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THEMONKEY’STRUNK

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CONTENTS

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THEMONKEY’STRUNK

11th Heaven

-STAFFManaging Editor Richard Pena Senior Editor Stephen Meade Assistant Editor Ted Cooper Visual Editor/Layout Jeff Boggess

Tale of Two Scoobies

Advanced Turbo Choices

Public Relations Donald Shrum Contributors Michael Motoda Charlie Clay Louis Zhao Ron Schunck John Jordan Special Thanks to Rodney Wills (HPI) Andrew Hillman (HPI) Warren Caswell(Sparco) NASIOC.COM Cover Model Amy Tran The Monkey’s Trunk Creators Nick Catalfamo Richard Pena Jeff Boggess

Forza Motorsports 2 Reviewed

TMT/NASIOC.COM Project car The Blue Bomber

Super Taikyu Twins

Miss TMT July ‘07 Amy Tran

Scotland Subaru Owners

The Monkey’s Meets

Primate Picks

The Gallery

All content on this site is property of “The Monkey’s Trunk” and is not to be re-distributed or re-created without legal consent. The Monkey’s Trunk is in no manner affiliated with Subaru of America or Fuji Heavy Industries. Subaru, Impreza, WRX, Legacy and STI are trademarks of Fuji Heavy Industries and are used for identification purposes only.

The Monkey’s Rant
NEW 08 WRX! Love it or hate it, you’ll learn to live with it
With the April announcement of the new world bound 4-door hatch WRX and the stateside-only sedan iteration there were many “ewws” and “AAAAAAAHHHs”. A mjority of Subaru enthusiasts were disappointed that Subaru had released a WRX that appeared to lose its edge of visual exclusivity. From the ’02 “Bug Eye” to the ’04 “Peanut Eye” all the way to the best-selling ’06 “Pig Nose” Subarus have always had some visual cue that set them apart from the average car. As with previous Imprezas, current owners began drawing comparisons from “it’s a Mini-Tribeca with a Chrysler grill” to “it’s the next Subaru “Corolla’ playing on the small ownership stake Toyota now has in Fuji Heavy Industries. Now that Subaru has decided to go for a more mainstream and grown up look, it makes many wonder if the unique quirkiness that brought a lot of us to own an Impreza is lost. But once all is said and done, the new WRX is a step in the right direction for Subaru and for the Impreza lineup as a whole. With the addition of VDC, multi-link rear suspension, and the loss of 50lbs, Subaru may have just opened up the door to a whole new crowd looking for German aura but Japanese reliability. We will see in the coming months, but for now all enthusiasts are busily speculating on the next STI iteration. Our 2009 STI premonitions: From what our snooping has uncovered via various sources: the new STI will share the 4-door hatch body, but will be approximately 8” wider overall at the fenders than the regular WRX. For reference: the current WRX sedan is 4” wider overall than the wagon and previous chassis Impreza. Coupled with a more aggressive styling, the mention of that much wider of a body sends us back to the old Renault R5T2 from the Group B days. We have seen with previous generation Subarus that any major changes to underpinnings tend to show up in the Legacy first and trickle down. Knowing that most of the ’08 WRX drivetrain and suspension setup is derived from the Legacy, and the large difference in width got us thinking. While the Tribeca and Legacy both share a similar suspension, with a strut based front and multi-link rear suspension, they differ in the Tribeca’s 6” wider track. With that in mind, along with the fact that the Tribeca suspension is already using the larger bearing 5x114.3 hub, it leads us to believe that the above stated wider body for the STI will utilize a suspension setup similar to the Tribeca, with a wider track to fill that body. We also speculate that the STI will come shod in a minimum 245-width tire on an 18” wheel to keep balance to the looks. With all that extra grip from the 20mm wider tire, and not wanting a slower 0-60 MPH time, we also expect a bump in power to the 320-330hp according to the new SAE standards. This would keep the 0-60 time close to if not slightly better than the 06-07’ STI 4.5sec dash. Add in that it should also be 50lbs lighter, and with VDC coupled on the 6 speed like it is currently on the 07 and ’08 Spec B Legacy, the STI should give the new computer driven next-generation Mitsubishi Evolution a run for its money. Whatever else it provides, we expect the new STI to give a driving experience that should keep a grin on your face. So until next issue keep that Subie sideways, Richard Pena “MPREZYA”

The Monkey’s Trunk V3 Scavenger Hunt
1st prize Both HPI Super Taikyu 1/43rd scale cars, and American Touge 3dvd Only 1 person will win 2nd - 5th prize WRC 1 1/43rd scale car, and 1 American Touge 3 dvd Only 1 winner per household 6th - 10th prize : WRC 1 1/43rd scale car Limit one entry per person Email the answers to the following questions to contest@themonkeystrunk.com 1. What is the total number of monkeys in TMT version 3? 2. If you wanted a set of Swift Springs for my GC8 chassis how much would they be from Mann Engineering?3. I want to pick up a new set of Rota circuit 10 Wheels. how much would it cost me to buy 18x8’s for my 04 sti? 4. I’m in the market for a Perrin Stealth FMIC. The one problem im running into is this, how hard it would be to install. On a scale of 1-4 stars. 4 being the hardest 5. What product does PDX offer that is a “TMT Primate Pick”? 6. If i was to pick up a Sprint 2 Drift RTR, and i wanted to buy a new body for it, what size body would i need to purchase? 7. In the debut issue of TMT what was Miss Noelle Lyn’s Dream car? Congratulations to our TMT V2 Easter Egg hunt. Christopher K - NC Josh K. - TX Benny C. - CA Winston T. - BC Vanessa S. - CA Brandon B. - AZ Jonathon M. - NJ Richard G. - TN Collin W. - GA David R. - NY

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The dictionary defines the word “fate” as the force or power that predetermines events. Back in the summer of 2006, I had the pleasure of meeting Jacobjesse “Jake” Tuason (dizizjake) and his family at a Subaru meet in Huntington Beach, Calif. We spoke at length about our cars and life in general, and he immediately struck me as a very friendly and charismatic individual, with an equal passion for his Subaru: a 2004 Forester 2.5 XT, a car he chose for both its power and its sleeper looks. Jake made a lasting impression on me, and somehow I knew our paths would cross again. Rewind 9 months to early 2005. A string of deadly shootings on the Los Angeles highways shook up the southland and became top local and international headlines. Jake Anthony Tuason, Jake’s younger brother and a fellow Subaru owner and enthusiast, loved racing. Like many of us, he started off with Hondas, working his way up from the humble beginnings of a Civic HX, and later taking the plunge to purchase an S2000 roadster. When he realized that he needed to carry more than 1 person with him, he turned his attention to Subaru. Not wanting to initially give up his S2000, he first chose a 2002 WRX Wagon. He loved it, but still unsatisfied, he decided to go all the way and trade in his S2000 for a 2005 STI. Jake Anthony, like all of us, spent many hours perusing the threads on NASIOC.com, seeking knowledge about his car, and meeting new people.

The morning of March 12, 2005 started off as any other day would. Jake Anthony headed out to work in Irvine that morning then spent some time speaking with his brother Jimel later that afternoon. That was at 12:51PM. The two brothers had planned on meeting up at home less than half an hour later.

11th Heaven

However, Jake Anthony never came home that day. When 3:45PM rolled around, Jimel was outside doing some yard work when the unthinkable happened. Jake Anthony’s boss and a police cruiser pulled up to the house, and let Jimel and his family know that his brother had been in an accident. With their mom and younger brother, they rushed to Western Medical Center in Tustin. They were horrified to find out that he had been shot in the head, and that his brain activity had ceased. He was kept alive on life support until his entire family could come to pay their last respects. On the next morning of March 13th, he was pulled off of life support. Jake Anthony O. Tuason was buried on March 19th, 2005, the following Saturday. I had always clearly remembered this story from the news, as Jake Anthony was born the same month and year as my younger sister Cheryl Motoda (August of 1978). She passed away in December of 2002, and had a love for cars as well, working on her 1992 Acura Integra with friends and family any chance she got. In May of 2007, when I ran into Jake again at a local Subaru event, at that moment I realized that it was his younger brother whose story so resonated with me personally over two years prior. I could only describe that feeling as one of fate – that I was destined to hear this story from the hearts of those it had so deeply affected.

How a Monster FXT Rose from the Ashes of Tragedy
Text and Photos by Michael Motoda

Jake Anthony’s death was not only untimely and sudden, but left so many questions in the minds of his family on how to pick up the pieces and move on. Before he passed away, he had aspirations of becoming a professional driver. He was competitive, and wanted to cut his teeth in autocrossing. With this in mind, the Tuason brothers (Jimel, Jake, and Jiles) formed the racing team Project 11. Named after the 11 brothers and sisters in their family (Jake Anthony was the 9th child), their team dedicated themselves to realizing Jake Anthony’s dreams. Their goal is to embrace and compete in the motorsports world, united under one man’s vision of being the best driver possible.

As such, Jake has decided to take an already quick Forester and turn it into a 1320-ft contender. With the help of Injen Technology, Subaru, EDO Performance, his family, and his closest friends, he is well on his way to realizing the dreams of his late brother. His goal is to break the 11-second barrier in the quarter-mile drag, while at the same time maintaining the unassuming sleeper status that the Forester enjoys.

Mod List Ride: 2004 Subaru Forester 2.5 XT (5MT) Owner: Jacobjesse “Jake” Tuason Engine Tuning: Al at Dyno Flash Engine Bay/Power/Transmission: TEC 20g turbo Spearco top mount intercooler w/ STI BOV Injen Technology uppipe Injen Technology downpipe Injen Technology crossover pipe Injen Technology cold air intake Injen Technology SES1206p catback exhaust system STI header banks ZERO/SPORTS Stage 2 clutch and flywheel Group N transmission mount TGV deletes Whiteline front strut tower bar ZERO/SPORTS radiator cap ZERO/SPORTS oil cap ZERO/SPORTS radiator shroud Tein hood dampers Kartboy battery tie down Interior: STI front seats STI Spec C steering wheel GReddy 60mm gauges (EGT, Boost, A/F) GReddy boost controller Blitz turbo timer Wheels/Tires/Suspension/Exterior: STI BBS gold wheels Bridgestone RE070 Potenza Tires (225/45R17) Megan Racing Street Performance coilovers STI aluminum control arom STI rear swaybar Kartboy rear endlinks Injen Technology prototype exhaust plate guard

When asked about the companies and people who have helped him, Jake cracks a big smile, expressing his deepest thanks to those who have helped support him and his team, both professionally and personally. He says, “I would like to thank Ron Delgado, Louie Delgado, Matt Chang, Paul Ho, Byron Leggett of Injen Technology, EDO Performance, Darryl Henzlick of Sherman Oaks Subaru, Mo Bautista, Doug Jensen, Naren Vasudevan, Marcus Abelera, everyone from Dyno Flash, and the entire Project 11 team. To my dear brothers Jimel and Jiles Tuason, and to our late brother Jake Anthony, we miss you so much.” Ultimately, Jake’s dedication to this project has served as a source of inspiration to everyone around him, allowing the spirit of his younger brother to live on in his Forester and the collective of Project 11. Special Thanks to Jake and Jimel Tuason for their time and generous contributions to this story. Read more about this special team, their members, and the evolution of Jake Tuason’s project Forester at MySpace.com/project_11_racing and in a future issue of The Monkey’s Trunk.

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Text by John Jordan Photos by Charlie Clay

pated in his first autocross and was hooked. He knew that the automatic transmission just wasn’t going to cut it. By the fall of 2000, he returned it to stock, and traded it in on his 2001 Coupe. Once broken in, the turbo kit was transferred to the new car. One distinction of his kit was that his external wastegate vented to atmosphere. By summer of 2001, a Haltec engine management setup was installed, and although the car was faster with it, the tradeoffs in poor drivability were no match for the performance gains, so it was eventually removed. With the introduction of the new USDM “bug-eye” WRX in March of 2001, the “Tower Shops” Subaru group practically doubles in size, but there is a rift beginning to grow between them… those that have boost and those that do not. Not long after, another NASIOC member, Alan Card (ScoobySlack) had moved into town in July of 2001 from Salt Lake City, Utah with his early-90’s Legacy-turbo-motor-swapped Impreza Brighton model. He drove home the feasibility of adding a turbo to the older body style cars by showing up to the local meets on a regular basis. Let the Madness Begin The South Florida RS turbo madness started full force in the Fall of 2002. The “bug-eye” WRX had been out for some time, and the old-school RS owners everywhere were feeling a bit jealous. Subaru had managed to sell more of the new turbo-powered body style in its first year than they had sold RS models over the 4 years they had been available in the U.S. The RS owners thought that the newer cars were ugly in comparison, but the elusive turbo motors they had drooled over for so long in games and magazines from Japan and England were now here. Many began to “jump ship” and sold their better looking cars (and possibly their souls as well) for the lure of the “bug-eye” boost with a warranty. Nick Catafalmo was one of them. At this time, LudeSpeed (which is now extinct) was having one of its “group-buys” on its Impreza RS turbo kits. The first of our two “Blues Brothers,” Vic Muñoz (Wedge) decided to jump into the forced-induction arena and make the plunge. By October of 2002, the LudeSpeed Stage 2 kits had arrived and was installed in Vic’s 2000 RS Coupe. Consisting essentially of a T3/T4 turbo, Tial 35mm external wastegate, Vortech FMU, Spearco Top Mount Intercooler (TMIC), J&S Safeguard and Walbro fuelpump, this added quite a bit to the power of the Impreza RS. Vic was happy as could be… his car had just spent an extended stay at the dealership for a crash that should have had the car totaled, and he was eager to try out the new power as much as possible. For several months, the car ran without any problems using the LudeSpeed Stage 2 kit, installed as they were shipped and pushing the 6.6psi that they were designed for. About this time, Alan got transferred to New Jersey and although he very well may have been part of the cause for all this turbo madness, he was no longer a part of it. The Second Fool Jumps into the “Blue” Pool In April of 2003, LudeSpeed had another of its group buys. Another local enthusiast, John Jordan (ForesterPerformance) finally had the excuse he needed to convince his (now ex-) wife that it was time to join the RS-Ts. He had sold his Forester back in January with the stipulation that if he took her 2000 Impreza RS Sedan and let her get a new car, he was adding a turbo as soon as he could afford it. Now was the time. Now, like Nick’s original car, John’s RS was also an automatic. Tom at LudeSpeed had orders in this group buy for several kits for cars with automatic transmissions, but he had never had the opportunity to get an actual automatic car into his shop. He was sure he needed to make changes to his kit so that it would clear the larger 4EAT transmission, and he was right. Since LudeSpeed was in North Florida, and John was the closest customer to Tom, they made a deal, “if you let me use your car to proto-type the automatic’s piping and I will install your kit for free”.

South Florida has become a Mecca for turbo’d Impreza RS’s in recent years. A network of local enthusiasts, all connected by their love for the GC / GM / GF bodied Subarus, and their membership on the NASIOC (North American Subaru Impreza Owner’s Club) internet forum, have all come together and created a vast knowledge-base of experience that each new project has benefited from. How many other areas of the country can boast 12 boosted RS’s in a 20 mile radius, especially where all of their owners know each other personally? Here is the story of three of these cars In The Beginning… It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. This is a time before the WRX hit our shores, before turbo-powered Subaru goodness was as close as your local dealership. Subaru was an almost unknown marquee in the deep south of the Florida peninsula and domestic muscle rules the road. The local South Florida Subaru enthusiasts begin meeting on Friday nights at a local hot-rod car show held at the “Tower Shops” in Davie. At first there are only three that come, but then each week the group grows. Eventually there is a large number of them that meet regularly, almost like it was church. This is where our two “Blues Brothers” originally meet. Information is shared between them all as often as it can be dug up about the elusive “Version 5s” and “Version 6s” that are rumored to live in far-away lands and eat Porsches and Cosworth Escorts for lunch. Gran Turismo (One! Yes… remember GT ONE?) is this great new Playstation game that is lauded by everyone in the group for its great graphics and car physics, and for the fact that all those legendary WRXs are there in the game to be played and admired. Nick Catalfamo (Nick), the “godfather of NASIOC” had his 1999 RS Coupe running 10psi of boost using a Minnam turbo kit at this time, but his appearances at the local meets were rare at best. He was scantly a rumor to most. However, the seeds for turbo RS madness were sown one fateful Friday when he did show up and gave a select few of the faithful rides in his beastly car. Another local that was almost a legend, Nick Gibbs (NickSTi) had built himself quite a reputation and quite a beast as well. Starting in the summer of 2000, he had a proto-type turbo kit, running a T3/T4 turbo, and made by Redline Racing in Orlando, FL for his 2000 Sedan. His was most likely the first in the United States to have a turbo’d Impreza with an Automatic Transmission. Not long after, Nick partici-

So John spent two days in Deltona, Florida while Tom installed the first LudeSpeed kit ever made for an automatic. It was a Stage 1 kit, with the top-mount intercooler from a Stage 2 kit added, so the only real difference between it and the Stage 2 was that he had no J&S Safeguard and no Walbro fuelpunp, and only ran 3.5psi of boost. With the addition of a stronger fuel pump from a WRX, it hit the streets and really added some kick that the car sorely needed. It was about this time, something just wasn’t quite right with Vic’s car. It had been running lean since day one at Wide-Open Throttle (WOT) and full boost. The J&S safeguard was doing a good job of keeping the motor together, but in May of 2003 Vic decided to upgrade to the Link Plus engine management computer he still runs. He sold the J&S, and removed it to ship. Unfortunately, the plugand-play harness wasn’t shipped yet, so in the week that he drove the car without the J&S, he managed to blow the ring lands on the #4 piston. The car was still drivable, but the catch can was full of oil due to catastrophic blow-by, and a compression test showed that the #4 piston was at 50% of what it should have been. What to do now? New forged 2.5 liter pistons were ordered and an engine rebuild was planned once they arrived.

stronger valve springs, mated to the EJ22T block, which had now been bored out 1mm for the new pistons. RC Engineering 750cc injectors were now installed, and so was a lightweight flywheel and heavy-duty ACT clutch. He had downloaded the LINK MAP from someone with a similar setup and was running 14psi of boost. His car was faster than anything he had ever driven. Name That Tune So May of 2004, Vic finally got a “proper” tune for his Link Plus, done by Clark on a local performance shop’s AWD Dynojet. Clark’s goal was a nice reliable and safe tune on 93 octane super unleaded pump gas. When all was said and done, Vic’s Hybrid put down 279whp and 289 ft/lbs. Unfortunately, it also let him see that the oil seal in his T3/T4 turbo wasn’t going to last much longer, and plans were set in motion for its replacement. Because you can never have too much intake piping… June 2005, Vic decided he was making enough power that a Front Mount Intercooler (FMIC) was in order. Apparently someone had ordered a Hyperflow Intercooler Kit and it was (slightly) damaged in shipping when one of the feed tubes to the end tank was bent. Now, when you pay over $1000 for a hunk of aluminum, I guess it had better be perfect, so the company shipped the guy a new replacement but had no need for the damaged one in return. Vic managed to get the thing for a price so low we refuse to print it, and once the custom piping was made for it at Miami Muffler, the FMIC race was on. Singing to a New Tune August of 2005, and Vic made the trek from South Florida to the dynopack at Performance Driven Parts (a subsidiary of Subaru of Jacksonville) for a professional tune. Ben did a great job tuning the car and when all was said and done, the car was faster and its owner was happier. Days of Thunder Summer of 2006 and Vic upgraded his setup again. A quicker-spooling GT30R ball-bearing monster was installed, and his Tial wastegate piping was re-done to open straight to atmosphere instead of the original setup where it routed back into the exhaust. This put his car up yet another notch on the high-power tuning ladder, and another step closer to a true track setup. Because Imitation is the highest form of flattery… Meanwhile, John decided to go a completely different route. After buying a 1998 Impreza wagon to take over daily driver duties, the decision was made to swap in a JDM STi drivetrain. Now after years of drooling over his stack of Japanese Option and Impreza magazines, he had always lusted after a “real” GC8, so the decision was also made to convert everything to JDM specs. An STi Version 3 clip was located for sale locally and the conversion began. When the dust settled, his RS was transformed into a true GC8 STi, a fire-breathing Right-Hand drive factory powered beast with an 8,000 rpm (factory) redline and nothing but potential. Now, you need to remember too, that at the time Vic built up his car, doing a “swap” was unheard of. There were no suppliers of JDM clips, no wrecked USDM WRX’s to be found, and certainly nothing resembling an STi for sale anywhere in the U.S. of A. Ask him if he could do it all over again, and Vic will tell ya “well it sure seems like the way to go now a-days, but as I was one of the first to do this hybrid engine thing, and honestly, I wouldn’t trade that for anything.”

The Frankenstein Plan Vic had a 1991 Legacy Turbo that he had bought for almost nothing, and had been using as a commuter / beater while the Impreza was being worked on. Unfortunately, the transmission (most likely the front diff) had died on it (it was an Automatic) and the now un-drivable car sat in his driveway awaiting a decision on its fate. John suggested that Vic just use the short block from it in his car. The conversation that ensued is now legendary, but at one point Vic had no intention of using the EJ22T block at all. John offered to buy it “for whatever reasonable price you set” and that made Vic do some research on it. “Did you know that the 2.2 is a closed deck block?” Vic asked after some research. “Did you know that the 2.2 has forged internals?” he asked again after more research. John answered “Yes” to each new tidbit of information that Vic dug up that proved the EJ22T was the strongest motor Subaru had ever made. That motor ended up in Vic’s car, and the pistons he ordered were replaced with custom forged pistons 1mm oversized for the EJ22 block. Several months went by while Vic’s new hybrid beast was being built by local mechanic Paul Gordon. When Vic finally got his car back, it was January of 2004. For his build, he had used the single overhead cam (sohc) heads from the open deck 2.5L RS motor, albeit with Cobb turbo-spec cams and a

Vic’s Mod List
Engine & Transmission 830cc Uncapped WRX Injectors Cobb Tuning High Lift Valvetrain Cobb Tuning Turbo Cams Cometic Head Gasket Crucial Racing Thermostat Cusco Tarmac 35/65 Center Differential Custom 3” Turboback Exhaust w/Megan Racing N1 type muffler DIY Oil Catchcan EJ22T Closed Deck Block EJ25 Fully Built SOHC Heads Flex-A-Lite Slim Cooling Fans Garrett GT3071R Grounding Kit Hyperflow FMIC IndigoSpeed Aluminum Racing Flywheel Kartboy Short Shifter w/Bushings Koyo Aluminum Racing Radiator 53mm Core One-way Check Valve Polished 1999 Intake Manifold Quaife Rear Differential Redline Racing 75w90NS Transmission Oil Ross Racing Forged Pistons RPS Max Clutch (450tq Capacity) Silktran SYN 5 (75w90) Rear Diff Gear Oil Steel 3rd/4th Gear Shift Fork STi Engine Mounts STi Pitch Stop Mount STi RA Hardened Gearset (5spd) STi Suretrac Front LSD STi Transmission Mount Tial 35mm External Wastegate (1BAR spring) TurboXS Manual Boost Controller Walbro 255lph Fuel Pump Exterior: Aero, Paint, Trim Cusco Bar & STi Lower Diffuser Kit Painted Side Skirt STi Clear Corners STi Fender Emblems STi Fog Light Covers STi JDM Rear Tail Lights STi Version 5 Rear Wing STi Version 6 Front Lower Lip STi Version 6 Grill with Pink i Badge STi Version 6 Rear Spats

Interior: Electronics, Gauges, Controllers 22B Aluminum Door Sills ACT A-Pillar Dual Gauge Pod Autometer ‘Phantom’ Air/Fuel Gauge Autometer ‘Phantom’ Boost Gauge Autometer ‘Phantom’ EGT Gauge Autometer ‘Phantom’ Fuel Pressure Gauge Autometer ‘Phantom’ Oil Pressure Gauge Autometer ‘Phantom’ Oil Temp Gauge Carbon Fiber Dash Trim Kit Custom ‘Cusco’ Harness Bar for coupe DCCustoms CNC Gauge Pod Face-Plate Euro WRX Instrument Cluster (in MPH) GForce 5 Point Racing Harness HKS Type 0 Turbo Timer Launch Control Push Button LINK Plus Standalone ECU (w/ Plug n Play Harness) Prodrive ‘5’ Rally Shift Knob Prodrive Floor Mats STi Pedals Anodized Blue STi Version 5 Front Seats STi Version 6 MOMO Steering Wheel Valentine One Radar Detector Miscellaneous A Red Fire Extinguisher! Debadged Trunk Hella Dual Supertone Horns PIAA H4 Super Plasma Bulbs Suspension & Braking AP Racing Dixcel Brake Pads ATE Racing Blue Brake Fluid Cusco Front Strut Tower Brace Cusco Rear Lower Bar Cusco Rear Strut Tower Brace Cusco Rear V-Brace Eibach Pro Kit Springs Godspeed Rear Brembo Brackets/Inserts Goodrich Stainless Steel Braided Break Lines KYB AGX Adjustable Struts Power Steering Rack Bushing Kit Russell Speed Bleeders STi Brembos Front/Rear Upgraded Aluminum Fender Braces Whiteline 20-22-24mm Adjustable Rear Swaybar Whiteline 22mm Front Swaybar Whiteline Anti-Lift Kit Whiteline Rear Subframe Lock Kit Whiteline Solid Rear Endlinks Whiteline Spherical Front Endlinks Wheel & Tire 5mm Front Spacers / 3mm Rear Spacers AVON Tech-RA R-Compound Tires 225x45x17 Black Racing Pro N1 Rims STi Version 7 Rims Toyo Proxes 4 Tires 215x45x17

STi Ver 3 Power Folding Mirrors STi Ver 3 front bumper with foglights STi Ver 3 headlights (but LHD compliant aka 1998 Impreza L headlights) STi Ver 3 rear spoiler (aka RS Coupe wing) STi Ver 5 Rear Spats Interior: Electronics, Gauges, Controllers Broadway Rear View Mirror JDM Squash scent air freshner STi Ver 3 Seats (Front) STi Ver 3 Seats (Rear) Prodrive RHD floor mats OEM Trunk Light Retrofit Momo OEM JDM Legacy STi steering wheel Suspension & Braking Cusco Pillow Ball front strut mounts (Camber Adjust) Cusco Rear Lower Arm Bar Cusco Rear Strut Bar SPT by KYB AGX Struts Polyurethane Steering Rack Bushings Polyurethane sway bar bushings (Front) Polyurethane Sway Bar Bushings (Rear) Tein S Tech (Soft) springs Whiteline adjustable rear sway bar Whiteline solid sway bar end links (Front) Whiteline solid sway bar end links (Rear) STi Ver 3 4-piston front brakes w/ vented front rotors STi Ver 3 single piston brakes w/ vented rear rotors Hawk HPS brake pads (F&R) Goodridge Stainless Steel braided lines Alloys & Tyres 215/45 17s Prodrive P7 (gold) 17x7 wheels

John’s Mod List
Engine & Transmission EJ20K Engine 5-Speed STi transmission Toda Racing 4.4kg lightweight flywheel SPEC Stage 1 clutch 3” turbo back Apex’I exhaust HKS Turbo Timer Exterior: Aero, Paint, Trim Fresh repaint and trunk debadge Painted Side Skirts JDM STi WRX trunk decal

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Turbo Choices
Text by Ron Schunck Few Subaru modifications get the heart pumping as much as aftermarket turbos. This article will get down to brass tacks to allow you to make an educated choice in matching turbo specifications to your wishes. The first step is to learn some terminology as it applies to turbos: CHRA: Center Housing Rotating Assembly. This is the internal part of the turbo from the bearing area between the two halves of the turbo shell to the main shaft and both blades. Compressor Inducer: smaller diameter portion of the compressor blade. Compressor Exducer: larger diameter portion of the compressor blade.

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Turbine Inducer: larger diameter portion of the exhaust blade. Turbine Exducer: smaller diameter portion of the exhaust blade. The main halves of the turbo shell draw most of the attention, but sadly, as with many things in life, these halves have many names depending on the source of information. Cold side/inducer/inlet/ compressor/intake and hot side/exducer/outlet/turbine/exhaust are all the popular names attributed to each half. For the purposes of this article, we will refer only to the terms turbine and compressor. Turbine: the complete wheel inside the turbine housing. Its purpose is to spin via exhaust gas, which in turn spins the compressor wheel. Compressor: complete wheel inside the compressor housing. Its purpose is to compress the intake charge on its way to the intercooler.

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Compressor map: X/Y plot of the compressor’s efficiency range. After mathematical calculations based on your vehicle and desired boost, you end up with a plot that is used to determine turbo suitability. Trim: relationship of the inducer and exducer of a given wheel. Compressor trim = (inducer²/exducer²) ×100. Turbine trim = (exducer²/inducer²) ×100. All measurements are in millimeters. You will end up with a trim of, say, .64, which will be expressed as a 64 trim wheel. In almost every case, advertised trim ratios reflect those of the compressor wheel versus the turbine wheel. In a perfect world, the higher trim numbers will produce more power and more lag while lower trim numbers will spool faster but produce less power. This is not always the case though as A/R plays a role in the manipulation of the airflow as well. A/R: Area/Radius Ratio. One way to envision the concept of the A/R ratio is to think of the way the turbine housing wraps around the turbo. Imagine it as cornucopia that wraps around the turbine. The A portion is the small end and its shape and size effects the force which exhaust gases hit the blades. The R portion is the distance from the center of the section area in the turbine housing at the 12 o’clock position to the center of the turbine shaft; the size, shape, and distance of travel all affect the ultimate turbine velocity. The A/R is then the ratio between the volume of the compressor where it discharges to the turbine and the distance to between the turbine shaft to the center of the 12 o’clock position. This is a summary of the definition as provided by Corky Bell. Interestingly enough, the definition from Garrett is slightly different. The A portion is exactly the same as the below documented MHI THA. The R portion is the distance from the center of the section area in the turbine housing at the 12 o’clock position to the center of the A portion. As to which definition is most correct, that’s anyone’s guess, but the definition is not so important as the concept of the ratios. The A/R can be applied to both the compressor and turbine housings. In most cases though, the compressor A/R has little effect on turbo performance, so it is not given. As to turbine A/R, the smaller number A/R will generate quicker spool, but less top end power and the higher A/R number will generate more power at the cost of slower spool. This holds true when comparing different A/R figures of the same sized turbine housing. MHI Turbine Housing Area: the newly created term for the “A/R” of MHI turbos. While their measurement area differs slightly from the traditional A/R, the end result is similar, in that the smaller numbers spool faster with less top end and the larger numbers spool slower with more top end. This measurement is technically the area of the housing at the 12 o’clock position.

Boost creep: when with the wastegate open, boost rises over target levels. This is normally seen at high RPMs or during cold weather. It is usually attributed to the wastegate being too small. Common fixes are tuning to combat the problem or wastegate enlargement. Case in point, the replacement of the VF39 with the VF43 on the STI; identical turbos, but the VF43 has a larger wastegate. Boost spike or boost surge: a brief period of uncontrolled boost, usually encountered in lower gears during the onset of boost. Typically spikes occur when the boost controller can’t keep up with the changing engine conditions. This condition is often caused by improper turbo sizing. Anti-surge ports: ports in the compressor housing that permit excess air to pass through the compressor wheel. One may think of this as a “wastegate” on the compressor side. In essence, this moves the compressor’s surge line to the left as seen on a compressor map. These are generally only used on larger rotated mount turbos. Boost threshold: the engine speed at which there is sufficient exhaust gas flow to generate positive manifold pressure, or boost. Turbo lag: the time delay of boost response after the throttle is opened when operating above the boost threshold engine speed. Porting and polishing: grinding away excess material within the turbo. Since the housings are cast units, they can leave behind flashing from the cast process and tend to be flat walled. Porting and polishing smoothes the interior portions and knife edges inlets and outlets for more flow. Clipping: process of removing material from the edge of the turbine blades, usually at a 10 or 20-degree angle. This imparts more flow around the blades, increasing flow at the cost of a reduction in spool. Clipping gives you an apparent increase in A/R. Now that we have the terminology out of the way, we are ready to discuss turbo manufacturers and their products. The sheer amount of turbos overwhelms most people who think of aftermarket turbos. To remove most of the mystery associated, remember one simple thing, there are only three turbo manufacturers: MHI, IHI, and Garrett. Yes, there are rogue set-ups that certain people have, but 99% of the turbos you see advertised are direct products or variants of the Big Three. We will now discuss each manufacturer and their nomenclature. Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries (IHI) manufactures around 30 different turbos. Nomenclature is based on VFXX. Example name: VF34. Unlike other manufacturers whose naming system refers to capability, IHI turbos are named according to date of origin. Since the origin dates are all purpose built units, their power capabilities are all over the spectrum within the numbering system. IHI turbos are generally smaller than their aftermarket cousins and cannot be rebuilt. The flipside to this is that they are generally great daily driver turbos and many offer unique features such as twin scroll design or titanium components. As well, many of these turbos appeal to Japanese spec minded Subaru owners. One downside to these turbos is the amazing lack of documentation. About the only information you can get on these turbos, if you are lucky, is the exhaust housing size. P11, P12, P14, P15, P18, P20, and P25 are the known available exhaust housings. As with their turbo number system, the numbers related to their creation date instead of flow capacity. Additionally, no compressor maps exist for IHI turbos. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) is the largest Japanese turbo manufacturer. Their turbos have been used for years with wonderful results on a variety of cars. They are based off of older technology, but are proven performers. They can be rebuilt and upgraded from one size to the next in most cases.

Wastegate: internal or external devices designed to control boost. Both control boost levels by allowing exhaust gasses to bypass the turbine, which limits the boost created by the compressor. Internal units are a wastegate built on the turbo. External units are larger and bypass the internal unit to increase flow away from the turbine, though some turbos are externally designed and lack an internal wastegate. Though every turbo can benefit from an external wastegate, they really shine on larger turbos. Wastegates also need tuning to run effectively. The rule of thumb for wastegate tuning is to utilize a spring inside the wastegate that is 50% of the amount of boost you will run. If you exceed the 50% rule, you may run into wastegate creep or other issues. Wastegate creep: a condition where the wastegate will start to open prematurely. As boost gets closer to the set level of the spring, the spring will begin to open the wastegate and slow spool time.

The nomenclature for MHI turbos is somewhat complicated, but is easily broken down into four parts: Turbine housing: TD04 through TD08 are the most commonly used and these refer to sizes, lower numbers being smaller, higher numbers being bigger. The same rules apply for spool and power, lower numbers spooling faster with less power, higher numbers spooling slower with more power. The turbine housing may also have a letter modifier such as S, SH, H, etc. This modifier refers to the turbine wheel inside and is basically a non-factor. Compressor housing: Same rules apply as to the turbine housing. Usually are matched to the turbine housing, therefore this data is not in the turbo name. MHI Turbine Housing Areas: A/R equivalents of THA figures are 6 cm2 = 0.41 A/R, 7 cm2 = 0.49 A/R, 8 cm2 = 0.57 A/R, 9 cm2 = 0.65 A/R, 10 cm2 = 0.73 A/R, 11 cm2 = 0.81 A/R, 12 cm2 = 0.89 A/R. The equivalents given are meant for people to have one understanding of two different concepts. MHI uses THA to denote housing variances and their effect on spool/flow. Garrett uses the term A/R to do the same thing. However, each use unique measurement points to do so. The equivalents given are just a way to stick to one standard for people who cannot grasp the two different concepts. Please note these figures are for MHI to MHI comparison and not MHI to Garrett comparison. A/R or THA are com-

MONKEY AROUND parative measures within each manufacturer’s own line and cannot be used across manufacturer lines or against other turbine housing size lines. Each MHI housing has its own THA variants. Compressor wheels: 16, 18, and 20, with higher numbers representing more flow. These may also have A, B, C, G, or T modifiers. Modifiers can affect the number, height, and pitch of the blades, and whether all blades are full height or some are half blades, like the popular G model. Example name: TD06H-20G 7 cm2 or housing size/modifier-compressor wheel size/modifier THA. Within reason, most of these components can be changed around so you can have smaller wheels in bigger housings or have a TD04 turbine with a TDO5 compressor. So the possible amount of MHI based turbo combinations is rather high. The Garrett format for naming/sizing their turbos is the format of GTXaabbcccc. GT is the standard name for all Garrett turbos. The X position denotes any revision to the turbo and is optional. aa is turbine size and bb is compressor wheel size expressed in mm, with higher numbers representing more flow. cccc refers to special codes that are optionally used such as R for ball bearing. Detailed Garrett nomenclature decoding is available on Garrett’s website. Example name: GT3076R or housing size/compressor wheel size/special code. As with the MHI units, Garret components can be swapped around as well to the limits of their designs. The “fourth option” is a hybrid turbo. Most hybrids are MHI or Garrett based, as IHI turbos only accept simple things like clipping, wheel swaps, etc. With regard to the other models though, one can utilize MHI and Garrett parts to create a hybrid within reason. Now you should have a solid foundation to research which type, brand, and size of turbo will suit your needs. Remember that research is critical and you shouldn’t choose the “turbo of the month” as many seem to do. A 500HP capable turbo can be an absolute dog to drive in stop and go traffic. Likewise, a turbo with Insta-Spool® will not net you an 11 second time slip. Many of the features here are described as smaller = less power, fast boost and bigger = more power, slow boost. The same rules apply to turbos overall. The goal is to find a happy medium that will meet most of your desires. This article should not serve as your sole source of information, though, and you should consider the following additional research activities when shopping for an upgrade: a. Compressor map plotting and interpretation (MHI and Garrett particularly). b. Your tuner’s advice and experience. c. Your turbo vendor’s advice and experience. d. Corky Bell’s book “Maximum Boost: Design, Testing, and Installing Turbocharger Systems”. Considered by many to be the Alpha and Omega of turbo information.

Forza Motorsport 2 Review
Text by Jeff Boggess On May 30th ,2006 ,Turn10 and Microsoft studios officially released Forza Motorsports 2 for the XBOX360 home console. After a couple of hang ups, and delays, this game finally found its way into this reviewer’s eagerly awaiting hands. Now did this game live up to the hype? Did it come through with all the bells and whistles it was supposed to? Read on to see. Lets start with the bad Popping the game into your XBOX360 for the first time can be a bit tedious. If you are like the few that didn’t drop down the extra 100 bucks on the HDD, prepare to practically empty your memory card unit out just to start a single career, or save any kind of arcade data. Once you get past the whole memory issue (saying that you didn’t have a HDD for your 360), you are going to spend the next 2-3 hours trying to advance further in the game to actually be able to buy the cars you want, then modify them to be competitive. This reviewer can’t express enough how slow starting of a game this was. So what happens after that 2-3 hour start period? This is where the game really starts to take off. As your modified your car to get it to a competitive state, you have noticed, “WOW” my exhaust sound change, my car is faster, and when I make adjustments to my rear sway bar, I can feel the car turn in harder. Usually about now, you start to think “Man, I could smoke those fools on XBOX Live with my class S Miata”. So what do you do at that point? You log into XBOX Live, you search through races finding that one track you “think” you can rule everybody in. The race starts, you find yourself in last place from the beginning of the race to the end. The funny thing about this game is it doesn’t matter how many times you lose, how many times you win, you just keep playing it. At this point, the game becomes very addictive. This reviewer has spent more time tweaking suspension, adjusting gears, even adjusting tire pressure to get that ultimate handling car, that has a balance of power, and stability. So how about that realism? If you are running this game with all the driving assists on i.e. ABS Brakes, Traction Control, and Stability Management. All the cars start to feel the same. Whether you are running AWD, FF, MR, or FR, all the cars react the same. Once all these assists are turned off you feel the difference, AWD with, understeer. RWD with oversteer. The car’s behavior drastically changes. In this reviewers opinion it was a drastic change that made the game more real, and just all around more fun to play. Once you turn off those assists, watch out for that first turn pile up. It isn’t fun to tear up your car in the first turn on the first lap of your race. Technical points of the game The game runs at a solid 60fps, bringing very smooth gameplay. Hey if you get bored, you can sit there for hours with the sticker customization feature to build that ultimate riced out car of your choice. Make sure you stop by the auction house, this place is a very cool spot to look at other cars and see the designs that other people have thought up. YES they get very complex. Overall This game is a definite go out and buy, and play till your thumbs are sore. When your out on XBOX Live, watch out for the TMT 06 STi.

Turbo Decision Guide
Faster spool/less power Faster spool/less power

MHI
Lower Turbine Housing Area Smaller Turbine Housing Smallery Compressor Wheel Higher Turvine Housing Area Larger Turbine Housing Larger Compressor Wheel

Garrett
Lower A/R Smaller Turbine Housing Smaller Compressor Wheel Smaller Trim Higher A/R Larger Turbine Housing Larger Compressor Wheel Larger Trim

Custom Options
Talk with your turbo vendor about porting, wheel clipping, coating, wheel swaps or other services offer to perfect an off the shelf turbo

Remember
You can only compare turbos in an A vs. B fashion within that manufacturer’s line. You cannot directly compare say MHI to Garrett

My thanks to Jerry Hagan of http://www.boostplanet.com/ for assisting with the formulation of this article.

TMT/NASIOC Project 06 Wagon

“Blue Bomber”

While there is the option of ordering the brackets to install the rear diffuser I opted to go the “safe” route as well, adding an additional brace to the rear of the wagon. I picked up the Cusco rear brace from South Coast Performance, which mounts underneath the stock rear sway bar chassis mounts and keeps the unibody from flexing at those points under torsion loads. After a scant three day I received a call from Tony that the parts were in, and I scheduled an appointment at Chino to install the aero parts. As CVS put the wagon on the lift for the install, manager Travis Hall told me they had something special in the showroom they wanted me to see. Whenever you hear something like that at a dealer you expect them to be trying to up sell you on the “latest and greatest.” Much to my surprise there was a hunkered down blue behemoth right in the center of the show room: a 2006 WRC Impreza. Seeing this car in person, so close that it was almost sponsored by “Spit Racing” was amazing. If you’re in the area definitely swing by and check it out and meet the staff, as hopefully this is a sign to the future of where Subaru Dealerships are going. Eventually I returned my attention to the Aero upgrades to our wagon. Installation is mostly straight forward for any sedan Impreza, but for a wagon expect to do some minor modification. Minor meaning: the front lip is meant for the wider bumper on the sedan so it will take some measuring, marking and drilling for the lip to mate up nicely to the wagon bumper. As for the side under body pieces, those require drilling holes into the underbody side channels behind the sideskirts for the factory fittings to attach them to the chassis. The easiest part of the whole install was the Cusco brace and rear diffuser, which all bolted into place. Total install time was about 3 hours including taking time with the measurements to ensure good fitment.

Text by Richard Pena Photos by Jeff Boggess When we last left our Blue Bomber we had just finished up installation of our braking upgrades as well as topping off our basic power upgrades with a VF22 Turbo and 3” exhaust. To round out the wagon and give the car a less mundane look we decided to add more purposeful pieces from STI in hope of improving not only the appearance but also the performance. Beginning in the 2005 STI, Subaru had fitted underbody panels intended to improve high-speed stability of the car. In 2006 Subaru improved the coefficient of drag for all Imprezas slightly with the redesigned front, as well as including on the STI an upper roof vane spoiler and an underbody rear diffuser in the US and Japan, and a front lip spoiler for the US spec STI Limited in 2007. These changes helped the 2006 STI to increase its overall top speed from 145mph for 2005 to 147mph for 2006 (*testing done by Best Motoring International). Those additions also helped to keep the car sure-footed at higher speeds during transitions. Having seen proof of the improvements the underbody parts made to the STI sedan we set out to add those same benefits to our blue bastard. After calling around a few Southern California dealers, a friend recommended checking out the newest dealer: Chino Valley Subaru. A quick call to Tony, Sandoval Parts Manager at CVS, had my order in place for the following to allow installation of all the STI aero pieces.

After thanking the great staff at CVS I was back on the road to get an impression of the car with the newly installed aero parts. The first thing I discovered was that the car was noticeably quieter in cabin due to the added underbody aero. Once up to Southern California freeway speeds you could feel the car was more planted and stable with less of a floating sensation and improved stability during lane changes. This should all translate well when we hit the track with the Blue Bomber. We’ve even noticed a slight improvement in gas consumption as well: about 1-2 MPG, or the equivalent of getting an extra gallon’s travel per tank of gas. That alone can be something to seriously consider since at the current price of $3.60 for our hardly “Premium” 91-octane gas, the dollars add up over time. It’s summertime so it’s time to hit the track and get some results for Phase 1 of this buildup. Stay tuned as first up is braking and ¼mi.

S

U

P

TAIKYU TWINS
Text by Richard Pena Photos by Jeff Boggess

ER

Merging small scale and full-scale racing one win at a time…
What is Super Taikyu? The Super Endurance Series or Super Taikyu features “well-tuned vehicles” with limited body modifications to maintain the basic look of the street vehicle, emphasizing the originality of commercially available cars. Classifications are determined by engine size, model and aftermarket parts. This series is the only full-scale endurance race series in Japan, as represented by events such as the Tokachi 24-Hours Race. A large variety of teams - from local skillful teams to professional endurance teams, fully supported by manufacturers, participate in this series of exciting and heated battles. The Super Taikyu Endurance Series is an all-out endurance battle with very strict regulations, forcing the teams to design and work near the limits of production-based vehicles. This reflects heavily on the performance and reliability of auto manufacturers’ production vehicles, thus the appeal for street tuner enthusiast and aftermarket manufactures. While the JGTC and other forms of racing bring great fan appeal, the Super-Taikyu Endurance Series has the same core draw that TransAm events once had with production based performance vehicles for enthusiasts in the USA. Why an Endurance Racing Subaru? Established in 1986 in Southern California, HPI Racing (Hobby Products International) of Foothill Ranch quickly became a global leader in the radio controlled racing car industry. HPI also produces collector diecast models, Hot Bodies (R/C competition specialties), R/C airplanes (456MB) and R/C robots. Having many agreements with many manufacturers, it came time to look at a way to become involved in motorsports to show the world how much HPI and its staff enjoys automotive lifestyles. The program was developed through HPI Japan’s office with the goal of taking on the best in the world and winning.

TheDrivers: When it came to drivers the right personality and a good background and ethic made the choices for Prova and HPI. Kazuhiro Koizumi (Born: 7-28-1964) was one of the driving forces behind the merging of full-scale racing and small-scale radio controlled hobbies. Kazuhiro Koizumi was a successful R/C car racing driver before he debuted as a full-scale car driver. Beginning his racing career driving radio-controlled cars in the early 1990’s, he competed at many top 1/10th scale buggy and on-road races around the world. Koizumi eventually stepped up to a full-scale racing career in a Toyota KP61 in 1991 and won 4th place in the series in 1992. Kaz had participated in 26 FJ1600 racing series events held all over Japan, and moved to the F3 series in 1993. It was at that point he started entering Endurance races while he was racing in F3. After suspending any racing activities in 1996, he resumed again in 2002 and became a driver for the HPI Racing Impreza in the 2004 Super Taikyu Series. One of Kazuhiro’s stable mates in piloting the HPI/Fujitsubo cars was Yasushi Kikuchi. Yasushi (Born: 10-18-1972) debuted in cart racing in 1990 and debuted in full-scale car racing in the 1993 Fuji Freshman Series, going on to win the championship. Eventually moving on in the S Endurance Class 1 Skyline in 1995 and participating in the All Japan GP Championship GT500 class in 1997, he has competed in the 24 hour Endurance Race at the Nurburgring. Yasushi is also active as a motorsports journalist for Japanese automobile magazines.

TMT impressions: Upon first glimpse of the HPI “Orange” Super Taikyu STi and Fujitsubo “Yellow” STI, the Prova Aero bumper and side skirts stand out to make the cars look more purposeful than stock. With the front bumpers on both cars made from Dry Carbon the fit and finish is impeccable. The ’06 style Prova front bumper has blocked out the stock grill openings with dry carbon and improved air ducting to the radiator with the redesigned front bumper. Inside the cabin the car is what you would expect of a race car meant for an endurance race, with the full interior stripped out except the fixed back driver seat and the dash. Inspecting closely you will notice the cage work as well as the stitch welding along all the seams of the car to increase the rigidity of the car. Underneath the car you notice the rear differential cooler and pump, with the Orange HPI utilizing a scoop to effectively pull air from under car through the cooler, where as the Yellow Fujitsubo has the cooler and scoop higher up in an opening in the rear bumper where the registration plate would be.

Hobby Products International decided just prior to the 2004 Super Taikyu season to take up the challenge and enter a car for the season. When faced with the choice of what car to use as a platform for this type of racing it came down to an old friend. Kazuhiro Koizumi, one of the lead drivers chosen, had a relationship with Prova, but prior to his full size career he raced R/C cars and has had a long relationship with Tatsuro Watanabe, owner of HPI Racing. Prova selected a Subaru STI as the weapon of choice to carve through the competition in the series. Prova was established on February 1st, 1980, and by 1982 began racing with AWD cars in the Fuji 1000km Race. President Shinichi Yamamoto oversees the planning, development, manufacturing, and sales of high performance auto parts, proven through racing and endurance testing. Prova also is involved in both testing and performance evaluation of auto parts for outside manufactures, as well as private label manufacturing of auto parts. With Prova’s long term commitment to racing they had naturally developed management of the racing team as well as planning and management of both driver training and driving schools. The first car was to be campaigned was an orange 2003/04 STI. After showing some success in their first full season, it was decided to campaign a second STI. Clad in full yellow livery, the Fujitsubo cosponsored STI was purchased prior to the 2005 season. It was the 2005 season where the HPI/Fujitsubo car showed its prowess by capturing 1st place for the 2005 Super-Taikyu Championships. The following season the orange HPI car was retired and the Fujitsubo/HPI car was updated to the new 2006 look with new aero from Prova racing. While challenging throughout the season, the Fujitsubo/ HPI car was retired from competition use after the 2006 season. Even though both cars are retired they have been known to show up for special events. But, at the end of the day, these are Tatsuro’s trophies; they sit in his trophy room at HPI USA headquarters. There is a rumor though of both cars making some appearances at upcoming events around the US. TMT asked marketing manager Rodney Wills about the reaction to both cars and their success. Rodney responded, “Overall it has been a great crossover within the full-size community as well as the R/C community, but globally Super-Taikyu does not have the traction it does in Japan. Nevertheless, the cars have brought great response anywhere HPI have taken them here in the USA. Racing never goes out of style!”

Snooping around under the rear of the cars also showed us that the cars are running none of the stock STI aero underbody pieces or a rear diffuser. This is due to the location of the rear diff cooler and access to replace any broken components without taking off more panels. Both Super Taikyu cars utilize a stock steel lateral link with Group N bushings, compared to the aluminum STI links. They also rely on stock sway bars front and rear, though the HPI car had a set of crafted end links for the rear sway bar. Both cars are utilizing a majority of the Group N catalog for suspension modifications, including strut tops and all bushings. Prova coilovers with Nova springs bring the chassis under control during the long hours of hard cornering. Alignments are changed for each course but the cars run up to -5 degrees of camber front and rear. Under the Prova Dry Carbon hood you find a mostly stock EJ207 STI motor that has been balanced and blueprinted. Augmenting the cooling is an ARC radiator and silicon radiator hose kit as well as ARC radiator caps. Power has been reported to be in the 340hp range, thanks in large part to the Prova Super Sports ECU tuning. Both cars sport custom Fujitsubo exhausts with the Fujitsubo car actually running a dual exit exhaust, which starts as a 3” from the turbo and then splits just past the transmission to 2.5” piping at an angle to the rear of the car. Keeping the momentum in check on both cars during the long races are the Brembo brakes with Project Mu pads, lines and floating rotors (front only). After the photo shoot we were happy to hear both cars fired up and see them drive around the compound. As the echo of the dual exhaust Fujitsubo car bounced off the adjoining buildings it reminded us of some of the old group B cars. Sadly, both the HPI and Fujitsubo cars were pulled back into their nest to roost until their next endurance flight. Until then we’ll have to wait and keep racing our HPI and Fujitsubo R/C cars and staring at the diecast we have on display.

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THE RACE CARS
VEHICLE INFORMATION- CAR #2 Orange HPI Racing “orange” Car: Download a high-resolution bonus wallpaper! http://www.hpiracing.com/graphics/wallpapers/hpisu2.jpg http://www.hpiracing.com/graphics/wallpapers/Subaru029.jpg Car: Subaru Impreza STI Team: Prova Racing Division Entry car: HPI Racing Impreza (Class 2) Drivers: Kazuhiro Koizumi and Yasushi Kikuchi Engine support: STi (Subaru Technica International) Main sponsor: HPI Racing Co-sponsors: RC Driver magazine, Hot Bodies, and Force Engines, and Shabu Shabu Toshi restaurant in Maui. Suppliers: Dunlop, Motul, Project µ, Enkei and Swift Chassis length: 4,415mm Width: 1,740mm Wheelbase: 2,525mm Weight fully equipped: 1,280kg Engine system: EJ207 Displacement: 1,994cc Maximum power: 340 hp+ Maximum torque: 47 kgm + Turbo charger: IHI twin stroke turbo Tires: Dunlop Direzza Racing Slick (235/45R-17)

PICTURES SUPER TAIKYU CAR ORANGE COURTESY OF HPI

THE RACE CARS

VEHICLE INFORMATION- CAR #1 Yellow
Fujitsubo “yellow” Car: Year / Make / Model: 2005 SUBARU IMPREZA STi Vehicle Weight: 1200kg. Shift RPM: 6000 Peak Boost: 1.6 k ENGINE INFORMATIONEngine Code: EJ207 Displacement (cc): 1994 cc Bore & Stroke (mm): 92 x 75 Peak Horsepower (@RPM): 6000RPM Peak Torque (@RPM): 3500RPM Pistons / Compression Ratio: 8.0 Machine Work: STI Head / Main Studs: Engine Management: PROVA Super Sports ECU Spark Plugs: NGK Turbocharger: STD Exhaust System: FUJITSUBO Nitrous Oxide: Cooling System: ARC Oil System: MOTUL Performance Electronics: Gauges: Pi Research CHASSIS / DRIVELINEFront Springs (Make & Rate): NOVA 18kg/mm ID:60φ 140mm Rear Springs (Make & Rate): NOVA 16kg/mm ID:60φ 140mm Front Shocks (Make & Rate): PROVA ENGINEERING Rear Shocks (Make & Rate): PROVA ENGINEERING Additional Suspension Components: Transmission Gearing: STD Final Drive: STD 3.900 Clutch / Flywheel: STI Differential Type: LSD Axles / Driveshaft: Wheels (Make & Size): ENKEI RC-T4 18in. 9.5J OFF30 Tires (Make & Size): DUNLOP SLICK 250/640/18 Brakes (Front & Rear): Fr brembo Re STD Project Mu pads. INTERIORRoll Bar / Cage: PROVA ENGINEERING Seats: RECARO Harnesses: TAKATA EXTERIORBumpers: STI Hood: STI Lip Spoiler: Spoiler: PROVA ENGINEERING Mirrors: Grill: PROVA ENGINEERING Paint: Custom Body Work: PROVA ENGINEERING PICTURES SUPER TAIKYU CAR YELLOW BY Jeff Boggess

Amy Tran
Photos by Jeff Boggess

Miss TMT July ‘07

Interview with

Amy Tran

TMT : Any awards or mentions about your modeling career? Amy : I’ve only been modeling for almost a year now, so there’s not much! But when I did win miss modified of the month of January, I was thrilled! I’m also a featured model with Nutek Speed for July. Also I landed my first ever cover shoot with you guys! It feels great to be on a cover of a magazine, there’s a huge sense of accomplishment! TMT : We here at the TMT know you drive a hooked up Honda, could you ever see yourself driving a Subie? And if so what subie would it be? Amy : Oh man! I love cars! Give me anything that’s fast and handles well, I’d be pleased! I use to have my heart set on a STI ,but now I’d love a Legacy Spec. B! TMT : Awesome choice, the Legacy is both fast and handles well. TMT : What would be your ultimate dream car, if money was no object? Amy : Koenigsegg or Pagani Zonda...I also like the new Audi R8, that can be my daily driver. TMT : If we put you into a race car, would it be down at the straight line drag strips, or down at the track where you would actually have to turn? Amy : Probably on a track with turns. Just driving normally everyday, I find myself speeding up in turns instead of slowing down like most people. TMT : So besides modeling, and the need for speed, what do you do to unwind after a long day? Amy : GOOD FOOD! Food is the way to my heart! and than movies. TMT : What do you do for fun? Amy : Work on my car with friends and do meets and drives. I also love cooking for my friends and myself, and go shopping when I have enough money, but usually all my money goes to my car first. TMT : Hmmm maybe we will have to start dragging you out to our subie meets. hehe TMT : So what is it that the lovely Amy Tran looks for in a guy? Amy : Down to earth, smart, charming, mature, romantic, responsible, has to make me laugh, not selfish, has to love cars and bikes, and has goals. TMT : What is it about a guy that makes you snap your head around and take notice? Amy : When he’s holding something that looks really yummy like a juicy burger! TMT : When you are not modeling, are you always the smoking hot import model? Or strictly a jeans and t-shirt natural girl? Amy : Smoking hot baby! hahaha JUST KIDDING!!! I’m a jeans and t-shirt girl...even when I’m modeling at shows, the majority of the time I’m wearing jeans and a hot top! Whether I’m at work or at home I have to be comfy! TMT : What do you do to keep yourself in such good shape? Amy : I hate working out! It’s horrible, I know. But I do go-go dance and I’m a polynesian dancer too so maybe that’s what keeps me in shape! TMT : Well Amy, we here at The Monkey’s Trunk would like to thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with us. Is there any shoutouts, or websites where we might be able to see you? Amy : I just want to thank all my friends, my older brother, and fans for the support! Thank all my photographers that have given me beautiful photo’s that help me rise in the industry. Thank you from my civic family socalcivic.com for supporting me since day one. Last but not least thank you TMT for giving me the opportunity to be your cover model for this month’s issue and letting me drive hot subi’s, I had such a wonderful experience that I will never forget!

TMT : To kick this interview off. How long have you been modeling in the import world? Amy : Almost 1 year now. TMT : Why or How did you get into import modeling? Amy : I’ve always been into the import industry since I was 10 years old. My older brother and cousins would modify their integra’s and crx’s. I would go to car shows like HID back in the days and that’s when I knew I wanted to mod my car when I got one someday. So I got into import modeling when I was showing my civic, and was always mistaken as an import model when I was detailing my civic at the shows, and so that’s how it all began. I’m happy with import modeling, I get to be more involved in the import scene, as a model, and car enthusiast. TMT : There is a lot of models out there that I am sure would love to be in your position in the import modeling world. What type of advice could you give from your experiences, to let’s say all the models out there that want to get into this industry? Amy : Always be yourself, a great personality always takes you far. Never do anything for free even if they say “you’re a new model and you shouldn’t get paid yet and just do it for exposure”, you should still not take it! That’s like selling yourself for free and it will tarnish your reputation in the industry as a model who is always willing to do an event for free and it will not get you anywhere. Last but not least! Keep business and pleasure seperate! Stay professional at all times when it comes to your gigs, from the e-mails and phone calls, to the day of the event. TMT : What was your worse modeling experience? Amy : My worst ever modeling experience was when I was hired to model for a person’s rx7 and I arrived the time I told him I would which is 2 hours after the show has begun because thats the “prime time”, and he claimed I was late. He didn’t cover my parking, and didn’t provide a table for me to sell my pictures like he said he would, and had these “wanna be models” model for his car infront of me and said they did a better job than I did! He kept disrepecting me, trying to get me to believe I was a horrible model. Yet I still modeled for him because I don’t walk away from my gigs, and in the end he didn’t even pay me the full amount and payed me less than half what I was suppose to get. TMT : For the record, our experience with Amy, she was a very easy to work with model. She was on time, actually got to our location earlier than the staff did. Once she was in front of the camera, she knocked our socks off. The guy mentioned above must have been on crack. TMT : We got the worse experience, what was your best experience as a model? Amy : The first time I modeled was the best! I modeled at EAF in Pomona with all my friends from my favorite civic forum socalcivic.com! We all had a really fun time and lots of pictures to remember the wonderful day we had. Nothing beats going into something so new and different with friends who care and support what I’m doing. TMT: Without mentioning names, any weird photographer experiences? (Excluding Jeff which was probably a weird experience in itself). Amy : I’ve been pretty fortunate to not have worked with any “wierd, creepy” photographers. I’m the type that speaks my mind and isn’t afraid too, so when I’m uncomfortable or don’t like them, I’ll stop the shoot and say how I feel in their face! TMT : What is your view on nude photography? For it? Against it? If so why? Amy : I’m for it! Although I have never done nude, but have done implied nudes. I appreciate nude photo’s in a sense of art and as natural beauty. Not the soft porno stuff with the legs spread wide open!

Subaru owners in Scotland,
An American perspective

Story and Photos by Ron Schunck My primary job in life is as a member of the US Navy. As you might expect, we tend to travel quite a bit and with my recent trip over to Faslane, Scotland I wanted to see if I could contact some foreign Subaru owners for the first time. Having studied the geography of the area, I decided that unless I had some local contacts, Faslane would probably not be too much fun. So after much Internet searching, I discovered that the majority of Scottish Subaru owners tend to hang out on www. sidc.co.uk. I signed up, made an initial post, and waited with great trepidation. I was immediately scooped up and adopted by members of Glasgow and Strathclyde in Scotland. The first day my ship pulled into port, Graeme Mcfarlane was there to pick me up. We met up with about 5-7 other Subaru owners and I spent the day riding in many different Subarus with many different owners. Different cars and different points of view to share about Scotland; it couldn’t have made for a nicer match. The first day was spent being shuttled to a hill climb event. Think of an autocross, only going up a pretty fierce hill. The most exciting car there that day was a full race RS with a built motor and PPG dogbox. It accelerated in the rain with the same intensity as most sport bikes in the dry. Stunning! From there, we caravanned over to a local performance shop and then took a trip to a local Subaru dealer. Wow! A new STI in Scotland is about $45,000 USD! I snuck out with a Prodrive hat and bear for my daughter and was happy they were only $50 USD. Lunch was then held, where else, McDonalds! It was chosen in honor of us “fat Americans,” one of the many jokes traded in the Scotland vs. USA verbal battles enjoyed by all. After eating, Graeme allowed me to drive his Subaru STI, bless his heart. Driving on the wrong side of the road, with the steering wheel on the wrong side of the car and shifting with the wrong arm… not as easy as it sounds, but I escaped without facing my biggest fear: calling Geico from Scotland to tell them I had an accident on foreign soil in a car I’m unlicensed in and do not own. We visited the William Wallace Monument, Stirling Castle, and a monument for Robert the Bruce. We then headed to Glasgow to meet with some more owners at a Chinese restaurant. I defended our American honor by winning the Scotland vs. America eating contest. Those that know me well will know that this was an easy win for me! We were then driven home by Graeme who reaching 155 MPH on the highway… at night… in the rain. Those crazy Scotsmen! The following day was a long trip to a racing circuit at Knockhill, Scotland. Very unusual place as it featured a road coarse, skid pad, rally course, and all other sorts of neat things in one location. You know… the kind of place you would build if you won the lottery and there were no lawyers left in America. So for around $30 USD, you got to fling whatever your drove around the track as long as you had a helmet. Ferraris, old school Legacy wagons, Porsche GT3s, the Euro equivalent of the funky Ford Festiva, and crazy tube frame chassis things all barreling along the same course. After that event was more McDonald’s, of course! Then a scenic trip along some of the most amazing roads I’ve ever seen. We went all around a channel up and down and left and right through the most beautiful hills and valleys. We visited Argyll Castle and since it was closed, we had the place to ourselves for pictures. While there, being the devious sort that I am, I noticed the pristine and empty gravel lot designed to accommodate motor homes adjacent to the castle. I mentioned that it would be un-American for us to leave the castle without whipping some proper donuts in the lot. Glances where exchanged amongst our Scottish hosts. This is when they finally came to the realization that we Americans are in fact not as dumb as we look. Then we ventured back to the ship via the narrowest and hilliest road in all Scotland just in time for it to pull out to sea. I have many fond remembrances of my time in Scotland and am most proud of the relationship and camaraderie I shared with the people. Having traveled extensively in the US, I have had a taste of Western, Midwestern, and Eastern Subaru owners. Each, like the Scottish, is wonderful and wholly unique. I should wish to thank Graeme, Alistair, Grant, Stewart and his wife, Tosh, Brian, Billy, Noel, and Peter for agreeing to meet this humble American and for sharing your perspectives and knowledge of your beautiful country. I wish to also thank you for your wonderful sense of humor, as much of my time was spent trying to defend our American honor whilst hurling back proper insults. Having traveled literally all around the world, Scotland, due in much part to the Subaru owners there, definitely ranks in the top 5 favorite spots I’ve ever visited. No small honor, considering I’ve visited probably 50 countries in my last 18 years of Naval service. So if you ever find yourself on your way over to Europe or are looking for a vacation spot, remember Scotland; the land and the people are waiting.

MONKEY MEETS

MEET

INLAND EMPIRE

Naren Vasudevan (narenji) and Armando Valdes (WRXMANDO) wanted to give Inland Empire Subaru fans a good reason to get together for Sunday breakfast. They decided to descend upon Burger Town USA in Fontana, Calif. for their meeting spot, and it’s turned out to be a great location with lots of space and a friendly atmosphere. Vasudevan stresses that variety is key to making this meet stand out, explaining, “You’ll meet some really nice people and see a wide variety of cars here… bugeyes, STIs, Foresters, and even a Baja or two. Sometimes we’ll do a cruise into the mountains as well to mix things up. We pride ourselves on being a relaxed and mature group of people, and we don’t condone any childish behavior, like unnecessary revving or parking lot burnouts.” When asked specifically about the people who attend, he said, “Almost all the people who attend also hang out outside of the meet. Mullet Mafia FTW! We’re a very close knit group, but always welcome newcomers.” It’s true. This was the first time I had ventured out to Fontana for this meet, and I felt immediately at ease. Everyone walked up to introduce him or herself, and made me feel like part of the family. No cliques, no attitudes, just lots of smiles, laughing, and a great sense of camaraderie. It’s a win-win situation for all involved.

WEEKLY MEET
Text and Photo by Michael Motoda From Applebee’s to Chili’s, and from Buffalo Wild Wings to Gordon Biersch, Glendale, Arizona plays host to one of the longest-running weekly Subaru meets in the valley. Over the past year, this meet has traveled all around the Westside of Phoenix, and has had to adapt to the changing schedules of its regulars. Located near Cardinals Stadium, which looks like the mother ship from Close Encounters of the Third Kind when approaching it along Loop 101, Gordon Biersch has proven to be the ideal spot for the past 7 months, due to their large parking lot, easy access, and great food, drinks, and staff. The Yard House, known for its large selection of beers from all over the world, is located right across the way, giving meet goers another great gorging and watering hole choice. Averaging around 20 cars every week, Christian Eng (racingfish) chose Thursday night because when he used to live in Southern California years ago, that’s when he used to go to the local meets. It’s that simple. Imprezas are the most common sight, but it’s not unusual to see an SVX, Tribecas, Foresters, Legacies, and Bajas. The locals boast this as the biggest weekly meet in Arizona, and it’s always a great time. You can’t go wrong with fun and friendly people, wicked rides, and perfect sunsets. Top this all off with lagers, ales, and a heaping side of delicious garlic fries, and you have some seriously good times, indeed. The Westside Meet regulars would like to send a special shout out to RJ (baja04sti), who is on hiatus right now, but will never be forgotten. The crew misses you and sends you their well wishes and prayers for a quick return!

Text and Photos by Michael Motoda

-Click Ad to go to Vendor’s Website-

TmT: So, besides events like this, how does your dealership support the Subaru enthusiast scene? CE: We are currently setting up our parts department to have lots of aftermarket items in stock, and our eBay group is doing really well selling our products online. Also, we go out and represent at some of the meets in Phoenix. Our Westside Meet on Thursday nights (also featured in this issue of TmT) is the biggest weekly meet in the valley. We regularly have 20 or more cars come out every week. Also, as far as I know, we are the only dealership around here to be having enthusiast meets like the one you’re at right now. TmT: Getting back to the meet, people love the swag. What kinds of items are folks going home with today?

2007 Avondale Subaru Car Show & Meet
Text and Photos by Michael Motoda NASIOC.com thread #: 1218924 When most of us hear that it’s going to be 105 degrees today, standing outside in it doesn’t exactly jump to the top of the day’s priority list. However, on May 26, 2007, tons of Subaru enthusiasts did exactly that to attend Avondale Subaru’s big Car Show & Meet on the Westside of Phoenix, Arizona. Between checking out the dozens of beautiful rides and standing motionless under a tree to reduce my chances of suffering from heatstroke, I spent some time with Christian Eng (racingfish) to get his thoughts on this event and what it took to make it a reality. The Monkey’s Trunk (TmT): First of all, thanks for taking some time out to speak with us. Christian Eng (CE): No problem, where’s the beer? TmT: Good question… I think there’s only bottled water. Something to remember for next time! Anyway, tell us a little about yourself and how you got into Subarus. CE: Well, back in the day, I’d been waiting forever for Subaru to come out with a turbo Impreza. When they finally did in 2002, I was sold. I didn’t even test drive it, I just bought it. I loved the fit and finish of it, and it made me a Subie buyer for life. That’s why I bought both a Legacy and a Tribeca. TmT: Speaking of which, what can you tell us about your Legacy? CE: I drive a 2005 Legacy GT Wagon (5MT) with some basic mods: Crucial Racing uppipe, Cobb Tuning downpipe and AccessPORT, STI short-throw shifter and strut tower bar, Tein S-Tech springs, Ultra Shield film for my head/taillights, HIDs, and of course, the all-important JDM squash air freshener. TmT: The air freshener is key. So, looking around here today, this is one heck of an event. What did it take to put this together? CE: It all started with a Subie meet we had here back in August of 2006. We put it together really quick and did it on our own with no backing. We were only able to secure two vendors, but the turnout was huge! We had so many cars show up that we ran out of space, so they just left. So, this time around, we put it together with some help. This wouldn’t have been possible without Avondale Subaru’s support. Don (General Manager), Dex (Service Manager), and Wade (Parts Manager) helped make this happen, and Subaru of America (SOA) also chipped in to help out. James Borquez of Random Performance Motorsports (RPM) came out and also really hooked us up. He got Mynes Performance and Forced Air Technologies (FAT) to represent at our show. We even received support from the folks at Avondale Mitsubishi. TmT: That’s great that you have the support from your dealership. What else can you tell us about Avondale Subaru? CE: We’re the newest Subaru dealership in the Phoenix area, and have been operating for about two years. We’ve been #1 in sales for a few months now. In the Service Department, we enjoy the #1 spot in the Owner Loyalty Program in the southwestern states of Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico. Most importantly, a lot of us that work here drive Subarus, which says a lot.

CE: SOA was nice enough to send us a care package for our meet. They sent us 3 remote controlled Petter Solberg WRC cars and lots of JDM lip balm [I’m still using mine –MM]. The vendors are giving away some nice COBB Tuning products, and there are a ton of handouts, like Subaru hats, SPT lanyards, cards, books, stickers, and WRB Maglites. TmT: I must’ve missed out on the Maglites. Hey, what’s going on over there? CE: A Mitsubishi just won the Best of Show award. I think the judges are biased! TmT: Oh well, we’ll just have to try harder next time! Thanks again for speaking with us, Christian. This is a great meet, and everyone’s already talking about the next one. Shout-outs and greets? CE: Definitely! First of all, thanks to everyone who attended, the vendors and dealership reps that helped me with the meet: FAT, Mynes Performance, Avondale Subaru Performance, Alliance Paintless Dent Removal, Avondale Mitsubishi Parts, and RPM. To the Thursday night Westside crew: JJ, Jared, Mike, Matt, Rich, Nate, Bobby, Justin, Chris, Dre, Gramps, Devin, and everyone else I forgot! Big props to James, Travis, and Rich at RPM: keep making those great braces, and Andre: wish you could’ve been here. Finally, much love and thanks to my daughters Madison and Alyssa… you’re my life and keep me going strong every single day!

PRIMATE PICKS

The stuff you dont need, but can’t get enough of
TEXT and Research by Louis Zhao

Mintex Xtreme Brake pads utilize a combination of medium-metallic friction materials code named “X-1, X-2, X-3, or X-4” to provide maximum performance and extended use. Mintex powder coats the Xtreme brake pads with platinum finish for maximum protection against scratching and wear. The included foil shim is applied directly on the pads for increased piston contact and also reduces noise and vibration. Pads are designed to retain optimal brake bias by differing formulation and compounds between front and rear pads. With long life and low fade characteristics, who can’t pass these things up?

Cobb’s Adjustable Rear sway Bars are balanced, lightweight hollow 25mm units and are packaged with Stainless Steel mounts and bushings, essentially everything necessary for installation. These are technically superior to their solid counterparts. The bars are powder coated in the famous Cobb Blue and do not require modification of your current suspension system. The rear sway bar will dramatically stiffen your rear suspension system, reducing body roll and increasing the predictability of your car. Coupled with end links and a Cobb Front sway bar, you will have a complete balanced system engineered from Cobb. These bars cater to your driving style, a must for any true enthusiast!

Subaru’s stock steering rack bushings are constructed from soft rubber material, made for comfort. Upgrading steering rack bushings has been a popular modification for most Subaru enthusiasts. Because of this, a number of companies have released polyurethane bushing sets, which are stiffer and less prone to failing. Prodrive is one of the few companies that have introduced their steering rack bushings into the market. Packaged in simple plastic, these bushings mimic the look of their OEM counterparts, but upon further inspection (and wrestling with the Spongebob factory bushing), it is already apparent that these are a great choice to increase steering response and reduce steering wobble. Ensure you are purchasing the correct part for your Subaru, as steering racks are different on Subaru models.

With Subaru Cowl braces helps to reduce chassis flex. The downside is that they cost nearly $300. Not all of us can afford to drop $300 into aluminum parts. Turn in Concepts (TiC) released the Giuyngmyo Fender Cowl Braces, costing nearly 1/3rd of the price of the Subaru part at $95 and some extra for your next Subie barbeque. According to TiC, these braces tie the lower A-pillar frame member to the upper front frame member for triangulation of the junction between the two, thus making the connection stronger and stiffer. The Fender Cowl Braces utilize thicker endplates, stiffer precision cut 6061 aluminum, and painted in awesome flat black. You can’t go wrong. Everyone loves saving money. Especially if you get excellent performance, low cost, and a great looking piece in one package.

Remember driving your mom’s Camry around? Using mushy brakes that do not engage till your 3/4th way down the pedal? Then you hop in your Subaru, and in some cases, it does the same? Why haven’t you invested in a set of Goodridge G-Stop Stainless Steel Braided Lines? The G-Stop consists of a PTFE inner hose covered with braided stainless steel. This provides a more responsive and firm brake pedal feel, reducing the squishy feel of standard lines, and reduces expansion of the line. These are a direct replacement from your OEM rubber lines and dramatically improve brake feel. Best part, these are DOT and TUV approved! There is nothing like having federal approval for a performance product! These would be a great complement to your Mintex Xtreme Brake pads.

Big name companies price helmets at well over $500+ dollars. For those who are busy spending money on tires, roll cages, power modifications, and suspension components, helmets typically do not cross our minds. Pyrotect Helmets come in open and full face designs, with both Snell M and Snell SA certifications. These helmets are great for a Road Racer on a budget or 11 second ¼ mile Subaru. The helmets come in black and white and can be customized with various accessories, styling it for your liking. At the introductory price of just $140 (varies depending on vendor), these helmets provide safety at an affordable price. Safety should be your number one concern, that’s why you are driving a Subaru!

The Monkey’s Trunk E-Shop is now ONLINE! Get your DVD fix with many titles from • Soon to be released WRC 2006 year in review • Lives Sockets • Best Motoring • Hot Version • JDM Option • JDM Insider • Teckademics • Getaway series • GRIP Video • Asian Cinema Click on this box or click on the “STORE” from www.themonkeystrunk.com

The Gallery

Contributors Michael Motoda Rodney Wills Jeff Boggess

See you all next issue!