The Legacy will be replaced. We had originally thought of keeping this purchase under wraps through the winter.   But then realized what’s the point in that.  Aren’t we here to share our builds and experiences with our readers?  Damn right we are.

First I need to send off the Lesbowagon.  All in all ,she’s been a great car.  While I do hate her now, it was a mutual split.

What I do know for sure is,  I would not have the great friends I have today if it weren’t for this car. The Scraped.Crusaders simply would not exist.   I showed up to the weekly VW meet in Pickering in my stock 1998 Subaru Legacy Brighton Wagon, after Dave invited me out.  Honestly, at the time I thought car meets were for losers. “You just stand outside in a lot with your car?”. My mind was changed very quickly.  It was much more than that.  Good times and good people, I was hooked.  Coils were already ordered and I was scouring Kijiji (our craigslist) for wheels.  The first year was a learning process. I had zero experience modifying cars and thus, ended up with terrible fitment. While it was okay, it was no where near where I wanted it to be.  We still made it work, with some nice photos.

Over that winter I had decidde to get a set of widened steelies.  I’ve always liked that look and wanted to be different in the Subie scene.  At 16×8 they were a step up from the previous year.  Things were going well and the dhow season was about to begin. I was pumped, not even an accident could stop me.  I took the punches and just rolled with it.  Attended both Stretch and Poke and Eurokracy with mashed up doors.  Fortunately the doors would be fixed and a set of 16 inch RSs would be fitted before H20i. The green beebs didn’t last long but people sure did remember them.

While I loved the RSs, i felt the 16s were too small.  The hunt for 17s was really short as it was just a text to Geoff.  We traded wheels plus cash on my end because I had smashed one of the lips. That year also brought on a rear hatch wing, an outback front bumper and Hella lights.

This year turned out to be the most trying of them all.  NUMEROUS repairs, nagging issues.  We were both growing tired of each other. The RSIIs weren’t helping. A hairline crack would sometimes leak and on other occasions hold air perfectly.  As the issue was intermittent, I was not prepared to drive the car to H20i.  That was the low point.  I hated the Lesbowagon so much that I did not want to take her to Maryland. That changed when I found a set of BBS RSs with similar specs to the RSIIs.  A quick remounting of tires, side skirts, plastidipping the real valence and adding a front lip.  I was able to save face for H20i.  Unfortunately around this time my transmission started acting up, fourth gear was on its way out ( I had to physically hold the lever in 4th or it would pop out). I decided to just man up and drive down,  I was just desperate to get to OCMD.  Luckily it worked out.  To my surprise I have been able to take the Subaru to H20 for 4 years with 4 different wheels and looks.

I had put on over 160000kms in four years of ownership.  I should really move closer to work  :(. Over 120000 of those kms were spent dumped.  So considering that,  I can’t be too angry that it was in the shop often for maintenance issues.  Steering u-joints, ball joints, axles, hubs, snapped shifter linkage.  She’ll be relegated to winter duty.  And possibly ice racing next year?

-Edit.  I had started the above paragraph months ago.  Since then 4th gear has shit the bed completely.  Thus ice racing is not in the cards.  Instead….junkyard.

She’ll be missed,  on to the next one.  Continued…