about
vehicle projects
ebird
Vehicle Projects
Current
2017 Subaru WRX
2004 Subaru Forester - Rallycross
Past
2004 Subaru Outback
2000 Volkswagen Golf
2017 Subaru WRX
Like many 90’s kids I’ve wanted a WRX for as long as I can remember and while the 2017 is not my favorite generation, it was readily available in the midwest - without rust and in world rally blue. It’s remained essentially stock since I purchased the car in 2022, save for an axle back exhaust, clutch replacement and some tint. I may race this car recreationally someday... but for now it’s the meticulously cared for daily driver.
2004 Subaru Forester - Rallycross Build
This is my current project. It was my wife’s first car and she upgraded, so it’s been relegated to my rallycross build. Via my wife I have overseen the maintenance of this car for the last 11 years and it’s an excellent machine. I’ll update the gallery below as I continue work on the car and eventually start entering it in recreational races.
So far I’ve replaced a mirror, some door seals and some brakes + rotors. Also tinted the fogs and added mud flaps. The rust is pretty minimal other than the passenger side rocker panel which is horrendous and was treated with Permatex + Rust Reformer to try and slow the damage. The mounting points on the frame fail look solid, but we’ll see how the sub frame and bushings hold up to the offroad driving abuse.
For a brief while I also owned a 2004 Forester XT (picture below in black). I didn’t really work on this car much, it just ran like a champ. I sold it becasue we owned too many vehicles (and it’s an automatic) but I still wonder if I should’ve let that one go. Ce la vie!
2004 Subaru Outback - Winter Warrior
This was my foray into the “winter beater”. I picked it up to spare the WRX from the midwest salt and rust. I decided to give the car some love for it’s final days and drive it until the head gasket finally gave out. There was so much rust in the rear strut tower, quarter panel and rocker panel that it would never be worth the cost to pull the engine and fix it... so it was destined for the scrapyard. But it lasted me the winter and we had some fun practicing minor bodywork etc.
2000, 2001 Volkswagen Golf GL
This was the first car I was truly excited to own. I still love the MKIV generation Golf and think it’s one of the best looking hatchbacks ever sold in America. This was no race car, as it only had the SOHC four-cylinder 2.0L engine and no turbo, but I loved it all the same. I moved across the country (and back) in this car and learned the basics like changing oil, jacking up the car and driving stick in San Francisco... with a barely functioning emergency brake. Times I’ll never forget!
Pictured out of obligation is a 2nd Volkswagen Golf GL (2001) that I puchased in 2025 to purpose as a rallycross car. Unfortunately once I got the power steering pump replaced and fluid in the sysytem the power steering rack exploded and it doomed itself to the scrapyard (but not before I taught my wife how to drive with a manual gearbox).