DSOmegaX STi BRZ tS Completed Build

[DSOmegaX]

Thought this was an interesting comparison between concept and reality. With the oil cooler in, looks pretty close. Too bad they ended up not painting the strut bar in pink.

[cslntuee]

Originally Posted by DSOmegaX

Had the Subaru OEM oil cooler from the forester/WRX fa20 put into the BRZ.

Will this direct fit BRZ without any modify?
Thanks.

[DSOmegaX]

Originally Posted by cslntuee

Will this direct fit BRZ without any modify?

Thanks.

Not 100% but close. There's some slight modding needed, more so for mine as an AT. There's a DIY floating around on the forums about it.

[cslntuee]

Originally Posted by DSOmegaX

Not 100% but close. There's some slight modding needed, more so for mine as an AT. There's a DIY floating around on the forums about it.

I did the search on the forums and found the post as below.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50427

They list the part for the MT. Any additional parts you bought for AT setup?

It looks like also has different way to connect the hoses.
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=73684

Could you share the installation guidance for AT or your reference?

Thanks.

[DSOmegaX]

Originally Posted by cslntuee

I did the search on the forums and found the post as below.



http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50427



They list the part for the MT. Any additional parts you bought for AT setup?



It looks like also has different way to connect the hoses.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=73684



Could you share the installation guidance for AT or your reference?



Thanks.

You'll need a tee tap to tap into one of the coolant lines. Unlike the MT, the indicated hose is already tapped in the AT, which is why the tee tap is required

[cslntuee]

Originally Posted by DSOmegaX

You'll need a tee tap to tap into one of the coolant lines. Unlike the MT, the indicated hose is already tapped in the AT, which is why the tee tap is required

Where or which kind of tee tap you bought?
Could you share the link?
Thanks again.

[DSOmegaX]

Originally Posted by cslntuee

Where or which kind of tee tap you bought?

Could you share the link?

Thanks again.

Just picked up one from the local auto shop. 5/8" to 1/2" if I remember correctly

[SuperDave]

@DSOmegaX, I noticed that you didn't install the flexible draw stiffener on the brz, any reason why you passed up that mod?

[DSOmegaX]

Originally Posted by SuperDave

@DSOmegaX, I noticed that you didn't install the flexible draw stiffener on the brz, any reason why you passed up that mod?

It's on my remaining parts list to do. I have the STi steering rack bushings, steering rack bolts, and rear suspension assembly bolts in pending install. The draw stiffener and rear axles are then next. Just between the recent car events and working on the WRX as well, haven't gotten around to it.

[DSOmegaX]

Bears for days!

[Pkush]

Might be a stupid question or one you wouldn't want to answer, but...How much did you spend on all those STI parts for the BRZ in total? :O

[DSOmegaX]

Originally Posted by Pkush

Might be a stupid question or one you wouldn't want to answer, but...How much did you spend on all those STI parts for the BRZ in total? :O

Parts alone it's definitely been at least 11k-12k.

[DSOmegaX]

An in car sound clip

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRB9QIxYaR8"]BRZ STi Axleback (In Car) - YouTube[/ame]

[DSOmegaX]

Installed the following parts into the car:
Carbon driveshaft from DSS (weight approximately 13lbs compared to 20+ stock)
STi rear axles from the JDM BRZ tS (larger diameter shafts with equivalent weight as stock)
STi steering rack bushings (harder durometer rubber)
STi steering rack bolt assembly (the bolts penetrate through the subframe, effectively using the frame assembly as a stiffer joint)

These modifications probably had one of most significant changes to the overall feel of the car. It now rev's faster, accelerates quicker, and does it all much more smoothly than before. Combined with the solid feel of the bushings, the overall car just feels more balanced through the corners than before. I was most surprised with just how smooth the car feels; and while it's hard to effectively pinpoint whether the contributions come from the driveshaft or the axles, the combined effect of the two has made the car even more enjoyable to drive.

With these updates, the last major component is the STi draw stiffener, which will go on most likely later this week.

And with that, the journey of this car really comes to an end. I started out almost 3 years ago with no clear idea of what I wanted to do with this car. It started as an impulse buy after just falling in love with it. From that point on, I wanted to do something that would be unique here in the U.S., and it ended up being a conversion of the STi performance line (which would then effectively translate into the JDM BRZ tS). To this day I get asked why I would do such a build, when there's much cheaper and "better" options out there. My answer is quite simple: because I can. As someone who works in operations in a manufacturing environment, I have an appreciation of OEM parts and, whether you believe this to be true or not, would still prefer parts that were not only designed as intended for the original product, but designed to function effectively together. There will always be cheaper parts (and I find the idea of something "better" very subjective anyway), but more important to me is putting together something cohesive.

And while the potential of the tS may be released in the U.S. (which may effectively negate all my work), I still find the prospect a low probability based on the money and time it took to put this car together. And even if it does come, I doubt it will be the same car (it will most likely be stripped of some of the components). Regardless, I am having immense fun with it and hope to continue to troll both people on the street and Subaru employees (bringing this car to the dealership is always fun).

I doubt I will truly be "done" with modding this car, but as it stands, the focus now shifts solely to the WRX . In any case, the mod list has been updated! Enjoy!