A Holden Commodore SS V8 ute or a Subaru WRX Impreza sedan? This might seem
like an unlikely choice for a new car buyer but that’s the decision that Craig
Spencer of Melbourne had to make. Hmm,
traditional V8 muscle or a Japanese AWD turbo flier?
Despite coming from a V8 background (his previous car being a 5.0-litre
Holden VR Interceptor), Craig switched to the turbo four-cylinder camp. “The WRX
tends to have better resale value, it’s not as common and you get more in the
package,” says Craig. All-wheel-drive and a turbocharged flat-four are the
fundamentals, but you also get grippy seats, a leather steering wheel and gear
knob and sedan levels of accommodation.
Craig took delivery of this MY02 WRX in September 2003 and was immediately
satisfied with his purchase. Lots of grip and good in-gear performance were the
greatest features. But what wasn’t so hot was the awkward ride height and
performance off the line. “You really need to dial it up for a hard take-off,”
says Craig.
And here’s where we get into the mechanical mods.
The first stop for Craig was Dandenong Exhausts. Dandenong Exhausts
fabricated a custom 3-inch mandrel exhaust from the turbo back using a high-flow
cat converter and a single rear muffler. This system gave a noticeable
improvement in drivability but the noise was unbearable. Craig has since swapped
to a X-Force rear muffler, which is substantially quieter.
To get the most performance for a GD-series WRX you really need some kind of
engine management modifications. Rather than go for a recalibration of the
standard ECU, Craig called into APS (Air Power Systems) for a UniChip
interceptor module. Once tuned, this provided a dramatic improvement in
driveablity and power – 123kW at the wheels to be precise.
“The bug had bitten by this stage,” confirms Craig.
Next to be fitted was an APS front-mount intercooler kit, APS recirculating
blow-off valve and APS air intake. This yielded further increase in power along
with the extra detonation protection delivered through improved charge-air
cooling.
The factory WRX turbocharger is comparatively small and was near the end
of it's efficiency range at this stage of modification, So when a mate offered his
‘400hp’ ball-bearing turbocharger to Craig it was met with open arms.
The 400hp turbo was a straight-bolt-on (and is almost undetectable beneath
the factory heat shielding) but it did cause some headaches. Craig tells us
there was trouble controlling boost pressure and it was at this stage he took
the car to AVO (Advanced Vehicle Operations). AVO installed a bleed-type boost
controller, switched to their own air intake arrangement and plugged in a Link
programmable ECU. The computer conversion allows the move to MAP sensor load
metering and Craig tells us fine-tuning is still being carried out by AVO. Oh,
and an AVO oil catch tanks has also been thrown in.
With boost now reaching as high as 19 psi, Amberley Autos in Dandenong have
high-flowed the injectors and fitted an upgrade Walbro pump.
Power? You want power? Well, Craig’s MY02 answers your call with 193kW at the
wheels on AVO’s DTS four-wheel-drive chassis dyno. That’s about 80 percent
more power than stock, so it is no shock to hear Craig predict that the car
should be able to run mid-to-high 12s over the quarter mile.
The factory clutch and gearbox have held up to the elevated output without
problem. Craig says he isn’t too brutal on the car and with only 22,000km the
use of the standard driveline is largely explained.
That awkward ride height that
Craig disliked was addressed while all of these antics were going on under the
bonnet. Pedders springs bring the body down a couple of inches and team with a
Whiteline adjustable rear swaybar and a front strut bar to improve handling. The
standard WRX has always been a very secure handler, but these tweaks improve its
overall chassis balance.
Visually, the lowered ride height is complemented by 18-inch ANZ alloys clad
in Falken ZE326 235/40 rubbers. Craig has also whacked in aftermarket clear lens
taillights and clear side indicators. The factory fog lights have been replaced
with plastic covers (which make space for the front-mount intercooler plumbing)
while the windows have been tinted as dark as legal requirements allow.
Inside, the already sporty interior has been treated to an A-pillar mounted
AutoMeter boost gauge and the hand controller for the Link ECU. The factory
Subaru sound system is nothing flash, so Craig has also switched to a quality
aftermarket arrangement. The front-end is a Pioneer CD/tuner that’s wired
directly to Kenwood front splits and Alpine 4-inch rears. A 12-inch sub provides
bass from within the boost and is powered by a Kenwood 200W amplifier.
You would be safe to assume Craig is happy with his decision to jump into a
Subaru. Future plans include bigger brakes, 650cc injectors to allow more boost
and – who knows – maybe even a stroker kit. Craig recognizes the importance of
engine capacity but, having said that, we don’t reckon he’ll be reverting back
to a V8 ute in the foreseeable future...
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Contacts:
Air Power
+61 3 9761 7244
www.airpowersystems.com.au
AVO (Advanced Vehicle Operations)
+61 3 9584 4499
Amberley Autos
+61 3 9793 1616
Dandenong Exhausts
+61 3 9794 7632
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