Install Day

About 2 weeks late writing this post. The last Saturday in February saw me rolling into my friend's shop to put the car on the lift and get the goodies I mentioned in the last post installed. Even with 3-4 guys working on the car, things took much longer than expected.

The biggest lesson I learned is to document how something goes together before I take it apart. The RacecompEngineering Tarmac 2 coilovers I bought used came to me a bit gritty, and the spring perches did not want to move easily, so the obvious solution is to take them apart, give them a little cleaning and loving, then put them back together.

Well, after 8 hours in, under, and around the car (plus an extended lunch break), it was finally put down to do the initial shake down. As I am backing it out of the shop into the ally, I hear a very disconcerting ka-thunk-thunk from the rear. "Well....shit" I think to myself. May as well take it around the block, see if I can pinpoint it.  So naturally I decide to go the pothole-y way up the alley.

ka-thunk-ka-ka-thunk-thunk-ka-thunk etc.

All from the rear, separate patterns left-right based on suspension travel. Okay, so the rears are hopping up-down in the tophat, or something. The rest of the guys already knew it had to go back up when I pulled into the garage. Lug nuts were spun off, wheels tossed aside, and two men per side took the rear strut assemblies off in record time. As they sat on the workbench, being disassembled, I made a desperate move. I tried making a frantic call to RCE, on the off chance someone would answer. [It's about 6:30 pm PST, so 9:30pm where RCE is. Longshot]

Holy shit someone answered! I frantically and breathlessly explain the noise, describe the stack up, and ask if I had put them together correctly. As the person on the other end asked for me to send them an email, as they were heading into a movie and couldn't answer right away, one of the guys says he's figured it out. Good thing too because I don't think I was painting a good picture for whoever had the phone (Myles, likely). Turns out, I'd put a washer that was supposed to go under the top-nut on the bottom of the top hat, and thus the piston shaft wasn't seated anywhere, and was just bouncing around.

Another 15 minutes later, and everything is back in and torqued down. Time for the second shakedown. No sounds! Took it back to the shop, parked, and went in to clean up and beer up. Lesson learned, put your washers in logical places, not silly ones.

Of course I have no pictures, because it was a cramped shop, and typical northwest weather has taken hold, i.e. it's rainy as shit out there all the time.

The Car: So Far

As it stands, my lovely WRX is still in D-stock form, and my season does not start for another month or so. However, I do have a pile of parts that will be put on the car very soon.

Parts to go on:

• RaceComp Engineering Tarmac 2 Coilovers, 500lb/400lb F/R Rates
• Whiteline 24mm RSB
• Kartboy Solid Endlinks, front and rear.
• Whiteline Steering Rack Bushings
• Schroth Rallye4 Harness

My goal for the year is to have the major STX prep done by the Packwood Tour. This means my next step is a down pipe, exhaust, and tune, along with getting some 245/40 tires. On that front, I've decided on an Invidia Catted DP, and Q300 Cat-back exhaust, with a STX tune from Maxwell Power Services in Marysville, WA. Along with that I have already scheduled the WRX for regular maintenance and timing belt service. that's a lot of money between now and the end of June. Anyone need a kidney?

The Beginnings

I've been autocrossing my 2006 WRX in D-Stock, on street tires, since late 2008. In 2011 when I learned the 06-08 WRXes would likely be getting a fairer treatment in ST* with the re-org, I jumped at the chance to start ordering parts.

This blog will document the progress I make with the car and my driving, as I venture into a new class, and take myself to higher levels of competition. This year will be the first National Tour I'll attend, the Packwood National Tour. So far this is my only planned tour, others being too early (SD) or just a bit too far away for it to be worth it for me (Lincoln & Colorado).