSTI BRZ Parts by James Baker, on Flickr

I also have black controls so I can remove the silver ones to work better with my theme:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...fac1d020_c.jpgSTI BRZ Parts by James Baker, on Flickr

Day 78 - I finally legally own the BRZ

After 78 days of waiting the V5 finally turned up today which means its actually SORN'd and legally mine.

More parts arrived. Firstly suspension components, I went for Tein Flex Z as I wanted to stick with a Japanese made component where possible and I got a bargain on a brand new set that the owner never got chance to fit. He also had Whiteline droplinks which I also snapped up as no doubt the stock ones will need cutting off, which is a known issue.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...f040046c_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...000392ba_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

I also removed all my silver interior trim before the car went off to paint so I could paint them myself matt black. Not a big fan of matching these to body colour so went for something simple. I sanded, primed, painted matt black then used matt lacquer for protection. I'm intersted to see how long they last, if the finish doesn't hold up, I will invest in some carbon parts but for now this was a simple and cheap fix.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...80b1a890_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

Also an interesting package arrived from Japan, a flexible STI strut brace:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...f79c1357_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

Unlike a conventional rigid brace, the flexible one is split and joined with pillow ball joints in the centre to be longitudinally mobile while helping laterally stiffen the body of the car. Here is some blurb from Subaru:

"Different from a rigid bar which is designed just to increase rigidity of the body of a car, the concept behind this bar is to constantly enhance traction of the wheels by strongly holding in a transverse direction at the same time as moderately handling the impact from the ground, in order to realize a ‘flexible yet elegant driving feel’.

As a result, responsiveness at the time of steering improves without compromising comfort, which allows the driver to actually feel that the car can turn as intended, and when they want to go straight, it provides a stable drive without too much impact from uneven road surfaces. As described, this product will further deepen your pleasure of driving.

https://www.sti.jp/en/parts/feature/...etowerbar.html

I will let you know how I get on with it, it came as a bundle with the other STi bits so I haven't lost anything by trying it.

Pulled together a quick update based on video taken when I got the car back from being straightened and my prep for the bodyshop:

https://youtu.be/6sH089Vl6tY

Day 86 - The wheels are back from the refurbisher

As mentioned above, I picked up some super cheaper Rota Grids that looked like they had seen better days to get me off stock wheels until I can get some TE37's. I sent them off to City Wheel Refurbishment https://www.citywheelrefurbishment.co.uk/ in Birmingham who have done many sets of wheels for me and other mates in the past. I decided to go with a matt bronze finish, I have had the gloss version from them before but fancied something a little different, this colour should work well with the new body colour once done. It took a couple of weeks for them to turn them around due to whats going on at the moment but they did a great job especially for the price. £205 including tyre remove/fitting/balancing, it could have been even cheaper at around £30 a wheel if I had gone for a more standard colour such as black/silver and they didn't have to remove/fit/balance tyres. Great service if anyone is looking for somewhere to get theirs wheels done.

Ignore the budget tyres, they came pretty much free with the wheels and are literally brand new so threw them on to keep the car rolling while I continue to build it.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...668c8245_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

They look awesome! Paint or powder coat?

Thanks it’s powder coat. I’ve never had a set of wheels painted, always gone with powder coat

painted and powder coated are two different things???? what's the difference?

Mind sharing the brand and color? I have a set of TE37s that need refinishing, yours look reaaally close to the original color.

Great question, paint is exactly as you would expect, applying liquid paint to the surface of your wheels to change colour/refresh existing colour. Paint can be applied to any surface

Powder coating is a completely different process, for refinishing objects like wheels. Very simply put they use a special type of spray gun, which applies an electrostatic charge to a supply of coloured powder particles(a mix including tiny coloured plastic beads), which are then attracted to the grounded metal part. The parts are then put in an oven/Ultraviolet light to cure.

Due to the excessive heat this process cant be used on plastics such as the wheel centre caps (There are some powdercoating processes that now work on plastics but are far less common and I've not seen a wheel refurb company have that tech)

Unfortunately I dont get that sort of info when selecting the colour at the wheel refurb company and they dont like to share the exact brands etc as not many refurb places offer a decent gold/bronze colour so they are protective over it from what I can see.

This is one of the better examples I’ve found. Definitely not exact, but pretty close for powder coat.

https://www.prismaticpowders.com/gal...-racing-wheels

I had no idea, thanks for the info

Yea that combo looks close too, but it’s very dependent on lighting. I’ve been looking in prismatic’s gallery and that combo is definitely the closest.

DAY 89

My Geraldsproject controller is here for the facelift dial cluster I have fitted. It gives me a joystick and select button to navigate the menus etc and will be installed in the blanking plate inbetween the traction control buttons. It took nearly 2 months to arrive the USA but im glad its here. Now I just need the car to fit it to.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...2f8ab3cc_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

I also finally have a USB retention cable that I am hoping will work this time.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...6509d7d1_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/OE-Car-St...72.m2749.l2649

Day 104

Not a massive update, the bodyshop have removed all the glass, removed any dents, sanded down the original paint, welded up the boot spoiler holes and are literally masking up the car as I type this. Paint will be done this week hopefully with it due back to me possible next week. It's been with the bodyshop for a month now, I didn't give them any deadline as I was happy for them to take their time and fit it in between other work, hence its taken longer than normal.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...a17ed735_c.jpgUntitled by James Baker, on Flickr

Also had the stock spoiler mounting holes welded up as I dont need them anymore as the wing I have clamps to the edges of the boot lid and dont want to be left with unsightly holes or none matching bungs.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...97065e40_c.jpgStock spoiler holes also welded up by James Baker, on Flickr

Day 105

Yesterday I received a short video of the car in the paint booth. The finish on the paint is spot on, so glossy and it hasn't even been polished yet. Here is that short teaser clip, the colour is hidden for now, reveal coming soon via youtube. Autoworx have done a great job, I cant wait to see it in person and start rebuilding it. They are now painting all the individual bits like doors, bonnet, dash etc, hopefully it should be back with me pretty soon.


https://youtu.be/2ov-RKFR19k