68 Ghia WRX

[dlamyle]

So my car was "done", up and running at least for a few months before I got the urge to upgrade a few things. I really just wanted to lighten my exhaust and clean up the intake manifold but got carried away. Found a Version 8 JDM intake that I shaved the bungs and extra nipples off of. Did the same for my turbo inlet pipe and painted both...New exhaust, then decided I needed a new turbo to complement it (blouch 16g XTR). Might as well upgrade the headers...Killer B Holy headers (had to add an sti oil pan to make those fit). Then 750 injectors, boost controller, upper radiator tank, step colder plugs, 255 lph fuel pump/filters, fuel lines. I also threw out my fuel tank/pump set up to hide the fuel lines and pump wires and make room to throw a spare tire. I had the extended range tank which leaked at the cap and at my crappy mig welds where I grafted the subaru pump mounting ring to the tank. So I put in a pre 68 tank and tig welded a section to the passenger side where the RHD steering column would be and added some bungs for fuel lines.

I get a dyno tune on the ECU next week. We'll see if this tired ej205 longblock can hold some more boost (18-20psi). I basically spent the whole summer in down time waiting for one part that had to go in before the next. But this is it! I'm "done" again. now on to body and paint.

I'll detail each system later but here are a couple pics to motivate anyone on the fence. And I'll be sure to video the tuning session dyno pulls. Any predictions on WHP/TQ numbers?

[RonW]

holy hell, that is awesome, cant wait to see/hear more!

[fstbckgt]

Pretty awesome, subscribed

[56SemaRag]

That's great. Thanks for posting the motivation! Subscribed

[dlamyle]

Here are the basics of my cooling system. It works very well and is pretty easy to fill and burp. I cut the radiator cap off of the radiator and use a test plug for the hole. This way I don't have to worry about the pressure cap sucking air in as the system cools. My pressure cap on the upper radiator tank handles the overflow. I hid the overflow tank behind the fender panel where the air cleaner resides.
To fill, I first pull the test plug on the radiator and top it off and replace the plug.
Then, I fill at the upper coolant tank. there is a hose that travels between this tank and the top radiator hose.
As I'm filling, I take this hose off at the tank and blow/ suck air in until coolant is visible in the hose. affix the hose to the tank and top off. Done. There may be an easier way but this way I know there is no air lock in the crossover pipe.

[fstbckgt]

Looks great, always in for pics of water-cooled Ghia cooling systems.
What are the dimensions of your radiator?

[dlamyle]

What are the dimensions of your radiator?

It's 20x19" so I have just enough room to get my bumper bolts out. I mounted it a little low so it did hang out of the bottom of the nose an inch or so. Not an issue as my scoop hides this fact. If you want to stay inside the nose you would have to mount it higher or angle the radiator more which would put the inlet and outlets at a awkward angle.

Northern 209632
RACE PRO RADIATORS - DRAG RACE - 20 x 19
WITH 2 ROWS OF 1" TUBES

[noslzzp]

Can you post more detail on your air intake system? In particular looking at how you've compartmentalized the section with the breather..

[dlamyle]

Here's a look at the air intake. In keeping with my theme of cutting holes in the Ghia's body...

I have to use a mirror wand and flashlight to check the overflow level the easy way. It doesn't fluxuate unless I have a leak somewhere.

[panel]

Are your valve cover's and block just venting to atmosphere

[ivwshane]

Nice!

Those long tubes must be dissipating a ton of heat, not to mention that that system must have several gallons of coolant in it. Do you even need a radiator fan at this point?

Have you driven it and seen how cool the system stays before the fan kicks on (if it ever kicks on)?

[dlamyle]

Are your valve cover's and block just venting to atmosphere

I am venting to atmosphere. I wanted to get rid of the hoses and avoid sucking hot dirty air back in to my intake. I haven't noticed anything comming out of the filters but I may rig up a catch can system later.

Nice!
Those long tubes must be dissipating a ton of heat, not to mention that that system must have several gallons of coolant in it. Do you even need a radiator fan at this point?
Have you driven it and seen how cool the system stays before the fan kicks on (if it ever kicks on)?

Well I haven't taken any long trips with the new aluminum tubes. But when I had the copper ones on the fan only came on once and that was after a long freeway drive at 80mph. It was a hot day and I was sitting stopped in traffic for about 15min before they did. Otherwise the fan stays off.

[dlamyle]

Here is my intercooler scoop. I used to have steel one that went up and down using a linear actuator but it really got in the way and it rattled and I couldn't seal it off and I never drove with the scoop down anyway except to back down my driveway.

This one is still in rough form but its solid and sealed to the intercooler nicely. I can't see much out my back window though...

[crazy tarzan]

More pics of the airflow mods please, front and rear, and maybe some info about the front air dam? I've seen your actuated scoop video-I've thought about doing that with the whole deck lid though, and having the front pic up with some sort of bellows to guide the air over the inter-cooler.

I'm sorely split on what to use to power the next ghia I get--either a full suby motor/trans or a supercharged t4 with suby trans. Your not helping, the suby always looks like fun when I see one put in a ghia .

[fstbckgt]

Very nice, I had no idea that those videos on youtube with the retracting scoop were your ghia. I like the new setup.
Are you still running the swing-axle trans or is this an IRS conversion? Also can you post up your wheel and tire specs, thanks a billion for all this info.