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Thread: AZPete's 818 Build - Finished . . . I think

  1. #1
    Senior Member AZPete's Avatar
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    AZPete's 818 Build - Finished . . . I think

    My 818S kit was delivered over 5 years ago so I’ve had over 5 years of fun building it - my second Factory Five build. It’s now so complete that I’m looking for what else I can add or upgrade, so it’s time to try to give back. I think I should pass along some things I’ve learned that might be helpful to other builders. In other words, this is a BUILT Thread – past tense.

    For years, I’ve posted questions and answers in specific topics because they are easier to find than in Build Threads and now this forum doesn’t need more normal, “by-the-book” installs. So, this thread is about Extras that I hope will be useful to some. I think the fun is in the extras that are “beyond-the-book” that make our 818 cars unique handmade creations.

    Most of the extras in my 818 were gleaned from this Factory Five Forum, both the Roadster and 818 sections, and a few are my original innovations as a pioneer with frame #25. (Not shown are a few brilliant ideas that turned out to be idiotic failures.)

    My plan from the start has been to build a street car with some of the performance and comfort features of a production car. I built my 818 as a topless roadster, 818S, and enjoyed driving it. As soon as it was available, I bought the hardtop to make it a coupe, 818C, and upgraded to the new front also. I can convert it back and forth from a snug coupe to a topless roadster by lifting off the hardtop and mounting the roadster windshield and engine covers.
    It’s a blast to drive, but for me building is even more fun.



    First, thanks to Factory Five Racing for their amazing component cars, attentive service, innovative engineering and the family of like-minded lunatics who build their own cars. Secondly, I thank all the FFR Forum members who have helped me learn by sharing their knowledge, experiences, successes, encouragement, warnings, failures and humor.

    My 818 includes a 2006 WRX 2.5 turbo, 5MT transaxle, ABS brakes, power steering, air conditioning & heat, cruise control, Pioneer audio with Apple CarPlay, backup camera, windshield wiper with washer, power windows & locks, custom intercooler plenum, custom trunk, Boig exhaust, K-Tuned shifter, and a custom leather interior with glove box and door pockets.
    Last edited by AZPete; 02-13-2019 at 05:43 PM.
    818S/C : Chassis #25 with 06 WRX 2.5 turbo, ABS, cruise, PS, A/C, Apple CarPlay, rear camera, power windows & locks, leather & other complexities. Sold 10/19 with 5,800 miles.
    Mk3 Roadster #6228 4.6L, T45, IRS, PS, PB, ABS, Cruise, Koni's, 17" Halibrands, red w/ silver - 9K miles then sold @ Barrett-Jackson Jan 2011 (got back cash spent).

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  3. #2
    Senior Member AZPete's Avatar
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    INDEX - hopefully the following Post Numbers will help you find what interests you in this Thread:

    Free No-tech tools #3
    Chassis Dolly #4
    Power steering #5
    ABS brakes #6
    Remote brake/clutch reservoir #7
    Rear-Rear firewall #8
    Radiator/hood baffle #9
    Cruise control #10
    Turn signal and horn #11
    Pebble dings in fenders #12
    Hard top hidden mounts #13
    Headliner – foamcore #15
    Intercooler plenum, side ducts #16
    Air Conditioning #17
    Heater lines w/ bleeder #18
    Hood latch #19
    Barchetta door handles #20
    Power door locks #21
    Glove box #22
    Passenger foot rest #36
    Trunk for 818C #39
    Dash Side Cover #44
    Door inside seal #45
    Door hinge stop #48
    Seat mount #50
    Last edited by AZPete; 06-26-2019 at 04:55 PM. Reason: added post numbers
    818S/C : Chassis #25 with 06 WRX 2.5 turbo, ABS, cruise, PS, A/C, Apple CarPlay, rear camera, power windows & locks, leather & other complexities. Sold 10/19 with 5,800 miles.
    Mk3 Roadster #6228 4.6L, T45, IRS, PS, PB, ABS, Cruise, Koni's, 17" Halibrands, red w/ silver - 9K miles then sold @ Barrett-Jackson Jan 2011 (got back cash spent).

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  5. #3
    Senior Member AZPete's Avatar
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    Free No-tech tools
    There are two tool ideas I stole from other builders that make me smile every time I use them. You could buy a rivet spacer for about $50 or you could make your own from the elastic waist band of a pair of jockey shorts. Mark the elastic every 2 inches, then clamp one end, stretch and clamp the other end, mark the panel. Grin.



    There are lots of tools to bend brake lines but I like this no-tech one made with 2 sockets on a board. The coat hanger wire is used to plan the brake tubing, then duplicate the bends in the tubing with the no-tech bender.
    Last edited by AZPete; 11-15-2018 at 01:43 AM.
    818S/C : Chassis #25 with 06 WRX 2.5 turbo, ABS, cruise, PS, A/C, Apple CarPlay, rear camera, power windows & locks, leather & other complexities. Sold 10/19 with 5,800 miles.
    Mk3 Roadster #6228 4.6L, T45, IRS, PS, PB, ABS, Cruise, Koni's, 17" Halibrands, red w/ silver - 9K miles then sold @ Barrett-Jackson Jan 2011 (got back cash spent).

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  7. #4
    Senior Member AZPete's Avatar
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    Chassis Dolly
    To make things easier, especially in limited space without a lift, you should consider a chassis dolly. I built a chassis dolly for both my roadster build and my 818 build because I like to do as much as possible with the chassis at a good working height and move it back and forth for working space. You can do all the suspension, brakes, wiring, cooling, power steering, HVAC and even the drive train and run the engine before adding wheels. This also means you don’t have to spend money on wheels and tires until needed, and the tires don’t age for all those many months.

    The 4 blocks on this dolly are removable so you can raise and lower the chassis in steps if your floor jack won’t reach the full height. I used a couple of ratchet straps to hold the frame to the dolly so I could climb all over it and push it around the garage safely. I’ve built 2 cars in one bay of a 3-car garage so space is precious.
    Last edited by AZPete; 11-15-2018 at 01:43 AM.
    818S/C : Chassis #25 with 06 WRX 2.5 turbo, ABS, cruise, PS, A/C, Apple CarPlay, rear camera, power windows & locks, leather & other complexities. Sold 10/19 with 5,800 miles.
    Mk3 Roadster #6228 4.6L, T45, IRS, PS, PB, ABS, Cruise, Koni's, 17" Halibrands, red w/ silver - 9K miles then sold @ Barrett-Jackson Jan 2011 (got back cash spent).

  8. #5
    Senior Member AZPete's Avatar
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    Power Steering
    I know many say the 818 doesn’t need power steering but if you have the donor power rack, pump and reservoir, you can just have two longer hoses made by a hydraulics shop and it works like a production car. It’s easy to maneuver at slow speeds, like parking or in and out of a garage. You remember this is a street car, not an track car, don’t you? Just take the donor hoses to a hydraulic shop so they can use the end fittings and tell them how long you want the new hoses. After I bent the metal lines of the rack and connected the new longer hoses, it looked like this:


    The PS pump mounts on the engine, in the OE position with the belt, and you can mount the reservoir anywhere near it. This is easy and inexpensive power steering if you have the donor parts.
    Last edited by AZPete; 11-15-2018 at 01:44 AM.
    818S/C : Chassis #25 with 06 WRX 2.5 turbo, ABS, cruise, PS, A/C, Apple CarPlay, rear camera, power windows & locks, leather & other complexities. Sold 10/19 with 5,800 miles.
    Mk3 Roadster #6228 4.6L, T45, IRS, PS, PB, ABS, Cruise, Koni's, 17" Halibrands, red w/ silver - 9K miles then sold @ Barrett-Jackson Jan 2011 (got back cash spent).

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  10. #6
    Senior Member AZPete's Avatar
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    ABS brakes
    I added anti-skid braking, ABS, by using the donor parts including wheel sensors, wiring, ABS module and the donor ECU. Factory Five supplied one proportioning valve to reduce the pressure to the 2 front brakes, but that is for a non-ABS system. The Subaru brake system has the dual master cylinder controlling the diagonal brakes, in other words, the primary cylinder of the master cylinder pushes fluid to the right front and left rear brakes, and the secondary cylinder pushes fluid to the left front and right rear brakes. Of course, all lines go through the ABS module, so the ECU controls skidding at each wheel accordingly.

    Due to this donor set-up, I installed a proportioning valve on each front brake line to control front braking individually. It resulted in a spaghetti-like tangle of brake lines, and it took a number of test lock-ups to get the system adjusted front-to-back and right-to-left, but the ABS system works perfectly, including the dash light. There’s nothing innovative here since you are just copying the donor system. (Warning: this looks like metal spaghetti but you can do it line-by-line-by-line.)
    Last edited by AZPete; 11-15-2018 at 01:45 AM.
    818S/C : Chassis #25 with 06 WRX 2.5 turbo, ABS, cruise, PS, A/C, Apple CarPlay, rear camera, power windows & locks, leather & other complexities. Sold 10/19 with 5,800 miles.
    Mk3 Roadster #6228 4.6L, T45, IRS, PS, PB, ABS, Cruise, Koni's, 17" Halibrands, red w/ silver - 9K miles then sold @ Barrett-Jackson Jan 2011 (got back cash spent).

  11. #7
    Senior Member AZPete's Avatar
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    Remote brake/clutch reservoir
    You’ll want to install a remote reservoir for the brake and clutch master cylinders because the donor reservoir is hard to reach under the windshield apron. A good solution is the remote reservoir kit from Mike Everson’s Replicaparts.com, a forum vendor. I suggest you mount it so that you can easily remove the windshield for future work or converting from roadster to coupe. I mounted the reservoir like this, but you could put it anywhere else, above the master, but not attached to the windshield apron.



    To make a secure connection to the master cylinder, you could make a simple clamp that holds the tubes to the primary and secondary ports:
    Last edited by AZPete; 11-15-2018 at 01:46 AM.
    818S/C : Chassis #25 with 06 WRX 2.5 turbo, ABS, cruise, PS, A/C, Apple CarPlay, rear camera, power windows & locks, leather & other complexities. Sold 10/19 with 5,800 miles.
    Mk3 Roadster #6228 4.6L, T45, IRS, PS, PB, ABS, Cruise, Koni's, 17" Halibrands, red w/ silver - 9K miles then sold @ Barrett-Jackson Jan 2011 (got back cash spent).

  12. #8
    Senior Member AZPete's Avatar
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    Rear-Rear Firewall
    Here’s a “don’t-do-as -I-did” tip. The 818 kit does not include aluminum panels to cover the rear of the rear firewall, the “rear-rear firewall”. I didn’t want dirt from the engine compartment to cover a bunch of wiring, relays, ECU, fuel tank & pump, and other stuff, plus it would look messy and be impossible to clean. So, I made 4 panels, had them powder coated and installed them . . . after the engine was installed. It was a Royal PITA because there’s only about 1.5 inches between the engine and the firewall. Here you can see the gloss black rear-rear firewall but the photo doesn’t show the adult words, blood and extra beer needed. Install your rear-rear firewall BEFORE the engine!


    If you make the rear-rear firewall in 4 pieces, you’ll be able to remove sections for work later. The upper part is 3 triangular panels, each installed with #10 rivnuts over thin foam strip for easy removal and the bottom rectangular panel is installed with rivets and sealant since it should never need to be removed.



    Did I mention to do this BEFORE dropping the engine in?
    Last edited by AZPete; 11-15-2018 at 02:12 AM.
    818S/C : Chassis #25 with 06 WRX 2.5 turbo, ABS, cruise, PS, A/C, Apple CarPlay, rear camera, power windows & locks, leather & other complexities. Sold 10/19 with 5,800 miles.
    Mk3 Roadster #6228 4.6L, T45, IRS, PS, PB, ABS, Cruise, Koni's, 17" Halibrands, red w/ silver - 9K miles then sold @ Barrett-Jackson Jan 2011 (got back cash spent).

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  14. #9
    Senior Member AZPete's Avatar
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    Radiator – Hood Baffle
    Between the top of the radiator and the inside of the hood there is a gap of about 4 inches where incoming air can go over the radiator. To force air through the radiator, and my A/C condenser, I made this simple aluminum baffle with bulb-seal on top. This would be useful on both the 818S and 818C, the old front or the new front.
    Last edited by AZPete; 11-15-2018 at 01:48 AM.
    818S/C : Chassis #25 with 06 WRX 2.5 turbo, ABS, cruise, PS, A/C, Apple CarPlay, rear camera, power windows & locks, leather & other complexities. Sold 10/19 with 5,800 miles.
    Mk3 Roadster #6228 4.6L, T45, IRS, PS, PB, ABS, Cruise, Koni's, 17" Halibrands, red w/ silver - 9K miles then sold @ Barrett-Jackson Jan 2011 (got back cash spent).

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    Senior Member AZPete's Avatar
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    Cruise Control
    I thought I’d try to use the donor cruise control system because this is a street car and nobody had done it before, which is part of the fun of being a pioneer. (Pause here for the 818R guys to vomit.) I just duplicated the donor wiring to the cruise control switch and dash pod. I also kept the donor speed sensor (VSS) and the ECU, of course. The cruise control switch is part of the large donor steering wheel, which I didn’t want to use, so I fabricated a mount for the switch on the steering column below the ignition key. Having cruise control was really appreciated on 2 interstate trips to the Huntington Beach Show of 900 miles each.



    You can mount the cruise control switch wherever you can reach it easily but I found a strong part of the steering column that I could cut and bend. The part below marked with * is the same piece.
    Last edited by AZPete; 11-16-2018 at 06:05 PM.
    818S/C : Chassis #25 with 06 WRX 2.5 turbo, ABS, cruise, PS, A/C, Apple CarPlay, rear camera, power windows & locks, leather & other complexities. Sold 10/19 with 5,800 miles.
    Mk3 Roadster #6228 4.6L, T45, IRS, PS, PB, ABS, Cruise, Koni's, 17" Halibrands, red w/ silver - 9K miles then sold @ Barrett-Jackson Jan 2011 (got back cash spent).

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  18. #11
    Senior Member AZPete's Avatar
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    Turn signal
    If you want turn signals that cancel, and you don’t want to keep the big donor steering wheel, you can modify the mechanism to work with any steering wheel. I installed the Factory Five leather wheel by buying a momo adapter and connecting the donor plastic cylinder, as this photo. Note that the tab triggers a little turn signal lever inside when turned 90 degrees, then cancels it when turned back.
    Horn
    You can discard the cumbersome horn ribbon if you concoct a springy thingy (paper clip or safety pin) that rubs on the copper surface of the momo adapter. I think Factory Five sells an adaptor now, or order a momo adapter elsewhere.
    Last edited by AZPete; 11-15-2018 at 01:50 AM.
    818S/C : Chassis #25 with 06 WRX 2.5 turbo, ABS, cruise, PS, A/C, Apple CarPlay, rear camera, power windows & locks, leather & other complexities. Sold 10/19 with 5,800 miles.
    Mk3 Roadster #6228 4.6L, T45, IRS, PS, PB, ABS, Cruise, Koni's, 17" Halibrands, red w/ silver - 9K miles then sold @ Barrett-Jackson Jan 2011 (got back cash spent).

  19. #12
    Senior Member AZPete's Avatar
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    Pebble dings in fenders
    Your tires will fling pebbles up to hit the inside of your front fenders. At first, you’ll be scared something came loose, then you’ll get used to the occasional impact sounds, then you’ll notice star cracks in your paint. On my Roadster, I tried several coats of bed liner but still got noise and cracks, so then found a great closed-cell foam: yoga mats. You can save your front fenders by gluing pieces of yoga mat to the inside above the tire with silicone sealant or undercoating. Yoga mat is not needed above the rear tires because the 818 has rear wheel wells.
    Last edited by AZPete; 11-15-2018 at 01:50 AM.
    818S/C : Chassis #25 with 06 WRX 2.5 turbo, ABS, cruise, PS, A/C, Apple CarPlay, rear camera, power windows & locks, leather & other complexities. Sold 10/19 with 5,800 miles.
    Mk3 Roadster #6228 4.6L, T45, IRS, PS, PB, ABS, Cruise, Koni's, 17" Halibrands, red w/ silver - 9K miles then sold @ Barrett-Jackson Jan 2011 (got back cash spent).

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  21. #13
    Senior Member AZPete's Avatar
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    Hidden Hardtop Mounts
    If you like the racey look of the pin & clip fasteners, use them for your hardtop mounts. If you like hidden fasteners like production cars, it’s not difficult. For the hardtop mount behind the doors, you can epoxy a threaded stud (McMaster, Grainger, etc.) to the hardtop to avoid a bolt head showing.


    For the rear corner mounts, epoxy a threaded stud on the inside corner of the hardtop and cut an angled bar that straddles the corner of the rear and side body panels.
    Last edited by AZPete; 11-15-2018 at 01:51 AM.
    818S/C : Chassis #25 with 06 WRX 2.5 turbo, ABS, cruise, PS, A/C, Apple CarPlay, rear camera, power windows & locks, leather & other complexities. Sold 10/19 with 5,800 miles.
    Mk3 Roadster #6228 4.6L, T45, IRS, PS, PB, ABS, Cruise, Koni's, 17" Halibrands, red w/ silver - 9K miles then sold @ Barrett-Jackson Jan 2011 (got back cash spent).

  22. #14
    Senior Member svanlare's Avatar
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    Having seen your car in person on several occasions, you built a great car! Your support here has been great too as big advocate for the community. I've copied many of your ideas on my own car (starting with the dolly and including having a set of photos in the car to explain what it is whenever I'm at the gas station). My wife is reminding me now of visiting you before my kit arrived and chuckling at how scared she was that we were going to someones house that "I met on the internet" yet we had a great time visiting. I'm thrilled you have "started" a thread for your car.
    -Steve

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    Senior Member AZPete's Avatar
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    Headliner
    Here’s another “don’t do what I did” tip. The hardtop came with an aluminum panel for the ceiling headliner. I wrapped it in tan vinyl to match my leather seats, then glued it in with silicone sealant. It came loose. More sealant. It came loose. 3M High-Hold tape. It came loose. Upholstery Cement. It came loose. To keep it up I placed small screws at the edges. Didn’t look right. Then a forum buddy, Svanlare, suggested Foamcore. It works very well and has stayed up over a year in the intense Arizona desert heat! Foamcore is a flexible lightweight board at art supply stores. Don’t waste time installing the aluminum headliner panel, but use it as a template to cut the foamcore, then use silicone sealant.
    Last edited by AZPete; 11-15-2018 at 09:55 AM.
    818S/C : Chassis #25 with 06 WRX 2.5 turbo, ABS, cruise, PS, A/C, Apple CarPlay, rear camera, power windows & locks, leather & other complexities. Sold 10/19 with 5,800 miles.
    Mk3 Roadster #6228 4.6L, T45, IRS, PS, PB, ABS, Cruise, Koni's, 17" Halibrands, red w/ silver - 9K miles then sold @ Barrett-Jackson Jan 2011 (got back cash spent).

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  26. #16
    Senior Member AZPete's Avatar
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    Intercooler Plenum
    A challenge for all mid-engine turbo cars is getting air to the intercooler. Most of the 818R guys have converted to an air-to-water intercooler, AWIC. As a street car the demands are not as severe so I wanted to make the air-to-air intercooler work as it does in the WRX. Factory Five designed air ducts in the hardtop so I directed air to a plenum. You could probably build a better looking intercooler plenum than this, but it gets lots of air via two side vents and the roof vents. I installed the side vents from Factory Five that feed air into the side ports on the plenum via 4-inch flex tubes. The 2 roof vents feed air into the 2 middle plenum ports, also via 4-inch flex tubes. At any speed over 20 mph I’m getting a strong flow of air. To insure air flow when stopped in traffic, I installed 2 electric Spal fans in the plenum (2nd photo) with a lighted dash switch. The square/round thing on the front of the plenum is a dual IAT gauge (intake air temp before & after intercooler) that I can see in the rear view mirror.



    Last edited by AZPete; 11-22-2018 at 10:25 AM.
    818S/C : Chassis #25 with 06 WRX 2.5 turbo, ABS, cruise, PS, A/C, Apple CarPlay, rear camera, power windows & locks, leather & other complexities. Sold 10/19 with 5,800 miles.
    Mk3 Roadster #6228 4.6L, T45, IRS, PS, PB, ABS, Cruise, Koni's, 17" Halibrands, red w/ silver - 9K miles then sold @ Barrett-Jackson Jan 2011 (got back cash spent).

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  28. #17
    Senior Member AZPete's Avatar
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    Air Conditioning
    Here’s another “don’t do what I did” tip. Since I was an early pioneer, I tried making the donor HVAC system work in my 818 but it was a big waste of time and money. The Subaru evaporator/fan/heater unit is so big that I picture the production line starts with the huge HVAC unit, then they build the car around it.

    You can use the donor compressor and condenser, plus the ends of the donor hoses. Download the catalog from Vintageair.com to plan your A/C system. The Vintage Air “Mini Space Saver” unit fits nicely under the dash frame and it has the A/C evaporator, fan and a heater core.



    There are other versions if you need defrosters or maybe a heater without A/C. When I was planning my A/C, Vintage Air said the Subaru compressor wouldn't work with their system, but I later discovered that it works beautifully. Maybe they are smarter now, but know you can save a bundle of money by using the donor compressor.

    After being parked for a few hours in the scorching Arizona desert sun, my 818 interior cools down in about 10 seconds! If you want more info, I made a pdf that shows details and an order list that I can send you if you send me a PM with your email address. It’s too big to send by PM or include here.
    Last edited by AZPete; 11-20-2018 at 03:35 PM.
    818S/C : Chassis #25 with 06 WRX 2.5 turbo, ABS, cruise, PS, A/C, Apple CarPlay, rear camera, power windows & locks, leather & other complexities. Sold 10/19 with 5,800 miles.
    Mk3 Roadster #6228 4.6L, T45, IRS, PS, PB, ABS, Cruise, Koni's, 17" Halibrands, red w/ silver - 9K miles then sold @ Barrett-Jackson Jan 2011 (got back cash spent).

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  30. #18
    Senior Member AZPete's Avatar
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    Heater needs a bypass
    One other thing, if you run heater hoses from the engine to the front, you’ll want to add a bypass to keep coolant flowing when your heater is off. The Subaru engine gets upset if coolant doesn’t flow, which is why Factory Five includes a small u-shaped hose to connect the heater lines. My short bypass between the heater hoses has a bleeder valve that helped get the air out. Or, check out the heater bypass valve sold by a forum vendor, Myraceshop.com.
    Last edited by AZPete; 11-20-2018 at 03:37 PM.
    818S/C : Chassis #25 with 06 WRX 2.5 turbo, ABS, cruise, PS, A/C, Apple CarPlay, rear camera, power windows & locks, leather & other complexities. Sold 10/19 with 5,800 miles.
    Mk3 Roadster #6228 4.6L, T45, IRS, PS, PB, ABS, Cruise, Koni's, 17" Halibrands, red w/ silver - 9K miles then sold @ Barrett-Jackson Jan 2011 (got back cash spent).

  31. #19
    Senior Member AZPete's Avatar
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    Hidden hood latch
    If you like the body pins and clips that Factory Five includes with your kit, then skip this section.
    If you want a hidden latch with an inside release, like a production car, then start with the beautiful hood hinge set by Zero Decibel Motorsports. (Forum vendor: zerodecibelmotorsports.com) You could install 2 “bearclaw” latches (Jegs or JC Whitney) that grab small bars that are epoxied to the hood, then are released by a pull cable under the dash.

    Here’s my system but you may invent something better. The hood support holds the back edge of the closed hood up for wiper clearance, keeps the hood from fluttering at speed, and holds the release pivot. The covered springs make the hood pop up when the release cable is pulled. When I proudly showed this to my wife, the hood popped up when I pulled the cable and she said, “So? All cars do that.” Sigh.
    Last edited by AZPete; 11-15-2018 at 01:55 AM.
    818S/C : Chassis #25 with 06 WRX 2.5 turbo, ABS, cruise, PS, A/C, Apple CarPlay, rear camera, power windows & locks, leather & other complexities. Sold 10/19 with 5,800 miles.
    Mk3 Roadster #6228 4.6L, T45, IRS, PS, PB, ABS, Cruise, Koni's, 17" Halibrands, red w/ silver - 9K miles then sold @ Barrett-Jackson Jan 2011 (got back cash spent).

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  33. #20
    Senior Member AZPete's Avatar
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    Barchetta Door Handles
    A smart member of this forum, "Touchstone", posted exterior door handles from a Fiat Barchetta that I think are cool. The Barchetta was not imported to the USA so the handles are unique. I bought them from a London parts house via Ebay.



    If you buy these handles, you may have to fix the inside lever:
    Last edited by AZPete; 07-08-2019 at 11:26 PM. Reason: credited Touchstone, changed photo
    818S/C : Chassis #25 with 06 WRX 2.5 turbo, ABS, cruise, PS, A/C, Apple CarPlay, rear camera, power windows & locks, leather & other complexities. Sold 10/19 with 5,800 miles.
    Mk3 Roadster #6228 4.6L, T45, IRS, PS, PB, ABS, Cruise, Koni's, 17" Halibrands, red w/ silver - 9K miles then sold @ Barrett-Jackson Jan 2011 (got back cash spent).

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  35. #21
    Senior Member AZPete's Avatar
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    Electric Door Locks
    If you kept the donor door lock actuators, it’s easy to give your 818 power door locks, no matter what door handles you use. Just mount the white plastic actuators to the door lock mechanism, as in the donor, then wire it up to an aftermarket door lock system. For less than $20 you can find these systems online that include a control unit and 2 remotes. I don’t have any outside door keys so I had to rig a manual unlock in case of a dead battery.
    Last edited by AZPete; 11-15-2018 at 01:56 AM.
    818S/C : Chassis #25 with 06 WRX 2.5 turbo, ABS, cruise, PS, A/C, Apple CarPlay, rear camera, power windows & locks, leather & other complexities. Sold 10/19 with 5,800 miles.
    Mk3 Roadster #6228 4.6L, T45, IRS, PS, PB, ABS, Cruise, Koni's, 17" Halibrands, red w/ silver - 9K miles then sold @ Barrett-Jackson Jan 2011 (got back cash spent).

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  37. #22
    Senior Member AZPete's Avatar
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    Glove Box
    I don’t know why they are still called “glove boxes”, but I wanted one. Even after installing the HVAC unit under the dash there is plenty of room above the dash frame for a glove box. You can make a box to fit your space – mine is 11”W x 4.5”H x 8” deep. Next, cut the front of the dash, add a hinge and a latch, maybe a light, . . . then some Factory Five brochures for people who ask “what car is that?”
    Last edited by AZPete; 11-15-2018 at 01:56 AM.
    818S/C : Chassis #25 with 06 WRX 2.5 turbo, ABS, cruise, PS, A/C, Apple CarPlay, rear camera, power windows & locks, leather & other complexities. Sold 10/19 with 5,800 miles.
    Mk3 Roadster #6228 4.6L, T45, IRS, PS, PB, ABS, Cruise, Koni's, 17" Halibrands, red w/ silver - 9K miles then sold @ Barrett-Jackson Jan 2011 (got back cash spent).

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  39. #23
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    What a great resource for builders. This should be a
    sticky. I am exhausted just reading it all much less doing it.

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  41. #24
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    Pete, thanks for taking the time to create this thread. I really admire your build and gives us all a end result to aspire too.

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  43. #25
    Thinker of thoughts FFRWRX's Avatar
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    That is probably the nicest interior I have seen in a "kitcar". Beautiful! And thank you for the great information on the custom touches you've put in your car.

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  45. #26
    Senior Member E-Ticket Ride's Avatar
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    Funny, but I am close to wrapping up my Mk IV roadster, and have been toying with the ide of following it with and 818 build. This is a great collection of "Good Idea Fairy" tricks that might just push me a little bit further that way.

    Thanks, and beautiful car!
    CL
    Confidence: The feeling you have before you truly understand the situation. FFR 7652 Mk IV Base Kit w/IRS: ordered 10/19/2011; Arrived 11/19/2011. Coyote, Trans & headers Installed 9/11/17. First Start 12/19/17, First Go-cart 3/2/18. Aligned and go-karting. Working the interior now. Happy customer of FFR, North RaceCars, Forte's, and Breeze.
    Chris Lewis

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  47. #27
    Sgt.Gator's Avatar
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    Great Tips!
    "Good Judgement comes from Experience. Experience comes from Bad Judgement"
    Owner: Colonel Red Racing
    eBAy Store: http://stores.ebay.com/colonelredracing
    818R ICSCC SPM
    2005 Subaru STI Race Car ICSCC ST and SPM
    Palatov DP4 - ICSCC Sports Racer

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  49. #28
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    Absolutely amazing build. I've seen it multiple times in person at different stages, and each time was equally impressed. Thanks for taking the time to document and share!

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  51. #29

    Yes, I love Technology
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    AZ - thanks so much for posting all this, and your previous help all over the forum. Sets the standard for a lot of the car from A to Z

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  53. #30
    Senior Member Bob_n_Cincy's Avatar
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    Hey Pete,
    Fantastic job on the COMPLETE 818.
    I was all about functionality. I could only dream about getting to your level of "ATTENTION TO DETAIL".

    If I had the title of Mechanic, Your title would be Artist.
    WOW
    Bob
    818S #22 Candy Blue Frame, Front Gas Tank, 2.5L Turbo, Rear radiator, Shortened Transmission, Wookiee Compatible, Console mounted MR2 Shifter, Custom ECU panel, AWIC soon
    My Son Michael's Turbo ICE Build X22 http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showt...rts-818S-Build
    My Electric Supercar Build X21 (on hold until winter) http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showt...e-Build-Thread

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  55. #31
    Member Kiwi Dave's Avatar
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    Thank you Pete! I have all but one of your mods bookmarked in other builders threads and now we have a one stop shop for your innovative ideas. As our build experience begins for my son and I (picking up the kit next month), your car is the goal and your wisdom and that found in this forum is the means to seeing this as the reality. As you rightly point out, JJ's (Touchstone) build is another great resource for innovative ideas.

    Cheers

    Dave

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  57. #32
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    I'm working on my brakes right now, and am trying to pair a Metro booster to Subaru ABS.

    Did you mount the ABS module directly to the firewall? Did you make a bracket or use any sort of standoff?

  58. #33
    Senior Member AZPete's Avatar
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    I mounted the ABS module to the firewall, but I noticed that the donor module was mounted to a bracket that had a rubber grommet supporting it. I don't know why they used the rubber mount but there must have been a reason, hence I tried to duplicate it. Here's the module and the bracket I made which has the triangular piece from the donor riveted to a steel framing bracket I bought at Ace:


    You may be able to make your own since it's just a 90-degree plate. On the left is the bracket I made from a framing bracket like the new one on the right. (I bought 2 because I often screw up the first one. That applies to lots of stuff.)


    Here's where I mounted the bracket that holds the ABS module. I think it could go just about any place you want.


    I applaud you and a few other guys who are trying to find a way to add a brake booster. I'm sure lots of guys are watching and hoping you pioneers are successful.
    Last edited by AZPete; 11-21-2018 at 12:00 AM.
    818S/C : Chassis #25 with 06 WRX 2.5 turbo, ABS, cruise, PS, A/C, Apple CarPlay, rear camera, power windows & locks, leather & other complexities. Sold 10/19 with 5,800 miles.
    Mk3 Roadster #6228 4.6L, T45, IRS, PS, PB, ABS, Cruise, Koni's, 17" Halibrands, red w/ silver - 9K miles then sold @ Barrett-Jackson Jan 2011 (got back cash spent).

  59. #34
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    Quote Originally Posted by AZPete View Post
    There are lots of tools to bend brake lines but I like this no-tech one made with 2 sockets on a board. The coat hanger wire is used to plan the brake tubing, then duplicate the bends in the tubing with the no-tech bender.
    Love the low tech bender, AND the coat hanger prototype idea!
    As a 30 year auto technician in Minnesota, I've probably replaced THOUSANDS of feet of brake line. There is a line available at NAPA stores that is the absolute BEST to deal with, it comes in a 25' coil and is a copper-nickel alloy. You can make all but the tightest bends with your bare hands, AND you get the benefit of corrosion resistance rivaling stainless steel.
    The Undead Gearhead, back from beyond the grave

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  61. #35
    Senior Member Frank818's Avatar
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    The build quality towards "OEMness" of your interior will never never stop to amaze me...
    Frank
    818 chassis #181 powered by a '93 VW VR6 Turbo GT3582R
    Go-karted Aug 5, 2016 - Then May 19+21, 2017
    Tracked May 27/July 26, 2017
    Build time before being driveable on Sep 27, 2019: over 6000h
    Build Completed Winter 2021

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  63. #36
    Senior Member AZPete's Avatar
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    Passenger Foot Rest
    Have you tried sitting in the passenger seat? Your toes get crunched because the flat floor meets the vertical firewall. Like a production car, I built an angled footrest in the passenger footbox. I can't find my picture of the steel panel under the carpet, but it's simple to cut a rectangle with a few tabs you can rivet to the floor and to the firewall.

    Last edited by AZPete; 02-13-2019 at 05:46 PM.
    818S/C : Chassis #25 with 06 WRX 2.5 turbo, ABS, cruise, PS, A/C, Apple CarPlay, rear camera, power windows & locks, leather & other complexities. Sold 10/19 with 5,800 miles.
    Mk3 Roadster #6228 4.6L, T45, IRS, PS, PB, ABS, Cruise, Koni's, 17" Halibrands, red w/ silver - 9K miles then sold @ Barrett-Jackson Jan 2011 (got back cash spent).

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  65. #37
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    Pete, fabulous build! Question: how did you secure your hood hinges to the underside of the hood?

  66. #38
    Senior Member AZPete's Avatar
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    Lance, I feel very awkward giving any tips to a Master of Mods like you!
    I bonded studs to the hood, 2 per side. Actually, they are "steel adhesive-mount studs" from McMaster-Carr, 1/4 x 20 x 1", #97590A330. After marking the position of the hinge plates, I used West System Six10 thickened epoxy adhesive and embedded the studs, covered with fiberglass cloth, then loosley set the two hingeplates in place until the epoxy set. Since there is adjustment in the hinge, precise placement of the studs is not critical. I've had no problems at all with the hood hinge or this mount but if you are worried you could use 4 studs per side. Later, of course, I applied the black bed liner.

    Last edited by AZPete; 02-13-2019 at 01:25 PM.
    818S/C : Chassis #25 with 06 WRX 2.5 turbo, ABS, cruise, PS, A/C, Apple CarPlay, rear camera, power windows & locks, leather & other complexities. Sold 10/19 with 5,800 miles.
    Mk3 Roadster #6228 4.6L, T45, IRS, PS, PB, ABS, Cruise, Koni's, 17" Halibrands, red w/ silver - 9K miles then sold @ Barrett-Jackson Jan 2011 (got back cash spent).

  67. #39
    Senior Member AZPete's Avatar
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    Trunk for 818C
    If you have an S or R, move on, there’s nothing to see here. FFR offers a trunk kit for the 818S, but it doesn’t fit the 818C, so I made my own. I wanted the trunk to be hidden when the hatch is closed, like the photo of the left. Opening the hatch, you see the trunk lid and the photo on the right shows the trunk lid open. It’s not enough for a weekend for 2 but good for a few groceries and a 12-pack or two.


    Here’s how I made my trunk but you may create improvements when you do it – that’s all part of the fun. First, I insulated the exhaust by adding a Turbo Shield from Zero Decibel Motorsports, a forum sponsor. Then, I wrapped the Boig downpipe and muffler in exhaust wrap and made a heat shield of aluminum. Maybe I overbuilt the shield, but I made it double-walled with a 1/4” space because I didn’t want groceries to get cooked or beer warmed – oh, the horror – see the left photo. The middle photo shows the supporting frame of ½” x ½” steel that rests on the transaxle, anchored with diagonal braces below. The trunk box sits on this frame and is not fastened to the wheel wells. The trunk box is actually 3 aluminum boxes so I could get them into the space, then screw them together. I then screwed the trunk box to the supporting frame, added yoga mat to the inside for temp and sound, added a lid and latches, D-rings and bungies.

    Last edited by AZPete; 02-13-2019 at 05:48 PM. Reason: added photos
    818S/C : Chassis #25 with 06 WRX 2.5 turbo, ABS, cruise, PS, A/C, Apple CarPlay, rear camera, power windows & locks, leather & other complexities. Sold 10/19 with 5,800 miles.
    Mk3 Roadster #6228 4.6L, T45, IRS, PS, PB, ABS, Cruise, Koni's, 17" Halibrands, red w/ silver - 9K miles then sold @ Barrett-Jackson Jan 2011 (got back cash spent).

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  69. #40
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    Pete, thanks for the props but I've seen things in your build that just plain makes me weak in the knees! My friend suggested I retain the a/c but having had a look at what all I plan to put in/under the dash, I decided to let that one go. You have actually built the proper 818 and it should be the standard for everyone wanting to build one of these. My vision is purposely devoid of most creature comforts, save heat & stereo. The difficulty of building an oem looking interior like yours is something I first aspired to, but the Spartan interior/ race car look is much easier! My focus has been to keep it simple, robust & have only what I need, nothing more. Maybe a mistake, but I can always add things later if I want them that badly. I would like cruise control and still may add that for my long trips. I've learned lots from this forum and appreciate it all greatly.
    Early on in my build, about 6 months in, I became discouraged and disappointed with the direction the instructions were heading. I called FFR and spoke with a person called Vinney. His explanation to me was the main reason I decided to forge ahead. His words were something like this;" Lance, the beauty of these cars is that no two are exactly alike. You build to your vision. " this seems to be forgotten by some. There is no point in building a car that others like if you yourself don't like it. And this is the primary reason I haven't posted many pics(aside from the fact that I'm not good with the ins n outs of posting)! I like the idea of a "built" thread and fully intend to finish this project with one.
    To those who look at my custom parts, I intend to become a supporting vendor and begin offering some of my solutions for those who want them. First, however, I must finish this thing. It's not much, but it's my $.02 worth.
    Pete, you are an inspiration to me!

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