The Enkei RS05RR. It comes in 3 different faces and some very nice size options. It’s good to see Enkei come out with an 18×11!!

Click MORE to see the rest of the photos.

As you can see the Rear Design face has A LOT of concave. Looks to also have a good amount of caliper clearance. Guess time will tell if they’ll clear the front Brembos on STIs and EVOs.

The 18×9.5 +45mm with the Front Design disk should clear the STI brembos no problem Could be a killer option for GR/GV owners looking for a multispoke wheel that doesn’t require coilovers or spacers.

There isn’t a lot of love for the GD Impreza on stock fenders, but the Karlton Flare equipped GD Imprezas may have a few options. 18×10.5 +22mm or +25mm depending on caliper clearance and the 18×11 +16mm.

Enough chatter, what does everyone think of the new Enkei?

Here are the rest of the pics from Instagram, Enkei Japan, and Corner – Balance Blog

Who will be the first with these?

Also be sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter @T3hClap

-Drew

Yeah, that’s what I said. “WTF a BRZ? AWESOME!! GET ME MORE PICS NOW! please”. My Co-worker had no idea what he was looking at, but he had the right frame of mind to take more photos and send them to me. Mind you he’s no pro photographer, but he did get to see a BRZ up close and personal. I’m still waiting to talk to him to see how it sounded.

Sure the taillights aren’t for everyone, but I can’t see them from the driver’s seat!

Just look at that nose, aggressive, yet subtle. The length of the hood is good, the front overhang of the bumper is good. The wheels will look great stacked in a corner of my storage unit…..haha.

So, what does everyone think? After seeing some real world unmarketedup photos I really like this thing. It shows great potential and I have a feeling it’s going to be a blast to drive.

I’m still torn on what to do for wheels/tires, I realize the latest craze is to go big. I’m not sure if big is the right answer for the BRZ. I think a quality 17×9 that’s super light with a grippy 245 is going to be the ticket. Maybe some CE28Ns or an RE30. Hmmm. I like RE30s.

Of course the downside of the BRZ is the 5×100 hubs, but with this thing hitting the streets of Japan in both Toyota and Subaru trim the Japanese wheel manufactures are taking notice. Rays has already released two different 5×100 models that will be in the 17×9.5 and 18×9.5 +40-+45mm range. This isn’t only killer news for the BRZ it’s also killer news for the 5×100 WRX people from 2002 all the way to the new 2012s!!

I’m excited to see how this little 2.0ltr NA boxer runs. I know it’s no 300 hp STI, but I bet it’s fun to drive.

I know the looks aren’t everyone’s ticket but there is something about a sub 2700 lb rear wheel drive Subaru with a lower center of gravity then some high dollar race cars that gets my cone dodging autox loving blood moving!

Any readers already put down a deposit? I know a few people are looking to campaign these bad boys for SCCA STR (if that’s where it lands) and I can’t wait to follow them through their build and their racing season!! Good luck Bill!!

What do you guys think? RE30, CE28N, TE37 SuperLap? Or something totally different?

The car needs an exhaust though, something to really showcase that subie engine. I can’t wait till we start seeing these on the roads and in the hands of tuners.

If anyone gets more first hand photos of the BRZ don’t hesitate to send them over!!

Damn this thing looks good.

Thank you Nick S. for the photos, next time tell me where you are I’ll be there in 20.

-T3h_Clap

On to the wheel sizes.
17×9 (+12, +22, +38)
18×8.5 (+38)
18×9.5 (+12, +22, +38)
18×10.5 (+12, +22)
All of them clear the Subaru Impreza WRX STi brembo calipers except the 17×9 +38mm.

These in 18×9.5 +38mm would be awesome on a GR STi.

The 18×10.5 +12mm would be perfect for a Karlton Fender Flare equipped GD STi.

Anyone ordered them yet?

-T3h_Clap

Boris is the driver of a very clean 2005 Subaru Impreza WRX STi with over 130k miles on the odometer. Boris bought the car with a scant 30k miles. Over the years Boris has put on 100k miles and over 45 1/4 mile passes.

Currently his personal bests in the 1/4 are

ET: 12.4

Trap: 110 mph

Boris has always had a subtle style, you wont see his STi running around with a huge spoiler and crazy body kit. Boris prefers the Limited Trunk Lip Spoiler with stock front end. He’s not afraid to push the envelope though as you’ll see with his wheel color choice. It doesn’t scream at you like a neon gramLight 57D would, but it’s noticeable. It hints that this isn’t your normal STi.

Boris will be contributing to the blog in the coming months with some product reviews and event coverage. Boris lives in the New England area and he hits as many events as he can.

Being a No Sponsor Brand Sponsor Driver, Boris will be hitting at least 4 more events this year. Boris competed in the 2012 Street Wars 1 competition this past weekend at Raceway Park in English Town, New Jersey aka. E-Town.

Future mods for Boris include a new turbo, because his VF39 recently bit the dust.

Stay tuned for articles by Boris and if you’re at a 1/4 mile track in the North East keep your eyes out for a properly stanced WRB STi on a set of stock BBS Wheels painted an OEM Nissan Color called Millenium Jade Metallic.

Here is a link to his IWSTI Journal, be sure to check it out to follow the current progress of Boris and his STi!

Everyone say hi to Boris!

Vote on Nasioc HERE NOW!!

Many of you are familiar with this car as it’s been sprinkled all over the blog over the years. From stock body with a little pull, to crazy pull and 305s to the now famous Karlton Flares!!

Do vote, be sure to vote in each round. Right now (3/15/2012) they are in round #2. You can vote once each round.

Here’s Karlton’s entry form into Top Scoob 028.

______________________________________________

Hi my name is Karlton (yes the Karlton fender flare Karlton haha) and I bought my STI in November 2005 with 8 miles on it, broke it in for around 500 miles, then brought it out to it’s first autox. Previous to this car I drove a DSP supra, GS Mini, and a ES MR2, all on race tires. Boy did the car not want to turn…….

Originally, the car was supposed to be my daily driver and remain stock, but after it’s first autox, the mod bug bit me hard and I ended up building my car for the STU class. After a few years in the class, local competition dwindled and it was time to look for a new class to run in. SM looked well populated…..

OMG was that a bad idea. SM doesn’t stand for Street Modified, it stands for Serious Money! There’s a whoooooole bunch of things that can be done in this class, and I have been slowly building for the class as funds allow. So far, here’s what I have done. All self-wrenched, but GST does my tuning. I’d blow up my motor lol

Engine Mods:

- Built shortblock – Darton sleeves, copper o-rings, JE 100mm coated pistons, BC pro rods, ACL race bearings, Nitrided crank, Cosworth modified oilpump, ARP headstuds
- Built heads – GSC S1 268/266 cams, Cosworth +1mm SS intake/ Inconel exhaust valves, BC valvesprings/Ti retainers, PnP, Bowl blend
- Full-Race twinscroll kit
- Garrett gt35r 1.06 twinscroll Ceramic coated (WAY too freakin big!)
- Tial 38mm mv-s wastegates
- TIGWERKS ewg mufflers
- Tial Q BOV
- PTP turbo blanket
- Custom 4” intake
- Hallman Pro RX MBC
- Perrin FMIC with stock bumper beam and counter clockwise flow piping
- Perrin lightweight crank pulley
- Deatschwerks 300lph fuel pump
- Bosch 044 fuel pump
- Custom surgetank
- SX adjustable fpr
- 07 STI top feed fuel rails (Aeromotive rails waiting to go on)
- 07 STI tgv deletes
- Hondata intake manifold gaskets
- RC engineering 1600cc injectors
- Full 80mm Magnaflow Ti catback exhaust with Burns Stainless mufflers
- Crawford Performance air/oil separator
- Hydra Nemesis full standalone
- Tune by Mike Warfield(GST Motorsports) on E85 fuel
- Odyssey pc680 battery
- KillerB ultimate oil pickup, baffle plate/windage tray, oilpan

Suspension

- Custom valved JRZ RS Pro coilovers with Hypercoil springs/ Eibach tenders
- Ground Control camber plates front and rear
- Whiteline 27-29mm swaybar front and rear, sometimes no rear bar
- Kartboy rear endlinks
- TIC lateral link bushings
- TIC front and rear trailing arm bushings
- TIC front control arm rearward bushings
- MSI Trailing Arms
- Whiteline roll center adjusters
- Cusco cf rear strut tower bar

Driveline

- ACT sprung 6 puck clutch
- ACT streetlight flywheel
- Torque Solution motor/pitch stop mounts
- Group N transmission mount
- TIC race rear differential bushings
- TIC outrigger bushings
- TIC bodacious bushing bundle
- Kaaz Super Q 1.5 way rear LSD
- Rallispec rebuilt center diff
- ACPT cf driveshaft

Exterior

- Genuine V-limited front lip
- Karlton fender flares
- Passenger side foglight housing
- Ravspec cf upper roof spoiler

Interior

- Sparco Evo2 driver side seat
- Sparco Pro2000 passenger seat
- Buddyclub super low down seat rail(driver)
- Wedge engineering/Sparco rails/sliders with aluminum sidemounts(passenger)
- Innovate Motorsports LC-1 wideband with XD-16 gauge
- Defi BF boost and oil pressure gauges with controller
- ATI gauge pod
- Rear seat removed
- Personal Neo Grinta 330mm steering wheel
- Work Bell/Splash hub
- NRG quick release

Wheels/Brakes

- Wedsport TC105N 18×10.5 +12 with Yokohama Neova AD08 285/30/18 tires
- SSR competition type c-rs 18×10.5 +17 with hoosier A6 285/30/18 tires
- Girodisc 2 piece rotors front and rear
- Hawk HP+ pads front and rear

Past Results

2006-2007 SFRSCCA STU Champion
2008-2010 SFRSCCA SM Champion
2006-2008 Multiple National Tour trophies at San Diego and Packwood- STU
2010 Norpac Divisional 1st – SM
2011 Sopac Divisional 1st -SM
2011 Nationals 6th – SM
2011 Nationals Results
2011 Subiefest Mod class 1st and TTOD

So 2011 was a tough year, as I had planned on driving my dad’s DSP supra, but we could never finish an event LOL. Sucker kept blowing head gaskets. Took my car down to Socal for the divisional so that we would qualify for Nats just in case we could get my Dad’s car running again, but the motor just kept saying no. When I decided that I was gonna take my car to Nats, I decided to build the motor to rev a little higher so I could gain a few more mph knowing I was really going to need it for Lincoln. This of course took about 2 months longer than expected, so I pretty much just threw my car together at the last minute and took it to Nationals. Usually you would want to go to the big show with a well sorted car that you’ve been driving all year and are used to, but oh no…that’s not my style lol. Motor, coilovers, and turbo were all changed. My trusty gt30r turbo took a crap right after I threw the car together and tried to tune, so I borrowed a friend’s GT35r as that’s all I could get on a Wednesday night haha. Finished putting it together and did a quick tune Thursday night (nothing like breaking in a motor on the dyno haha), and took off to Nationals Friday

2012, my plans are to buy a smaller turbo, possibly a quick rack, drop a few more lbs since my car is currently about 3085lbs, and simply drive the car and get used to it again.

Oops

And some videos:

This was with the gt30 and stock motor

This was with the gt35r and built motor. Not me driving…..my legs are not that nice ROFL

First event of the year. Need to set my rear diff back to 100% lock lol

______________________________________________

Vote for Karlton, lets reward the racer who wanted fender flares, was willing to make them and then made them available to everyone!!

Go Karlton!!

-T3h_Clap

Materials:

plus the following:
- Work gloves
- Rubber gloves
- 20 ratcheting clamps
- 4-4.5inch grinder
- Ear plugs
- Billions of shop towels/rags
- Patience
- A camera to document your artwork

1) The most obvious part – get the car in the air and remove the wheels.

2) Remove the rear fender trim. Be careful as they easily snap…… Remove the remaining part of the clips that are stuck in the fender.

What you’re starting with -

The target -

3) Inspect what needs to be grinded. In the pics below, you can see the inner lip on the rear fenders that is the target of the grinding wheel. That needs to be removed so that you can hammer out your fenders. There is no pulling or massaging here, just brute dead blow hammer crushes, and ball peen shaping.

4) Bust out the grinder, and go to town.

This will take some time and patience to get right. Avoid digging the grinder in, just smooth, light-pressure grinding to get a good result. There are 4 spot welds that hold the inner sheetmetal to the outer, so getting close to those is what I used as a guide.

5) Now that the fenders are ground flush, the next part is to take the dead blow hammer and ball peen and work your fenders. In the other guide, the guy used the urethane sealer and adhesive at this part, but I didn’t see the usefulness in that. The fenders will shape much easier without gobs of that hell’s juice everywhere.

So, take the ball been and lightly hammer up on the edge of the fender. Then take your dead blow and hit it harder above the edge, and eventually you’ll push the fender out an acceptable amount. Since I’m running tires that have no business on a Subaru, I decided to go as far as possible. The end result was serious paint chipping and a hideous unfinished product. No worries though, all that will be dealt with.

6) Now that both fenders are smashed out, it’s time to fill the gaps between the two pieces of sheet metal (inner and outer fender pieces) with the hell juice, otherwise known as Lord Fusor 803EZ. I’ve worked with some gross stuff before, but this concoction takes the cake. It gets on everything, it smears like a mofo, it’s tenacious, and it requires a lot of patience to work it properly. As an aside, if you overdo it on this stuff on the fender trim, have fun trying to get this stuff off while trying to get the clamps on a clean surface. Not amusing.

Anyway, fill the gap between the outer piece of sheet metal and the inner. If you have to, pry the pieces apart, and force the applicator tip in and fill it with the urethane. I then used a pair of pliers to squeeze the two pieces together. At this point, I wasn’t worried about gaps or perfect clamping, just to get the fill and adhesion process started.

7) The next step, which can really be done at any time, is to remove the double-sided tape that the fender trim pieces left on the fender itself. This is like debadging – use a hair dryer or heat gun, a little adhesive remover, and the area is clean in minutes.

8. Next is prepping for rust paint. While the Fusor is setting, take that time to completely mask off the area for paint. Since I had some serious paint chipping from the amount of hammering I did, I needed to rust spray the outside lip as well. See pics below.

9) Now that everything is masked off, go to town with the rust spray. Be sure to coat the interior wheel well very well, since the grinder will leave a lot of… uh… grind marks in a lot of places. Also, if your paint chipped on the lip, spray that down too.

10) Let the paint cure for a bit, and remove all the tape and plastic.

11) While the paint is drying, the next part is to grind down the inside of the fender trim. There are little foam pads, the remnants of the clips, and a bunch of raised lips and plastic on the inside. All of that has to go to ensure good, flush contact with the fender.

12) Now that the paint is dry and the fender pieces are prepped, it’s time to bust out the hell juice again. Apply liberal amounts to the fender and the trim piece, and have all your rubber clamps ready to rock.

13) Once everything is properly coated, replace the fender trim where you think it should go, while having a bunch of the ratcheting clamps on standby. I found it easy to start at the junction with the bumper, throw a clamp down, reposition, and then continue to clamp from back to front. The end result looked like this -

14) The 803EZ sets within 30 minutes, but I left the clamps on overnight just to make sure. You’re reshaping the trim piece so I figured it was better to have the hell juice take care of business for as long as possible before removing the clamps. According to the product info, full cure time on the 803EZ is 72 hours. The finished product will look like this:

Before -

After -

Driver side -

Doing a proper fender pull on the 2005-2007 Subaru Impreza WRX STi is possible in your own garage. Now if you’re not looking to do this sort of work on your own there are many reputable shops willing to do this sort of work for you. Don’t hesitate to shoot us an email if you’ve got questions or are looking for contact info of any shops in your area who do quality fender work.

Also, if you’re a shop looking to advertise don’t hesitate to email us either. We’re always looking for quality companies that want more exposure to the DIY Subaru Community.

Big thanks goes out to Matt (LimitedProject) for being willing to document the cutting up of his awesome 2007 Subaru Impreza WRX STi.

Now grab your angle grinder and get to work!! (Just be careful).

-T3h_Clap

We had 66 entrants, a guy in a new Mustang GT who yelled at me on my way to work a few months back was there which was cool. There was a strong S2k showing, they were going so fast their magnets kept coming off. 

Weather: It was cloudy all day but the temps were in the 50′s so I was content with a long sleeve shirt and a hoody for 90% of the day. It did sprinkle during the first run group but everyone got at least 2 dry runs. It didn’t rain in the afternoon.

Car Prep, Course Walk, Tech Inspection: I got there EARLY, pulled in at about 7:15am behind the main organzier and course designer. They already had a few guys setting up the course so I stripped the stuff out of my car.

• Jack
• Autox Box
• Chair
• Jack Stand
• Passthru ratchet set
• Breaker Bar, Torque Wrench
• Stock Jack, Stock Jack handle crank, Stock Tool bag
• Cooler
• Backpack
• Registration / User Manual Booklet
• Domo Bag with random stuff
• Mashmellow fluff container Cobb AP Holder

Things that stay in the car

• Puma Speedcats
• ContourGPS w/ Water Proof Case and Windshield mount
• ContourRoam
• Helmet

I then proceeded to drink the rest of my coffee and have a snack. People started rolling in at full force between 7:30am and 8:15am. Registration opened at 8am so I checked in, since I prepaid online the check in process is pain free. Just state your name, class and boom you’re good. I signed up as an SCCA member the Thursday before the event so I saved $15 on my entry fee. 

After registration I jumped in the tech line and got my annual tech sticker!! w00t. Annual tech ftw. I have a small Abu (monkey from Aladdin) who lives in my trunk. He stays back there all the time including during the runs. Tech inspectors always get a kick out of it. 

Course Walk: Right at the start I knew this was going to be a fun course. Started off with a small straight away which would allow a nice launch and a quick short shift to second before the first right hander. There was a pretty self explanatory set of a few gates and pointer cones then a hard left hander followed by a quick right hander that if lined up correctly is a straight shot to the “lane change” section. I thought this section looked like a 3rd gear section but the gates seemed tight, most people agreed 2nd gear would most likely be ideal. After the lane change there was a 3 cone optional slalom with an optional turn around. Meaning you could start on either on the right or left of the first slalom cone and you could either go clockwise or counter clockwise thru the turn around. There was one additional gate before the turn around forcing you to stay tight after the last slalom cone. This section constantly had people stopped trying to figure out the fastest way thru. No one group truely agreed with each other, one guy would say Right, Counter Clockwise, Left another would say Right, Clockwise, Right.  My group decided to start Right and then see what the car was more comfortable doing. As you’ll see in my videos from the runs Clockwise was how my car wanted to go.  I switched between Right and Left after the turnaround and didnt find much time gained or lost either way. After going thru the lane change a second time the course veered right, then a series of sweeping S curves. They then threw a wrench in the works.  It’s hard to explain, but there were 3 cones equally spaced perfectly in line. The last cone was the finish. It was designed to slow people down.  yeah that didn’t work. haha.

Either way after walking it 3 times and changing my mind 6 times on how to handle the turn around I finally felt comfortable. On to the driver’s meeting.

Run Group/Work Order: There were 3 run/work groups which meant you worked 1 heat, ran 1 heat and relaxed 1 heat. This run/work order works great and is the one I’m used to from running in S. FL.

Working:
I worked first at station 4 (on the right side of the lane change), it was an eventful station as people kept clipping the exit of the lane change or forgetting to setup for the slalom and WAMM hit 4 cones.  It rained while we working but not enough to soak my hooded sweatshirt which was nice.

The S2ks looked amazing thru the lane change and there was a huge speed difference between the ones who shifted into 3rd and who didn’t.

Running:
Luckily running in the 2nd group worked out to my favor, all the water had dried up and I got to see how people were taking the funky slalom/turn around. I started up my car to let it warm up and chatted with a fellow STi driver who was competing in STU. He wasn’t shifting into third on lane change and he couldn’t crack under a 50 sec run. I decided to try it in second and get comfortable then try 3rd. So I get up to staging all is well and good, then theres a delay as they move course workers around. I look to my left and I see this guy in a GTI get out of the passenger seat of his car and he’s wearing some cool Puma Speedcats. I look at my feet and see these huge eS Accels and just giggle, I forgot to swap to my race shoes that were sitting in my back seat. So I swapped shoes, thanked the GTI driver who reminded me and took off my driver’s side fog light cover to give my Oil Cooler access to some fresh air and proceeded to wait my turn.

Run 1: It was pretty uneventful, I took it at about 7/10ths to get a lay of the land since it had been so long since I walked the course and for some reason people were going off course constantly. I stayed in 2nd for the lane change, got a little loose going into the finish line and finished with a 49.5

Run 2: I tried to step it up for the second run, but still stayed in 2nd for the lane change, still loose going across the finish and got another 49.5 Clearly I needed to change something.

Run 3: I said **** it I’m doing it live and went balls out. I shifted into 3rd before the lane change and hauled *** up to the slalom. I braked way too much and down shifted into 2nd going into the slalom and around the turn around. Going back thru the slalom I shifted into 3rd for the lane change. HOLY CRAP the car felt GREAT!! totally composed awesomely fast.  I almost didn’t want to down shift to 2nd for the back half of the course. The back half of the course felt good until I got to the finish, I clearly was going into it too hot. I got thru the gates and hard on the brakes clearly too early as the car was still sideways going thru the finish. Both feet in and came to a quick safe stop. Unfortunately I killed 3 cones after the finish. This was by far my fastest run dipping into the high 47′s. No damage done to any equipment (mine or SCCAs). A little frustrated I proceeded back to staging for my 4th and final run.

Run 4: Knowing I needed to calm down towards the finish and use 3rd gear twice I tried to be patient this run.

I was trying not to leave anything on course and being one of the last cars out to run in my session I was really trying not to eff it up. As I’m getting to the lane change I see that one of the cones is out of place, I was already nearing the top of 3rd gear and I wouldn’t have been able to stop in time to point it out so I avoided it and went about my way. In the back of my head I was praying the corner workers were being lazy (which they clearly were). On the turn around I was focusing more on not hitting that cone that was out of place and didn’t shift in to 3rd. This hurt my time substantially. The rest of the run was clean and I didn’t spin after the finish. Crossed the line with a 48.337!! w00t. Had I shifted in 3rd I easily could’ve dropped into the 47′s. *Kick self in face*  Still 48.337 was good enough to clinch 1st in ASP/STU. 

Notes:
Before the 4th run I was checking my camber wear on my front tires and I couldn’t feel the groove on the inside of the Star Specs. I thought this was strange…..turns out the -3.8 has been eating away the inside front tire (surprise).  So after my last run I decided to hang out during the 3rd run group so I could get my 3 punches for clinching 1st place in ASP/STU.  During the 3rd run I rotated my camber worn front tires to the rear, the rears looked new compared to the fronts.  I have been neglecting the rotation of the wheels/tires (obviously). It could end up biting me in the *** as I’ll explain later.

I get the car on some asphalt and break one side loose and jack the car up. Mind you with the ARP wheel studs are HUGE. I grab my impact gun only to find out it’s dead.  :fail: I spin one wheel worth of lugs off and my arm is about to fall off. haha. Luckily I was able to borrow an impact from a fellow racer (who pulled off a 45 second lap in his R-Comp equipped CSP MR2!!). Once that was all done and I packed up the car I was able to take a second to relax and wait for the trophy presentation.

All in all a great race day, still plenty of room to imporve and I’m looking forward to the AutoX next weekend!!

I’ll get the other vids posted and try and find some pics from the event.

This is my first run of the day, and there is no question I got lost. You’ll notice I nearly come to a stand still after one of the chicago boxes. I was looking ahead and I was unsure of which way to go. Luckily I chose the right direction. Final time for the run was 55.958 my slowest by time by over 9 seconds. I also was playing with wind noise reduction today, gain is set below 10 and I taped some microphone foam over the microphone. Its an improvement over nothing, but it isn’t perfect yet. As you’ll see there were a few cones in my way I decided to run over, i took one of them all the way back to grid.

Click, more to see the other videos. Be sure to click through to the Contour site to see them full screen!

The first run was not confidence inspiring by any means, it was actually pretty painful. I took a few minutes between runs to watch other cars go thru the section I had issues with. This helped alot, I was able to correct many of my mistakes. This run was a 49.022 clean, in my head after this run I kept hearing my friend Aaron telling me to use the gas pedal more and get a little closer to the cones. I knew there was more time left on the course. I was excited for run #3 to say the least.

Run #3, lets call this Run #Iwenttoofasttryingtobefasterandhitsomecones. I tried a more aggressive line in the start and the car got a little sideways, it was fun but SLOW. I ended up hitting a few cones again (3 at least) yet my raw time was the fastest yet of a 49.007. This means one thing, I’m leaving A LOT on the table. After the run I talked to a few fellow competitors to get suggestions about the section where I kept hitting cones. Most said “I’m having issues too”, best one was “slow down”. I listened to him, time for run #4.

Run #4, time to go fast. This run was very fun, unfortunately it appears I bumped the camera prior to the run and it’s not aligned as well. Run #4 was my fastest run of the day for me with a 46.447 clean.

Not only did we have awesome weather and a well run event, we got more than 4 runs! Here is run #5. After my fast run #4 I over drove the car and clipped a cone early, rest of the run I was trying to see if there were spots I could improve. Before my 5th run we were told we would get 5 runs, so after I coned it was time to have some fun. Little did I know there was enough time for a 6th!

Run #6, knowing this was the last run I tried to take everything I learned from the previous runs and push it a little harder. There were a few spots that I could still improve, but clipping off another 46.xxx made me very happy. I’ve had a few events where I can’t ever seem to match my fastest run and it always feels like a fluke. Being able to do the 6th run and get into the 46′s was awesome. Perfect way to end a day of racing.

Overall I finished 1st in my class (if you follow the blog on facebook you know that I was the only competitor in BSP today. ).

I did see a local EVO that I run with in SM though, so after the event I tracked down his times and he beat my best 46.447 by .045 seconds!!! Talk about close competition. I think I’m gonna switch to SM tomorrow and run with a bigger group.

All and all, a great event. Huge thanks to the crew @ CFR SCCA Solo (http://www.cfrsolo2.com) and the OCCC for letting us have the event there.

(Note: some videos are still be processed so they may not work right away)

In 2011, Revolutionary Sports Team was officially stood up and a permanent codriver, George Loef, was signed to the team. George is a senior Firecontrolman for the U.S. Navy, and the two have proven to be a perfect match for rallying since. The 2011 season brought several successes including two 2^nd overall finishes that have brought them to 4^th overall in the Atlantic Rally Cup in the AWD division which is sanctioned by NASA Rallysport.

Due to scheduling issues the team missed the first two races of the season and their current position is testimony to the potential this team has. Rally of the Tall Pines is the final race for the team for 2011. The winter conditions will pose a formidable challenge but Sam and George are up to the task.

Their 2004 Subaru STi is prepared for Open class competition and includes the following modifications:

Engine:
Stock EJ257 Short Block
P&P Heads
TGV Deletes
VF39 w/ 34mm restrictor
Grimmspeed Phenolic Spacer
Short Ram Intake
Cobb Accessport w/ Topspeed Tune
Cobb lightweight crank pulley
Cobb Catted Down and Intermediate Pipe
Custom Straight Axelback
Group N Engine Mounts
Mishimoto Radiator and Hoses
Motul 300V 15w50 Racing Oil
Killer B Motorsports oil Pickup and Baffle

Transmission and Driveline:
Whiteline Shifter bushings
Group N Pitch Stop Mount
Exedy Stage 1 HD Clutch
Q-Rack Quick Steering Rack
Whiteline Steering Rack Bushings

Suspension and Brakes:
RS&SP 1-way adjustable gravel coilovers
Group N top hats
4 pot front brakes w/ Ferodo 2500 pads
Modified Brembo rear w/Ferodo 2500 pads
Hydraulic E-brake w/ Wilwood Master Cylinder
ABS Delete
Internal stainless brake lines
Braided stainless brake lines external

Wheels and tires:
Braid Safari gravel wheels
Lassa Rally 3 or 4′s gravel tires
BFGoodrich G Sport gravel tires
Yokohama A034 snow tires
ARP Wheel Studs

Structure:
Autopower/Jackson Rally Roll Cage integrating all suspension points
Custom aluminum skid plate w/ mount
HDPE Custom cut underbody panels
Primitive rear differential guard
HDPE Replacement front fender liners

Lighting:
4x Soltek Forerunner HID driving lights on bumper beam replacement mount

Interior:
Aerosim Research Carbon Fiber door cards
Racetech RT1000 Race seats w/ aluminum rails
G-Force 6 pt harnesses
Terratrip Rally Computer
Terraphone Intercom

Future plans for the car include standalone engine management with Antilag, upgraded differentials and differential controller and an expanded race program including Rally Mexico as early as 2013. Revolutionary Sports Team is currently looking for sponsorships and can be contacted at revolutionarysports@gmail.com.

Revolutionary Sports would like to thank Valkyrie Motorsports for their rally service support. Owner and master fabricator Dylan Costello has served as the team’s Crew Chief for the majority of their rallies since 2010.

To find out more information about the team please visit their Facbook page at Revolutionary Sports Facebook Page where you can get the latest news and race day coverage of the team’s rally efforts.

To watch more videos of the team please visit their YouTube Channel at Revolutionary Sports YouTube Channel where you can watch the latest videos of the team’s rally efforts.

Revolutionary Sports Team is going to be fun to watch over the next year, I’ll try and keep everyone updated as they progress over next season. It’s awesome to see an STi getting out in the dirt. Lets see if we can help Revolutionary Sports’ Facebook Page and YouTube Channel pick up some new followers.

Keep it up guys,
T3h_Clap

Now lets see what’s in the box and we’ll go over some of it’s features.

This box contains the following Contour products.

• ContourGPS
• Contour Windshield Mount
• Contour Spare Battery
• Contour Connect View

I must warn you, if you order these a week before an autox or track day you’re going to be very itchy to use it. It’s almost painful to have this beautiful piece of machinery and not get to fully use it for a week or two. I was afraid to test it on the street prior to the AutoX, but after the AutoX I would feel comfortable about using this mount even at high speeds.

First thing out of the box is the Camera itself, you’ll see here it comes in some very intuitive packaging.

The camera sits in a small protective case that holds all of the extra goodies you get with the ContourGPS, it also allows you to store and keep the camera safe during travel. Once you take off the cardboard you’ll see everything included with the ContourGPS.

The ContourGPS comes with the following items.

• ContourGPS Camera
• 2GB MicroSD card (unknown class)
• Lense Cover
• MiniUSB Cable for charging and data transfer
• Removable Lithium-Ion battery
• Goggle Mount, and two Rotating Surface Mounts
• Camera Tethers
• Clear protective case

The camera itself is very light weight at only 5.2 oz, they were able to get everything in this small lightweight package. The ContourGPS camcorder has mutliple different video settings including 1080p, 960p and 720p all @ 30 Frames Per Second (FPS) it also has an action setting which is 720p @ 60 FPS. I have used the 720p @ 60 FPS so far and the video looks really good. I do believe it needs a higher class MicroSD card then the one provided, but with MicroSD cards only costing $20 for a class 10 8gb it’s not a problem.

Another cool feature is the continous photo mode, it allows you to select the time between each photo taken. You can choose either 3,5,10,30,60 seconds between each shot. This would be a great way to document a show, or cruise. Simply mount the camera on the car and let it take a photo every few seconds. I plan on also using this feature on an upcoming motorcycle trip to document it.

The ContourGPS has a large slide record switch on top of the camera, that is very easy to activated/deactive without looking. It also features a switch on the control panel that allows you to switch between two different pre-sets. Such pre-sets include video or continous photo, video quality, resolution and frame rate. Meaning you can have setting 1 be your continuous photo mode for the drive to the event and in the paddock and setting 2 be the Action 720p 60 FPS High Quality for when you’re on course.

All of the Contour Cameras currently available come with a laser light alignment feature, which activates two laser pointers on the lense so you can properly align the camera without the need of a view finder.

The ContourGPS camera has a 135 degree wide angle lense, is 32GB MicroSD Compatible and has a 2 to 2.5hr long battery life.

The main reason I chose the ContourGPS over the ContourROAM is the ContourGPS has a built in GPS reciever which tracks your location and allows you to view where you went. As you’ll see in the videos below it’s really cool for an Autox/Track Day since it overlays your progress over Google Maps. I look forward to utilizing this feature the next time I go to Sebring International Raceway for a HPDE.

The camera also has a Bluetooth connectivity feature, which turns your cell phone into a view finder and allows you to alter the settings without plugging it into a computer. To utlize this feature on an iPhone you’ll need the Connect View card to be installed in your ContourGPS. It’s a very small card, only slightly larger then the MicroSD card, it slips in the back of the camera next to the removable battery. This is not required to use the camera but is very handy to have.

Once this bad boy is installed in the back of the camera, you connect your phone to the camera by click the hidden bluetooth connection button on the top of the camera (it’s hidden but very easy to find, when the camera is not recording the button is right in front of the slider). Once you’re connected to your phone you use the free Contour App and it turns the screen into a view finder and allows settings to be edited. Once the camera is recording the bluetooth is turned off to conserve battery. This feature is really nice when you’re using a mount that allows lots of adjustment (such as the windshield mount). 

I decided to pick up a Spare Battery, the last thing I want is to be at event without any battery power.

The last thing in the box is the Contur Windshield Mount made by Panavise. This mount has lots of adjustment and a very strong suction cup. The first time I used it I put it on the roof of the T3hClap.com STi smack dab in the middle directly behind the windshield. I got some really great video, but I look forward to Oct 22 and Oct 23 where I plan to use multiple different locations to see which angle works best.

Here you can see it mounted to the car’s roof. (photo credit to KalebPhoto)

This mount from Contour made by Panavise was designed specifically for the Contour camears, it mounts using the Contour T-Rail system. It’s a really strong mount design. Simply loosen the set screws and slide the camera into the mount and tighten the set screws.

Enough with the pics!! lets check out some video. This video is using only what you see here and the Contour software provided. No special editing or anything. It’s hosted on the Contour Community pages. Feel free to check out my stories at http://contour.com/users/t3h_clap.

Run #2

Run #3

Run #4

Feel free to ask any questions, comments, or suggestions about the setup. The only thing I plan on changing is to a higher class MicroSD card and attempting to fix the excessive wind noise on the audio.

Thanks for reading,
Clap

PS; be sure to check back soon for the write up on the past two AutoX events with Martin Sports Car Club. They are long over due.

Suspension:
Ground Control Coilovers with 750/650 lb springs
Koni 8611s
Modified Six Gun BJE kit
Cobb Sway
Whiteline Lateral Links
Custom boxed in trailing arms with TiC bushings

Wheels/Tires:
Enkei RPF1 18×10.5 +15mm
ARP Wheel Studs
285/30/18 Toyo R888s

Engine:
Turbo is a GT35R with Tial .82 hotside
Custom header, up pipe and down pipe made by BM Engineering
Manley 2.6 stroker

Exterior:
Zero/Sports front bumper with quick release
Kognition rear spoiler
Custom front splitter
Karlton fender flares

Adam didn’t slack on any of the setup or prep for his car. He’s always been ahead of the curve and this time he out did himself with the new exterior and his personally built custom turbo kit. Good luck this weekend Adam!! Enough with the chat. Time for the awesome pics from Jermy Howat, check out his Flickr page

Work has added Matte-Black to the new Work Emotion CR Kiwami color lineup. I really like the little detail they did on the spokes to differentiate the new CE Kiwami from previous Emotion CR models.

Click more for the photos of the different colors.

They’ve got some really sweet sizes available too.
Subaru Impreza WRX STI and Mitsubishi EVO Fitments
17×8 (Minimal/Shallow Concave)
+47mm, +35mm

17×9 (Deep Concave)
+38mm, 28mm, 17mm

18×8.5 (Middle Concave)
+47mm, +38mm, +30mm

18×9.5 (Deep Concave)
+28mm, +30mm, +20mm, +12mm

18×10.5 (Deep Concave)
+23mm

The deep concave version of these wheels will look great. The 18×10.5 +23mm will require a bit of a spacer to fit right with the Karlton flares, but would be a very aggressive fitment on a stock body GR or it would work nicely with an ARP wide body GD.

Important Note: I haven’t had a chance to confirm caliper clearances just yet. Once I know for sure what clears what I’ll post it up. So be sure to confirm caliper clearances before dropping the deposits.

-T3h_clap

The sweet spot is 18×10.5 +15mm with a 295/30/18, coilovers and some camber. Go Ginormous or GTFO.

This first post will be all 1 piece wheels that clear the STi Brembos, the 2/3 piece article will come later once we know exactly how aggressive we can go with these monster flares Karlton has created.

Advan
RZ-DF 18×10.5 +15mm

Advan RZ-DF

RG-D 18×10.5 +15mm

Advan RG-D

TCII 18×10.5 +15mm (GTR Face)

Advan TCII

Enkei

PF01 18×10.5 +15mm

Enkei PF01

RPF1 18×10.5 +15mm

Enkei RPF1

NT03+M 18×10.5 +30mm

Enkei NT03+M

GramLight

57g 18×10.5 +12mm (Face 3)

GramLight 57G

Ings+

TS06 18×10.5 +15mm

TS06

Volk Racing

RE30 18×10.5 +18mm (L2)

Volk Racing RE30

CE28N 18×10.5 +18mm

Volk Racing CE28N

TE37 SL 18×10.5 +15mm

Volk Racing TE37 SL

TE37 18×10.5 +15mm

Volk Racing TE37

VR.

G2 18×10.5 +27mm (F3)

VR. GR2

WedsSport

TC105N 18×10.5 +12mm (RR)

WedsSport TC105N

Fellow Floridian and past Blog feature Logan has submitted a killer video for the contest. Check it out!

Logan’s Cobb Film Festival Submission

Watch the video, share with family, share with friends, post on local forums, PM it to your worst enemy, and get your girlfriend’s little sister to watch it twice!

Good Luck Logan!
-T3h_Clap

The car performed flawlessly (except some higher EGT’s which I’ll talk of later), I was happy with the performance of the Dunlop Z1 Star Specs as they were the only thing on the car I was worried weren’t going to be up for the heavy track sessions in the Sebring heat.

Quick review on my setup for the track day.

Suspension
TiC AST SST’s Coilovers with 9k/8k Swift Springs
Vorshlag Camber Plates Front and Rear
Whiteline Plus Bushings (Lateral Link, Rear Trailing Arm, Front Control Arm)
Whiteline Offset Caster Bushing
STi Pink Trailing Arms
Custom Wales Garage/Penguin Garage Alignment
-3.8 front camber, -2.2 rear camber, ZERO toe

Wheels/Brakes
17×10 +38mm Enkei RPF1
245/40/17 Dunlop Z1 Star Spec
ARP Wheel Studs
Project Mu Lug Nuts
Hawk DTC-70′s
DBA 4000′s

Engine
APS 3″ TBE
Cobb AP v1
Pro Tune by Jarrad
Koyo Radiator
Samco Radiator hoses
Greddy Oil Cooler

The Suspension setup was amazing, even with the very bumpy nature of Sebring International Raceway the TiC AST SST’s did amazing. The car absorbed all of the bumps and the car always felt stable. There was only a few “clean laps” where I wasn’t held up by traffic. Being in the Novice group I did run into alot of traffic, it wasn’t a terrible thing as this allowed me to focus on my driving line and less about going full throttle or late braking.

With the addition of the Koyo Radiator my water temp never budged, my Greddy Oil Cooler kept my oil temps in check even with the searing Sebring heat. My EGT gauge was showing some rather high EGT temps so I wasn’t pushing it 100% on the straights, only about 50% throttle on both straightaways. They peaked at 980c or about 1800f if I remember correctly. I’m tempted to get a new tune, as it’s been a few years, just to make sure the car isn’t running too hot. Any thoughts on the high EGT temps don’t hesitate to comment.

I can’t wait to go out to the next Sebring event, I hope to be down for the Redline event in August to see Turn In Concepts tear it up in the Florida heat.

Enough with the chat, on to more photos! Huge thanks to a fellow WRX driver and owner of Colour Tech South Motorsports Photography, LLC. Henry.

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

Gram Light 57 Ultimate and 57 Ultimate SC come in a lot of sizes. Not too many Subaru friendly wide ones but there are plenty to satisfy the guys wanting a lower offset.

Gram Light 57 Ultimate

Gram Light 57Ultimate

Here are the sizes for the 57 Ultimate

Gram Light 57 Ultimate Sizing

Gram Light 57 Ultimate SC

Gram Light 57Ultimate SC

Here are the sizes for the 57 Ultimate SC

Gram Light 57 Ultimate SC Sizing

Caliper Clearance and basic fitment.

The guys at Rays taking a little spin on a basic design.

They don’t list any of the 9.5″ wheels as clearing the STI Brembos. If they clear the EVO they’ll clear the STI brembos (at least they should). The 18×9.5 +30mm will be a nice “aggressive” fitment on either the GR or GD STi.

Aggressive STI fitment version 9.5″

How To: Properly Modify 05-07 GD STi Rear Fenders

A few of my articles on getting 9.5′s to fit.

Any questions on fitment don’t hesitate to comment or shoot us an email.

It took awhile for the Gram Light 57D to show up on an STI, I wonder how long it’ll take for someone to run these.

-T3h_:Clap:

Advan RG-D

Advan RZ-DF

Yokohama had their current wheel line on display at TAS. Everyone of us would love to have these displays in our living room.

Advan RS and RS-D

Advan RG2 and RG-D

Advan RC3 and Super Advan V2

Advan RZ and Advan RZ-DF Display at TAS

NEW! Advan RG-D

It seems Advan only gave out Black versions of their wheels for the cars on display, not my favorite wheel color but I have to post these.

Advan RG-D EVO X

Nissan 370z with New Advan RG-D

Yokohama Advan RG-D on a Nissan Silvia S15

Green GT3-RS on RZ-DF's, need I say more?

On to the close ups.

First off the Forged, yes I said FORGED, Advan RZ-DF. If you like lip, get ready for some Pr0n.

Advan RZ-DF

Advan RZ-DF "not Matte Black"

Advan RZ-DF Matte Black

RZ-DF close up on Display

Now on to the Advan RG-D, I didn’t think the RG2 could look better. I was wrong, very wrong.

Advan RG-D

Advan RG-D in Silver

Advan RG-D Matte Black

These wheels will start being available later this summer, who is going to be the first to slap a set on an STI or an EVO? Who is going to be the first to have a set on www.T3hclap.com?

Stay tuned for some fitment talk regarding the new Advan RG-D and RZ-DF wheels.

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

Volk Racing RE30's For Sale!

I don’t normally post for sale ads on the blog but these wheels deserve a post. These are the famous White 18×9.5 +35mm Volk Racing RE30s from Mr. Adam aka BM_STi aka AdamBOMB_STi. Some of you may recognize Adam’s car from one of my first articles “9.5″ Wheels on a GD Impreza”.

Adam was the inspiration for that article. If you’re looking for an aggressive setup for your STi, you’re in luck because they are for sale!! Adam is moving on to some bigger wheels for some unknown plans. Either way, someone needs to pick these up as they’ll work perfectly on any GR/GV or with some work a GD.

This is the original Proper Fitment setup, big wheels, big tires, loads of grip. One of the first GD Imprezas with 9.5s.

Specs:

Volk Racing RE30 White

5×114.3 18×9.5 +35mm L1 Face

Bridgestone RE01R 265/35/18

Brembo Clearance: 05 – 11 STi

For Sale Thread: CLICK HERE!!

Current Asking Price 1/17/11: $2500 + shipping/fees

2004.7 Subaru Impreza WRX STi Volk Racing RE30

Whoever buys these needs to send me some photos of them on their car. These white Volk Racing RE30s would look perfect on a WRB 2011 STi Sedan. Who is up for the challenge.

You can contact Adam via Nasioc (AdamBOMB_STi) or IWSTI (BM_STi). You can also shoot me an email or leave a comment.

I will keep this post updated when he sells them, hopefully slap a few pics of them on their new owner’s car.

If there are any questions on fitment for your car/setup don’t hesitate to comment or email.

-Drew

After the most recent post about the new tire rack website I got more than a few comments stating the following.

“Can we pick wheel size now?”

“Oh, it’s just a tire selection, no wheel selection?”

“Can we reverse search wheel size?”

unfortunately the answer to all of the above is no.

I, among many other enthusiasts want to be able to select and BUY wheels from tire rack that we know will work. LET US PICK A SIZE!

I don’t want to have to use a “big wheel STI” (aka 96 Toyota Supra) to search for anything wider than 8.5″ for my STI.

Everyone I’ve talked to is willing to give up their “return if doesn’t fit” ability to have this function.

I understand “WHY” tire rack doesn’t have this feature available to everyone, people go to tire rack for a no questions asked fitment. Well tire rack, I want to say that there are some of us that know we can make a setup work. Sure we can call in and talk to a select few of your amazing customer service/sales guys who know how to fight their way through the system, but we should be able to do it online!

Especially with Tire Rack now carrying some of the bigger names in the import market (Namely Rays, Weds) they are a great option for us not only to search but to also buy!

Is there anyone else out there that thinks Tire Rack needs wheel size selection?

Allow me to pick Bolt Pattern, Width Range, Offset Range and Diameter Range. Hell Tire Rack has the software to also know special factory brake clearance. *hint* *hint* although the last part isn’t a pre-requisite for us getting what we want.

Add your comments in support or against Tire Rack adding this functionality!

-t3h_Clap

Check it out! http://www.tirerack.com

The new functionality is really going to make things easier to navigate. Gotta love progress!

Comments on if you like or dislike the change?

265/35/18s….new street tires maybe?

-t3h_clap

Turn-In-Concept SST Coilovers

TiC’s Strut assemblies are made by AST to TiC SST specifications. TiC offers their coilovers with Swift Main Springs, Swift Helper Springs, and Swift Thrust Washers. I chose to go with the Vorshlag Camber Plates front and rear as well. They also come with a very detailed document on the assembly and care of your new suspension (rare to find that now-a-days).

This specific set of TiC SSTs runs the same setup as their Time Attack winning WRX with stiffer and shorter Swift Springs. I’ll be running 9k front and 8k rear, both front and rear are 6″ Springs. Once Clint & Tony knew the ride height and planned use for the suspension we custom tailored the spring choice to meet my needs.  Thank you again Clint and Tony!

Now More Pictures!

Below you’ll see some more snap shots of the 6″ 9k/8k Swift Main Springs, Swift Helper Springs, and Vorshlag Camber plates.

Vorshlag Camber plates were chosen because of their short stack height and additional caster. Along with the Whiteline offset caster bushings I should be able to maximize caster without having too much.

Still working out the final alignment and ride height settings.

Shooting for around -3.0 front and -1.7 to -1.8 rear camber and as much Caster as we get.

Car will be corner balanced so the ride height wont be exact but we’re shooting for about 14″ front 13.75″ rear + or – .25″

Everything is coming together, stay tuned!

I don’t normally post random “holy crap this is awesome” posts, but there is a first for everything.

The recently updated Rays Engineering site is really amazing. The functionality is increased along with speed and usability.

http://www.rayswheels.co.jp

Check it out and give me your thoughts.

This will make searching easier and should help expose some of the lesser known Rays brands.

More screen shots from the website, I love the brand selection filter and size filter.

I’ll be putting together a few articles with the build progress and parts accumulation.

The build is going to be a simple STU build. Suspension, Bushings, Wheels, Tires and Driver tuning.

Round 1: Bushings, Mounts, Shifter from Turn In Concepts

As you see we’ve got a nice little box of goodies going in.

Turn In Concepts sent out the first round of goodies, and I couldn’t be happier!

Thank you again Clint and Tony.

Looking forward to the day I can get the new bushings and mounts installed.

July 2nd 2009; Ordered a set of TiC SSTs with custom spring rates and more bushings from Turn In Concepts.

Also, just got off the Phone with the Earl @ Touge Factory and put down the deposit for the new Wheels.

Busy lunch hour. haha.

Stay tuned for more updates.

-t3h_clap

17x9.5 +44mm Enkei NT03+M 245/45/17

This STi was recently bought when Ben traded in Batscubie #4 aka. the Wraith. Ben had these 17×9.5 +44mm Enkei NT03+M’s on Batscubie #4 (08 STi) with some 275s. Ben wanted to compete in STU with the 2006 STI so he kept the 9.5 Enkei’s and bought some 245′s.

Ben Wales Batscubie #5 9.5 Enkeis 2006 Subaru Impreza WRX STI

Batscubie #5 is one of the luckiest GD Imprezas out there. Two days after picking it up from the dealership Ben had mounted up his new wheel/tire combo. Brand new 245/45/17 Bridgestone RE760 Sports mounted on to the 17×9.5 +44mm Enkei NT03+M’s. Batscubie #5 was rocking a set of Enkei NT03+M’s in 17×9.5 +44mm offset on a stock suspension STI!? You may ask, 245′s on a 9.5″ wheel? Well the answer to that question is simple, SCCA Solo2 STU requires a 245 tire max. 2nd question is why not RE-11′s? Well the answer to that question is simple too, Ben Wales from Wales Garage in Ft. Lauderdale loves any excuse to push Bridgestone’s best tires to the test. RE-11′s are coming later this year….errr. Maybe I wasn’t supposed to let that part out. Sorry Ben, secrets out.

2006 Subaru Impreza WRX STI GD 17x9.5 Stock Suspension

Ben’s Batscubie #5 is a 2006 Subaru Impreza WRX STI with Stock STI Springs, Stock STI Struts, Stock STI Front and Rear Sway Bars, and Stock un-Molested Rear Fenders. You read that right, un-Molested Rear Fenders. The reason he isn’t rubbing in the rear is simple, +44mm offset and 245/45/17 tire. This combination allows the wide wheel/tire setup to stay clear of the rear fenders (even while autoxing).

245/45/17 Bridgestone RE760 9.5 Enkei STU STI

I’m not going to lie, the stock suspension’s height (aka. 4×4 status) does the Batscubie #5 a favor. With a lower suspension and still stock fenders this 2006 Subaru Impreza WRX STi would rub.

The is not alot of room inboard with this 17×9.5 +44mm and 245/45/17 setup. This is the same wheel seen on Jaimie’s Car (Seen Here). The offset requires careful calculation with inboard clearances, as there can be rubbing if the coilover is wider than the factory strut bodies, or too much camber is dialed in via camber bolts.

Ben Wales 2006 Subaru Impreza WRX STi 17x9.5 Stock Suspension

There you have it, 9.5″ wheels with a proper offset are capable of fitting on a 100% stock suspension when running a 245 tire. Any offset lower than a +40mm will most likely rub on the rear fenders, going any higher than +45mm will cause rubbing inboard.

Ben’s 2006 Subaru Impreza WRX STi has alot instore for the up coming months, I can’t let everything out of the bag just yet so here’s the current mod-list.

Wheels/Tires:
Enkei NT03+M 17×9.5 +44mm
Bridgestone RE760 Sport 245/45/17

Suspension:
100% Stock

Power:
APS 3″ Turbo Back
Cobb AP

Interior:
Defi Amber BF Boost Gauge
Schroth Harness for Autox’s

Exterior:
Wingless WRX Trunk

Keep your eyes peeled for future Batscubie articles, and as always any questions/comments feel free to post or email.

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

I can’t wait to see these wheels on some cars stateside. Some 19×9.5 +45mm RS-D’s would look spectacular on an 08 STi for a mild street setup or some 18×10 +35mm’s slapped on a GD for the aggressive side.

JUN STI Advan RS-D

The New Advan RS-D is a 10 spoke similar to the RS with a small twist. These new wheels have a lip and a slightly different spoke shape. The spoke spacing is obviously derived from the RS instead of the RZ. The size options match the other Advan Racing wheels we’ve seen in previous years (for the most part).

Advan RS-D Black

The RS-D does come in 20″ sizing which hasn’t been seen in an Advan Racing wheel up until now, most likely to appeal to the new GT-R owners who still want to keep massive 20″ wheels.

Advan RS-D

Either way, here’s a nice fat list of the available sizes/offsets.

4×100

18×7.5 +42mm

5×100

18×8 +47mm

5×114.3

18×7.5 +48mm
18×8 +45mm, +37mm
18×8.5 +51mm, +31mm
18×9 +45mm, +35mm, +25mm
18×10 +35mm, +25mm
19×8.5 +45mm, +38mm
19×9 +35mm, +25mm
19×9.5 +45mm
19×10 +35mm, +25mm, +15mm
20×8.5 +38mm
20×9 +25mm
20×9.5 +40mm
20×10 +35mm ,+25mm
20×10.5 +20mm

This is looking like a good year for some new wheels. 

-T3h_Clap

Prodrive GC-05K

Who will be first?

Sizes available are as follows.

5×100
17×8 +45mm (Face 1)
18×8 +45mm (Face 1)
19×8 +50mm (Face 1)

5×114.3
17×8 +45mm (Face 1)
17×8.5 +34mm, +40mm, +44mm, +54mm (Face 1)
17×9.5 +34mm, +40mm, +44mm (Face 1)
18×8 +45mm (Face 1)
18×8.5 +34mm, +40mm, +50mm (Face 1)
18×8.5 +24mm, +30mm (Face 2)
18×9 +20mm (Face 2)
18×9.5 +15mm, +24mm, +30mm, +34mm, +40mm, +44mm (Face 2)
19×8 +40mm, +50mm (Face 1)
19×8.5 +25mm (Face 2)
19×8.5 +35mm, +45mm (Face 1)
19×9.5 +15mm, +25mm, +35mm, +40mm (Face 2)

Caliper clearance isn’t finalized yet but the 18×9.5 +44mm looks promising.

Additional Color

Black GC-05K's

Volk Racing

VR.G2 

New Volk Racing G2

VR.G7

New Volk Racing G7!

VR.G10

New Volk Racing G10!

All three of the wheels come in some great sizes. Although some will say they are too big.

19′s are going to be come standard here in the coming years with most cars coming factory with 18″ wheels, stepping up 1″ is standard operating procedure for a street wheel.

I’m looking forward to seeing some GRB Sti’s running the 19×9.5s. The G10 is going to look spectacular on a GRB. So, Who’s first?

Sizing as Follows for Subaru Impreza WRX STi Brembo Clearance

VR.G2

19×8.5 +43mm S1 5×114.3 

19×9.5 +42mm S1 5×114.3

VR.G7

18×8 +50mm 5×100

18×8 +50mm 5×114.3

18×8 +40mm 5×114.3

VR.G10

19×8.5 +43mm S1 5×114.3

19×9.5 +44mm S2 5×114.3

As always don’t hesitate to comment or email any questions.

Recently Rays decided to address the growing market of hybrids and Eco friendly automotive junkies.

The Eco Project released a few wheels designed specifically for increasing in fuel economy (doesn’t hurt the looks any either).

The wheels are CE28 ECO drive.

They come in a 15×6 +35mm, 16×6 +35mm, 16×6.5 +35mm. Specifically for the Toyota Prius and Honda Civic Hybrid.

Who’s going to grab a set?

-t3h_clap

I have.

18×10 RPF1s are freaking amazing. The guys over at TopSpeed managed to wedge a set of them along with some 285 tires under the fenders of their red 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STi.

TopSpeed has a few cars with 18×10 RPF1s. It was only a matter of time before they swapped a set from their crazy Flared TimeAttack GC for a test fit. Now it looks like they bought their new 08 its own pair of 18×10 RPF1s.

This setup with -3.0 front and -1.8 rear camber with stiff 8k/10k coilovers isn’t for the average street driver, but damn does it look amazing. Can’t wait to see this car at this years One Lap of America.

The wheels/tires are 18×10 +38mm RPF1s with 285/30/18 Advan AD07s.

With a good fender roll and some stiff coilovers the new GR chassis Subaru Impreza STi is able to squeeze some nice rubber.

Hopefully we’ll be able to get a more detailed article on both of the TopSpeed cars in the future.

Damn those wheels look awesome.

A: NO!

Do not run different Tire Sizes Front and Rear or Side to Side on a Street Driven Subaru. All 4 tires must match.

This includes all models of Impreza, Legacy, Forester, Tribeca, Outback, and Outback Sport with AWD.

Why you ask?

1.) Because Subaru Says so

click me

2.) Because your owners manual says so

if you’re not sure, or don’t believe me go read it.

3.) Because saving $200 or even $500 today is not worth the expense or Hassle to fix your center diff.

On a more technical side of things,

You can’t run a different rolling diameter front and rear on a street driven Subaru due to its AWD system. The center diff will try and compensate for the differing speeds between the front and rear tires and proceed to overheat and eventually fail.

This also applies to running different Model tires of the same size. EVERY aspect of your 4 tires should match when installed on a Subaru including;

Width

Profile

Diameter

Load index

Tread pattern

Tread compound

Brand

Model

This is the only time that it makes sense to buy crappy tires for an STi.

Also proper rotation is key to the longevity of both your tires and your differentials, rotate your tires consistently and often (i.e. Oil changes/after autox’s/after track days).

And Honestly I don’t care, this wheel looks awesome.

Even though the “unofficial” release for these was in January of this year, I figured it was about time to show it off to the Subaru world.

The D stands for “drift”, but I’m more concerned with the fact they cleaned up the lines for the popular 57Maximum and added some crazy new Colors.

The 18×9.5 +38mm that is available and closest to Subaru friendly offsets is not listed as clearing Brembos, but it shouldn’t require too much of a spacer to get it to clear up front.

Guess only time will tell if someone is crazy enough to run some Luminous Orange gramLight 57Ds on a Subaru

-T3h_Clap

Images from Rays Engineering Website

Imagine being able to make the wheel arches of a car wider simply at a push of a button no worries of paint cracking or having to mold in new body panels.

Simply Amazing

I’m waiting for a setup where I can make the car wider at an event for some large wheels/tires and then bring it back down to standard street setup and still look amazing doing both.

I guess the question is when will this hit the streets and will the smaller less luxury companies be able to make it a feasible option for new vehicles. Subaru for 2015? Where do I sign?

GINA Article

Video of GINA in action

More Details

Photo from http://www.carmagazine.co.uk

I stumbled upon the release of an 08 STi specific Volk Racing RE30 size.

In case you’re unfamiliar with the Wheel here’s a little photo.

The new Volk Racing RE30 size release for the 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STi takes advantage of both the added inboard clearance of the new GRB chassis and the new wider front and rear fenders.

This new size will be the standard for all 08s, the “basic” fitment if you will.

18×9 +50mm

Doesn’t that just sound wonderful!?

9″ as a “basic” fitment, I remember when it was big news for the Bugeyes to run wider than 7.5!! LOLs.

9″ wheel +50mm offset that will easily fit on the new 2008 STi with ZERO issues?!?!

Makes me want to go get an 08…

For a more aggressive setup, one only needs to go .5″ wider and 3mm lower offset to find another RE30 that clears the Brembos and has very attractive sizing. 18×9.5 +47mm, with the correct fender mods and suspension one could run a 275/35/18 on this setup with only minor hassles.

After scanning through the new Hyper Rev it is evident that there will be much more to come for the GRB Chassis. With the way the US and the Japanese tuners are diving in to tuning the new chassis it is only a matter of time before the guys with the big check books realize what’s possible to squeeze under those new Fender Flares.

Yes, I’m jealous, and Yes I’m looking for some 08s to tinker with.

Any South Florida takers? I’ve got a few wheels that need test fitting

Stay tuned for some more Volk Racing articles.

-t3h_Clap

First impressions are “Whoa, you grew” and “Yes please”.

The car as a whole appears larger than the earlier years.

As a good wheel whore the first thing I check was the rear Fender lip.

As Suspected there was a good 1″ or so of fender that could be rolled up and out of the way without much hassle.

This is amazing considering people are squeezing 275/35/18s on 9.5″ wheels with only a minor fender roll.

Imagine what can be done with a heavy roll and a slight pull of those fenders.

The Front fenders did not have nearly as much lip as the previous years, although the front is never really an issue due to the amount of negative camber we tend to run.

It’s very tempting to just bite the bullet and jump into an 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STi and not look back, just go out and grab a set of 18×9.5s with a nice high 40 offset, slap on my 265s and be content until a set of coilovers show up.

I’ve needed a car to use my pretty new fender roller on……

Yes there are alot more thing to talk about on the new 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STi, but honestly who cares, it wont be long before you see 08s rolling around with some T3h_Clap Approved 18x10s

Stay Tuned for more 2008 Impreza WRX STi Fitment Info and Photos as I either convince my girlfriend to let me get one, or I find someone on the street willing enough to let me do some test fitting.

-T3h_:Clap:

The BSP Mitsubishi EVO VIII’s and IX’s did very well this year at nationals in BSP. Neither of the STI or EVO as a whole have proven that they would be competitive in ASP on a national level.

If the bases of the change was due to the performance of the EVO and STI at nationals the S2000 and C4 Corvettes should also be bumped into the ASP arena.

Below is a link to the 2007 SCCA Solo Championship results, as seen here the EVO and STi did not dominate BSP, there is a strong mixture of vehicles in the top 10 of BSP competition. Don’t change that, keep the competition alive.

Read the new SCCA Solo FasTracks here.

They are asking for emails in agreement of disagreement with this change.

We need everyone to send an Email to seb@scca.com and voice our disagreement with this new class change.

Below is a Sample letter for you to send.

2007 SCCA Solo Championship Results can be downloaded here.

The Sample letter is Short and Sweet.

To: Seb@SCCA.com
I am against the change of moving the BSP STi to ASP. The results of the car do not show this to be required.

Sincerely,
Avid Autoxer

You read correctly, Pastelito Racing took home the Subaru Challenge bragging rights trophy for the 2nd year in a row! 

With our “Fab 4″ doing exceptionally well in their respective classes it would’ve taken a dream team to beat us. 

Kolin (aka: Rankink) got FTD and top Pax for the day and won the opportunity to drive in the National Subaru Run Off sometime in 2008 in a factory prepped MY08 STi!

I was only slightly off pace, but it was enough to bring in 2nd place in BSP and 6th overall Pax.  The 17×10 CCWs and 275/40 V710s did amazing.

JMS put up some strong competition this challenge along with Koby Subaru and Mastro Subaru putting together teams with their top drivers.  Next year is going to be intense and we’re all hoping it isn’t as hot!

Abby’s photography for the event was amazing even through the terrible heat and inclimate weather.  All photos from the event can be seen here.

 The evening ceremony hosted by Subaru and the Buccaneer Region SCCA went on without a hitch and some killer door prizes.

 Some specific setups that should be mentioned are

SOJax/JMS MY05 Impreza WRX STi running 17×9 +43mm 5zigen FN01R-Cs with 275/40 V710s.  Suspension: Megan Track coilovers.  Driven by Bill (Scooby South).  (1st Place BSP, 4th Pax)

Mastro/Wombat Impreza 2.5RS (DSP) running 17×8 +35mm 5zigen FN01R-Cs with 275/40 V710s.  Driven by Josh (Whiteghost). (1st Place DSP, 11th PAX)

Koby Subaru MY04 Impreza WRX (SM) running 17×10 CCW Classics with 295 Hoosier A6s.  Suspension: custom JIC Coilovers.  Driven by Jose (Pacobeagle).  (1st Place SM, 3rd PAX)

[Still looking for photo]  

Mastro/Wombat Impreza H6!! this thing was mean.

Crazy Cracker Racing/Pastelito Racing MY05 Impreza WRX STi (AS) running 17×8 +48mm “unknown” wheels and 275/40/17 V710s driven by Kolin (Rankink).  This is the car that got FTD and he’s STOCK!!  Pastelito Racing FTW!

Pastelito Racing MY05 Impreza WRX STi (BSP) running 17×8 +48mm “unknown” wheels R-comps Suspension: Penguin Garage Breakfast Blend Combo, Whiteline Sway Bars. 

Pastelito Racing MY05 Impreza WRX STi (BSP) running 17×8.5 +48mm “unknown” wheels 245/45/17 V710s. Suspension: STi Pink springs with Cobb Sway Bars (3rd place BSP, 10th Pax)

Wales Garage/Pastelito Racing MY05 Subaru Legacy GT (ESP) running 17×7.5 +53mm STi BBS wheels 245/40/17 Advan A032R.  Suspension: Swift Springs, Tockico Struts, Cusco Bracing and Bars.

Pith Brothers MY06 Impreza WRX STi (SM) running 17×10 +25mm 5zigen FN01R-Cs.

Dynasty Auto/Pastelito Racing MY04 Impreza WRX STi (SM) running 17×10 CCWs and Hoosiers.

There were many other Amazing Setups at this event, which I will explain in more detail later.

Hopefully t3h wheel33tist in me will subside long enough for me to create a few unbiased tech articles.

I’ve got a laundry list of articles that I will be compiling here for the masses.

The coming weeks I will start rolling them out, stay tuned.

If there are any specific questions on fitment or availability don’t hesitate to shoot me an email.