The owner and the car
Toby Thyer found this 1999 Impreza WRX Type RA 555 Limited through a private Yahoo! Auctions listing. His April 2021 Speedhunters account follows the trip from Yokohama to Shikoku to collect it. This one is a WRX, not an STI.
The first proper drive
Getting it home meant more than 800 km behind the wheel. It was a chance to learn the car beyond a listing and a few photographs. The plan was to replace worn parts and tidy what needed attention.
The gallery comes from that first chapter. These are Toby’s photographs of his own car, including its blue bodywork, rear view and Type RA badge.
What the next chapter revealed
In his June 2021 project update, Toby described an engine rattle, a troublesome third gear, uneven coilover behavior and tired rubber components. Buying the right shape did not mean the jobs were finished.
What was already fitted
The update documents a Cusco half cage and chassis braces, a Sparco driver’s seat and Momo steering wheel. An HKS boost meter and Lamco gauges kept the driver informed. Endless pads and brake lines were also part of the existing setup.
The work ahead
Toby discussed engine work, a GD STI six-speed conversion and renewing the suspension. Those were plans in that update, not upgrades we can claim were completed. There is no verified dyno result to add here.
Why it belongs here
A classic Impreza story does not need to begin with a finished show car. The first journey, the faults you discover and the decisions that follow are part of keeping it alive. Read Toby’s original accounts for his own take on the project.
Story and photography: Toby Thyer / Speedhunters. This feature describes the car in April and June 2021; its current ownership and specification have not been verified.
