1994 BG5A GT Spec B?

[Greyboy]

Hi,

Yea just bought an absolute gem 1994 Subbie GT about a month ago, and am wondering if it is a spec B or not? I read on wikipedia that the Spec B's were introduced in 1994 with lower, firmer suspension, a high performance rear diff, and that they started using the Bilsteins and other features from 1996. I am aware that wikipedia is not always reliable however.

I have been searching high and low on information to tell the 1994-95 GT and GT Spec B's apart but remain confused about the whole thing.

The guy I bought the Subbie from paid 45k for it in 1996 from a dealer and he had the origional dealer advert for it stating it was a GT B Spec. It's a JDM BG5A manual and came with BBS alloys, but that's about all I know.

Is there anything I need to look for in particular, eg- serial numbers on rear diff?

Any help would be much appreciated as I'm am dead keen to know exactly what I'm sitting on.

Thanks, Greyboy

[Jonnysnow]

check out the model code stamped into the metal plate on the passenger side enginebay then have a look at the thread on here somewhere that tells you what it all means, that should let you know exactly what you've got.

[Jonnysnow]

found it

http://www.clubsub.org.nz/forum/index.php/topic,12604.0.html

[ReubenH]

It's not. GTB's didn't come out till 1996, with the BG5B. Sorry. There are some reports of BG5A's getting bilsteins, but these are NOT gtb's.

GTB's are more than just struts, that's why.

And there may have been BG5A's that were a bit tweaked, but not GTB's in the common sense. GTB's come with the EJ20R (for manuals), V3 STi gear box, different interior patterns, different loom, body kit, larger brakes, anti-roll bars, different turbo's and such, and make 206kw.

The B in the 94 spec b might refer to the BBS wheels, and was probably a sort of option package, like the GTB Limited, or the BH E-Tunes.

Just a note, 90% of the wiki is written by americans, and they know exactly frick all about jap models. To put it kindly.

[Greyboy]

Thanks chaps. Ka pai.

Yea just had a look at the forum on model codes and that confirms what reuben said. The code was BG5A59D which means it's the GT model.

It's still a lovely car and the prev owner apparently had Crowe Sport in Chch do a bit of work on the motor to give more grunt (cats removed, remapped ecu) to make it "200kw+". I'm not sure how they worked that out without dyno..

Does anyone know if Bilstein shockies will go straight in when it comes time to swap them out?

[Drunkenmonkey]

 Greyboy said:

Thanks chaps. Ka pai.

Yea just had a look at the forum on model codes and that confirms what reuben said. The code was BG5A59D which means it's the GT model.

It's still a lovely car and the prev owner apparently had Crowe Sport in Chch do a bit of work on the motor to give more grunt (cats removed, remapped ecu) to make it "200kw+". I'm not sure how they worked that out without dyno..

Does anyone know if Bilstein shockies will go straight in when it comes time to swap them out?

yup if you get some GT-B ones they will bolt in or other option is V7-8 Sti Kybs and put your springs and top hats on

[Pappu1]

v7/8 bolt strait on to the bg legacy no need to swap top hats

[Drunkenmonkey]

but springs will sag at the back

[Pappu1]

tru ... hmmm lowered car perhaps...

altho i have fitted bg suspension strait in v7 and there was no lifting as such and also put it the other way around and there was not much of a sag .. the car just sat a bit lower all round...

[Drunkenmonkey]

oreally.. interesting

[Greyboy]

Awesome. Thanks heaps

[ReubenH]

 Drunkenmonkey said:

but springs will sag at the back

I thought the arse sag was just a GC8 thing.

[Pappu1]

i think perhaps since the v7/8 sti are a fair bit heavier than the lighter gc8, the springs are stiffer etc