Here’s the Scoop

Chargespeed carbon hood duct for the GC chassis Impreza as shown on a customer car. A great, stylish option for guys running a front mount (or non turbo guys just looking to change up the look)

(Subaru) Crop Circles

Appropriate on a snowy day….

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Swing Time

Garage Hirota’s RWD GC Impreza getting it on…

Transmission Member Bushing Install Guide for Subaru

A few weeks ago, we posted about the new urethane Transmission Member Bushings for Subaru’s. Thanks to one of our customers in the NorthEast, we now have a detailed writeup for a DIY install, as well as confirmation that these bushings fit a non turbo 2.5RS.

To order a set of the bushings for your car, contact us at z1sales@z1auto.com

Click here for the install guide: TransMemberbushing

Braid Competition Wheels – When Good Enough isn’t Good Enough

For 2012 we are now offering the full range of Braid Competition wheels. Many of you familiar with the rally scene have probably heard of Braid. For those that haven’t, here is a brief introduction.

Braid was formed in Spain in 1978, with the sole purpose of making competition level wheels primarily for rally use. Their wheels have been used by amateurs and professionals alike. Because all the design, R&D and production is done in house, they have an amazing level of customization available. Wheels can be produced in a very wide range of offsets, bolt patterns, and colors, something you are hard pressed to find almost at any price point. Because they are designed primarily for competition use, this is a firm that embraces the ‘small stuff’, such as 15 and 16 inch sizes. Sure, they offer larger wheels, for touring car, etc. but the roots are in rally racing, and that remains their bread and butter. Since it’s original introduction, the factory has expanded numerous times and today produces wheels ranging from gravel and tarmac spec cast wheels, to mulipiece, even forged and magnesium wheels.

To reiterate, these are not some fly-by-night knock off brand churning wheels out of some random factory in the middle of the pacific rim. These are legit motorsport level wheels. The same wheels the various teams through Europe use on their car, are the exact same wheels you can purchase for your car. These aren’t wheels that will fall apart in a few years, or lose a tremendous amount of value, or fall ‘out of style’. Good stuff never does!

Now, onto the good stuff! While we have access to the full range, and custom orders are easily accomplished, the following represents wheels that are available straight away

Click the picture of each for additional information and specs

Winrace T Acropolis: This is a heavy duty, pure strength oriented gravel spec wheel. Offered in 15×6.5, +45 (21.2 lbs), hubcentric, dual drilled so it fits both 5-100 and 5-114 cars, and finished in your choice of white or gold. Also available in 15×7 (22.2lbs) in gold. Both clear Subaru 4 pots

15×6.5 – $980 shipped in the 48 states per set
15×7 – $1020 shipped in the 48 states per set

Winrace TA: This is a lighter weight version of the Acropolis, making it suitable for tarmac or gravel use.

Currently in stock in 15×6.5 (18 lbs), white, +45 offset, dual drilled 5-114 and 5-100, clears factory 4 pot calipers. Priced at $960 shipped for the set in the 48 states

Winrace A: One of the most popular choices, this wheel can often be found on tarmac stages throughout Europe.

Currently in stock:

17×8 +45 (20.7 lbs) in white, dual drilled for 5-100 and 5-114 cars (clears Brembo and 4 pots). $1280 shipped in the 48 states

18×8 +49 (21.6 lbs) in gold in your choice of 5-100 or 5-114.3. Clears Brembo and 4 pots. $1376 shipped for the set in the 48 states.

Also have a limited 17×7, 5-100 +45 Winrace A in Black on special as well. Contact us for details

We will be adding the full range to our site in the coming days, so check z1auto.com often. Any specific questions you have, just ask.

Remember, while the above represents wheels that are good to go now, if you can dream it, it probably can be built! If you’ve got an event coming up that you NEED a set of wheels for, and waiting isn’t an option, we can generally have a custom set, made just for you, on your doorstep in just a few weeks time. If your car has specific needs, such as unique suspension or brake requirements, or even just a custom color, we’ll work with you to develop the right size, so it fits correctly, the first time

Thanks and Happy 2012!

First 24: Impreza Build

08 + WRX Interior Goodness

Brand new to the site are these awesome interior accessories from JPM, all of which are now being offered at Z1. Alcantara or leather shift boots, ebrake boots and more!

Contact us at z1sales@z1auto.com to order yours!

Stop Leaks

The ‘classic’ shape Impreza, those 93-01 cars that started the global Subaru craze, are great cars that are affordable, and easy to mod. But let’s face it, they are still old cars. They’ve sometimes lived hard lives and every now and then, need maintenance. In our continuing effort to help keep these awesome cars alive, we’re happy to now offer our latest Master Gasket Kit – the Valvecover Master Gasket Kit.

Take the guesswork out of doing new gaskets with our master kit. As the RS’s have aged, the valvecover gaskets are notorious for developing leaks, and that makes for a messy engine bay, loss of oil, and general inefficiency.

These are the OEM gaskets, by the manufacturer who makes them for Subaru – just much less expensive. Go ahead, call your dealer, and price out all the components we include and see for yourself!

These kits are VERY year specific, as valvecovers differ. Please use the guide below to decide which kit is correct, or if you have a question, give us a call, as kits are not returnable.

For the DOHC cars, kit includes both valvecover gaskets (left and right), spark plug well gaskets, all the valvecover grommet bolt seals, and the 1/2 moon seals. These are very production date specific as Subaru used different valvecovers during their production run.

If you have a DOHC 2.5 liter Impreza/Legacy, how do you ensure you order the right kit? You can verify it 1 of 2 ways. Via the engine production #, or via production date. Production date is the easiest, as the date (month/year) can be found in a tag in the driver side door. Please write the production date (month/year) in the comments section when ordering.

2.2 Liter DOHC Kits include both valve cover gaskets (left and right), and the valvecover sealing washers. Optionally, we also offer the kit with the spark plug seals as well as noted below.

For the 1999 + SOHC cars, your kit will include both valvecover gaskets (left and right) and the valvecover sealing washers. Optionally, we also offer the kit with the spark plug seals as well as cam seals as noted below. Fits 2.2 and 2.5 liter SOHC cars.

Picture shown is a general picture for illustrative purposes, but contents will be as described above for the specified year car

Why Your Oxygen Sensor Shouldn’t Be Ignored

If you’ve noticed your car performing inconsisently, can’t pass inspection due to poor emissions performance, with poor fuel economy, or running like a raped ape somedays, and like a 3 legged dog on others, it could be a faulty oxygen sensor. The 02 sensor is partially responsible for telling the ecu what to do and when. When they are new, 02 sensors relay accurate info very quickly to the ecu. When they age, or get contaminated, they act lazy, slowly relaying info, and performance and economy suffer as a result. We offer a full range of direct replacement 02 sensors from Bosch and Denso, 2 of the largest OEM suppliers in the automotive world. In fact Bosch invented the 02 sensor! These are plug and play, not some cheesy universal joint you’ve got to spend timing soldering in. Waterproof connections ensure years of reliable service. No sense paying the dealer more for the same part in a different box!

So why is it important to replace? As the sensors age, they get contaminated. Remember, these sensors sit right in the catalytic converter and the exhaust pipes, so they are forced to live in a dirty, nasty environment. As time goes on, contaminents build on the sensor itself, and it’s no longer able to react with the speed that modern ecu’s demand. These contaminants also can cause false readings to the ecu, causing the car to run significantly richer, or leaner, than it should. This can have systemic results in other areas of the car. Not only will you get poor performance and poor fuel economy, overly rich conditions can clog cats and cause injectors to stick open. Overly lean conditions can wreak havoc on your internals causing knock, as well as potential piston damage.

If you run race gas, methanol or alcohol injection, this can also cause premature 02 sensor failure. Thankfully, these sensors are affordable, and very easy to replace yourself

Contact us to order yours at z1sales@z1auto.com or (631)863-3820

Head Master

If you’re about to do the headgaskets on your 2.5 RS, this is the kit for you! This is the most complete kit on the market. Includes:

Pair of headgaskets, exhaust manifold gaskets, intake manifold gaskets, valvecover gaskets, intake and exhaust valve seals, cam seals, valve cover bolt washer/grommet, oil filler neck gasket and throttle body gaskets, and spark plug seals (not shown, but yes, we include them!)

Got an earlier Impreza, Legacy or RS? Give u a call, we can put together this gasket kit for you too!

Groceries Not Included

If I had this, I would not detest food shopping as much as I do – holy cow this is sweet!

It’s so cool to see people treating the older GC chassis Impreza’s well, and continuing to modify them, and change them up with unique part combinations.

Gone too Far

As inconic as the original GC chassis Impreza is in the Japanese car world, Subaru got it all sorts of wrong, at least exterior wise. It was a rare beast, even rarer than the 22B, with just 300 produced, and broke the Japanese imposed 280 hp barrier (I’ve seen claims of 300-320 hp, though not sure which is accurate)

Turned Out

Sitting pretty IMHO

Wishful Thinking

as posted on:

http://allentown.craigslist.org/cto/2496655740.html

“SUBARU RS RALLEY BLUE – $5500 (BETHLEHEM, PA)

This is a 4.7 second car. A lot of people have asked me what that means so ill explain. It means it goes from 0 mph to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds”

Great car, and I miss mine everyday, but an RS isn’t a 4.7 second car unless being propelled by a hurricane

Weds SA-60M AND SA-55M Photos

Just got these emailed over from Weds North America.

The Sa-60Ms will not be released until February ’11 but we are currently accepting preorders for February ’11 delivery.