GD Kob's 2004 WRX "Now SM" Build

[adamkob32]

Next Batch of Mods and My Retirement from STX

Well next season I'll be in ST and I know this, so I didn't waste anytime what so ever in making my car more fun for me. Today's install included a pair of Subaru Group N Engine Mounts (Not pictured forgot), a Subaru Group N Transmission Mount, a set of TiC (Turn in Concepts) Transmission Subframe Crossmember Bushings, Whiteline Steering Rack Bushings, Kartboy Extended muffler bushings and finally but definitely not least a 2007 STI Intercooler.

First off I installed the engine mounts, what a fricking pain in the dick! Took me forever and a year but they are in there. Transmission mount and crossmember bushing were a piece of cake. I remove the entire thing in one piece and assembled on the floor, then lifted back in and bolted it all back on. Steering rack bushings were a total fail. I didn't proceed with the install after breaking the bolts loose and then it getting really tight. They are soaking now in a very industrial penetrating fluid and I'll try again Saturday.

And then the biggest mod, STI Intercooler with a Hybrid TurboXS Blowoff Valve. This mod along with the mounts made a tremendous difference. You'll see in the photos the engineering on the WRX intercooler piping just blows balls. I don't know who made that rubber thing but they suck. STI is a 1 piece metal Y pipe compared to that crap. It also has a much larger core to go along with that increased flow. I immediately noticed boost building at a much quicker rate, it also held at peak boost for a bit longer as well. I was very happy about that. The mounts, well what can I say, I finally have a drivetrain in the car lol. It's so nice to have sharp throttle and shift inputs back again. That was a huge complaint of mine. Incar vibs are not bad at all either. Honestly once your not idling you cannot even tell they are there. All in all it was a good day. Video from the autocross on Sunday to follow.

Start off with some comparison photos, look at that crappy WRX y pipe.

Whiteline Steering Rack Bushings, TiC Crossmember Bushings and Kartboy Exhaust Hangers

TiC Crossmember vs Stock

WRX Trans Mount Top and Subaru Group N Mount Bottom

WRX Transmission Subframe

And the money shot all put together.

--Adam

 

[adamkob32]

9/26/2010 Northeast PA SCCA Autocross, Schuylkill Mall

So Sunday, after just making all of those changes, getting another bunch of HP and lots better spool we are now in Street Mod. Still don't have a set of R-Comps, but whatever. Morning started out pretty awesome, had 3rd FTD for a while. Afternoon was a lot of the same, car was working awesome, rotation from the AMR's was good and had a couple more runs but was only able to drop a tenth of a second from the morning.

I also drove an STU SRT-4, and a run or two in the old teal Civic. Best time in WRX was 38.4, SRT-4 I ran a 39.1, and the Civic was also a 39.1 run. I won Street Mod and placed 8th in PAX Index. Not too bad at all, definitely will be better next year when the car is a little further along in the class.

So I have some awesome video, watch in HD if you can and on the 3rd clip watch the brake sparks fly under heavy braking haha. Was pretty weird seeing that lol. Also the other views are cool, my family was at this event for whatever reason and someone took some video from the sidelines. I love this kind of video and couldn't be happier with how the car looks and sounds. Simply awesome! Enjoy!

Results

Videos
Multiple Runs and Angles

Andy Bower and Chris Haydu in the 91 Civic Si running ST

Photos - http://www.flickr.com/photos/adamkob/sets/72157624923055791/

--Adam

 

[adamkob32]

03/25/2011 - Dyno Plots and New Mods with Video

Alrighty what a long winter, where to begin. Anyway over the winter we made some really nice changes to the car. This included a full turbo swap consisting of injectors, turbo, converting to external wastegate and perrin electronic boost controller. Also done was a clutch swap for Exedy OEM and Fidanza Flywheel.

For a full mods list click here, https://docs.google.com/document/d/...rR1XvH8ize7iSg3mY/edit?hl=en&authkey=CLSZuPkH

We took the car to Agile Performance last week to run it on the dyno. The best run put down 277whp and 270 ft lbs of torque at 21psi on the new Blouch TD05H-16G turbo. The car is pretty quick on the power and gets into the power fast.

I do not have any photos to post as of yet, first nice day the car will get a nice bath and we'll do a real shoot. For now though here's the final dyno plot where we ended our tuning and a short video up the Weatherly Hillclimb. The video is lame, but you can hear the car and get an idea of what were working with this season. Provided the weather is good on April 1st we'll be hitting the 1/4 to see if we can't keep the transmission together and put down a good time.

Dyno Graph - Final Run

--Adam

 

[adamkob32]

Well appears I found some photos on my phone so I thought I'd throw those up for you guys.

New rear diff mount and solid bushings with Katboy Subframe Locks

Deatschwerks 750cc Top Feed Injectors

Perrin Electronics Boost Control Solenoid

Blouch TD05H-16G Turbocharger

Everything bolted in and ready to roll

Where I spent entirely too much time trying to get it to run

Finally made it to the dyno

Newest install TWM short throw shifter

--Adam

 

[adamkob32]

04/09/2011 - ASCC Autocross Hershey Park, PA

Ok finally winter is well almost behind us. First autocross of the year for the car and it's new found power. The day was kind of crisp and cold. I was running Street Mod which of course ran first heat of the day. We basically did sweep and drying duty for the rear of the cars as it was perfectly dry and warm for heat 2. Their time significantly faster then ours.

Reguardless I was still able to bring it home in 1st place but paxed down in the 40's because of the weather. I was also on a pretty skinny tire, only a 225/50x16 Star Spec which I had to borrow since my race tires were not in yet. I did get some cool video and great photos from the event however for you guys to enjoy.

Results - http://www.scca-susq.com/results/2011/11-04-09-axresults.html#sm

First photo is my favorite, really showing the Hawk HP+ doing their thing with a shower of sparks haha.

And also while I have your attention the car is under the knife again. Getting all new rear bushings from Turninconcepts and an upgraded 20mm rear swaybar from a 2002 WRX, coming from the stock 17mm on my car. You also see the new wheel package, checking for fitment before I order tires. They are of the 17x9 Rota DPT varient and will be receiving 255/40x17 Dunlop Z1 Star Specs.

--Adam

 

[adamkob32]

04/18/2011 - Nice Day and Some Photos

Got the car out today, finally some real photos to update with hahah. Car is cleaning up rather nicely from the winter. Just needs the tires and we'll be set to go for the rest of the summer season. Hopefully will have those within the next 2 weeks. Enjoy!

--Adam

 

[adamkob32]

4/30/2011 Northeast PA SCCA Autox, Brodart Company

Alrighty second event on the car with the updated parts and first event with the final wheel and tire combo. I really ran this event in Street Touring, but I could not resist bringing the car out for a few "crowd" pleaser runs in the afternoon heats hahah.

Anyway I won Street Touring both Sat and Sun in the Civic, and took the PAX win both days as well. My runs in the Subaru both days would have sealed the Street Modified win but since I'm not running for points we erased those times.

I've got to say I could not be any happier with the fitment of the new wheels. I did change to BC Camber plates in the rear from the AMR Pillowballs that were on it. They were not adjustable and I really wanted that extra clearance on the inside.

Next event for us will be down in Atlanta, GA at the SCCA National Tour on May 6 - 8. I will be running the Civic in Street Touring down there as well, hope to bring home some gold to Northeast PA haha.

Results
4/30/11 - http://www.nepa-scca.com/solo2results2011/solo2results_043011.pdf
5/1/11 - http://www.nepa-scca.com/solo2results2011/solo2results_050111.pdf

Videos
Spectator

Photos -
Doing some post run tuning on the launch control

Adjusting some air pressure

That's still looking ahead right?

--Adam

 

[adamkob32]

5/11/2011 - Hot Day, No Wing for Real and Clean Car

Ok today I finally took the wing off for good and covered up the holes with the vinyl plugs that I had. They match the paint perfect, very happy with how they came out. Washed the car, definitely needed it and snapped a couple photos with the new bling on.

--Adam

 

[adamkob32]

5/27/2011 - Out and About

I was out and about today testing out some new stuff and playing with a camera mount setup on the car. Looks like I'm going to need to figure out some audio stuff, still getting wind noise. Might take this camera apart and wire in an external hookup hahah.

Also got my aluminum and much stronger Perrin rear swaybar mounts installed the other day. Bought them used off NASIOC for 20 bucks without bushings, a $130 value hahah. I'm pretty happy with the overall rear setup on the car now. I still need to do front lca bushings and then suspension wise the car is complete and 100% new.

And now for the highlight of the post, leaving with launch control hahah.

--Adam

 

[adamkob32]

5/29/2011 Northeast PA SCCA Autox, LCCC Test Site

Well what an awesome event this past weekend. Brand new autocross site for Northeast PA region. We were at Luzerne County Comm College's new police and fire training site. They have a great mini road course setup with an awesome skid pad and open asphalt. Very smooth surface.

The Subaru was brought out to run in the afternoon session. I couldn't be happier with the current handling on the car. It rotates really nice. I would like slightly more front end grip, maybe from a camber increase. Power was also always right there. Very happy with this turbo. I've got an incar and exterior video for you guys to enjoy as well.

Results
http://www.nepa-scca.com/solo2results2011/solo2results_052911.txt

Videos

--Adam

 

[adamkob32]

6/26/2011 Susquehanna SCCA Autox, Hershey's Giant Center

So finally after a few months off the WRX came back out to run a competitive autocross in Street Modified. No Civic on this day.

Since my last post I've made quite a few changes to the car. At the event they really showed. I am now sprung stiffer in the rear again, tighter rear swaybar mounts and a greatly different alignment on the car. Setup consists of 500lb front/550lb rear springs, 24mm front bar/20mm rear bar, -3 deg camber front, -2 deg camber rear and 1/16" total toe-out front/rear. The thing was a beast! I've never been able to get this car to rotate so freely and steer on throttle as good as at this event.

The course was actually kind of slow for the car as well. Couple fast sections but a lot of rolling through the corners after the initial half, that's where the car really shined though. Loving this thing and thinking about some Hoosier's now hahah. Even on 255 street tires I was able to manage 1st place in Street Mod by over a second. Only managed a 29th PAX but again, street tires in an r-tire class.

Results
http://www.scca-susq.com/results/2011/11-06-26-axresults.html

Videos
I am sorry about the video quality, I forgot to turn the camera back to a high res setting. Still a cool video none the less.

"The" Photo, finally an awesome shot of this thing on course.

And then we come to yesterday, some fresh Rotella T6 Oil and new wax going on.

--Adam

 

[IGOTASTi]

Lookin good Adam. Are your fog lights bright? I want to get the factory ones which I think you have.

 

[adamkob32]

Lookin good Adam. Are your fog lights bright? I want to get the factory ones which I think you have.

I think maybe they could project a bit better. Overall very happy with light output. Im using Narva Range Power +50 bulbs in the fogs.

 

[IGOTASTi]

They are factory correct? If so thats what my STi would like it. I like it.

 

[adamkob32]

They are factory correct? If so thats what my STi would like it. I like it.

Yes they are stock wrx housings.

 

[IGOTASTi]

Nice I'm gonna try to find them now. Thanks pal.

 

[bugeye_fever]

Looks great, another AutoXer! Did you have to do any pulling/rolling for the starspec/dtp combination? Or could you fit them with just camber? I love those wheel's and want to do the same but with slicks. Another question, with the jump to SM how come you don't run slicks?

 

[adamkob32]

My fenders are only rolled in the rear to clear that setup, which is currently 17x9 +42mm DPT and 255/40x17 Hankook RS3. They are not pulled. The car has 550lb rear springs and I'm sure that helps. It's also not lowered very much as to not kill the geometry of the suspension. Without coilovers and rear camber plates I doubt that it would clear as easily.

On the race tires, they just aren't in the budget or really needed this year. The car 1 year ago started as a serious STX build. But with the BMW and RX8 they are pretty much non-competitive anymore in that class. I started doing some things to the car to make it more fun for me, for the street and when I start doing time trials and track days. The car eventually ended up in Street Mod now.

This season however I'm co-driving a car I used to own in Street Touring, the green 91 Civic Si in some of the photos. So with co-driving that pretty much all the time there's no need for me to drop the money on Hoosier's for the WRX. The only time I race this car now is when he isn't going to be at an event with the Civic.

--Adam

 

[bugeye_fever]

Cool, and good luck with the Civic. I personally modified the car to my taste first.. then started AutoXing, so SM is where it landed. Now that I'm more serious into it I've got a pretty tough/expensive learning curve. I've though many times about demoding or buying something better suited to my budget and level of driving, but the subie is just to much fun. Of course there is an early Civic Si hatch 2 streets over that sits around alot... haha.

 

[adamkob32]

Dude do it lol. There's nothing like an ST Civic they are just that fun hahah. And they are cheap to run and very hard to break. I won a National Tour in 2009 with this car, went to Atlanta Tour this year and got screwed by a bad course call but were heading out to Lincoln at the end for the National Championships. My only goal out there is to try and trophy, that would be fantastic in Street Touring.

Some photos from Atlanta Tour this year,