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My son got into Med school in Chicago and of course he needed a car for the weather up there so we got him a WRX and I inherited the 2005 Base Coupe that I bought him when he was a sophomore at UT Austin in 2012. Long story short, I was just going to sell it but decided to keep it and give it the TLC that it had been missing all these years. I put it on jack stands and started work.
Many thanks go to this forum and to the vendors on this forum for the world of information shared every day !
TMODSCUSTOMS & Tom for one of the best mods yet - the new 5% shifter is amazing and I have to say after years of driving this car while it was my son's I have always wondered if all vettes shifters were as clunky as this one was (had a B&M short throw in it) - I have now learned how absolutely smooth and accurate the shifting can be ---- should have done this years ago!!!!! The best mod yet!!!
Cole at Vettelights.com - another must do - his website and the lighting kits he offers can not be beat!!! All the lighting on this car has been upgraded with his "Brightest LED Fogs", Switchback DLR LED & Low beam LEDs / 55w HID brights / Brightest Map & complete cabin/hatch LEDs / Brightest Backup LEDs / Taillight LED kit & side marker LEDs - gone are all of those outdated yellow bulbs!!!
TPS Motor Sports supplied the Aldan American Coil Overs and Steinjager Sway bar kits. I added a full set of Whiteline end links on the suggestion of a forum member - what a great suggestion that was!!!
I had previously had RPM stg 4 transmission & stg 4 differential with 410 gearing and Quaife install by England Green here in Houston - the T56 fluid was changed with Mobile 1 ATF & the Diff with Valvoline full synthetic. Front nose was completely removed so as to access the front of the engine for installation of a new power steering pump & hoses. The passenger side fender was taken to a local body shop to repair a hole created from hitting parts of a pallet hit by another vehicle on the freeway (they did an excellent job!). All new rotors & brake pads. Replaced the headlight lenses with smoked lenses. blacked out the fog lights.
After a lot of elbow grease with Meguiar's Ultimate Compound & some GM touch up paint & some Meguiar's Ultimate paste wax and a lot of buffing - - - - - - -
I think this old girl looks pretty good for having 110,000 miles on her.
Congratulations to your son and you both. If I had a C6 in college I probably would not have graduated, let alone gain admission to medical school. Continued success to you all.
What's it like driving at night with the dark headlights film?
It's the reason for going with the VetteLights kits, I changed the complete lenses on the headlights not film that could be easily removed. Driving at night is not as bad as you think it would be.
So the way I see it, your gleamed the kids car, and in a few years, will be getting back a well used WRX when your son wants his shiney vet back.
Or in husband speak, you buy/steer the wife to a nice car that you like as well, since in a short time, she will want another new one; leaving you to drive her old hand me down car isntead (or at least have kids that you can pawn her old cars off to drive instead).
11-17-2018, 10:08 PM
Acquired My Son's Daily Driver
Perfect color, and looks great!
