Path Less Travelled: 

Tim Tannhauser's 2004 Subaru Forester XT

Photography by @killallfenders, @jsherbno, @theryanlopez, @lindmark.photography.

Tim Tannhauser has always been into cars growing up. "My dad had been into cars all his life," he remembers, "so I grew up working on them and learning." Tannhauser has owned and worked on three Subarus. He had a 2002 Subaru WRX with a 2.5 STI hybrid swap that was featured in a magazine, and a 2004 STI that ended up blowing up on him. "I wanted to stick with Subaru," Tannhauser mentions, "but wanted something that wasn't the normal Subaru. That's when he ended up with a 2004 Subaru Forester XT.

Since March of 2017, Tannhauser has been upgrading the Forester and making it his own and something unique. He's gained a lot of experience along the way; he appreciated different cars for what they were built for, meeting some of the best people he knows today, and creating great relationships with automotive aftermarket shops. 


Throughout out this build, and his previous builds, Tannhauser has worked with many different companies such as Touge Factory, Six Star Motorsports, P&L Motorsports, JR TUNED, Toyo Tires, SubyFlares, TIBurnt and Stroud Built, Visual Auto Werks, JDM Emergency, and Freedom Mount. Additionally, inspiration comes from his VadedMob family. "They always push me to do what I want to the car," he mentions. "I have built this car for myself to enjoy and not what other people want to see."

Tannhauser's goal is to make this Forester one you don't normally see around; to build the Forester to be a show and track car, all-in-one, and hopefully one day be able to show it off at SEMA.

Tim Tannhauser was the Runner-Up in the PASMAG Tuner Battlegrounds award category and online competition at Tuner Galleria in Chicago, IL on March 7th. Click HERE for more details.

ESSENTIALS

Owner: 

Tim Tannhauser
Location: Norridge, IL
Vehicle: 2004 Subaru Forester XT
Horsepower: 450 whp
Club: @vadedmob

SOCIAL

Facebook: /tim.tannhauser
Instagram: @tim.tann

ENGINE & PERFORMANCE

• Fully built motor & heads
• Protuned 440whp/400fpt
• Mishimoto radiator
• 1 of 4 titanium radiator shroud
• Subtle Solution hood scoop splitter
• Cobb Tuning flex fuel kit
• APS SR56 ball bearing turbo
• Forge 18psi wastegate actuator spring
• Injector Dynamics ID1300 top feed injectors
• Outfront fuel rails
• Custom fuel lines
• 2.5 N/A manifold shaved
• Fuel Lab fuel filter
• Fuel Lab mini FPR
• ARP head studs
• IAG AOS Comp Series
• Perrin cold air intake
• Zero Sport intake tube
• Perrin turbo inlet
• Custom powder coated T clamps
• Tomei equal length header
• Tomei uppipe
• STi oil pan
• STi oil dip stick
• KillerB oil pickup
• Grimmspeed EBC 3-port
• GrimmSpeed hood dampers
• Group N motor mounts
• IAG dress-up caps
• Cusco V braces
• ZeroSport caps, intake tube
• Torque Solutions pitch stop mount

EXHAUST

• Invidia V3 catted bellmouth downpipe
• Invidia g200 exhaust

PERFORMANCE ELECTRONICS

• Cobb V3 Accessport
• Cobb Flex Fuel Kit to run e85
• 04 STI ECU
• Custom tune
• Defi PSI Link boost gauge
• Defi EGT Link gauge
• Defi Oil temp gauge
• Defi Link controller V2

DRIVETRAIN

• 05 STi driveshaft
• 05 STi rear differential
• 05 Sti front & rear axles
• 05 STi front crossmember with spacer delete
• ACT street light flywheel
• ACT Heavy duty street clutch kit "SB4-HDSS"
• 05 Sti steering rack
• 05 STi rear subframe
• 05 STi ebrake system
• Whiteline steering rack bushings
• Sti factory short throw shifter with Kartboy STS installed
• Kartboy front & rear shifter bushings
• Kartboy transmission crossmember bushings
• TIC shift linkage bushings
• Group N rear diff mount
• Kartboy rear subframe outrigger comfort bushings
• Whiteline rear subframe lock bolts
• 05 STi steering coupler

WHEELS & TIRES

• Work Meister S1 3-piece wheels - 18x11+18/22
• Toyo R888 tires - 315/30/18

BRAKES

• 06 Sti Brembo calipers
• Hawk HP street pads
• Braided lines

CHASSIS & SUSPENSION

• Air Lift air suspension
• All suspension bushings replaced with Group N bushings.
• Whiteline 27mm adjustable front swaybar
• Whiteline 27mm adjustable rear swaybar
• Rallitek front & rear endlinks
• SubtleSolution fender braces
• 05 STi front & rear hubs
• 05 STi control arms
• 05 STi lateral links
• 05 STi trailing arms
• NRG H brace
• Whiteline roll/centre bump steer kit

EXTERIOR

• Custom Nardo grey paint job with teal pearl
• Suby flares
• OEM JDM side spats
• OEM JDM front bumper
• Custom carbon fiber fog light covers 
• OEM JDM grill
• OEM JDM lower headlight surrounds
• STi hood scoop
• Custom retrofitted headlights
• Carbon fiber eyelids
• RARE OEM clear Subaru headlight covers 
• APR carbon fiber splitter
• 1 of 10 carbon fiber SYMS spoiler
• Carbon fiber mid spoiler wing
• JDM 06-08 power folding mirrors with carbon fiber covers
• Visual Auto Works window vents

LIGHTING

• Starry night headliner
• Custom lighting for trunk setup
• 04 Forester Depo headlights with custom retrofit projectors
• RGBW demon eyes
• RGBW halos
• Panamera shrouds

INTERIOR

• Custom trunk setup
• Starry night headliner
• JDM Europe radio bezel with cup holder
• Custom Air Lift Performance control bezel with carbon shifter boot
• Recaro Evo X seats
• Custom Carbon Fiber Steering wheel
• Likewise shift extension and shift knob
• 05 STi shifter trim with custom carbon fiber overlay double-din dash housing
• 05+ XT silver gauge surround
• 05 STi gas, brake, clutch & dead pedals.
• 08 heater/AC bezel with knobs
• Perrin column gauge pods
• Diamond stitched carpet covers

AUDIO & MULTIMEDIA

• Pioneer AVIC AVHP4200 D3 double-din head-unit
• Morel Dotech front speakers
• Morel Integra rear speakers

FAVORITE MODIFICATION

"My most favorite modification to the car is probably the flares and paint job. It's a custom paint job that is a Nardo Grey base coat with a teal and white crystal pearl in it.  It's a color you rarely see and in the sun and light it can give off a whole different color."

FUTURE MODIFICATIONS

• Rotated turbo setup
• Start cleaning up engine bay/ try wire tucking
• New trunk setup
• Custom carbon fiber parts - wiper cowl, B and C exterior pillars, window switches, vent covers, radio and shifter bezel

SPONSORS

• Toyo Tires
• Freedom Mount

SHOPS & MECHANICS

• Touge Factory
• Six Star Motorsports
• SubyFlares
• Blackout Coating
• TIBurnt
• Stroud Built
• Boosted Performance
• Visual Auto Werks
• JDM Emergency
• Freedom Mount

PHOTO GALLERY

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