Matt bought his 2007 Subaru Impreza WRX STI Limited in October 2006, there hasn’t been a dull moment with this car. Matt bought STi Limited #657/800, and has had a wrench in his hand until present day. That’s nearing four years of differing phases and modifications. This isn’t Matt’s first modified car, nor his first Subaru.

Matt’s modding addiction began with a 2006 Audi A3 2.0T. The car was a ton of fun, had a bit of refinement and luxury, but it was missing one key ingredient: AWD. Matt did everything he could to that car aside from pull the engine, but it was still not as fun as an AWD Subaru that could put the power down. That said, Matt has a bit of a bias for Subaru’s based on his history with them – Matt’s first car was a ’96 Subaru Forester, he also a had a 2004 Subaru Impreza WRX STI. The 2007 Subaru Impreza WRX STI Limited featured here, and his 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI that he uses for daily driving duties are currently in his garage. Needless to say, he has a bit of a thing for Subaru’s.

So, with Matt’s background in professional sports and being competitive in everything he does, he set his sights on his newly acquired ’07 STI Limited and decided to make it as fast and well built as his bank account would allow. The original goal was to have a very fast, but reliable, street car. That goal changed as he got further into the build and realized how much fun tracking the car was. At this point, the ultimate goal is to have a very competitive Subaru track car, one that can hang with the big boys – the Z06s, 911’s, GT-R’s, and the like.

Once his final goals were established, he got in touch with Rocket Rally Racing ( www.rocketrally.com), one of the premier Subaru and rally shops in Canada. The owner of the shop, Pat Richard, is a multiple National and North American rally champion. With many titles under his belt, as well as countless rally builds, street car builds, and road race car builds, Matt was 100% confident that this was the guy, and the shop, to take his 2007 Subaru Impreza WRX STI Limited to. He was 100% right, the end result is a car with a reliable 504WHP on the daily driving map (94 octane + 30:70 meth injection) and 573WHP on the race map (VP109 + meth).

The final build was completed late 2009. Matt only had time for one lapping event before the snow flew. He also hadn’t had time to get the suspension completely dialed in, nor were his alignment settings ideal. The end result was an extremely tail happy, loose, scary 500+WHP experience. Matt had some work to do over the winter break.

Current setup –
Fast forward to today, the work over the winter and spring has allowed Matt to get the car dialed in for the track. Here’s what has been done over the winter and spring:

Chassis prep:
Matt has done a large amount of weight reduction. Removing the entire A/C system, the OEM air pump is gone, the interior is gutted, the OEM subframe was swapped for an Oswald Performance lightweight subframe, a new lightweight battery replaced the heavy stock battery, and all sound deadening is removed. Matt also replaced his OEM hood and trunk with Seibon dry carbon fiber pieces. The dry carbon pieces are extremely lightweight, and very strong. All in all, pretty much anything else non-essential has been removed from the car.

To deal with downforce, Matt has a Voltex Type-2V, 1400mm wing. He also has an APR front splitter and diffuser about to go on.

Lastly, Matt had a 6-point roll cage welded in since he wasn’t allowed to compete without a cage and harness at his modification level.

Suspension:
Matt’s ride height is currently 13.5” in the front (hub to fender) and 13” in the rear. He’s running -3* camber up front, and -2.5* camber in the rear. Matt is going to be diallng in a little bit more front camber yet, to suit the R-compound tires.
Matt recently upgraded to Hyperco 12k/10k springs for his Ohlins Flag Series coilovers since the Eibach 8k/6k springs were absolutely not up to the task after installing the cage. With the incredible increase in chassis stiffness, those relatively soft springs were getting crushed in tight corners since the chassis was not absorbing or flexing at all. At this point, Matt has yet to try the 12/10’s on the track, but he has faith that it will definitely help his cornering stability.

Wheels/Tires:
Matt has two wheel/tire setups for a little function and a little form.
Street: For the street, Matt is running gunmetallic Advan RZ wheels in 18×9 +35mm offset. Mounted to those wheels are Yokohama Advan AD07 tires in 265/35R18.

Track: For the track, Matt needed a wheel that was stronger and lighter than the cast Advan’s, so Matt opted to go with a set of forged Volk Racing Wheels. The Volk Racing CE28n has always been one of his favorite wheels, so when the opportunity came up to buy a set of J-Spec (White with a Red Lip), 18×9 +35mm CE28n’s, He jumped all over it. Mounted to those wheels are Toyo R888’s in 255/35R18.

To get those wheels and tires to fit, Matt had to used my fender article as a guide to mutilate his rear fenders. I busted out the grinder, the ball peen and dead blow hammers, and took care of business.

So, at this point, everything should be set for the rest of the season of Solo Sprint. Matt’s next event is July 4th, so we all are looking forward to seeing how all the changes (suspension, aero, etc) work out since his last timed event.

On to the HUGE! Mod List

ENGINE
Heads/Cams:
1) Cosworth Big Valve, ported performance cylinder heads

Bottom end:
2) Crawford S3L-i with custom 8.2:1 billet pistons

Engine Management:
1) Autronic SM4
- SM4
- Prototype Knock Board
- Cable throttle conversion
2) Rocket Rally tune

Oiling:
1) Moroso Oil Pan and Pick-up tube assembly
2) Crawford A/O Separator
3) Shimmed OEM oil pump
4) Custom VTA breather system (more info to be posted later)

Fueling:
1) Deatschwerks 850cc injectors
2) Custom Rocket Rally motorsports fueling setup
- Custom surge tank
- All -AN fittings
- Aeromotive A1000
- Aeromotive fuel filter
- Aeromotive FPR
- Walbro in-tank Fuel Pump

Turbo:
1) APS TSR70 w/ 1.06A/R back housing (HPC 1600*F coating)

Intake:
1) APS TSR70 specific 80mm CAI

Exhaust manifold and UP:
1) APS Twinscroll Exhaust Manifold
2) APS Twinscroll Up-Pipe w/ Tial 44mm EWG

Exhaust:
1) APS R5 (3.5″) TBE

Intercooler:
1) APS DR725 FMIC w/ custom (reversed) I/C piping

Water Injection:
1) Aquamist HFS-5 w/ Spec C 12L tank

Intake manifold:
1) Flipped JDM Ver.9 manifold (no TGV’s) with custom I/C piping

BPV:
1) BOV block off plate (no BOV)

Radiator:
1) Koyo Racing Radiator
2) Samco Radiator hoses (black)

SUSPENSION
1) Q-Rack quick steering rack: 11.5:1 ratio
2) Ohlins Flag Series Coilovers
3) Hyperco 12k/10k springs
4) Whiteline 27-29mm Adjustable FSB
5) Whiteline 24mm RSB
6) Kartboy Front endlinks
7) Cobb Rear Endlinks

DRIVETRAIN
1) Group-A Subframe locking bolts
2) ACPT CarbonFiber Driveshaft
3) Cobb dual-adjustable STI short shifter
4a) Kartboy Front shifter bushings
4b) Kartboy Rear shifter stay bushings
4c) Kartboy shifter pivot bushings
4d) Kartboy shifter linkage bushings
5) TiC Tranny Crossmember bushings
6) Beatrush engine pitch stop mount
7) Group-N “Performance” hardened engine mounts
8 ) Group-N “Performance” hardened transmission mounts
9) Rocket Rally tuned Custom P-n-P DCCD controller
10) Oswald front subframe
11) 6-point MIG and TIG welded roll cage

Fluids:
1) Motul Competition FF 75W140 transmission oil
2) Motul Gear 75W90 rear differential fluid

WHEELS/TIRES
Track:
1) Volk Racing CE28N J-Spec (white/red) 18×9, +35mm. Toyo R888 255/35R18

Street:
1) Advan RZ, 18×9, +35mm. Yokohama Advan AD07 265/35R18

BRAKING
Calipers:
1) Stoptech 355mm 6-Pot BBK
2) OEM STI Brembo 2-pots

Rotors:
1) Stoptech 355mm slotted rotors
2) DBA 4000 slotted rotors

Pads:
Street:
1) Front – Ferodo 2500
2) Rear – Hawk HPS

Track:
1) Front – Hawk DTC70
2) Rear – Hawk DTC60

Fluid:
1) Motul RBF 660

Brake Lines:
1) Tecnafit stainless steel braided brake lines

EXTERIOR
1) Seibon Dry CF hood
2) Seibon Dry CF trunk
3) Voltex Type 2V 1400mm wing
4) APR front splitter
5) APR rear diffuser
6) Autospeed “STI” anodized black front licence plate filler
7) CF licence plate frame
8 ) 5-window tint
9) ’04/05 Tails
10) RavSpec CF exhaust shield (06/07 specific)
11) GrimmSpeed hood dampers
12) Painted headlight housings

INTERIOR
1) Mainly gutted
2) Bride Zeta III driver and passenger seat
3) G-Force 6-point harness
4) Gauges:
- Defi BF Amber 60mm gauges (OP, Boost, EGT)
- Defi clock pod, paint and texture matched
- Autometer Dual Gauge Pod Cluster bezel
- Innovate LC-1 WB02 + DB Gauge (red)
- Aquamist DDS3 Water injection gauge
5) Beatrush rear bulkhead division plate
6) Custom carbon fiber DIN-panel

WEIGHT REDUCTION
1) Estimated total weight reduction: 360.4lbs

Some Random Shots of Matt’s car over the years.

Above is a snapshot of Matt’s first set of Race Wheels, 18×8.5 +45mm Rays Engineering 57F.

Unloading @ Rocket Rally on his original BBS RE’s.

Matt’s Future Plans and Thank yous:
As weird as this sounds, I could see myself upgrading to a Full Race twinscroll 40R equivalent kit (but with the BW turbo). As if 500WHP isn’t enough. 600WHP+ would put a smile on anyone’s face!

Last but not least, a quick thank you –
The only company I’d really like to thank is Rocket Rally Racing. Through all the ups and downs of the various stages of my build (and believe me, there were some ugly downs), Pat Richard and Rocket Rally have stood behind their work 100%. The build itself, the tuning, the post-sales service, the customer support, and pretty much everything customer service related that you hope a company will offer, they do. I would and do suggest them to every person I talk to interested in major builds because they are truly a one stop shop.
www.rocketrally.com

As always any questions/comments don’t hesitate.

-T3h_Clap

Track Ready 2005 Subaru STI

About Dan aka BoostJunkie:

Dan began doing HPDE events in 2004, right after he bought his STi. A family friend suggested that Dan and his dad sign up for an event at VIR. No question, Dan was hooked. Dan began branching out to other organizations like NASA, Mazdadrivers, Audi Club, Mercedes Club, and TrackDaze.

After he graduated college Dan decided to change the 2005 Subaru from a daily driver into a full time race car. At the beginning of the 2009 season, he completed a NASA TT license evaluation and went on to do a full season in the TTS class. Dan won the season championship for his class. Winning the class championship is a huge accomplishment and shows Dan’s dedication and ability.

The Car:

Every (ok 90%) of STi owners think it wont be necessary to modify their new car and we’re all wrong. Dan is no different and if you have followed Dan’s car over the last few years you know this is true. Dan had the opportunity/pleasure to work with the Myles @ Race Comp Engineering, this was two fold. RCE helped Dan learn the technical aspect of suspension tuning and RCE also began using Dan’s car to test new products on the street and track.

Over the next few years, Dan’s 2005 Subaru Impreza WRX STi went through many different suspension setups, and continued to modify other aspects of the car as well. Initially the goal was to create the ultimate dual purpose street and track car, and he was able to find a good balance between the two. A year or so ago, Dan got to the point where he was able to turn the car into a purpose built race car. Doing so is alot harder than it sounds. Turning a Street Car into a purpose built race car is more than “gutting and caging”, Dan learned this first hand.

Dan trusted IAG Performance in Westminster, MD with building a custom roll cage. A huge amount of weight was removed from the car, which meant pulling out all of the HVAC components, gutting the doors, and basically taking out everything in the car that wasn’t serving a purpose on track. The incredible increase in chassis stiffness required a suspension setup to match, so a set of JRZ RS Pro dampers were installed. IAG rolled and pulled the fenders to make room for a set of 275/35/18 Hoosier R6′s mounted on Enkei NT03+M’s in 18×9.5 +40. Leaving no aspect of the car’s setup untouched, a SARD carbon kevlar wing and a custom alumalite front splitter were installed to add some much needed downforce. Dan spent many hours stripping the cabin wiring harness and rewiring most of the electrical components to reduce weight.

Once the car was back together, Dan focused on dialing in the new suspension and getting used to driving the car. Dan’s lap times continued to shorten once Dan started fine tuning the new JRZ RS Pro’s. The car was now able to compete with the front runners in its class, and with a win and a second place finish in the two races during the second to last race weekend of the year, Dan had secured the TTS Championship.

The final race weekend of the season at Summit Point started off well, and Dan took second place on Saturday behind a very fast Corvette Z06. During the Sunday morning warm-up, the car suffered a brake line failure while entering Turn 1 at nearly 150mph. The car entered the gravel trap sideways and rolled 3 times, landing on the other side of the tire wall. Miraculously, Dan suffered only minor injuries and was able to climb of the car under his own power. The car, on the other hand, was damaged beyond repair. However, Dan already has started to rebuild the car, and already has a GD Impreza chassis to work with. With any luck, we will see a new and improved version of the car during the 2010 season.

Sponsors:

RaceComp Engineering:
Dan’s relationship with RaceComp Engineering goes back to 2005, when he began working there. Throughout the years, they have provided many parts for the car, including their swaybars, kool brake kit, GTWorx camber plates, and many parts from other manufacturers. They have also provided a great deal of input for chassis setup. Myles Williams, the company’s founder, has given Dan personal driver coaching, drawing on his many years of racing experience.

IAG Performance:
IAG Performance in Westminster, MD came on board as a sponsor about a year ago. They have done extensive fabrication work on the car, including the construction of the roll cage. They have also provided their header and external wastegate uppipe, as well as a few miscellaneous parts. IAG has performed much of the maintenance work on the car, including regular alignments, tire mounting and balancing, and ECU tuning. They have committed to being a key part of the build process for the new car, and even provided the chassis as a starting point. Their meticulous attention to detail produces incredible results, and their support has been essential to Dan’s success over the past season.

JRZ Suspension Engineering:
JRZ joined this project in the middle of the 2009 season, providing a set of their 2-way adjustable RS Pro dampers. They are externally adjustable for both compression and rebound, and also feature remote fluid canisters and adjustable nitrogen pressure. Their build quality and performance are both outstanding. Bryan Hise, the east coast representative for JRZ USA, has offered invaluable support and setup help.

Stoptech:
Stoptech provided one of their front big brake kits for this project, featuring ST-60 6 piston calipers and 355x32mm rotors. They have also offered ongoing support, supplying replacement rotors and a great deal of expertise pertaining to pad selection, operating temperatures, and more. Dan plans to continue his relationship with Stoptech and use one of their big brake kits on his new STi build.

Kaminari Aerodynamics/Racetech North America:
This past season, Kaminari supplied a set of their race lateral links, featuring 6061-T6 seamless tubing and rod ends that are rated at 28,000 lbs. They also provided a pair of their brake duct inlets, essential in feeding cool air to the front brakes. Dan also uses a Racetech RT4009HR seat, although he purchased it before his sponsorship agreement with Racetech North America. He is looking forward to working with them on his new project, as the quality of both their aerodynamic and mechanical parts is top notch.

Dan’s 2005 Subaru Impreza WRX STi was an amazing car and we all were stunned when we heard of his accident. Dan being “Ok” after his accident says a lot about Subaru and IAG’s cage work. This is a risk all of us take while we’re track our cars but we can choose to build and own safe cars.

The Mod list you’re about to scroll through looks more like a wishlist of the average STI owner. I can’t wait to see the new car once it is complete. (Scroll down for a few teaser shots of the new car).

Mod List:

Engine:

-Element Tuning GT52 turbo
-APS DR525 Intercooler
-Deatsch Werks 850cc Injectors
-GTSpec Equal Length Header
-IAG EWG Uppipe/Dumptube
-Tial 44mm Wastegate
-Mocal Oil Cooler/Thermostat
-Covert Performance Fuel Surge Tank
-Bosch Motorsport 044 External Fuel Pump
-Perrin Turbo Inlet
-APS 70mm CAI
-TGV Deletes
-Grimmspeed 8mm Phenolic Intake Manifold Spacers
-Element Tuning Competition Catch Can
-Koyo Aluminum Radiator
-Samco Radiator Hoses
-Invidia Bellmouth Downpipe
-Invidia N1 Race Full Titanium Catback
-Prodrive Boost Control Solenoid
-AEM 3.5 bar MAP Sensor w/ Cobb Adapter
-Cobb Accessport Version 2
-Protuned by Jorge at P&L
-374whp/365wtq (93 octane)
-419whp/437wtq (Sunoco GT100)
-Turbosmart Dual Port BOV
-Cusco Engine Mounts
-Walbro 255lph In-Tank Fuel Pump
-NGK 1 Step Colder Plugs
-Crucial Racing Thermostat
-Odyssey PC680 w/ Billet Mount

Suspension/Brakes:

-JRZ RS Pro Dampers
-GTWorx Camber Plates F+R
-Hyperco Main Springs/Swift Helper Springs
-Q-rack 11.5:1 Steering Rack
-RCE 25.5mm Adjustable Swaybars
-Kaminari Race Lateral Links
-Covert Performance Subframe
-Kartboy Rear Endlinks
-Whiteline Sport ALK
-Whiteline Roll Center Kit
-Whiteline Plus Trailing Link/Front Control Arm Bushings
-Kartboy Botox Bolts
-Greddy Front Strut Bar
-Stoptech 6-Piston 355mm Front BBK
-Cobb SS Rear Brake Lines
-Hawk DTC-70 pads
-Motul RBF600 Fluid
-RCE Kool Brake Kit
-Cusco Master Cylinder Brace

Transmission:

-Exedy Stage 1 Clutch
-STi Short Shifter
-Kartboy Front/Rear Shifter Bushings
-Cusco Transmission Mount
-Kartboy Subframe Outrigger Bushings
-TiC Rear Diff Mount Bushings

Wheels/Tires:

-Enkei NT03+M – 18×9.5 +40 w/ Hoosier R6 – 275/35/18 (dry)
-Enkei NT03+M – 18×9.5 +40 w/ Hoosier Radial Wets – 275/35/18 (wet)

Shop for Hoosier tires at Tire Rack.

Exterior:

-Cusco Front Lip
-Custom Alumalite front splitter
-SARD Carbon Kevlar Wing
-Kaminari Brake Duct Inlets
-Lightwerkz TSX Projector Headlight Retrofit
-Craft Square Carbon Fiber Side Mirrors
-Varis Carbon Fiber Exhaust Shield
-KS-Tech Hood Vent
-Sparco Hood Pins
-OEM WRX Sideskirts
-Rennline Front Tow Hook
-NRG Hood Struts
-Autospeed Front Bumper Trim
-Blue Batmobile Taillight Overlays
-Black i Badge
-Custom Vinyl by IAG Performance

Interior:

-Racetech RT4009HR Seat
-IAG Performance Custom Rollcage
-Schroth Profi II-Y Harness
-OMP Targa Steering Wheel
-Sparco Steering Wheel Hub/Quick Release
-Amerex 2.5lb. Halon Fire Extinguisher w/ Brey Krause Mount
-Defi Amber BF Boost/EGT/Oil Press. Gauges
-Allview Racers Mirror
-Custom Carbon Fiber Switch Panel
-Custom Lightweight Wiring Harness
-Gutted Doors w/ Removable Front Windows
-Removed A/C and Heater Core
-Removed Intercooler Sprayer System
-Removed All Interior Panels/Carpet/Sound Deadening, Gutted Stock Dash
-Lathe Werks Copolymer Shift Knob

As always don’t hesitate to post comments/questions.

-t3h_Clap

3 Magazines

What do these three magazines have in common?

1.) Awesome cars
2.) Subarus
3.) Excellent Wheel Selection
4.) All on T3hClap.com!

First is Performance Auto and Sound and Bill’s 06 STI.  He’s been on the blog more than once.

Want to be Aggressive? Are you willing to do what it takes?

How To Be Aggressive Version 2.0

Bill's 06 STI +22mm Volk Racing TE37s

Next is magazine #2 Modified Magazine and Logan’s Top Scoob winning GRB STI.

Logan’s Top Scoob Winning GR STi w/ 18×10’s!

Logan's Top Scoob STI

18x10.5 +22mm Prodrive GC010Gs

Magazine Number 3 is DSport. The article is about a Subaru Owner named Jamie, I putting together his feature this month.

Insane Jane

18x9.5 CCW C14's!

3 Magazines, 3 Features all of them on this one blog.

It’s awesome to see all of these cars on the newsstands!

Go pick them up TODAY!

-T3h_Clap

Tim is no different then the rest of us, he chose a modification plan, he talked to vendors, he bought his parts, he got local subie guys to help, he dropped his car off at EFI and he drives the piss out of it!

Alright, there are a few differences. First Tim chose to put the smaller 16″ Specification brakes off the JDM 16″ Specification Spec C STi. These brakes use the same caliper as the 06/07 WRX here in the US but with a different sized rotor, 5×114.3 and properly sized for the rear parking brake and R180.

Why go to the smaller brakes you ask? one word. Abilitytofit15inchrallytires. As many of you know the Brembos require a minimum of a 17″ wheel. There are very very few rally tires made in sizes larger than 15″. This leaves little choice for people wanting true rally tires. Little brakes and 15″ wheels here we come!

Tim first saw the WRC on SPEED channel back when it aired more then NASCRAP. He was 12 years old and was instantly hooked. Tim like many of us used to stay up until midnight to watch. Tim’s favorite team was of course Subaur WRT and he quickly became obsessed with the WRC Subaru Impreza WRX STi. After Tim graduated college and nailed down his first “Grown up” job he bought his STi. This is the first car he’s modded if you can believe that.

Another similarity between Tim and the rest of us is that he built this car to compete in multiple different types of racing and more than one rule book. He shot for both NASA/USRC and RallyAmerica. Building the car to be eligible for both associations allow Tim to run more events and enjoy the car more.

Ok, ok lets be honest. Tim is a little crazier then alot of us. haha. He did put a huge 4 light pod, full cage, and removed the interior in a perfectly good 2006 STi. What did he end up with? A perfect hill climbing rally monster that not only looks the part but also performs! I can’t wait to see more video/photos/info on Tim’s Rally Bagger.

This RallyBagger was built with the help of a few key vendors/people.

Most Important – EFI Logics – simply put Chris and his crew are the best. No words describe them!

EFI Logics

Sunshine Sign for all the graphics and continued stickering of the car

Sunshine Sign

Rallispec, TurnInConcepts, and HMS Motorsport for helping out with some of the build

Turn In Concepts
Ralli Spec
HMS Motorsport

Of course a link to the Teams site

Pin It To Win It Blog

Tim has a busy schedule coming up, good luck!

Upcoming events

Rallies
January 23-24th Winter Rally New York – Snow
April 16-17th Rally New York – Tarmac
July 16-17th New England Forest Rally – Gravel
September 10-11th International Rally NY – Gravel

Hill Climbs (Dates not established yet)
Mt. Ascutney I: May
Burke I: June
Okemo I: July
Okemo II: August
Burke II: August
Mt. Ascutney II: September
Philo: October

Mod List

Engine/Turbo
Stock VF39
EFI Logics Custom Race Exhaust
COBB SF intake
COBB AP2
Gimmick MAF tube
GroupN Engine mounts
Kartboy Pitch Stop

Suspension/Driveline
DMS 50mm Gravel Coilovers
GroupN top hats
Every bushing TiC offers – Seriously
GroupN tranny mount
GroupN Engine mounts
Rear lock down bolts

Interior
Cobra Suzuka GT seats
Terratrip Kill switch
DEFi gauges/control unit
Terratrip Intercom
Terratrip Rally computer
Schroth 6 point Profi Harnesses
Terratrip Map Lights
Custom Rally Spec cage built by Chris Howard

Exterior
Custom Vinyl by Voodoo Graphics (a division of Sunshine Sign)
Custom Rallybagger mud flaps
Roof Vent
Prodrive Carbon Fiber replica Light Pod
Hella 700FF Driving lights x2
KC Hilites 50 series x2

Brakes/Wheels/Tires
JDM GroupN rotors
JDM GroupN calipers
Hawk HP+ pads
SS lines
ATE Superblue fluid
SpeedLine 15×7” Corse 2020 cast magnesium
BBS 17×8” STi – Tarmac
Hankook Ventus rs202 Gravel tires
Kumho KW19 studded Snow tires
ToyoR888 Tarmac tires

I’ve got the current Top Scoob himself Logan here to chit chat about his setup a little. This car looks amazing. skip the small talk, here is Top Scoob Logan’s GR Subaru Impreza WRX STI with 18×10 Advan RZ’s.

T3h_Clap: First things first, is this your first Subaru? if not, what are some of your other/older Subarus?

Logan: Yes actually, this is my first to car heavily mod. I was just planning on going stage 2 because I wanted something reliable and turbod and exhaust, but the Subaru mod fever struck.

T3h_Clap: why the GR STi?
Logan: I wanted a new engine to work with. Something that someone hasn’t done a thousand times. So I got the new body style to create something different and I knew it would be fresh. I love the GD chassis, but i hope Subaru discontinues the hatchback sti soon. I want it to only be made two years. Kind of hoping its just a random quirky Subaru that wasn’t over populated and over viewed. haha if that makes sense.

T3h_Clap: What did you build the car for? (Street/Track/Dual/Drag/Autox etc?)
Logan: Daily Driving, but the Track is where I am headed, so that’s my next step in plans. Since I lived in Missouri, there are not any places to track, now in Florida I am trying to find some tracks besides Daytona.

T3h_Clap: What are the specs on your wheels/Tires? Any special requirements to get them to fit?
Logan: the wheels are Advan Rz 18×10 +30 tires are nexen 3000 (****ty tires, cause wheels cost too much ha) 275/35/18 and all four fenders are rolled to fit. Camber is -2.5 front -2.4 back. My ride height is just above slammed on the bc coils.

T3h_Clap: Any plans on going to a wider wheel/tire?
Logan: As soon as I finish school plan on fitting some 18x11s on there with 295s or 305s. Just to say it can be done, but obviously not for tracking.

T3h_Clap: Any plans doing competitive racing?
Logan: Not really, since I’m still in college for recording arts and music business, I’m going to pursue this for a while and the keep the cars hobbies and fun for now, would deff get out there when i have some down time at some Time Attack events or something. that would be the ****.

T3h_Clap: Where can people see the car? (meets/shows/track events?)
Logan: Every week down in Orlando, there is a Wednesday night meet at the sonic on south Semoran. And there is an AWD meet coming up. Also look for my car in Modified Mag thanks to Peter.

T3h_Clap: Quick blurb about you and your car, any notable hang ups, funny stories.
Logan: This car has been the biggest pain in the ass, but the most love owning it. Hauling it up to Chicago and watching Jorge drive away in your car after being tuned and watching it rip down the road. Makes me smile real big! But OMG! every install something weird and out of the ordinary pops up and causes problems. But that’s part of it being a Subaru I guess.

T3h_Clap: Shout out to Friends, Forums, Blogs, Sponsors, Vendors, Photogs, Family.
Logan: I would like to thank,
My family and friends!
Jorge and the whole crew at P and L Motorsports
Josh from importimage
Bryan from CVR Motorsports
Dave at SKPerformance
Perrin
TIC

Great looking car, not hard to see why he won the Top Scoob title for best GR on Nasioc.

This is one hell of a mod list:

Engine & Exhaust:

Pro tuned by jorge at P & L
Accessport Engine Management
Invidia N1 Race
Cobb Lightened Pulley
SPT Oil Cap
Samco Radiator Hoses
SPT Battery Tie Down
EBCS
Royal Purple 5W-30
Subtle Radiator Shroud
P&L FMIC
GT35R Rotated .82 A/R
P&L CAI
P&L Catless DP (ceramic coated)
P&L EWG Up Pipe (ceramic coated)
Perrin EL Headers (ceramic coated)
Pnp Intake Manifold
TGV Deletes (ceramic coated)
Walbro 255 Fuel Pump
Tial 44mm Wastegate
Tial 50mm BOV
Deatschwerks 850cc Injectors
NGK Iridium Plugs
Perrin Catch Can

Interior:

Bride Cuga Front Seats
Bride Door Pulls
Bride Shift Boot
Bride eBrake Boot
Bride Center Arm Rest
Wedge Engineering Rails
Prosport Gauges:
Boost
Oil Pressure
Oil Temp
EGT
AEM Uego Wideband AFR
JL HD Amp with Custom sub enclosure with 12″ JL Sub
JL Cleansweep (to keep my Nav)
STI Red Pedal Kit
Painted Interior Pieces
DIY A-pillar Triple Pod
Viper 5901 Alarm System
Alcantara wrapped Steering Wheel

Drivetrain:

Cobb Double Adjustable short shifter
Kartboy Front Shifter Bushings
SPT Rear Shifter Bushing
Cobb Knob
IXIS Clutch Optimizer
Group N Tranny Mount
Group N Motor Mounts
Kartboy Crossmember Bushings
Kartboy Pitch Stop
ACT HD Street Clutch
Motul Gear300
Motul 90PA Rear Diff Fluid

Exterior:

Seibon CF CW Hood – Painted
CS Bottom Line Kit – Painted
15% Tint
Hella Supertones – Painted
Painted Grill
Painted Fog Light Housings
RA Mudflaps – trimmed
DRL Delete
Rally Yellow Fog Overlays
ROLLED FENDERS
Rear Wiper Delete
Perrin Shorty Antennae
BlueBatMobile Tail Covers
Angel Eyes from Lightwerkz
Smoked Headlight Relfectors
Smoked Rear Reflectors
Painted Logos/Badges
Nukabe Tow Hook
CF Front Bumper Vents

Wheels & Suspension:

BC Racing Coilovers
Advan RZ 18×10 +30 in Gunmetal
Nexen N3000 275/35/18
Whiteline Camber Bolts
Front Camber Bolts
Whiteline Rear Subframe Inserts
Perrin Strut Brace
Perrin 22mm F Sway Bar
Perrin 22mm R Sway Bar
5Zigen Locking Lugs Blue

-T3h_Clap

Jon is on his 8th Subaru. One of the many Subaru owners sucked into the community by his roommates and closest friends. Jon’s nicely modified A4 (with the infamous 1.8T) couldn’t keep up to his friend’s WRX. As with the rest of the community one drive and you’re hooked. “It’s what makes a Subaru a Subaru”. Jon’s story about why he loves Subaru isn’t uncommon. Jon had bought a 1993 Subaru Impreza L wagon with aspirations to swap in the bigger and better WRX drivetrain into his poor unsuspecting L, something else unsuspected happened. He had an unfortunate accident where his Subaru Impreza L Wagon rolled during a Road Rally. Luckily, Jon had chosen the right car, the little L saved his life and like many other fortunate Subaru Owners, Jon walked away unscathed. Not only did a Subaru save Jon’s life but it also introduced him to some of his closest friends and one of the best communities of Owners in the Industry. Jon says it best “I am so thankful for the friendly Subaru community and all my close friends that I have met because of Subaru.”

Ready To Pounce 08 STI

Jon took his previous street car (Subaru Legacy Spec.B) and his previous track car (Mazda Mazdaspeed Miata) and traded them both in on this sexy Obsidian Black Pearl 2008 STI. It was hard to say no to some of the offers Subaru was putting on the table. Eventually, Jon just broke down and decided it was time to get back on the track in a Subaru, and just for kicks decided he’d Daily Drive it too! This animal of an STI has been to Buttonwillow, Willow Springs, Streets of Willow and Auto Club Speedway all driven by Jon himself (gotta tune the nut between the seat and the wheel!). 

Prodrive GC-010G 18x9.5 +32mm and 255/35/18 RE01Rs

Jon’s performance path is best described by him, he’s not one of the uniformed consumers who just buy random stuff because they like the name or found it in a magazine.

“All of the parts on this car have been carefully selected in comparison to the past where I would find just the best deals. I owe a lot to my sponsors, Ferdie at South Coast Subaru who has guided me the whole way through the build of this car and also my tuners both Paul Yim and Paul Leung of YimiSport Tuning in Santa Clarita, CA. They have been nothing but supportive and have encouraged me to be competitive in Time Attack races.”

YimiSport Tuning should sound familiar for you loyal blog readers, they also tuned the Family Man’s track car owned by Jamie. The guys at YimiSport Tuning in Santa Clarita are turning out some amazing vehicles. The Time Attack circuit is going to get attacked by a full squad of YimiSport Tuning cars.

Jon's 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI rolling shot 18x9.5s!

Jon’s car is getting some well deserved exposure in a few publications here in the future, keep your eyes open.

It’s up to the Nasioc Subaru Community to vote for the next Top Scoob and I’ve got my vote in for Jon.

I’m going to have to get a review from Jon on how he likes the new RE-11′s once he gets done with a few more events.

And it’s up to Jon to get out there and show some of the big dogs who’s boss out there on the Time Attack Circuit!

The Modlist:

Wheels/Tires:
Prodrive GC-010G 18×9.5 +32 (Type L lip, Type M face)
Bridgestone Potenza RE-11 255/35/18 (for Time Attack Street Class)
Project Kics R40 Lugnuts

Suspension/Brakes:
KW Clubsports 9k/9k
Cobb Front Sway
Whiteline Rear Sway
Whiteline Rear Sway brackets
Whiteline Steering Rack Bushings
Whiteline Roll Center Kit
Whiteline ALK
Whiteline Chassis Brace
Cusco Rear Lateral Links
Hawk HP+ F+R (Street)
Project Mu Level Max 900 F+R (Track)
Goodridge Stainless Steel Brake Lines
Motul RBF600

Engine:
Invidia Catted DP
Milltek Catback exhaust (same as on the Litchfield Type 20)
AEM Cold Air Intake
Perrin Turbo Inlet
Tomei EXpreme Equal Length Header w/ uppipe
Prodrive BCS
Prodrive Battery Tie Down
Prodrive Oil Cap
Crawford Performance A/O Separator
Cobb AP V2 (from my Spec.B )
YimiSport ProTune w/ Launch Control and Flat Foot Shifting
300 whp 357 wtq

Exterior:
Varis Front Lip (Dry Carbon)
PIAA Plasma Ion 9006 Foglight Bulbs
BlueBatmobile Rear Taillight overlays
17% Tint

Interior:
Recaro SPG
Bride FO Rails
Kenwood DNX-7120 Navi Headunit
SWI-JACK
Prova Shift Knob
JDM Subaru AV Panel
Rally Innovations Harness Bar
Schroth Profi II ASM Harness

Super Thanks to:
My understanding girlfriend for my obsession 
Ferdie at South Coast Subaru
The Pauls at Yimi Sport Tuning
Firestone of Rowland Heights
Team SCS: vinceGC8, samleeiii, Dr.Chu

-t3h_Clap

Earlier this year I got a PM from a guy looking to compete in One Lap of America, he had some standard fitment questions that we helped figure out. Although he did have one criteria that I don’t normally consider when helping with a Race Car’s wheel/tire fitment.

The guys at Moroccan Gold Imports needed a tire that could be Streetable, Track Ready, perform on the Wet Skid Pad, AND still have tread 2/32nd’s of tread after it’s all said and done!! Talk about a feat, I let the guys worry about the rest of the car. R.J. set the requirements of what was needed and we bounced back and forth for a few weeks. He decided to run a sick tire setup. Kumho Ecsta XS in a 275/40 slapped on some 17×9 +42mm on some 17×9 +42mm wheels.

Yes this is the infamous car to get pulled over by the Florida Highway Patrol and get featured in Motortrend!!

http://wot.motortrend.com/6535014/one-lap-of-america/busted-florida-highway-patrol-1-team-moroccan-gold-imports-0/index.html

Photo Courtesy of Motortrend

For updates on the MGI One Lap of America team check out their Blog http://www.moroccangoldimports.com/

They’ve been updating it daily with plenty of videos and pics! Go MGI!!

The car looks great all stickered up. Keep taking down the competition!

Good luck guys!

-T3h_Clap

9.5 +22mm TE37

Getting an 18×9.5 +22mm TE37 with a 255 to fit on any Subaru takes considerable effort and planning. Bill, as always, was willing to do what it takes to have one of the most aggressive setups on an GD STi.

Bill’s fresh new Engine bay oozes goodness, from the custom powdercoated Valve Covers and Intake manifold (Flipped of course) to the Polished Compresser Housing on his GT30R. Cooling is handled by the Mishimoto Radiator and a Perrin Front Mount Intercooler with Custom Piping from Area 1320. The Stance GR+ coilovers and H Kansai Service Strut tower bar finish off the engine bay nicely.

Top Scoob

Bill took the prestigious award of “Top Scoob #013″ this past week, His well thought out and prepped Subaru went head to head with multiple other highly modified Subarus. I have an incling it was more than just this photo that won “Top Scoob #013″

TE37s 06 STI

 
Winning Top Scoob isn’t easy, the 18×9.5 +22mm Concave TE37s and the accompanying 255/35/18 Nitto Invo tires  didn’t simply bolt on. Getting this setup to fit required some extensive fender modifcations from the Bill and Vitale Collision. The stiffness and adjustability from the Stance GR+ coilovers helped significantly in getting the Massive Concave TE37′s to fit right. The coilovers allowed Bill to run a -3.0 front and -3.1 rear camber. The combination of the Coilovers, Fender Modifications and the Camber allowed Bill to run this crazy rarely seen aggressive setup.

18x9.5 +22mm TE37 Aggressive Fitment 06 STI

Floating around the internet I’ve seen Bill’s car pop up on Japanese, Australian, Hungarian, Malaysian, and other Forums all over the world, these new wheels will only further the spread of this amazing vehicle. I can’t wait to see more shots of Bill’s car (hopefully some action shots at an upcoming track event!).

Full Bride Interior

Below you’ll see the “short” list of modifications Bill has done to his car…ahaha “short”. 

Mod List:

Wheels/Tires/Alignment:

Volk TE37 18×9.5 +22 in Titanium Gunmetal
Nitto Invo 255/35/18
Volk Formula Floating Lugnuts
-3.0 Front Camber
-3.1 Rear Camber

Interior:

JDM Red Hazard Button
Bride Stradias in Hyper Red Gradation (2)
Black Suede Doorcards
Black Suede 02/03 Headliner
Black STi Limited Carpet
Works Bell Short Hub
Works Bell Red Quick Release 2.0
Works Bell Original Steering Wheel
Powdercoated STI Shifter Trim by LPC
JDM STi Type RA-R Shift Knob
ATI Gauge Pod
Defi Imperial BF Amber Boost Gauge
Defi Imperial BF Amber EGT Gauge
Defi Imperial BF Amber Oil Pressure Gauge
AEM Uego Wideband
Autometer Gauge pod
Painted Dash Trim
Pioneer AVIC-D3

Exterior:

Zero/Sports Front Bumper
Zero/Sports Rear Bumper
Zero/Sports Sideskirts
Zero/Sports Roof Vane
Zero/Sports CF Wing Garnish
TrueChoice Bumper Quick Releases
Autospeed STI License Plate Delete
04-05 Tail Light Swap
JDM Tail Light Mod
HKS Oil Filler Cap
Hella SuperTones powdercoated Super Chrome by LPC
Tein Bonnet Dampers
Red Lined Impreza Badge
JDM STi Radiator Cap x2
Mishimoto Temp Gauge Rad Cap
Perrin Black Radiator Shroud
JDM Subaru Rain Guards
Painted Headlights by Vitale Collision
Custom Red/Black STi Stickers by GraphicSTI
30% Tint by Ryan @ Shades of Gray
Roll Call and All Vinyls by Auditor Clothing

Performance:

ATP GT3076R .82 a/r w/ polished compressor housing and powdercoated turbine housing
TiAL 44mm EWG
TiAL Q BOV
Custom Downpipe by Area1320
Custom Up-pipe by Area1320
Tomei Expreme EL Headers
Reverse Intake Manifold powdercoated Lollipop Kandy Red over Black Frost by LPC
Grimmspeed 8mm Phenolic Spacers
TGV Deletes powdercoated Super Chrome by LPC
Custom Coolant Resevoir by Area1320
Dual Air/Oil Seperators
P&L Braided SS Power Steering line
P&L Braided SS AVCS lines
Agency Power Top Feed Fuel Rails
820cc Top Feed Injectors
Customer IC Piping by Area1320
NGK 1-Step-Colder Spark Plugs
Valve Covers powdercoated Lollipop Kandy Red over Black Frost by LPC
Honda Civic 51R Battery
Custom Cat-Back Exhaust powdercoated Lollipop Kandy Red by LPC
Customer Short Ram Intake
Perrin Signature Series FMIC
KartBoy Short Shifter
KartBoy Shifter Bushings

Suspension/Brakes:

Stance GR+ Pro Coilovers
Front and Rear Camber Plates
TIC Fender Braces
Whiteline Steering Rack Bushings
Perrin 25mm Adjustable Rear Sway Bar
Perrin Front Endlinks
Perrin Rear Endlinks
HKS Kansai Strut Tower Brace
DBA 4000XS Front Rotors
DBA 4000XS Rear Rotors
Powdercoated Stock Brembos
Hawk HPS Brake Pads
Goodridge Stainless Steel Brake Lines

Special thanks as always to:
Chaz Boyd photography
12Volt Perfection
Liquid Powder Coats
Area1320
Shades of Gray Tint
Turbo Tek Tuning
Auditor Clothing
Stance-USA
CVR Motorsports
Vitale Collision
EDO Performance
R/T Tuning
Mishimoto

EVO X 19x10.5 CE28Ns

Archie hasn’t done things slowly in terms of modifying. He had some killer 18×9.5 TE37s on his car shortly after buying it. Then he decided to run some very slick 19×9.5 AME TM02′s.

Finding a Mitsubishi EVO X running 19×10.5 CE28Ns is damn near impossible. I happen to stumble on this car while doing a feature of his friend Luis and his 08 Subaru Impreza WRX STi. Archie has chosen to build his Mitsubishi EVO X for Track use. I look forward to seeing some results from Archie once he hits the track.

Well Modified EVO X with CE28Ns

Archie has been in the Mitsubishi Lancer EVO world for awhile now, this being his second EVO. The first Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Archie had was a 2003 EVO VIII. The EVO X is a perfect example of the word Evolution.

19x10.5 +22mm Volk Racing CE28N EVO X

The EVO X you see here has one hell of a mod list. The brands of choice trickle their way down the JDM alphabet from the likes of Bride, Defi, HKS, JUN, Ralliart, Varis, and Volk. Archie hasn’t focused on only JDM parts, the Ultimate Racing exhaust and AEM alcohol injection are two of the key components netting his strong power numbers. Archie’s Mitsubishi EVO X hit 358whp and 366wtq on pump 91 and 100% Meth with 26.5 psi of boost.

EVO X 19x10.5 +22mm CE28N Volk Racing Wheels

To re-cap; No slouch in Performance, No slouch in Wheel/Tire Fitment and No slouch at the track. This EVO X is no slouch at all. I can’t wait to see what else Archie has in store.

Exterior
JUN Lip
Voltex 1500mm Carbon Fiber GT Wing
Ralliart Carbon Fiber Center Grille Cover
Ralliart Dual Exhaust Shields
JUN Carbon Fiber Mirrors
OEM Carbon Fiber Hood Scoop
HKS Carbon Fiber Side Spats
OEM Sides and Rear Aero Kit Package
Ralliart Tail Lights
Varis Carbon Fiber Dual Cannards
Varis Carbon Fiber Side Vents
Ralliart Carbon Fiber Pillars

Wheels / Tires / Suspension
Volk CE28N Formula Limited Silver in 19X10.5 +22 Offset
Falken Tires 452 275/35/19
BC Racing Coilovers

Interior
Bride Stradia Sport Seats
Defi BF Boost Gauge
Defi BF Controller
Ralliart Scuff Plates
Ralliart Carbon Fiber AC Surround Panel

Engine / Power Mods
5 Zigen Dual Cat Back Exhaust
Ultimate Racing Test Pipe with Mini Muffler
Ultimate Racing Downpipe
AEM Alcohol Injection / 100% Meth on Pump 91
Turbo Trix Upper and Lower Intercooler Pipings
Turbo Trix Intake Piping with HKS Super Megaflow Filter
AGP Intercooler
Forge BOV
Tuned on ECUTEK

Archie has had a few different wheels on his EVO X. All three listed here look great on the EVO X, none of which are the same color or design truly showing off the EVO X’s great lines and aggressive stance. Going into the wheels in a little more detail is needed. (Really just and excuse to post more photos).

19x10.5 +22mm CE28N Volk Racing

The 19×10.5 CE28Ns weren’t exactly a simple bolt on fitment. Archie had to roll the rear fenders and remove the front fender liners to make these wheels and 275/35/19 tires fit. Another requirement of getting the wheels to fit was the addition of some camber in the front, currently Archie is running -2.5 front camber.

Mitsubishi EVO X Volk Racing TE37 18x9.5 +22mm

Archie first had the 18×9.5 +22mm Volk Racing TE37s wrapped with 275/35/18 Toyo T1Rs, the 18×9.5 +22mm TE37 has that highly desirable concave face that is becoming ever so popular. The concave face doesn’t happen on 18×9.5 TE37s until the +22mm offset, the popularity of this wheel and the ease of fitment lead Archie and his EVO X to a new set of wheels quicker than he expected.

EVO X AME TM02 19x9.5 +22mm

Enter the 19×9.5 +22mm AME TM02′s wrapped in 265/35/19 Toyo T1Rs, as you see here these wheels weren’t on the car forever and now he’s stepped up to 19×10.5″ wheels.

Archie wants to thank wife Marigil for supporting him throughout his mod addiction.

There isn’t much more to say but enjoy the excellent photos taken by Luis. More of Luis’s photos can be seen here (2008 STi 18×9.5 +40mm SSR Type-Fs) and here (http://luisbicol.smugmug.com/cars).

As always any questions or comments don’t hesitate to email or comment. In the coming weeks there will be more articles focusing on the EVO models, any recommendations of features or ideas feel free to Email me. On to the pics from Luis!

Archie's 19x9.5 AME's

More 19x9.5 AME's

Volk Racing TE37 +22mm

18x9.5 +22mm TE37s Concave Face

This car is definetly done proper. The 18×9.5 +40mm Gold SSR Type Fs compliment the Aspen White 08 STi perfectly.  The fitment is spot on with a little room to grow tire wise if Luis decides to fully roll the rear fenders. His suspension setup looks like the standard 08 roll call with BC Racing Coilovers (FYI all other USDM 08s featured on the blog run BC Racing coilovers), Whiteline bars and a solid street oriented alignment that still enhances performance.

Luis comes off as a normal guy when I talked to him, but I don’t buy it. Anyone who buys an STi as a “Family” car either has the persuasion skills of a Jedi or a Wife that deserves a medal of awesomeness. Luis made a promise to his wife that he was not going to modify the 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI since it’s already “fast”.  (FYI it didn’t come off the Assembly line with SSRs or Coilovers….haha).

Luis has some crazy camera skills to boot, that and his STI can be seen with its arch enemy the EVO X. The EVO X with it’s HUGE TE37s is no slouch either. The EVO X is in a few shots in this article but more photos of both the STI and the EVO can be found at Luis’s Smugmug Page here. Luis Smugmug Page. Keep your eyes on the blog for a potentional feature on that very EVO X.

Luis used to drive a torqueless go-kart of a car (Civic Si) the 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI is far from that with its 2.5 liter motor. Luis says he’s content with the car the way it is now, but we all say that, hell half of us mean it. Just because we mean it doesn’t mean things are going to play out as planned. Plus looking at Luis’s history of “not modifying” I have a feeling there is more in store for this Subaru Impreza WRX STI. I would keep my eyes on this 08 Subaru if I were you.

On to the mod list. 

Mod List:
Wheels/Tires/Suspension:
- 18 x 9.5 SSR Type F
- 265/35/18 Falken RT-615
- BC Racing coilovers
- Whiteline Rear camber adjustment bushings
- Whiteline 22mm adjustable Front and Rear swaybars
- rear fenders were rolled a bit (not flat, probably it was rolled about 55 degrees) – citytireonline.
- alignment settings: zero toe all around, -2* front camber; -1.6* rear camber – stokes

Performance:
- Cobb AP
- Tanabe CBE
- Injen CAI
- Invidia catted DP
- Stage 2 protune @ HBSpeed
- Crawford Air/Oil Separator

Exterior:
- RA UR mudflaps
- CF replica – chargespeed bottomline kit
- CF replica of the OEM exhaust garnish
- red taillight overlay with cutouts
- 20% tint
- OEM foglights, Venture Shield clear bra, Hella supertones, painted ST logo – intercooler, LED rear license plate bulb

Interior:
-OEM ipod interface, adjustable armrest, all weather floor mats, auto-dim rear view mirror with homelink
-CF shiftknob

Luis didn’t do this build alone, I’ll let him do the thank yous. 

I’d like to thank
My Wife: for letting me buy mods for this very expensive hobby
Young: for hooking me up with parts
Import Image Online
Turn-In Concepts
Tanabe USA: For the CBE
City Tire Online: Bryan and John for giving me a good deal on my wheel/tire combo/fender roll
HCP buddies: For helping me install all my mods
Jeff @ Stokes Tire Pros in Santa Monica: for my perfect alignment
NASIOC.COM/IWSTI.COM: for all the subie info!  
I almost forgot!  I’d like to thank myself for being a badass amateur photographer haha just kidding

As always any questions, comments feel free to post or email.

P.S. This car is amazing.

Shop for SSR wheels at Tire Rack.

This time around he’s not aiming for a track monster but a Daily Driven 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI with a few choice improvements. The improvements to Ben’s 2008 Subaru include some 18×9 +50mm SSR Type-F wheels in Silver paired up with some ultra grippy 245/40/18 Dunlop Z1 Star Specs. This combination alone transforms the look and performance of the 2008 Chassis simply from lightening up the rotational un-sprung weight and tossing out those crappy stock tires. Ben didn’t hestitate to go stage 2 with his AP and Turbo Back. He chose to go with the new MXP full 3″ turbo back (Video here).

Without further delay here are some more pics of Ben’s Killer Setup.

Ben’s setup was chosen for a few reasons. He wasn’t looking for the ultra flush look, or searching for the widest tire fitment on the block. Ben wanted a setup that he wouldn’t need to modify the fenders and could run a higher quality stock sized tire. The setup he chose is perfect for his needs. An 18×9 +50mm SSR Type-F is a great sized wheel for a 100% stock body GR chassis STI. There are no mods needed to run this wheel with the stock sized tire. This size is the same as a GD running an 18×8.5 +52mm in terms of ease of fitment, although I have to admit this 18×9 +50mm looks a lot better! Rumor has it there maybe some Coilovers on their way to Ben…but you didn’t hear it from me.

There is only one Person who knows where this car’s mod path leads and it sure isn’t me. Ben’s mod selection has always been top notch and I look forward to seeing more of this Red 08 circulating itself around the Forums.

You want 18×9 +50mm wheels to fit your GR 2008 or 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX STI like this?

Here is a step by step.

1.) Buy some 18×9 +50mm wheels that clear the Brembo brakes (be sure to get some quality lugs too).

2.) Buy some sticky stock sized tires (245/40/18)

3.) Get them mounted and balanced at a trusted tire shop

4.) Bolt on and Enjoy. Don’t have to go crazy to still look amazing.

The Sticky (Wheels & Tires):

18×9 +50mm SSR Type-F in Silver.

245/40/18 Dunlop Z1 Star Spec.

The Skinny (Weight Reduction):

Braille Light weight battery w/ Limited Edition STi brackets.

The Speed (Performance):

Stage 2 Tune.

MXP Full 3″ Turbo Back.

The Future (The Obvious):BC Coilovers with nice stiff rates.

^^ Always a classic glamor shot for wheels, the SSR Type-Fs in 18×9 +50mm with the FF Disk.

^^The hot new MXP full 3″ Turbo Back exits the car with two pairs of these.

^^Here is a great picture showing the front wheel placement of the 18×9 +50mm SSR Type-F’s on a 2008 GR Chassis Subaru Impreza WRX STi on the stock suspension.

Jaime came to me a while back asking for some wheel/tire advice for his 05 Subaru Impreza WRX STi. It didn’t take long to realize Jaime was serious about wanting to run a proper wheel/tire setup for his Track setup. Jaime’s Subaru was no slouch when he came to me, but once we decided on a set of Strong, Lightweight, and Affordable wheels in the correct size he had a monster on his hands.

Jaime decided to go with a 17×9.5 wheel with a +44mm offset. The new Enkei NT03+M’s were going to be shroud with a set of newly released Toyos. The new Toyo R888 has had some very good success in the Time Attack circles, Jaime chose to go with a 255/40/17. These new R888s look amazing on the Enkei NT03+M’s. In conjunction with the entire Cusco suspension line-up Jaime’s 2005 Subaru Impreza WRX STi is a forced to be reckoned with.

This animal isn’t all suspension. This 2005 Subaru Impreza WRX STi also has a killer aero package. With a Cusco Front lip matched with a Race Proven Cusco Undertray and a Cusco rear GT Spoiler this Subaru truly exhibits Function > Form. Jaime didn’t want to get left behind on the straight aways so he chose wisely and picked up a ATP GT3071 turbo with all of the proper supporting mods to make the new R888s work their hearts out on corner exit. Developing a car that not only performs in the suspension department but also the Power and Aero is something that isn’t normally seen from a privateer such as Jaime.

Jaime’s car isn’t his only pride and joy, him and his wife recently had their first child. Jaime’s dedication to both family and racing is an inspiration for many. He gives us all hope that we can have our cake and eat it to. The competition on the west coast better keep their eyes on their rear view for the bright Green Yimi Sports logo coming up fast.

Wheels and Tires
17×9.5 +44 Enkei NT03+M wheels
Toyo Proxes R888 255/40/17 tires

Suspension mods:
Cusco Zero2e w/ eCon
Stiffer spring rates (10K/8K range)
Cusco sway bars
Cusco trailing arms
Cusco adj. lateral links
Cusco titanium front strut bar
Cusco rear strut bar w/ V-brace
Cusco motor and trans. mounts
Cusco rear adj. camber plates
Cusco front camber plate modification
KartBoy rear endlinks
TiC Giuyngmyo Fender Cowl Braces
Whiteline ALK
Whiteline steering rack bushings
Whiteline ball joint extenders
Whiteline subframe lockout bolts
Corner balanced and aligned by Darin @ WestEnd Alignment in Gardena, CA

Special Thanks from Jaime:

Angel and Joe @ EastSide Muffler in Palmdale, CA
Paul Yim @ YimiSport Tuning in Santa Clarita, CA
Tim Bailey @ SurgeLine Tuning
Meng @ Nukabe (Cusco)
Myles and Dan @ Race Comp. Eng.
SCV Fri. Night Crew
Last but not least, T3h Clap!!!

Chris, aka. boondocksaint, has one of the cleanest 2006 Subaru Impreza WRX STi’s in the nation. No need for a fancy body kit or crazy paint job. The only stickers on the car are his alumni sticker and an oil change reminder.

Chris’s car has a very special, very rare set of Prodrive wheels – the only set in this specific size/color in the states. The suspension is one of the most sought after setups in the Subaru community, not only because of its quality parts and design, but because it excels at nearly everything it does. Chris’s thoughtful and planned modification path has yielded a car that not only looks amazing, but also handles and performs with the best of them. Now he just needs to tighten the nut behind the wheel.

I had a chance to bounce a few PM’s back and forth with Chris prior to writing this article and here is what he had to say during the T3h_Clap interrogation.

T3h_Clap: What is the Current Suspension Setup and Settings?
Boony: TiC SST coilovers, Whiteline 24mm adjustable swaybars (front and rear), Kartboy swaybar endlinks (front and rear), Vorshlag camber plates (front and rear), Ingalls camber bolts (front and rear), CarLabs X-Brace
Sway settings: full soft on each for now
Damper settings (from full stiff): F -8, R -10 (for now)
Ride Height: Front 14″, Rear 13.5″
Alignment: Fr -1.5 (more with me in it), Rear -1.5
Toe is DEAD straight.

T3h_Clap: Any future modifications planned?
Boony: I need to do something with brakes and get corner balanced. And, at some point, I should do some power mods.

T3h_Clap: What is your Current Wheel and Tire Setup and Settings?
Boony: Prodrive GC-06H 17″ x 8.5″, +51 offset, ~16lbs each
Falken RT615 in 255/40-17
Tire Pressures: 40psi F, 37psi R
Strut Clearance: a little less than a finger width front and rear between the tire and the lower perch – doesn’t rub, but doesn’t miss by much…

T3h_Clap: What are your planned uses for the car?
Boony: Daily driving, open track days, and the occasional road trip back home to the South.

T3h_Clap: Did you set your car up for anything specific?
Boony: My car was intended to be 95% daily driver and 5% track day toy. I do not autocross at all, nor do I drag race. Road courses only. To that end, I wanted to run slightly wider rubber (I think 255 is as good a compromise between street/track as I can get) and keep some style. I needed the car to be a bit more neutral while still retaining just a bit of understeer for safety and because the car is far more capable than am I. I chose the coilovers for their ability to excel on the street and at the track. Even though stiff springs would increase track performance, the car is primarily daily driven. It is currently more comfortable than stock despite having spring rates 50% stiffer than stock.

T3h_Clap: How are your tire clearances with the TiC Coilovers and the Prodrive wheels?
Boony: Tire-to-strut clearance (actually the lower perch) is only enough to squeeze my finger between them. It’s damn close. Without the camber bolts at full positive, there would be contact. I am considering a 5mm spacer and extended studs for next year, but am still researching my options. It would allow me to run more negative camber.

T3h_Clap: Last but not least a list of sponsors/vendors/people you want to mention/thank.
Boony: Long list, in chronological order:
IWSTI.com, as it is an invaluable resource on these cars without the boy-racer attitude. GarageSpec.com and TurninConcepts.com for their help getting the wheels and suspension hooked up. CarLabs, for such an awesome, effective brace. Penguin Garage and T3h_Clap for help getting everything exactly right, and for the spoiler. AutoEurope in Berkely, MI, for mounting my tires without screwing up my wheels and for balancing them properly, and my super-secret alignment guy. Yes, I was aligned manually with string, a ruler, slip plates, and a spreadsheet. Nandan, my photographer, for the amazing photos. Lastly, all my friends in the community who have helped me learn, modify, and tweak my car – thanks to you all.

Since this Interview, Chris has replaced his RT615s with a fresh set of Bridgestone RE01Rs in the same size (255/40/17). And yes, the clearances are still tight. Chris will be tracking his car over the summer.

More Photos:

1.) How much blood do I want in my urine? 10k/8k or 14k/12k?

2.) NVH “WHAT? I Can’t hear you”

3.) How am I supposed to fit 17x10s and 275s in my backseat!?

Is it possible to build a BSP car without these sacrifices? yes, but you give up speed and leave time on the course where ever tenth counts.

I figured it was time to do a little article on my own car, T3h_Clap.

Built for BSP Autox Competition and Daily Driven in the wonderful state of Florida.

Honestly, the sacrifices aren’t that bad.

sure the exhaust is loud (APS 3″)

The Coilovers are noisy and stiff as hell (Zeal Function V6s)

But it’s worth it, the amount of Grip this little MY05 Subaru Impreza WRX STi has is amazing.

For a truly competitive BSP Subaru one NEEDS to be running at least 17x10s and 275 tires. These are the minimum. Winning Locally on a set of 8.5″ wheels with 245 tires doesn’t mean you can hang on a National Level. Of course National Level requires a driver who can hang as well, (that’s where I fail haha).

It took awhile to find a Setup that I liked.

1st it was STi Pink springs

2nd it was the Breakfast Blend (STi Pink Front Springs, PDE Front Camber plates, STi Pink Wagon Rear Springs)

3rd it was KW V3s with PDE front camber plates

4th it was the Current Zeal Function V6s with 10k/8k springs and camber plates front and rear.

All four of the setups have their ups and downs.

Pinks were great daily, but were too low and soft for big rubber.

Breakfast Blend was amazing daily, great for big rubber, but lacked the stiffness.

KW V3s amazing on the street, stiff enough for big rubber, great adjustability, but lacked the stiffness I wanted.

Zeals Stiff for sure, great adjustability but lack the ideal amount of Droop Travel.

For wheels I ended up running a set of 17×10 CCW Classics custom made with enough pad height and the Proper Disk to not require spacers to clear brembos.

The Suspension Setup that was needed to make the AutoX only 17×10 CCWs and 275/40/17 V710s to fit was as follows.

Ride height: ~14.25″ front and ~14″ rear (corner balanced so it’s not exactly that).

Camber: -2.9 Front and -1.7 Rear

Camber Plate/Bolt Trick: Rear camber plates full negative, with camber bolts in the rear set to positive to achieve final -1.7 Rear camber number. This “trick” gives added clearance between the rear strut and tire allowing me to run a higher offset then normally possible with 17x10s and 275s.

Body Modifications: to allow 17x10s were simple, just had to “push” the lower corner of the front bumper outward. Due to the 10″ wide wheels the 275/40/17 V710s were now hitting the lower corner of the front bumper when the wheel was turned. 275/40/17 V710s on smaller wheels don’t hit the bumper (although it’s close).

The Car will be under going some Interior and Exterior Changes over the coming year, but the rest of the car “should” stay as is as long as I don’t get Antsy or the Real Owner of the CCWs doesn’t ask for them back (thanks for letting me borrow the Wheels Rich!).

The Rest of the Important Mods on the car are pretty standard for BSP.

APS 3″ Turbo Back

APv1 ProTune by Jarrad of PDX Tuning (93 and VP110 maps) 306whp/331wtq on 110 on the JapTrix Dyno in West Palm Beach.

Whiteline Anti Sway Bars front and rear (24/26 front 20/24 rear)

Ingalls rear camber bolts

ARP Long Wheel Studs

The Street Setup:

Only difference for the street setup is the 93 Octane pump gas map and the wheels.

The wheels of choice are a set of 18×8.5 +45mm gramLight 57Maximums in White (First Set in the States installed 6/1/2006).

The tires of choice are a set of 265/35/18 Hankook RS2s.

As always at T3hClap.com we’re looking for sponsors to help us get out to more events and upgrade the car further. Any donations or sponsors don’t hesitate to shoot me an Email.

Photos:
Slideshow on abbyjons.smugmug.com

Lowering springs that limit the performance and wheel/tire selection or kidney bruising coilovers?

There is a proper middle ground to setting up an STi that is still competitive at the Autox.

Karlton has found that middle ground, the middle ground also happens to include a few sets of 9.5″ wheels!!

Karlton bought this STi in November of 2005, and after about 500 miles and its first oil change, Karlton took it to its first autocross.

Karlton planned on not modifying this car at all and just running it for fun in A Stock. (We all know how this story pans out)

His first event in the car, Karlton knew it needed a few suspension tweaks. He decided to set the car up for STU since he could keep the car relatively streetable and limit how crazy he could go with the modifications.

After going through a couple different suspension setups Karlton finally found his middle ground.

Karlton qualifies as a Wheel Whore with a nice list of wheels in his arsenal.

Autocross setup:
SSR Competitions
17×9.5 et42 (3mm spacer in the front)
Bridgestone Potenza RE-01r
245/40/17

Street/Rain setup:
Kosei K1-TS
17×9 et45
Kumho Ecsta SPT
245/40/17

Just for fun:
Enkei RP03
17×9.5 et38
Yokohama Advan Neova AD07
245/40/17

As you see here there is a pattern, 245/40/17s. Karlton is forced by the SCCA Street Tire Unlimited (STU) rule set to have tires no wider than 245, wheel width is unlimited. Exploiting the unlimited wheel width ruling, STU competitors mount their 245s on the widest wheel possible to widen the section width and improve steering response.

When it comes to 9.5″ wheels I really like the placement of the +38mm wheels.

The middle ground Karlton has chosen for his Streetable STU STI is as follows.

Suspension Setup:
Ground Control housings with Koni 8611 Double adjustable shocks
Ground Control camber plates front and rear
Eibach springs 530lb front/500 rear
Whiteline 27-29 swaybars front and rear
Camber: -3 front/-1.8 rear
1/16” toe out front and rear
Ride height: about 13.75” front and rear

Thank you Section:
Karlton would like to thank his sponsors: SpeedElement, GST Motorsports, and AutoRnD.

Any Specific setup questions can be emailed to me, any questions about Karlton’s setup feel free to comment or shoot me an email.

Below are some more photos of Karlton’s car Equipped with the 17×9.5 +38mm Enkei RP03 with 245/40/17 Yokohama Advan AD07 Tires.

It isn’t impossible, you just need to be willing to do the modifications necessary to make it work.

Perfect example of someone willing to do what it takes is Bill (Aka. IStoSTi, CarbonIS, and a few others I don’t know).

Bill contacted me asking “what would it take for me to run this?”

I informed Bill of what he would have to do. Generally when I reply to questions like these people run away or ask if I’m serious, not Bill. Bill asked for more details. Crazy guy I tell ya.

This setup he was talking about was an 18×9 +29mm Advan RS with the coveted GTR face.

To make this aggressive of a setup work on an Impreza it takes a good amount of work and very aggressive camber settings front and rear.The tire of choice for this setup was a 235/40/18, this allowed Bill to run slightly less camber and have the lower ride height he was searching for.

Even with the 235/40/18 and -2.5 rear camber it is still necessary to do modifications to the rear fenders. Bill decided to modify the rear fenders by trimming the excess fender lip away, this allows the car to maintain stock look and still gain the needed clearance.

Setting up an aggressive wheel and tire car isn’t a simple set ride height, install, align and done. Modifying the setup, for everything to fit properly is a tedious process and can take days if not weeks. If I remember correctly Bill and a local performance shop modified the fenders and did the alignment in two days. Crazy again I tell ya.

Once Bill had everything setup and got some photos taken he had started a revolution of sorts, proving that it is possible to run these kind of Low Offset wheels on stock bodied Subaru Impreza Sedans. This is beyond fitment, this is the way a low offset Subaru is supposed to look.

Bill doesn’t need wheels to do dual duty, he has plans to run a more performance oriented aggressive setup for track use in the future. Normally I’d stray away from this aggressive 18×9 +29mm setup for a car using these wheels for both street and track, due to other options being more ideal for dual duty. Although if you’re crazy enough to do it, do it. My only request is you do it right the first time.

Important Modifications:

Suspension: Tein Flex Coilovers, Rear Camber bolts

Wheels: Advan RS GTR Face 18×9 +29mm 5×114.3

Tires: Falken Azenis RT615 235/40/18

Alignment: -2.6 Front Camber, -2.5 Rear Camber

Ride Height: 12.5″ Front, 12.3″ Rear

Body Modifications: Trimmed rear inner fender lip

Here are some photos of Bill’s setup. Click for higher-res.

Bill asked me to thank a few of his Friends and Supporters for him.

Shades of Gray Tint
EDO Performance
RT Tuning
Area1320
Liquid Powder Coats
201 Motorsports

Photos by: Laura DeBolt

As always if you have specific questions about your setup or want to be featured on T3hclap.com don’t hesitate to shoot me an email.

drew@t3hclap.com

-t3h_:clap: