CAMautoMag

02nd Oct2012

The Black Pearl

by admin

In the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, the Black Pearl is the fastest ship in the Caribbean and is “nigh uncatchable”. This 1996 Subaru Impreza coupe ruled the unlimited AWD class in Lap Battle, and for a while was battleship gray. The next season it returned in its black and gold trim, and was even quicker. And then it disappeared…

It wasn’t destroyed or taken off to rule other tracks, it just went into Zane’s garage. See, Zane sells cars and to really make a living doing that, you need to be there on Saturdays. Lap Battle happens once a month on a Saturday. Push came to shove, and Zane decided to sling cars, learn his family’s business and generally make a living instead of burn expensive gas and shred expensive tires. During this time the car sat in the garage, battery attached to a trickle charger, waiting to be unleashed.

Pirate ships like the Black Pearl were small ships either bought or captured and then outfitted with arms. This Impreza is no different. The beating heart of the Pearl started with a Rallispec short block stuffed with Cosworth main and rod bearings, and 9.2-1 pistons on Manley H Beam rods. The heads are packed with Cosworth cams (274 intake and 278 exhaust), valves and high RPM springs and retainers.

A built motor like that NEEDS a proper turbo set up and fuel system to truly fly, and the Pearl is no exception. An Ultimate Racing GT3076 rotated turbo kit sits at the center of the setup, with a Tial 44mm wastegate hanging off of the turbo. That big turbo pushes air through a giant TurboXS front mount and into the engine. A Walbro in-tank fuel pump gets the fuel to the 850cc Deatschwerks fuel injectors, but when things get serious, the fuel in the Sard surge tank gets set to those injectors by a 280lph fuel pump.

After hearing that list you might be thinking this whole set up is run by AEM or MoTEC, but it isn’t. A Cobb ACCESSPort v2 runs this, and runs it well.

Backing this setup is a complete 2004 STi 6 speed drivetrain because it is rather stout. Other stout things are the Tein Super Racing coilovers, the Whitline swaybars and lateral links, and the APR extended wheel studs. The Michelin slicks are stout and meaty as are the StopTech 355x32mm ST40 brake kit in the front and the STi Brembos in the back, both of which are filled with Hawk DTC70 pads.

All of that is serious stuff, and you might be thinking the wheels are Volks or Weds Sports, but you’d be wrong. Those gold 18×10 wheels are Rota SVN-Rs. Yes, those cheap wheels you see blasted on forums for being fake and see destroyed in photos are on this 400+ horsepower race car. A car that laps the 3.08 mile outer course at Miller Motorsports Park in two minutes and 4.7 seconds!

The Impreza coupes are the lightest Imprezas ever brought to the U.S. This one has been lightened slightly. EVERYTHING was ripped out, and eight things went back in. A Sparco Circuit seat, harness, and steering wheel went in. An STi dash and cluster replaced the old ones, and DEFI gauges went in the dash. A Beatrush division panel sits where the back seat used to be and an Autopower six point roll cage provides moar safe.

Much like the ship it gets its name from, this car is purpose built for speed. There aren’t any frills outside, unless you consider that huge APR GTC300 wing a frill. The Seibon carbon fiber doors, hood, trunk lid and front lip shed weight. The 22b widebody kit and rear fender flares allow for the fitment of those massive wheels and meaty slicks. The custom front canards and rear diffuser help channel air in the right direction to allow this car to run as fast as possible.

At the end of this week this car shall make its return to competition. It shall rise from the depths of the garages of Miller, but Zane doesn’t need to make a pact with a dead man to do so. All he has to do is open the garage door, fire her up and take her out.

Words by Michael Chandler, Photos by Michael Chandler and Trent Bray, Video filmed and edited by Trent Bray

*Article, photos and video are copyright of CAMautoMag.com and their respective owners. Images and words may not be re-posted, re-distributed, modified or copied without expressed written consent from CAMautoMag.com

Category : Features

Tags : GC, Impreza, STi, Subaru, track car, Track Pirates, WRX, Zane Miller

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13th Sep2012

Semi-Retired 2005 STi

by MChandler

This STi has a history. This car was owned by a guy who tracked it here and there. It had the prerequisite big wing and decals, but now it’s retired. But retired doesn’t mean it left it all at the track. Oh my no, it left nothing at the track…

Staring at you from within the bumper is a massive APS 525 front mount intercooler. That is 314 square inches of intercooler hanging out there! AND it’s good for 525 horsepower, but this car isn’t making 525 horsepower. No, it’s making 340 horsepower at the wheels on 91 octane. E85 in the tank brings that number to 380. Impressive considering this car was rated at 305 crank horsepower seven years ago. Behind that giant intercooler is a big Koyo radiator. Cooling is key everybody.

A Garrett 3076 ball bearing turbo sends hot, pressurized air through that massive intercooler core and into the two and a half liter mill. An AEM 3-Bar MAP sensor monitors the incoming air and dictates how much fuel the massive 1000cc Deatschwerks fuel injectors to spray into the cylinders. Those big injectors are in an Aeromotive fuel rail, and there’s an Aeromotive fuel pressure regulator between the fuel rail and the 255lph Walbro fuel pump. Not all that fuel gets used, but more on that later…

All of the air the turbo pressurizes isn’t used either, so a Tial blow off valve releases the excess air. The car is tuned at 20 lbs of boost, and a Tial wastegate helps keep boost levels stable.

17×9 Enkei NT03′s are sitting at all four corners, as are the Brembo calipers that came bolted to the car. Inside those calipers are Stoptech pads, and Stoptech lines feed Motul brake fluid to those pretty, gold calipers. The rear rotors are OEM, but the fronts are slotted Stoptech pieces.

This thing has some serious suspension pieces, being a former track car. JIC Magic coilovers hang at all four corners, and COBB sway bars are at either end. Also keeping the chassis flex to a minimum are a Cusco strut tower bar in the back and a Fuji Heavy Industries (Subaru’s parent company) strut tower bar in front.

Inside the cabin the US spec seats have been replaced with JDM STi Version 7 seats. Still OEM, and comfier than the stock seats. Thats a win/win situation. Behind those seats is a Sparco harness bar, but no harnesses to speak of at the moment. The old shift knob was taken off, and replaced with that stylish white Beat Rush unit.

This car was a track car, but it left none of its track capabilities behind when it became a street car. A fact that became very apparent when we went out for some rolling shots. Throw some BFG R1′s on this bad boy and it’ll do some work out at Miller.

Words and photos by Michael Chandler.

*Article, Video, and Photos are copyright of CAMautoMag.Com and their respective owners. Images and words may not be re-posted, re-distributed, modified, or copied without expressed written consent from CAMautoMag.Com

Category : Features

Tags : APS, Enkei, STi, Subaru, WRX

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12th Jul2012

Less is More: Track Day STi

by admin

Subaru WRX STi track car feature on CAMautoMag from CAMautoMag on Vimeo.

“Adding power makes you faster on the straights. Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere”

-Sir Colin Chapman

Colin Chapman founded a small car company based around this philosophy. They made street and racing cars following this mantra, and most of the time it worked brilliantly and didn’t kill anyone. People (not necessarily the people who are running his company) still subscribe to his now legendary philosophy. Greg Valdez is one of those people.

Starting with an already modified 2005 STi, Greg did what Sir Chapman would approve of: he proceeded to rip heavy things out of it. All of the doors have been gutted. The glass windows in the rear doors have been replaced by acrylic, and the front windows are non existent. There is a, singular, Prodrive by Sparco racing seat (from his old race car) and a matching red Corbeau 5 point harness. A 353mm black suede Sparco steering wheel replaces the stock unit (and its pesky, heavy airbag), and a Splash short hub adapter and a WORKS Bell quick release make the wheel work. The interior is so spartan the controls for the center differential have been left hanging out next to the Kart Boy short throw shifter.

The car was already fairly modified when Greg bought it. The cage was already in there, the Stoptech ST60 big brake kit was already installed along with the Hawk DTC-70 pads in the front and the Pagid RS 14 pads in the rear. The APR extended wheel studs and Kics lug nuts were there too; however, the massive 18×10.5 Enkei RPF1′s and Pirelli race slicks were additions made by Greg. They fit under the Karlton fender flares rather nicely, and the flares accentuate the Cusco lip.

This car was known for it’s track ready suspension setup. A setup that never saw any real track time. The car has TEIN Super Racing coilovers at all 4 corners, with 16k spring rate springs in the front and 14k in the rear. Theres a GT Spec subframe brace, and a Carbing front strut tower bar and a tow hook up there too. The tow hook doesn’t work too well, so Greg added the pair in the front and another in the rear. There is also a mess of Cusco parts, including: a center brace, T brace, H brace, 22mm front AND rear sway bars, rear subframe brace, trailing arms and lateral links. Kartboy front and rear endlinks replace the OEM units. The roll center adjuster comes from Whiteline as does a racing version of their anti-lift kit. All of this does wonders, but is pushed aside when you notice the 30 POINT WRC SPEC ROLL CAGE. Let me say that again: A 30 POINT WRC SPEC ROLL CAGE. Serious really doesn’t begin to describe the cage. Most of the bushings have been replaced: Kart Boy shifter, transmission, and rear crossmember, TIC rear differential, and Beatrush propeller shaft bushings all occupy the places the old bushings.

The interior is non-existent, and the suspension is beyond serious. The motor has to be some crazy stroked out, big turbo monster right? Nope! Ladies and gentlemen, the very fast white Subaru is powered by what is essentially a COBB stage two tuned motor. It has a full turbo back Turbo XS exhaust, a COBB version 1 Accessport, a SPT short ram intake (with a very clever, homemade NACA duct feeding it), an APS equal length Ti header (that has been wrapped), a Koyo aluminum radiator and a 13 row Mocal oil cooler. This thing runs on 91 octane pump gas for crying out loud!

This combination of weight reduction (the car weighs just over 3000lbs with Greg in it, while a stock ’05 STi weighs just shy of 3300lbs WITHOUT a driver), heavy suspension modification and tuning (courtesy of the guys at Innovative Garage) and light power additions (that idiot kid who ALWAYS wants to race you in his STi? Stage 2 crew) have turned this “could be” track day terror into a car that laps the 2.2 mile East Course at Miller Motorsports Park in the mid 1:40′s. Less truly is more

Words and Photos by Michael Chandler, Video by Trent Bray

*Article, Video, and Photos are copyright of CAMautoMag.Com and their respective owners. Images and words may not be re-posted, re-distributed, modified, or copied without expressed written consent from CAMautoMag.Com

Category : Features

Tags : Lap Battle, Road Racing, STi, Subaru, track car, WRX

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05th Apr2012

The Happy Couple: a pair of Subarus

by admin

Couples do things together. Some buy matching outfits, others try to take an interest in the other’s hobby, and some build a pretty bad ass pair of Subarus. I’d like you to meet Sally and Shawn, and they are the latter.

Sally and Shawn have been coming out to Lap Battle from Wyoming for a little while now, and we’ve been able to see their cars change with each event. Sally drives the hawk-eye, while Shawn drives the blob-eye. While they do race together, they’re technically not in direct competition with each other; because, they’re in different classes. Sally has a legitimate car Shawn has a legitimate race car. Allow me to demonstrate the differences:

Under the hood Sally has a lot of bolt-ons you’d see on cars that never see track time. COBB Tuning intake and SF intake bring fresh air to the bigger VF39 turbocharger. A STi top mount intercooler (fitted with a Forge Motorsport blow off valve) helps cool down the pressurized air, while an Invidia cat-less downpipe channels the spent gasses into a Greddy Ti-C catback exhaust. A COBB Accessport watches over the whole operation, as a Walbro 255lph keeps the two and a half liter mill with all the fuel it needs and a Saikou Michi oil catch can gathers all the gunk and keeps it from screwing things up.

Shawn has gone with a different plan: build it better. He tore into the engine and tossed the OEM pistons, rods and bearings with offerings from Manly and ACL respectively. 1000Cc injectors from Injector Dynamics and a Bosch 044 fuel pump replace the smaller factory units, while the TGVs have been outright deleted. An 83mm KS Tech cold air intake feeds the AMS 900X rotated mount turbo kit. The compressed air flows through an APS front mount intercooler and into a ported and polished throttle body. Keeping the inside of this monstrous motor cool are a Koyo radiator, a custom oil cooler and an AquaMist water-methanol injection system. An Integrated Engineering surge tank ensures that there won’t be a fuel starvation issue, while a Fluidamper makes sure the engine doesn’t shake itself apart.

Harvey Epstein, of TheBoostCreepLTD, tuned both cars. Sally made 267awhp, while Shawn (who did everything except the tune and engine build) made 453awhp. What’s almost 200whp between boyfriend and girlfriend?

Both Shawn and Sally are on coilovers: Shawn with his BC Racing BR’s and Sally with her TEIN Monoflexes. Sally is packing a TEIN front strut tower bar to help stiffen up the front, and a Cusco piece out back to do the same. Kartboy subframe lockdown bolts and a COBB rear sway bar round out the chassis aids Sally has chosen to employ. Shawn is rocking a set of Whiteline swaybars, along with their Anti Lift Kit. Kartboy end links have been installed, and the knuckles have been converted to 05 STi units for good measure. Both cars had their race alignments and corner balancing work done at Innovative Garage

At first glance it would appear that the happy couple are on matching wheels, but if you look closer you’ll see that they’re just on similar sets. Shawn’s are a set of Work Emotion CR-Kais wrapped in Toyo RA-1s, while Sally is on a set of Drag DR-31s shod in Nitto NT-01s. Shawn’s are an inch bigger in diameter so as to fit the StopTech ST-60 big brake kit. A set of Carbotech XP12 pads fill the calipers and Motul 600 fluid runs through the stainless steel lines. Quantum brake ducts keep the massive brakes as cool as they can. Sally’s set up is no slouch: Hawk HPS pads out back are in the OEM calipers, and HP Plus pads are in the Brembo calipers she sourced in the front. Castrol SRF brake fluid provides the hydraulic boost needed to reel the car in.

Both cars have carbon fiber hoods, splitters and big wings; however, while Sally is rocking a STi rear wing, Shawn has a massive Kognition piece. Shawn’s hood is a Kaminari unit without a hood scoop (because of the front mount you see) and Sally’s is a Seibon OEM style piece, complete with big hood scoop (because of the top mount you see). Sally has an APR splitter and FUNKtion canards whereas Shawn has a custom splitter (made from a “Welcome to Wyoming” sign) and no canards.

Both interiors feature Sparco seats (Pro 2000 for Shawn, Evo for Sally) and six point harnesses. A set of Autometer gauges inform Shawn of all that is important, while an Innovative Motorsport vent mounted boost gauge tells Sally about how boost she’s cramming in to her motor.

They say that the couple that plays together, stays together and coming out to the race track once a month definitely counts as playing in my book. We look forward to seeing them at Lap Battle, and where ever else we run into these crazy kids and their pair of Subarus