Subaru GC = Apple. BRZ = Orange.

[Subzero]

It amazes me how much these cars feel similar, but don't share really a single common part at all. I'm used to Legacies, Foresters, and Imprezas swapping bits like legos over 20 years. I'm not so much relearning, but readjusting to this chassis. Those of you that came here from the "dark side"; how's the light over here? I'll explore more with a wrench after I pick up my own BRZ.

These appear to have the same style of bolt-on chassis bracing as later model WRX's. Spark plugs appear to be the same PITA. There appears to be no STI anything for these just yet. The aftermarket looks to be swooping in on the power end of things but there's not much chassis stuff. Thoughts?

[WingsofWar]

Originally Posted by Subzero

It amazes me how much these cars feel similar, but don't share really a single common part at all. I'm used to Legacies, Foresters, and Imprezas swapping bits like legos over 20 years. I'm not so much relearning, but readjusting to this chassis. Those of you that came here from the "dark side"; how's the light over here? I'll explore more with a wrench after I pick up my own BRZ.

These appear to have the same style of bolt-on chassis bracing as later model WRX's. Spark plugs appear to be the same PITA. There appears to be no STI anything for these just yet. The aftermarket looks to be swooping in on the power end of things but there's not much chassis stuff. Thoughts?

Welcome to the forum! theres already plenty of information in regarding the BRZ and FRS, GT86 models, floating about in here. Have fun!

For me, I have yet to take order of my BRZ, but iv had some seat time in the car and a bit of tooling, and like any modern japanese car its pretty straight forward and you can expect similar experiences you get from the WRX, LEGACY, also getting the feel of older japanese sports cars like the ae86, s13, rx7.

There are plenty of chassis and suspension mods available, we have a sub section for those also, feel free to brows the vendors on what they are offering. But before that, take time to learn your car. Even if its only 200hp it really teaches you how to drive. I came from a 300hp rx7 and a 350hp s14 and the BRZ taught me more about precision and driving fast, than actually going fast in my previous cars.

[infinite012]

Whiteline has their entire assortment of chassis braces available and they have a couple more still in development.

What were you expecting? The car just came out last year. There hasn't been nearly enough time for vendors/manufacturers to develop [good] parts for the BRZ like they do for the Impreza since, as you said, Subaru has been using that platform for 20 years.

[OrbitalEllipses]

Originally Posted by infinite012

Whiteline has their entire assortment of chassis braces available and they have a couple more still in development.

What were you expecting? The car just came out last year. There hasn't been nearly enough time for vendors/manufacturers to develop [good] parts for the BRZ like they do for the Impreza since, as you said, Subaru has been using that platform for 20 years.

Rear suspension is a take-off from the GR/GV Impreza WRX/STI, which is a take-off from earlier an earlier Legacy chassis. There's still a bit of LEGO going on with this car.

[norsamerican]

i had a RHD swapped gc and after whitline bushings the brz still feels more responsive in stock form.

[Beyer Subaru]

As for STi anything, check out @switchlanez and my car.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24915

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24915

The aftermarket is still young for this car but all of the Mfrs are scrambling to get a piece of the pie quickly.

The 2013 Tokyo Auto Salon is a good example of what kind of effect this car is having in the aftermarket.

[Subzero]

Another apple/orange comparison--

Getting this car sideways feels like a 90-94 Leggy or an Impreza with a 20mm rear bar. It has that same "eager" or "snappy" feel and it recovers as quickly with countersteer and throttle. The rear end behavior feels similar to me, which is probably due to those rear suspension similarities that OrbitalEllipses mentioned.

For the record as well, I like the fact that this car is a bit of a snub to the AWD crowd .

[industrial]

Coming from a GR (and 2 GDs and 1 GC), I felt right at home in the BRZ. The engine and tranny are all new sure but all the bolts, fasteners, snaps and the way stuff comes apart is pretty subaru standard. I shared the same feeling as you. Just sitting in the drivers seat for the first time and looking around, everything looked instantly familiar. Felt like my GR. The stitching, alcantara, silver accents, shifter, steering wheel.

[infinite012]

Originally Posted by industrial

Coming from a GR (and 2 GDs and 1 GC), I felt right at home in the BRZ. The engine and tranny are all new sure but all the bolts, fasteners, snaps and the way stuff comes apart is pretty subaru standard. I shared the same feeling as you. Just sitting in the drivers seat for the first time and looking around, everything looked instantly familiar. Felt like my GR. The stitching, alcantara, silver accents, shifter, steering wheel.

Basically this.

[Subzero]

How close to 2,000lbs can you get? I found the weight reduction thread. 2550 seems to be more normal by removing normal stuff.

[xwd]

There are more parts for this car in the first 9 months of availability than pretty much all of the Subaru models previously combined, engine or chassis.

2550 is doable with lighter exhaust, battery, take the junk out of the trunk and have about 1/8 tank of gas in the car. Even easier if you remove interior pieces like the rear seats.

Beyond that you are looking at things which may not make it such a good daily driver anymore, like removing the radio, AC, going to lighter fixed back front seats. Can find replacement bumper beams. I think going beyond 2400 is going to start to be difficult and expensive. Subaru designed the car to be lightweight so there isn't all that much extra weight to remove.

I did see one vendor has built CF doors.



$5400...

[xrs]

Ohh, those would do wonders for door ding prevention