Muddy's 2002 WRX - Tearing it up with careless disregard since '01

[MuddyREX]

Way back when, I had one of the first WRX's around. Bought in early 2001, I paid over sticker for my brand spanking new WRB WRX sedan with the rear spoiler and auto dimming rear view mirror. Yay!

I was on top of the world.

The day I bought the car the intake snorkel came out. Other first mods were a turbo timer and a few gauges. Soon after came the STi shifter trim surround, matching dead pedal and STi key fob.

Never mind the crappy pics, as I have never had what you would call a "good" camera.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v308/muddyrex/DSCN0797.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v308/muddyrex/ShifterView.jpg

I put on some JUN eyelids and a blue I badge onto the front, then discovered the fine art of off road travel.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v308/muddyrex/Muddyday112.jpg

Not long afterwards, went on the HKS Carbon Ti catback, Samco intercooler hoses, boost controller and GFB 50/50 blow off valve. I also added a radiator shroud. An Injen CAI has come on and off the car a few times, and at one point I cut it in half into a short ram.

At that point I added a Perrin adjustable rear sway bar and STi front strut bar.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v308/muddyrex/Enginebay.jpg

Next came painted side skirts, STi hood scoop and mesh foglight covers.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v308/muddyrex/grass8.jpg

By now, I was having tons of fun in the mud.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v308/muddyrex/Route1Park1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v308/muddyrex/Route1Park4.jpg

After around 75,000 miles of abuse, my stock struts/springs were toast. I wanted to upgrade, but didn't want to lower the car a whole lot so I could keep the offroad capabilities.

I decided on stock 2004 STi struts/springs/and tophats, and at the same time installed Whiteline steering rack bushings and rally armor mudflaps.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v308/muddyrex/IM000740.jpg

I've added a few lights. It started as two....

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v308/muddyrex/IM000737.jpg

And then four....

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v308/muddyrex/DSCN0767.jpg

And that brings me to today. I'm pretty much hapy with the car as is, and since I am coming up on 110,000 miles I don't plan on doing anything else.

An STi is in the future someday, but we'll see when that happens.

I'll add more pics later, but that's all for now.

[Buster]

I had no idea you had all that done man. Sweet!

[teh DIRT]

my muddy brother. so sweet.

[sisforsurfing]

Your threads about offroad excursions were my inspiration for taking my wagon into the mud/dirt/gravel. Sweet, and a great example of Subaru's reliability and durability (barring the trans, at least.)

[Buster]

what are you talking about! these trannys rule!

[Jourdan]

i like the mud. and your car.

[MuddyREX]

. Sweet, and a great example of Subaru's reliability and durability (barring the trans, at least.)

+1 for that. In 110,000 miles, the only thing that I have broken was the trans. Other than that, this car has never left me stranded on the side of the road or anything.

[MuddyREX]

And now for more pics..... (in no particular order....)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v308/muddyrex/Muddyday11.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v308/muddyrex/RallyJune1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v308/muddyrex/IM000935.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v308/muddyrex/RedRobin2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v308/muddyrex/DSCN0515.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v308/muddyrex/snow15.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v308/muddyrex/snownight2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v308/muddyrex/snow7.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v308/muddyrex/Scoop-aru2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v308/muddyrex/DSCN0787.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v308/muddyrex/DSCN1336.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v308/muddyrex/DSCN1350.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v308/muddyrex/DSCN1543.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v308/muddyrex/DSCN1546.jpg



This one's kinda cool, notice the rainbow in the mist behind my car...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v308/muddyrex/Mirrorrainbow.jpg

[BluMeanie]

Haha the slow down and pay pic is great! Lookin good!

[Honest_Bob]

Nice story. What exactly broke in the trans? Do you drive it like a grandma or like you stole it? I've been wondering exactly how reliable my wrx is gonna be after she gets around 100k.

[wrx_snobordr]

I love your car... used for what it is made for. Huge fan of the rally lights. Next should be a set of white OZ Rally Raid's or supertourismos to finish the rally style!

[MuddyREX]

Nice story. What exactly broke in the trans? Do you drive it like a grandma or like you stole it? I've been wondering exactly how reliable my wrx is gonna be after she gets around 100k.

I don't baby my car. I stripped 2nd gear at about 29K miles, and ended up having to pay for an entire new transmission. In hindsight, an STi RA transmission would have cost me just as much and would have been a much better replacement.

Regardless, the new stock trans has held up fine for 80K. It all boils down to shifting. If you slam gears like a madman, stuff will break. A little finesse with the clutch and you'll be fine.

[Honest_Bob]

Got any pictures on how you mounted all those lights?

[05Accent]

car is lookin sweet..love the lights.. and thats whats a wrx is ment to do.. play in the mud, snow, rain.. sweet job..

[dt98gsr]

Cool car man, it seems like it has become less and less common to see WRX's being used for what they were designed to do. Car looks like a lot of fun.

The light bar looks bad ass and I like what you did with the laminex.

BTW cool pic with the Weiner mobile, I was actually driving next to it on the road not to long ago but didn't get a chance to take a pic of it.

Keep up the good work.

[MuddyREX]

Thanks for the comments.

Got any pictures on how you mounted all those lights?

I actually didn't take any pics of the install, and since everything comes together behind the grill I cant take any good pictures now.

[MuddyREX]

Update: 4/15

Well, after one of my pulleys decided to take a ****, I ended up replacing a few things. So 1st off, thanks to Ralph (UnderpoweredRS) for hooking me up with the needed pulley to get my car healthy again.

With the addition of an HKS downpipe I am now officially catless (after 114,000 miles), and apparantly there is a turbo in my passenger footwell that likes to be heard. Wasn't expecting it to be such an audible difference. My neighbor complained to me about my car being loud for the first time yesterday.

I also installed a Perrin lightweight crank pulley, which I can say feels like a complete waste of money. There is no noticable difference whatsoever, and its gunmetal in color so I don't even get any bling from it. Don't buy one.

Yeah, so thats it.

The saga continues....

[sisforsurfing]

With the addition of an HKS downpipe I am now officially catless (after 114,000 miles), and apparantly there is a turbo in my passenger footwell that likes to be heard. Wasn't expecting it to be such an audible difference. My neighbor complained to me about my car being loud for the first time yesterday.

I have the same downpipe. Makes the car sound like a Mack truck, these little stock turbos are so noisy!
Keep us updated (and getting muddy)

[Honest_Bob]

Good to know on the crank pulley. I was thinking of picking one up. :wink:

[Buster]

i have the same downpipe also, i roll it on legacy wheels son!

[uurxin]

looks nice man.. i did the same thing .. bought a 02 wrx wrb and had a blast with it.. drive it all the time 850000 .. and put additions on the car that make it more enjoyable


love the car

[MuddyREX]

I got her muddy again yesterday....... :)

[ajcHXC]

oh god, why did you ruin that car? eyelids? and four driving lights are completely unecessary. utter fail.

[BlackSSNick]

Do you all know how much a 2001-2003 wrx would go for? I'm looking to purchase one perhaps...

[BluMeanie]

oh god, why did you ruin that car? eyelids? and four driving lights are completely unecessary. utter fail.

Riiiiight.....you obviously dont know Muddy. (unless you know him and are being sarcastic, but I dont think you do) :finga:

[MuddyREX]

oh god, why did you ruin that car? eyelids? and four driving lights are completely unecessary. utter fail.

lol..

[MuddyREX]

Alright, so there hasn't been any changes to my car in a while. But even still, I drive the snot out of this thing every day.

My car has over 120,000 miles now, and she's still running strong. She still tears up on and off ramps, gets the occasional flogging in a muddy field or in the Pine Barrens, and has just enough power to feel quick.

I've loved my WRX since day one, and even though she is getting pretty rough around the edges, has some cosmetic blemishes, and has an absolute love affair with the fuel cut when it's extremely cold out, I'm satisfied with what I've gotten from this car.

OK so some recent pics from the last few days....

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v308/muddyrex/IMG_0341.jpg

[MuddyREX]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v308/muddyrex/IMG_0465.jpg

[MuddyREX]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v308/muddyrex/IMG_0456.jpg

[MuddyREX]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v308/muddyrex/IMG_0447.jpg

[SexyBlue07]

Ok... I dont know Muddy, so I can ask... wtf is the deal with those lights on the front of your car?!

[auk113]

he actualy goes off road, where in besalem i don't know

[CobaltSSChick]

Do you all know how much a 2001-2003 wrx would go for? I'm looking to purchase one perhaps...

whoa whoa whoa!!! You make fun of me for going Jap and I read this??? Hmmmm....interesting lol...and werent you the one that wanted to drive it? Sorry...I had to pick!

[MuddyREX]

Ok... I dont know Muddy, so I can ask... wtf is the deal with those lights on the front of your car?!


I used to do a lot of work in NJ, and I would get into the Pine Barrens at night at least twice a week. The stock Subaru lights blow, so instead of spending hundreds of dollars on HIDs, I bought Hellas. I really don't use them enough anymore to warrant having them on, but I like the way they look, and it's kind of a trademark of mine at this point so I keep them.

Oh yeah, and they work well when I have an asshole driving toward me at night that won't lower his high beams.

[MuddyREX]

Nothing too exciting going on here, bit I did add a STi topmount a while ago but forgot to update this. Not that it really matters....

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v308/muddyrex/IMG_1173.jpg

And then a few recent pictures from the Crab Run

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v308/muddyrex/CrabRun-2077.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v308/muddyrex/IMG_1358.jpg

[Buster]

The muddy Mobile is the OG Shizzz!

Cracks me up too how quality this car is and no one knows it lol.