1997 Canadian SVX one year later.

[Old Davy]

It's been a year less a day since I drove this particular 1997 home to Stratford from Mike's Oakville driveway. I'd long ago decided if I was going to get one as a retirement toy it'd have to be a Canadian 1996/97. The 'Blackberry Dreamship' was in excellent condition with the exception of a few minor fixes. My plan and goal was to return the LSI to original condition.
I got right to it - with the aid of hours of research. Took off the K&N cone filter and put the original airbox back - that solved the engine stutters. Ordered from Japan salvaged OEM front corner lights to replace the original ones which had been unsuccessfully cleared by hacking off the lens covers off for those Smallcar kits.
Replaced the AC condenser rad which had a big rock hole in it - now blows cold air again as intended.
No mechanical problems but I did have 4 new steering rack pipes replaced as a precaution.
Replaced every grain-of-wheat indicator and illumination bulb in the dashboard, door and ceiling switches. Moved the 1997 10 CD Kenwood changer from the trunk to the floor behind the passenger seat. Got the Radio Harness connectors from David in Texas, and transferred the pins from a Subaru OEM underseat subwoofer for a seamless removable plug&play re-install and two months ago removed the original Cassette radio to re-route & tidy up the cables for the CD changer control pod - now velcroed to the side of the console by the seatbelt buckle. Replaced all 4 speakers with tri-ax units. Sounds great with that extra bass oomph.
Oh yeah, like every car I've owned I removed the carpets and seats and trims looking for any accident damage evidence - there was none - clean a a whistle except for all the white dog fur - but I did find the missing front mirror and rear washer plastic caps, and a few carpet and trim clips that had fallen down under the carpet edges. Also a few screws. Came with two sets of wheels and after this winter I came to love the look of the silver FastWheels so I had the graphite black summer rims stripped and powder-coated in the same dull silver.
Replaced all 3 O2 sensors from Rock Auto and that has cured the engine light that would come on every 50-100 kms; haven't seen the engine light in months.
Repaired all the miniscule roadrash and shallow scratches with Dr Colorchip and you can't detect them anymore. As far as I'm concerned it does not need a re-paint as it positively gleams after a good waxing and buffing.
The car won an award at the Toronto Subaru Club Hypermeet last August and since then attracts lots of attention at all the summer Show & Shine meets I go to in my area.
Car rides smooth, quiet and steady in all weathers and once, just the once, I 'accidentally' reached 210 KM per hour (130 mph) passing a hay truck on a long flat straight two-lane blacktop country road. Car accelerates and tracks so smoothly I didn't notice 'til I glanced at the speedo moving back into my lane.

The extraordinarily clean interior is surprisingly spacious with all controls within arm's reach. The seats are a Barcelounger dream, comfy and supportive for hours.

Addressing the points Mike made in his Final Drive article, I am a short feller - 5'6" with short legs - and have the seat at it's uppermost height with 2" between the roof and my bald noggin so I can see over the hood. Adjusted the steering wheel so I can see the turn signal indicators. Yes, the car is one of the lowest on the road at 50" but I like that feeling I'm slipping through the airstream like a bar of wet soap.

The biggest body protrusion is the rear wiper and I suspect the spoiler is there to help disguise it's necessary placement. Even the power antenna fender nipple is a streamlined pod. i have a disable switch in the trunk as I do not need the power antenna to pull in FM radio stations because of the one in the backlight.
Yeah, the Manual button on the gearshift is kinda redundant.
I have experienced the loud thump from the sunroof panel but it only happens when a large transport truck passes you in the oncoming lane on a sideways wind kind of situation. It lifts from the pressure wave and thumps back down.

Having addressed the dismal cupholders situation with a small twocup caddy Velcroed to the console in front of the parking brake handle, I would never risk spilling anything in the pristine interior or pass anything though the windows other than my passport at the border. I also park the car well away from others and walk in to the coffee shop.

Every Subaru Dealership I've had the car at (for parts sometimes and oil filters) the service techs are too young to know the car as well as I do, having downloaded and printed the complete Service Manuals and how-tos from the two SVX Owners sites.

In the past year have put 7500 problem-free kilometers on the odo with a few long distance trips to Manitoulin Island and over to Winnipeg and to the west coast of Michigan. I daily drive the car in good weather every chance I get and it gets more use than my 2006 OBXT.
The design is so sleek and seamless I marvel every day at it's sublime beauty. How many cars can you name that are essentially unchanged Car Show Concepts built for average consumers?
I'm a happy lucky feller to have scored the Blackberry Dreamship.
The only quibble I have with the SVX is the lack of a glass sunroof...but I'm working on having a glass panel inserted into a spare moon roof panel I have."

Mike Schlee's slightly tongue-in-cheek Final Drive article:

http://www.autos.ca/motoring-memorie...aru-svx/?all=1

[Rod.]

Great write up and fantastic looking car!
But then I am more than a bit biased as I've also got a black Canadian market '97! She's in really great shape, too, but not quite up to yours. Well done!

[fasteract7]

Enjoyed reading about her and the photoshots....from a distance it almost looks like you're wearing Sparco race shoes !

[Blacky]

Very nice car. Much nicer than my '97 Bordeaux, sad to say.

P.S. Where did you buy the A/C condenser?

[scoobydrvr]

That's a gorgeous car! Hope mine will look that good someday. Did you use a write up to install the subwoofer? Where did you get the harness and connectors and such?

[Gamesy]

when i'm back in ontario we shall have to meet up.

[Old Davy]

Thanks for the thumbs-up and for asking. This LSi is a labour of love & devotion. I was both lucky and shrewd to start with an 7 out of 10 car. It's now a 9.
Once I read up and knew the type of things that could soon wear out on a 15 year old car I began scooping up used parts from guys in Michigan, New York and Pennsylvania. You don't buy a car like this without adding at least $1000 to your budget. It doesn't have to climb past the stratosphere if you are diligent and patient.
So, packed away in my garage I have complete window lift mechanisms, a clear waterfall front grill (just for fun), extra set of 5 tail lights, an alternator and a spare AC compressor, switch pods, etc.

This site's want/sell adds and How-to sections are an invaluable source for anything you want to know about or do to an SVX.

Used parts are all very good to have but there are some things you don't want to cheap out on.

Being as the AC Condenser rad sits in front of the coolant rad it is the first and last thing a bug, bird, stone hits through the bumper openings. (On all my cars I install painted galvanized gutter screen to catch the biggest critters.)

I opted for the big expense of having my local Subbie Dealership source me an OEM Condenser - found one in California - about $550, and 4 new Steering rack pipes - about $100. I also had the dealership install the Condenser so they would take the fall if they screwed up. :-) Worth the cost because nothing else needed doing except new O-rings and a recharge.
When I got it back the compressor would make a horrible screeching sound so I got pulled its plug for the winter months and got a good used compressor from Nate for $40. snail parcel sent USPS'ed to my door with no duties or taxes.
This spring the pressure was still holding proving no more leaks so I planned to have the new compressor put on.
As an experiment I set the car running , climate control on Auto and plugged the compressor back in a few times. After a few fits and screeches something 'whumped' out a cloud of dust and freezing cold air has been coming out the vents ever since. That was just dumb luck jarring loose whatever was frozen but at least I a have a second compressor if it dies.

I have nothing against the China aftermarket parts and hear good reports about the alternate Condenser rad from Rock Auto. There are several brands and some under $250 if you it.

http://www.carid.com/1997-subaru-svx-climate-control/

It's not always about saving costs...sometimes it's about common sense and convenience.

Now, about the under-seat OEM sub. I have already installed two of them in my 06 OBXT - a simple plug & play between the radio and dashboard harness.
I got them new and cheap - about $100 each - from ebay so bought 3.
Logic told me I should be able to plug & play one into the SVX, As you probably know the SVX uses unique proprietary connectors unlike anything else Subaru installs. I didn't want to splice & dice the original wiring and deduced what I needed was a pair of replacement SVX connector shells from David Carter in Texas. He worked with me to determine the simple clean solution and saved me a lot off tooth-grinding, wrist-gnawing angst. He sells these in many configurations. I simply labeled the wires according to his charts, removed the pins from the OEM Sub harness connectors and inserted them in the correct locations in the SVX connectors. Worked first time out. connectors cost me all IF UNDER $10.

Check out his illustrated website.
http://ae64.com/Ordering.htm
and How-to:
http://ae64.com/SVXAudioInstall.htm

Correction, as of tonight I have put 9592 kms (5960 miles) in a year of hard work and fun fun fun with my water bottle and coffee right at hand.
Double cup-holder solution. Found on eBay from japan for only $6 no shipping or duties. :-)

[ensteele]

Have you got this great car registered yet?

[Old Davy]

I think so, Ensteele.
I remember filling out a data sheet with the serial number and all shortly after joining the site. Ans serial numbers for several abandoned junkers I have located in fields and on car lots.

How would I search for my registration?