Topic: 1998 Impreza Outback Sport - "Sherman"

[SlowLGT]

20180909_124833

20180909_174357

A couple friends and I decided to chip in to get a car for beating on Roy's Lake. So here it is!

Good:
- Weight reduction by rust
- Part of the car is formed from spray foam and bondo, so I won't feel bad about denting anything (but does this add the weight back??)
- JDM WRX front seats swap
- Some loud Magnaflow exhaust
- Stickers on rear windshield (adds roughly 17HP)
- JDM WRX rear disc brake conversion
- Drives straight
- Engine feels strong
- No ABS

Bad:
None

To do:
- Replace clutch
- Realign the steering wheel splines
- Replace accessory belt
- Hook up e-brake cables (may need parts for this...)
- Paint giant white star on each front door and hood to make it look like a real Sherman

More details to follow when I get back in town...

[GrantC]

winter panzer!

[SlowLGT]

Winter panzer is a great name too!

Now the $500 tire question: the car came with mismatched worn winter tires, we are considering getting a set of 195 wide WS80 Costco, but does it make sense to cut up the tread blocks into sipes to "tractionize" these old winter tires?

[diamondedge]

Winter panzer is a great name too!

Now the $500 tire question: the car came with mismatched worn winter tires, we are considering getting a set of 195 wide WS80 Costco, but does it make sense to cut up the tread blocks into sipes to "tractionize" these old winter tires?

Ghetto siping? I don't see why not. Don't they make a special tool for this? A knife would take 5ever

[SlowLGT]

Ghetto siping? I don't see why not. Don't they make a special tool for this? A knife would take 5ever

I've seen it in Team O'Neil videos. You drive on it, spin the tires, then your tires are "tractionized".

[GrantC]

Tractionizer:
http://www.uniwerks.ca/sactionizer2.htm

or

Tire groover:
https://www.amazon.ca/Ideal-902-000-Tire-Groover/dp/B004AW7XYU (with "howto": https://www.snowtrek.org/tire-siping/tire-siping.php)

[SlowLGT]

Tractionizer:
http://www.uniwerks.ca/sactionizer2.htm

or

Tire groover:
https://www.amazon.ca/Ideal-902-000-Tire-Groover/dp/B004AW7XYU (with "howto": https://www.snowtrek.org/tire-siping/tire-siping.php)

I think $$ wise, we are better off just buying a set of WS80 from Costco. With the discount, it's about $550.

[Canuckrz]

I wouldn't tractionize street driven tires, especially old and worn ones.

[RedBimmer93]

The tractionizer would give your winter tires hella grip, but they would probably handle very sloppy when its dry, and the tread life of the tires would become very short.

I considered this for Laggin Wagon at one time, but doing this wasnt even allowed at ice dice anyway, so there really wasn't any point.
 
 
Also, nice wagon! Cut those fenders and lift it a couple inches!

[SlowLGT]

Thank you all for the input re: tractionize. Cutting the fenders to lift it is a great idea. I'm not sure about the future direction of this car yet. Just looked up the chump rule book, this car has a VPI of 310. Not sure if it's worth building up to a 500 car.  Subaru does not seem to be a popular choice for an endurance race.

[RedBimmer93]

Take it to rallycross!! Do some Edmonton Rally Club events. I did a couple in the Laggin Wagon, and they were a blast!! If I didn't live in Calgary, I would have attended a lot more of them.

[vincent275]

hopping on this thread to see if it will survive through this winter

[SlowLGT]

Take it to rallycross!! Do some Edmonton Rally Club events. I did a couple in the Laggin Wagon, and they were a blast!! If I didn't live in Calgary, I would have attended a lot more of them.

That is in the list of things to do with this car!

hopping on this thread to see if it will survive through this winter

Mechanically, it likely will survive. If it dies, it'll likely be due to a driver error.

[jellynuts]

Roy's Lake does car to car racing right? Do you need a cage?

[SlowLGT]

Roy's Lake does car to car racing right? Do you need a cage?

Dont think we will do any w2w racing. The school and the lapping events I've been to did not require any cage. And I heard the erc events are like auto x style one car at a time.

[jellynuts]

Ah ok. Very nice.

Have you inspected the rust on the rear strut towers? Are you still going with Sherman? If Panzer, you'll need an Iron Cross

[Asstuna]

Ah ok. Very nice.

Have you inspected the rust on the rear strut towers? Are you still going with Sherman? If Panzer, you'll need an Iron Cross

if Panzer you'll need to fight Jon for the title.

[jellynuts]

if Panzer you'll need to fight Jon for the title.

Nothing wrong with having a whole division in the ranks. 

[seat safety switch]

The rear strut towers on my 97 were nowhere near as bad as the ones on my 03. Not to say you don't need to look at them, but as the kids say... send it.

[SlowLGT]

The rear strut towers on my 97 were nowhere near as bad as the ones on my 03. Not to say you don't need to look at them, but as the kids say... send it.

Yes. The whole point of this car is so we can send it. We may take a look at the rear strut towers, but we will most likely just ignore it this winter and go full send.

[SlowLGT]

Sherman's getting new snow shoes! Bridgestone WS80 in 195 60R16.

[RedBimmer93]

WS80!? Baller!!

[SlowLGT]

WS80!? Baller!!

I've always liked how they drive. Plus, I don't know any other reasonably priced decent winter tires.

[Asstuna]

I've always liked how they drive. Plus, I don't know any other reasonably priced decent winter tires.

https://www.1010tires.com/Tires/Reviews/Zeta/Antarctica+Ice+MS

[10secdream]

Sherman's getting new snow shoes! Bridgestone WS80 in 195 60R16.

WS80 are great. Tons of grip but they don't last very long.