In the distorted space-time continuum that occurs in the publishing world, today is Father's Day - at least it was at press time. How apropos, because the highly modified '02 Scooby you see before you was built up by a father and son team. Denver resident Ryan Curry has plenty of reasons to be grateful to his father. After Ryan turned 19, his dad Tom helped him purchase this '02 Impreza WRX. The transformation from stock to rockstar started soon thereafter with the addition of the Charge Speed body kit. Most gearheads inherit the gasoline in their blood from their fathers, who more than likely inherited from theirs. Tom's ride is a Ford Focus SVT, an already potent performer turned into a powerful pocket-rocket with a supercharger, upgraded wheels and suspension. He even dragged the car a couple of times to the tune of 15.9 @ 90 mph.
Ryan's dark WRX and its understated appearance, however, keep it and its bevy of modifications under the radar. Having a subtle appearance works for avoiding the police so Ryan has managed to stay ticket-free since he bought the car. Of course, much of that time the car has been in the shop transforming from a WRX to a STi, which brings us to the second part of our story.
We all remember the buzz when the WRX first hit our shores in 2002. There had been nothing like it. Sure we had the all-wheel-drive Talons and the Galant, but they didn't arrive with the same fanfare or accompanying rally race-related excitement. The minute they saw it, Ryan and his dad knew they had to have one. When they first purchased the car brand new in 2002 they purchased parts and took them to Dave Loiacano at Speedy Roo Motorsports in Aurora, CO.
First, they scrapped the stock suspension in favor of Tein SS 1600 coilovers that are electronically adjustable and bring the chassis down to earth. The Stop Tech brakes are top-of-the-line. The full-race kit consists of four piston calipers and 333mm rotors forward and 328mm with two-piston calipers aft. With clamping power and diameter like that front and rear, the Scooby stops as abruptly as the end of this paragraph.
Around this time Ryan started to go to a local college for auto mechanics. It was at this point that his dad suggested he apprentice at Speedy Roo under Loiacano, where they could complete the rest of the buildup.