2005 Subaru Legacy GT Limited Wagon

Welcome to the home of the Grocery Git' R. I like to call her that, well, because she hauls a lot of groceries in that wagon rear end. But with the Subaru 2.5 Boxer Turbo, she also hauls something else!  This is a rare car that only an enthusiast will appreciate.  A Legacy wagon (not an Outback) with a turbo and stick shift are fairly difficult to find these days.

I acquired this Subie in trade for a 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo MR. Yep, I'm a traitor, but I like the Subie drivetrain layout better than the front-bias system in the Mitsu. And I guess I'm less likely to get in trouble with this machine too. Or at least it LOOKS that way :)

I ran into a lot of trouble modifying the EVO, so I want to be safe with this one. I think I've made just the right amount of changes for a sporty yet compliant suspension and enough power (approx. 315) to keep things fun.  The mods are listed below.

This car is a competitive racer believe it or not.  I do autocross on a regular basis (www.wedrivefast.com), and the Grocery Git' R has actually achieved a second place in class competing against all modified cars with engine sizes greater than three liters (2.0 or greater if forced induction).

Performance Mods

Perrin 22mm Adjustable Rear Sway Bar with Agency Power End links

Perrin turbo inlet hose

Cobb SF cold air intake with heat shield

Cobb Tuning Access Port, Stage 2

Cobb Tuning catted downpipe

Greddy EVO2 catback exhaust

TEIN Flex Coilovers

Front Strut Tower Brace

SPEC Stage 2+ Clutch with Carbon-Kevlar Pressure Plate

SPEC Aluminum Flywheel

Appearance Mods

ASA AR9 18" Wheels

Window Tint

Painted Calipers

De-badged Rear end

Red, interior LED mood lighting

Other Mods

Thule Roof Racks with 2 Big Mouth bike mounts

Subaru All-Weather Floor Mats

Subaru Cargo Area Cover

Future Mods

Larger intercooler--possibly a front-mount

Front sway bar                                                                                         

short-throw shifter

The Pics

The pictures are arranged so that the most recent modification appears closer to the top of the page.

11/11/2009--Perrin turbo inlet hose. The idea is to open up the airflow so the turbo spools faster. This is in the mail. As soon as I get it installed, I will post the pics. This pic shows the Perrin next to the OEM unit. This should also boost peak output up to about 325 horsepower.

6/17/09--Perrin 22 mm adjustable sway bar, attached to Agency Power end links.  These shots give you a look at the Teins, the exhaust, and Kumho tread pattern as well.

1/25/09--Cobb Tuning SF intake. The heatshield surrounds a conical filter.  Good for about 10 extra horsepower, up to about 315 total now.

12/15/08--Interior LED mood lighting installed. Gives it a little class when the doors are open. I love the interior of this car. And yes, it is a stick shift. That fact makes it an extremely rare machine. Less than 1,500 manual shift, Legacty GT wagons were ever sold in the U.S.

11/26/08--Greddy EVO2 Catback exhaust with Cobb Tuning downpipe. Here are some before and after shots . How many people can bring home their new exhaust IN the car? Gotta love the wagon! After installing the exhaust, I upgraded the AccessPort ECU tune to Stage 2. Output is now around 305 horsepower.

5/18/08--ASA AR9 18"wheels. Brake calipers were painted approximately 2/2007.

1/19/08--TEIN Flex c oilovers give the  car just over an inch of drop as well as outstanding cornering ability for a station wagon. 

8/28/07--Cobb Tuning AccessPort. The powerplant is a 2.5 liter, turbocharged, boxer-4 with an OEM output of 250 horsepower. The AccessPort stage one tune brings that up to about 290 primarily by increasing boost. The engine configuration allows for "symmetrical" all wheeldrive, which means that the diffs are on the centerline, and there are no weird angles to any of the drive shafts.

6/2007--Thule Roof Racks, window tinting.

2/2007--Painted brake calipers under stock wheels:

2/2007--Debadged rear end. It used to say "Subaru Legacy 2.5 GT"

1/2007--Strut tower brace

Some pics next to my friend's Outback XT. This side by side really shows the difference in ride height between what are essentially the same cars.

Check out my 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP at

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3384559

Page 2--My two-wheeled rides