All who enter the world of import tuning, do so with high hopes. Whether it's to build the most respected street car, fastest all-out racer, or cleanest and most well-known show car, the common hope is to be featured in a magazine. A quick glance through the pages of any major title will hammer home one universal truth: feature cars represent the greatest in tuning achievement. The cream of the crop. No matter what style, or what purpose the feature car was built, it was surely done in an all-out fashion - with no cut corners, no pulled punches. The endless modification, fabrication, and custom work put into these cars eventually boils down to one key ingredient: money. And for most of us who don't have much of it to spare, building the ideal feature car becomes a long, slow process of working on our cars only when extra money allows.
Another way for the cash-strapped among us to realize our tuning dreams is to chase down sponsors and convince them to donate products to our cause. For those who believe that the end justifies the means, as long as a feature car is obtained in the end, all is well - even at the cost of a few compromises.
To others, however, enduring the journey of building a feature car is more honorable than simply owning one, because at the end of each hard-fought race or show victory knowing that you have no one to answer to, and no one to thank for your accomplishments but yourself (and maybe a few close friends) is truly priceless.
David Toscano of Chicago is one such person. He meticulously built this 2002 Subaru WRX STi over the course of several years without the help of sponsors - relying on the recommendations of close friends only when outside support was a must. When we first caught up with "The Big Red" at Chicago's Hot Import Nights show earlier in the year, we immediately knew we needed it for our mag.
With the increase in affordable turbocharged AWD performance sport compacts over the last few years, it's no surprise that the Subaru STi has seen a dramatic rise in popularity with tuners. The STi improves on the already impressive power and performance statistics set by the WRX of earlier years. It offers 300whp, a 6-speed tranny, and possibly the most aggressive suspension offered in a four-door sport compact right from the factory - all with an aesthetically appealing style to boot. Not satisfied with the already sports-car-like performance and style that the STi brings home stock, David was quick to spot out, and eliminate, the areas in which the car could be improved upon. For starters, David decided that widening the stance of his car would only improve its handling characteristics and create a much sought-after show look. So, he turned to Chargespeed to get the job done.
The Chargespeed STi kit consists of wider front and rear fenders, along with all new front and rear bumpers with matching side skirts. After the widebody kit was installed and the new styling on the STi completely morphed with stock lines, David turned to Body Werks to have the door handles shaved. They also added an Audi TT fuel door before the signature Cinnamon Red hues were applied. Offseting the bright red shade of the exterior are a Chargespeed carbon fiber hood scoop and carbon fiber mirrors. The headlights and taillights were smoked to keep with the red-and-black theme.
Wanting an increase in power output over stock, David decided a turbo upgrade was in order, and that a GReddy T67 replacement would step things up a notch, while keeping boost spool at a street-car-friendly level. Mounted to a GReddy exhaust manifold, the new blower makes use of an APS front-mount intercooler, HKS BOV, and an assortment of turbo goodies to ensure boost levels are kept cool and manageable. Anytime additional boost is added, additional fuel becomes a pure necessity to ensure the reliability of the setup. This STi is fully equipped and prepared with a set of 855cc fuel injectors and a Walbro 255 lph fuel pump. Spitting out all the exhaust fumes and enhancing the natural rumble emanating from the STi is a JIC exhaust system. Wanting to free up as much unsprung rotational mass as possible, David used a Perrin crank pulley and an AEM underdrive pulley to replace the stock units. Decorating the engine bay is a GReddy oil cap, a pair of STi radiator caps and an APR carbon fiber radiator shroud. And, when the going gets tough, a 50 shot of NOS nitrous is at David's disposal.
AWD performance normally means a handling monster, and while the STi is certainly no exception, we all know stock isn't always best. Not settling for second best, David replaced stock struts and coils with a complete JIC setup at each corner, and added a GReddy strut bar for fashion and function. The newly widened body demanded a wider set of wheels and tires, so David acquired a set of Axis Milano wheels. The traditional five spoke design was a perfect fit for the STi, with the 19x9.5-inchers, wrapped in 245/35/19 BF Goodrich rubber, big enough to house the Brembo calipers and Stillen cross-drilled and slotted rotors, yet small enough to survive Chicago's roads.
Looking inside The Big Red, we find David keeps interior appointments to a functional minimum - a big departure from the show car build style. Autometer gauges, monitoring voltage, exhaust gas temperatures, nitrous and boost, are housed across an Autometer A-Pillar dual gauge pod and an Autometer dual gauge bezel. The stock seats were replaced with a set of custom leather seats, and complemented with matching leather door panels - a luxury that street driving demanded from the vehicle. Tuning the vehicle for optimum performance, David not only had the ECU reflashed, but also installed an A'PEXi AVC-R boost controller to adjust boost pressure on the fly. An A'PEXi turbo timer ensures each drip of oil is nice and cool before the motor is shut off.
As performance minded as STi tuners are, no driven car is complete without a nice set of in-car electronics. When this STi profiles at Hot Import Nights events, a Pioneer AVH-P5700DVD player offers plenty of entertainment for the long hours, while a pair of Alpine 12-inch subwoofers powered by a pair of Alpine MRD-M1005 amplifiers floods the cabin with plenty of bass. On the road, two pairs of Cerwin Vega speakers brighten up the music when the rumble of the JIC exhaust gets monotonous, while an Xbox 360 provides extra entertainment for the passengers.
With the progress of his build seeming to have leveled off as of late, one might assume David is in the market to part with The Big Red. However, knowing he turned down a six-figure offer for the car, we have a feeling there might be more in store for this example of Chicago's automotive finest. Even though prepped and tuned for high horsepower, the irreplaceable time and effort put into this car seems to rule out any future in racing. But, knowing David and this car's transformation from its days as a stocker, we're confident anything is possible. Sure, some outside support via sponsorship dollars could swing the car's future in any direction, but David knows its show-car strengths quite well. We're sure Chicago's show scene won't be missing the presence of The Big Red for some time to come. Only one person can say for sure what new incarnation(s) the car will take, and he hasn't come this far by sharing his plans with the masses. So all you STi fans, stay tuned...
Specs2005 Subaru wrx stiEngine:GReddy T67 turboGReddy manifold850cc injectorsWalbro 255 fuel pumpAPS front mount intercooler w/custom pipingK&N intake filterHKS blowoff valveNOS wet nitrous oxide systemAEM underdrive pulleySamco radiator hose and 9-piece engine dress kitOptima Red series batteryAPR carbon fiber radiator shroudGReddy oil capJIC Exhaust system
Transmission:Unmodified OEM manual 5-speed
Suspension & Brakes:JIC coiloversGReddy front strut tower barBrembo calipers front and rearStillen cross-drilled and slotted rotorsStillen pads
Wheels & Tires:19x9.5 Axis Milano wheels245/25/19 BF Goodrich tire
Exterior:Chargespeed: widebody kit, carbon fiber hood scoop,carbon fiber mirrors, and wing extensionAudi TT fuel doorSmoked OEM head and taillightsShaved door handles and Cinnamon Red paint applied by Body Werks
Interior:OEM seats and door panels, wrapped in custom leatherA'PEXi turbo timer and AVC-R boost controllerAutometer: volts, pyrometer, nitrous pressure, and boost gaugesAutometer A-pillar dual gauge pod, and dual gauge dash bezelPioneer AVH-P5700DVD head unit2 Alpine MRD-M1005 amplifiers, and 12-inch subwoofers2 Cerwin Vega speakersXbox 360