[natums]

Overview: My daily driver is a 2000 Subaru Impreza 2.5RS. I also have a 1971 Datsun 240z which currently resides at my parents house due to it's bad tranny.

About Me & My Cars:
I am Nate (aka Nateums), I am 20 at the time I am writing this. I technically have owned only 1 car before this in my name, the Z (every other vehicle is in my parents name for convenience). I have always been around cars and motorcycles, my dad has always been a gearhead but my mom wanted me to not grow up in an environment where vehicles are toys so she had my dad sell his Harley, El Camino, and 5.0 Mustang when I was a baby. That didn't stop him from teaching me about cars. I learned basic mechanic stuff when I was young but didn't really actively do anything until I got the Z.
My mom became more lenient on what my dad could expose me to as I hit my teens so he bought a new Harley, and started taking me to all kinds of American Muscle Car Shows, Monster Truck Rallies, Racetracks, etc. I was a fan of American cars since I was young purely because of my fascination with the muscle car generation.
As I prepared to purchase my first car I realized I didn't want a muscle car, I wanted something that was fun to drive just about anywhere. I wanted something that could corner, accelerate, and growl, and looked good doing it of course. I discovered the original Z and was sold. The "japanese muscle' was smaller and more agile than the american sports cars and with independent rear suspension, wasn't as dated technology wise as other cars of the era. I got a 71 240z so It wouldn't have to pass smog and would be cheap as ****. My dad promptly fell in love with the Z and helped make it my dream car. More on the car is in it's section below...
I worked on the Z from the time I was 15 till I moved down to LA when I was 18 and at the time had no place I felt safe to store the Z, plus since it was still a project, no place to work on it. So it remains at my parents.
I still considered myself an American car guy but I give a lot of credit to specific models of foreign cars but after Datsun became Nissan I wasn't as interested in most of what they made. During my first year in So Cal a friend of mine got a WRX, and thats where a whole new chapter and renewed interest in cars began. I was interested in the AWD Rally Car conceptually but didn't know much about Subaru at first. As I learned more about the company and community I fell in love with the brand. The rest is history.
Sorry for the long story.



2.5RS Journal:
Consolidated Intro & Mod List
Maintenance Log
First Week
First Photoshoot
05/07/10 - Clutch hose burst & Axle shaft seal break
05/08/10 - discovered I have all locking lugs
05/30/10 - Car Meet - ESX and South Coast Subaru
06/01/10 - Photoshoot - W/ Sube Doo
06/04/10 - Photoshoot - Hungry Valley W/ Bill!
06/11/10 - Photoshoot - Airplanes and Alleyways (Another thread)
06/17/10 - Custom emblem on trunk lid
06/25/10 - BMW rear ends Subie in traffic

240z Journal:
Consolidated Intro and Mod List (Pics)
Rims, Control Arms, Exhaust, Brakes, etc... (Pics)
It moved! Now in SoCal, still undriveable (Pics)


Here is a picture of it the morning after my roommate bought it on my behalf in NorCal and drove it down to me in Northridge.



Here is a pic of the Z back at my Senior Year High School Car Show way back when it had fresh paint! Old Windshield though...

[djmatao]

Love this RS!!! Shes gonna kick your butt for that first line in the journal "for simplicity we'll call it mine"

Have fun with it and cant wait to see more updates!!

[natums]

The Subaru!

As purchased:
125K miles, mostly stock, major head gasket job and other repair/maintenance done at 99k by previous owner under warranty.
Had STi Suspension from later model!


Future Performance Mods:
Gravel Sport Intake (or if someone can show me an alternative that effectively uses the hood scoop)
Group N Motor Mounts
Equal-Length Header
Full Exhaust
swaybars and endlinks
ALK (Anti-Lift Kit)
Tokico HTS

Future Style Mods:
Paint front lip flat black + black mud flaps + black rear spats
Black solid or mesh fog light covers
Aluminum Mesh Grille
RallyArmor Mud Flaps
Clear Blinker Lenses
Emblem on trunk lid
More Stickers :]

Once the car has too many miles and the motor is starting to deteriorate in performance I intend to rebuild the motor with all new high performance internals, the full works. 6 speed tranny and probably a lot of chassis tightening/rigidity.

[dohtem8]

gc8 ftw

[natums]

Still need to take pictures but I managed to drive 400+ miles this weekend! haha.

God it's fun to drive a car you take pride in! I always hated driving my old daily driver Saturn SL1 and seeing some awesome car and wishing I could tell him nice car without feeling like a complete loser, haha. I saw a GT-R and M3 both cruising down the 405 and just being able to give the GT-R driver a thumbs up as I pulled up next to him was gratifying. Plus seeing other Subaru's, as you all know, is awesome! A red '04 WRX wagon pulled up next to me at a light and he had never seen an RS before! I wish I had a you've been spotted card at the time, I could tell he loves his Subaru. Hopefully he finds the community on his own, or at least noticed my SoCalSubies decal.

I need to find a way to mount my Domo stuffed doll in the Subaru, he is too big and soft to hang from the tow bar and currently resides in the oversized cup holders of my Suburban. Once I get a way to make him my designated Co-Driver I will post pics of the interior and shoot the exterior.

I also had my left headlight burn out on my tonight, very suddenly too, but it doesnt appear to be fully burnt out, just not bright... and I chipped my fog light lense, I accidentally unplugged the switch for it while under my dash though and forgot to plug it back in so I cant test to see if it's still working until I get some time during the day this week! Had the car less than a week and I manage to break every stupid thing in the car! haha.

EDIT:
Progress Made
- Hooked up cruise control and horn, disconnected by previous owner when he swapped wheels
- Discovered the entire driver side air bag harness is not connected, need to find it someplace behind the dash.
- Accidentally left my fog lights and cruise control button unplugged for the weekend so I couldn't enjoy creating mini daylight with my 1200watt fog lights
- Reattached steering wheel slightly off center thanks to 04blackwrx and his precision alignment skills.
- WD-40'd the sunroof (major technically abilities required)

[natums]

Maintenace Log Post- All General Maintenance kept here as a digital record in case I lose the physical log.

126,118 miles - 04/24/10 - Oil & Filter - 5W30 and OEM filter
127,843 miles - 05/20/10 - Replace clutch slave cylinder and hose. All new clutch fluid.
129,277 miles - 06/18/10 - Oil - 5W30 Mobil 1 synthetic
132,922 miles - 08/30/10 - Oil & Filter - 5W30 and OEM filter
133,696 miles - 09/25/10 - OEM Transmission Fluid Flush
134,823 miles - 10/26/10 - Replace back right wheel bearing
136,363 miles - 11/24/10 - Oil - 10W40 Mobil 1 Synthetic
141,104 miles - 03/10/11 - Oil - 5W30 Mobil 1 Synthetic
146,000 miles - 08/21/11 - Oil & Filter - 5W30 - Guestimation, forgot to write it down.
151,222 miles - 11/26/11 - Oil & Filter - 5W30 | Front brakes and flush | rotate/align | Spark Plugs

[natums]

This is my 240z. She is an 1971 so she doesn't need smog, so I removed all the emissions equipment day 1. This car is kind of shared, this was my first real car (had a couple short term beaters but this was the ONE). My dad wanted to make sure it was safe and consequently spent a lot of time and money into the braking and suspension using the excuse, "I want you to be safe as possible". Bullshit, he wanted it to be fun as hell and stop on a dime! HAHA, He put a lot into this car too so I consider it just as much his as it is mine.

As Purchased:
I got it for $1000, primer yellow, running, but barely, not drivable. Completely stock as far as I can recall. Needed a lot of cleaning up but was not necessary to do a hard core, tear it all out and start from scratch restoration. Oh yeah, and it came with some beat up classic Recaro seats!

This is after we already did alot of mechanical work and swapped rims


Mechanical/Performance Work Done (in chronological order as good as my memory serves me):
Remove leaky SU Carb
New OEM SU Carbs, then remove due to lack of ability to keep them balanced
New Intake Manifold
New 440cfm Holley Carb
Custom Cold Air Induction
Ditch Cold Air Induction, place K&N round filter on top of carb
Performance Ignition Coil
Remove Stock calipers and rotors
4-Runner 4 piston front brake calipers and rotors
Remove rear drum brakes
New Aftermarket Stage 1 rear brakes
Oversized brake master and slave cylinder
New Clutch master cylinder
New Header and custom built exhaust with twin tip
New Konig 15x7.75 lightweight bronze rims
w/ 245/55/15 G-Sports
Replace Shocks/Springs
Eibach shocks & racing coil-overs
New MSA Sway Bar
New Adjustable Tension Rod
New Adjustable Control Arms
Allegedly Rebuilt 5-Speed out of a 280z (definitely not rebuilt)
... More Coming Soon

Body/Style Work Done
Dash Cap
Cast Aluminum steering wheel
Alpine stereo system
replace inside leather door panels
Bullet style chrome mirrors
new leather visors
new mats all around
installed secret hatch compartments from later models
fixed all electronics! Except clock, pos...
Shaved and smoked turn signals
custom panel round tail lights (corvette or Skyline style)
aftermarket front bumper and fog lights
removed rear bumper sissy bar
replaced rear 1/4 panel (only rust hole on the car)
Painted with rattle cans a flat black! (Yes, spray paint! looks amazing! My dad is an artist with a rattle can!)
New Windshield! Thank God!

TO DO LIST:
New tranny, either modified 240sx or 5speed out of a 280z
Stereo Head Unit
Amp
New Badges
Repaint again
Forget what else, there is still alot...

Needless to say it has come a long ways, but still isn't done, it has mostly sat for the past 2 years since I moved down here but once my parents move this summer I will be forced to begin the project again.




More current and early pictures of the car coming soon

[dohtem8]

oh damn. thats the wangan devil z

[natums]

thanks, since it's rattle can paint it doesnt look nearly as gorgeous anymore but I think that makes it it look a little more badass, looks like a car meant to be driven!

first time really compiling a list of work done, it was a ton! Really added up how much total was spent on the car between my dad and me, it's crazy to see where the money goes!

[D3300]

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