Prodrive springs; which ones do I have?
Discussion
Thought I'd open this to the wider community, as I've got some conflicting information and wanted to clear things up once and for all.
Long story short, I own a 2003 blobeye WRX wagon and my long term plan for it is to install a variety of Prodrive PPP bits to bring it to a sort of OEM+ state suitable for spirited daily driving. As part of this, I'm always searching for Prodrive bits on eBay in case anything comes up at a good price. Last year, a pair of Prodrive blue rear springs came up from a breaker for ridiculously cheap. The listing, and subsequent messages from the seller, said that the springs were from a blobeye wagon and would be good for mine. However, when I received the springs, the tags on them specified they were in fact from a 2001 saloon (pics below).
Codes on the springs themselves say '12/05' and '44S/D5/001 REAR', and a quick search for this online only gives some vague adverts and forum posts which don't definitively say what car these are for (though one post does talk about fitting springs with the same code to an STi saloon, only for this to raise the rear height of the car from standard?). Pictures of other wagon spring and damper setups appear to be taller and narrower than mine, but when mine aren't paired with any dampers it's hard to be sure.
So my question is: What WRX are these springs meant for (bugeye, blobeye, saloon, wagon), and could they be used on mine without having an adverse effect on the ride height or quality?
If it turns they are totally wrong for my car I can't say I'll be too annoyed, as they cost me next to nothing, but it at least means I can advertise them properly if I sell them on.
Long story short, I own a 2003 blobeye WRX wagon and my long term plan for it is to install a variety of Prodrive PPP bits to bring it to a sort of OEM+ state suitable for spirited daily driving. As part of this, I'm always searching for Prodrive bits on eBay in case anything comes up at a good price. Last year, a pair of Prodrive blue rear springs came up from a breaker for ridiculously cheap. The listing, and subsequent messages from the seller, said that the springs were from a blobeye wagon and would be good for mine. However, when I received the springs, the tags on them specified they were in fact from a 2001 saloon (pics below).
Codes on the springs themselves say '12/05' and '44S/D5/001 REAR', and a quick search for this online only gives some vague adverts and forum posts which don't definitively say what car these are for (though one post does talk about fitting springs with the same code to an STi saloon, only for this to raise the rear height of the car from standard?). Pictures of other wagon spring and damper setups appear to be taller and narrower than mine, but when mine aren't paired with any dampers it's hard to be sure.
So my question is: What WRX are these springs meant for (bugeye, blobeye, saloon, wagon), and could they be used on mine without having an adverse effect on the ride height or quality?
If it turns they are totally wrong for my car I can't say I'll be too annoyed, as they cost me next to nothing, but it at least means I can advertise them properly if I sell them on.
Cambs_Stuart said:
From long memory I think there was a firm called PCA dynamics, run by a ex-prodrive suspension engineer, who sold Impreza wagon specific springs.
I think you're right, hence me thinking the original Prodrive springs had wagon equivalents as well. I do have a set of PCA wagon springs mounted to KYB Ultra shocks saved on eBay, but they look rather corroded so not sure how good a purchase it would be over finding some matching Prodrive front springs and mounting them on new Excel-Gs.Handy to know mine should be usable, but I suppose I still need to be sure if they're from a bugeye or blobeye to know which top mounts I'll need. The 2001 year on the tags would suggest bugeye, do the codes on the springs themselves match that or are they the same for both?
I'm sure they are Bugeye. I know they say 2001 to 2003 but they are the earlier of the 2 springs so must be for the earlier Bugeye mounts.
PCA only do Blobeye springs but I've had them on both my Bug and Blob. You just need the mounts that match the springs - the mounts themselves fit both cars - it's the bottom of the mount that differs, not the top that bolts to the car.
PCA only do Blobeye springs but I've had them on both my Bug and Blob. You just need the mounts that match the springs - the mounts themselves fit both cars - it's the bottom of the mount that differs, not the top that bolts to the car.
Sorry, I completely missed the part of your first reply saying they were bugeye!
Shall try and drop you a message about the mounts you mentioned. Other than these, what other parts of my existing (assumedly OEM) suspension setup could be re-used with the Prodrive springs? I was intending to get new shocks, but need to add up how much other bits would cost as I know these things stack up.
Shall try and drop you a message about the mounts you mentioned. Other than these, what other parts of my existing (assumedly OEM) suspension setup could be re-used with the Prodrive springs? I was intending to get new shocks, but need to add up how much other bits would cost as I know these things stack up.
This is a slightly distant memory now, and I think you're OK on an 03 blob, but watch the part codes and years carefully if you order shocks as there are 2 types on the blob and the later ones use a different top mount (again) for the inverted shock. Like I say think you're OK as I reckon this was 05ish onwards.
For ref: I ran those very same blue springs on a bugeye wagon with Ultra SR shocks
For ref: I ran those very same blue springs on a bugeye wagon with Ultra SR shocks
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