The Visual Assault, Dent Sport Garage RASpec Impreza


Introduction
The "RASpec" Impreza is a 2004 WRX that will be campaigned in various road race motorsports such as time attack, hillclimb and SCCA club racing. The car will be built primarily to SCCA ITE-class specifications. This car is a build in-progress. Target finished date is July 5th to compete in its first time trial event on july 7th and 8th at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

The car will be built as a track car, with performance, reliability, realistic budget, ease of maintenance and parts availability in mind. Major work and tuning will be handled by Dent Sport Garage with more simple aspects being done by myself and others.

Some have called this the "NASIOC Built" car, because many of the parts were sourced from folks on NASIOC, who will be thanked in the future in this thread. Some folks believe the car may be cursed due to some major components coming from wrecked cars. Good thing i don't believe in such nonsense.

Overview
This car has been heavily inspired by WRC cars, track raced WRXes, and some of the Japanese campaigned time attack cars. Specifically I've been keeping a keen eye on the Japanese endurance series Super Taikyu Imprezas' as campaigned by HPI Racing and Fujitsubo, and the Prova / Tomei / Arise Impreza time attack car usually seen lapping Tsukuba.

The fundamentals of the car will be focused on the JDM EJ207 block stroked with the Tomei 2.2l stroker kit complete with pistons, rods and the lightened, custom journaled crankshaft. The heads are JDM Spec-C heads with the large ports, and factory polished. The engine will be fed with a Garrett GT3076r turbo with a 0.82 A/R. The cage is built to SCCA ITE specifications. Suspension is on Cusco Zero2E coilovers on 17x9 rims.

Engine

• Block: JDM EJ207 (Bored & honed to 2.2l)
  
• Bore: 92.0 -> 92.5
  
• Stroke: 75mm -> 79mm
  
• Displacement: 1994cc - > 2123
  
• JDM Spec-C Heads
  
• Tomei Pistons
  
• Tomei Rods
  
• Tomei Crankshaft
  
• ACL bearings
  
• ARP Headstuds
  
• Cosworth Hi-flow oilpump
  

Valvetrain

• Cosworth 275 Camshafts
  
• Cosworth springs
  
• SuperTech Valves
  

Induction

• Garrett GT3076r with a 0.82 A/R
  
• JDM STI Intake Manifold (Long runners)
  
• Denso 055 "Skyline" fuel pump
  
• Power Enterprise 800cc top feed injectors
  

 
Drivetrain

• STI 6MT swap
  
• Kartboy short shifter & Bushings
  
• ACT 6-Puck Sprung clutch
  
• ACT ProLite Flywheel
  
• Cusco rear 1.5-way r180 LSD
  

Suspension

• Cusco Zero2E coilovers
  
• STI Aluminum control arms
  
• Whiteline anti-lift kit
  
• Helix endlinks
  
• Cusco adjustable rear swaybar
  
• Cusco subframe ladder brace
  
• STI front strut tower bar
  
• STI rear strut tower bar
  

Wheel / Tire

• Enkei RC-T4 17x8 5x114.3 +35 Wheels (White)
  

Brake

• Calipers: Brembo Gran Tursimo
  
• Rotors front: Performance Friction 2-piece dimpled.
  
• Rotors rear: Brembo slotted
  

Interior

• Bride Zeta-III FIA seat (Red)
  
• Defi gauge: Oil pressure
  
• Defi gauge: EGT
  
• Defi gauge: Boost
  
• Wink multi-pane rearview mirror
  
• Momo Model 78 steering wheel
  

Exterior

• INGS+1 Body kit
  
• Seibon carbon fiber hood
  
• Seibon carbon fiber trunk
  
• APR GT mirrors
  
• APR Carbon fiber front splitter
  
• Mysterious GT carbon fiber wing.
  

Safety

• SCCA ITE-Specification roll cage
  
• G-Force 6pt harness
  
• Extinguisher
  

Updates
June 6th, 2008
Installing 6mt
Buttoning up the engine.


June 3rd, 2008
Motor finishing up.
Vehicle shell brought into the shop.
Suspension goodies being put in
Rear axles knuckles arrived
Front knuckles on their way
Clutch/Flywheel ordered
6mt tranny mount ordered
5MT tranny is out
5x100 wheels/tires being sold.

May 30th 2008
Assembling motor
Sourcing rear axles and knuckles
Designing a radiator/intercooler system.
Sourcing new rims

May 20th 2008
Motor is being built, we're sourcing the buckets after having measured them.
Sourcing the rear end components for the drivetrain from Millennium Auto.

Sponsors
Visual Assault, LLC
Dent Sport Garage
We're looking for more sponsors, please contact me if you think it may be mutually beneficial.

Thread notes
Watch this thread for updates on the build.

 

History

2003
I bought the 2004 WRX from Subaru of Nashua in October of 2003 after my 2001 2.5RS was totaled. The STI model had just arrived, but the insurance costs were too high, and i was still in college with an internship job.


2003-2005
Started with some light mods, sideskirts, etc. Then got more into suspension and brake upgrades to improve cornering.


2001-2006
Started going to Auto-x events for a few years, then hooked up with driving schools/track days with the BMW club. Then started time trails with COM. Thats when I got serious about racing.


2006/2007
In the 2006 and 2007 track season I focused on improving handling, braking and engine response. I was limited to non-power modifications. We tuned the car to the limits of the class, keeping boost at OEM levels and just playing with the curves.


October 2007
I decided that the 2008 season was a good place to start my dream build, and move up classes.

 

Oct 2007 - Dec 2007
Cage build
I sent the car to get the rollcage for SCCA Club racing. This involved stripping the car before sending her out. The cage would have NASCAR side ladder bars along the door to comply with the 2008 rules changes.


Rear view


Engine work
Around this point I had secured the Tomei stroker kit, and had Dent Sport Garage take the EJ207 block and get the block built. It was bored and honed for the stroker kit.


Here is mine next to a EJ257


Head work
Someone sold me a set of Spec-C heads that were salvaged from an engine fire from NASIOC, but they needed a good deal of work, so I had them cleaned up quite a bit.





So much better!


Before and after


Take a good look at the OEM port work on the Spec-C heads, awesome.

 

Parts Story
Block
The block was basically free, a guy spun a rod bearing in his JDM engine, and bought an AXIS stage 2. He didn't want the shortblock anymore, so i inherited it for a few beers.

Heads
Fellow NASIOC'er had an engine fire. His rare and precious Spec-C heads were toasted. I bought them, had them cleaned up and checked out. Turns out the damage was only cosmetic, and it cleaned up real good.

Transmission
The STI 6MT was salvaged from a 2006 rollover. Bought off NASIOC.

Turbo kit
Also bought from NASIOC, guy was selling the Perrin kit to buy an engagement ring for his GF. Glad i could've helped out.

Other
Control Arms - NASIOC
Mirrors - NASIOC
INGS Body kit - NASIOC
Anti-lift kit - NASIOC

Parts Photos
Performance Friction 2-piece ventilated rotors:


Tomei pistons


Cosworth oil pump (hi flow)


Denso 055 "The Motorsports / Skyline" pump.


JDM STI "Long runners" intake manifold


Garrett GT3076r Turbo


Power Enterprise injectors (800cc)

 

April 19th 2008
Headed down to CT this weekend to pickup an INGS kit from a fellow NASIOC'er.


Had it painted at the guys at Bernardi & Sansossio, they turned it out in 4 days.


April 25th 2008
UPS presented me with another gift from the NASIOC fairy
Perrin GT3076r kit.


May 3th 2008
Once I had the turbo kit, DSG started working on the engine again. This past weekend the valvetrain was focused on. Quy took the helm and finished up the valve seals and valves. We're working on getting the retainers in the right size.




Quy working on the seals, and you can see the underside of the block with the Cosworth high pressure high flow oil pump


Quy lapping the valves.


Half of the valves are in


Valve seals are in.


Next comes the valves themselves,the Cosworth springs, retainers, buckets and the Cosworth cams next...

May 10th 2008
We had a dyno day today at Dent Sport Garage, and I noticed Quy had done some more work on the engine. Here is my car and a few other pics from the dyno day. I won a WRB STI rear wing at the raffle, if anyone wants it, PM me.

 

May 20th 2008
My front axles and APR Splitter arrived today. DSG has measured the buckets for the valvetrain and is ordering them, after that we'll be ready to bring the car into the shop and start building the chassis up.




May 31th 2008
Today was my girlfriends birthday, but she was busy at work, so i headed down to my home-away-from-home Dent Sport Garage. I found that my buckets for the valvetrain had arrived, the cosworth cams had been installed, and Quy was busy test fitting the intake manifold for the reverse setup.

Earlier this week the rest of the transmission came in from Millennium Auto. Rear axles, rear hubs. Thank you Millenium Auto.


Quy fitting the intake manifold.


Cam details.

Bill took some time to inspect the Cusco rear differential, checking the discs. It was used in a street driven car for a few thousand miles, but it appears to be in near-brand new condition.




The car should be pulled into the shop this coming week, and the real work will begin. I wrote up a rough battle-plan on the whiteboard.


June 2nd 2008
Ordered the kartboy short-shifter today, DSG pulled the car into the shop and started the real work. I'm sooo psyched! Its like a dream coming true that's been 4 years in the making.


Nick mounts the tranny.
(If you look closely, you can see a small wire between his legs, thats actually his penis).


Bill is a dirty baby, so he gets a wash in the new eco-friendly parts-washer.


New England winters are dirty, even for cars that don't get driven in them.

 

June 6th 2008


Bill did the math and put the Cusco 1.5way LSD into the r180 housing.

We discovered the rear driveshaft doesn't mount to the rear diff properly, so we'll need to drill the flange. We'll also have to do a crown wheel and pinion swap (CWP) to have the ratios match up.

The STI transmission has been cobbled together from various NASIOC vendors, members, local guys and some friends spares. We were told the tranny itself was from a white 2006 STI that rolled over from Rhode Island, bought on NESIC. The r180 we believe came out of a 2004 or 2005. The front axles were from a 2006 bought on the drivetrain classifieds. The rear axles and knuckles were from a different 2006 bought from Millennium Auto on NASIOC. The front knuckles came from a silver 2006 that had rolled, bought from a local NASIOCer and fellow track mate.

We ordered the ACT 6-puck clutch and ProLite flywheel.

The suspension is mostly installed. STI control arms were swapped over, new ball joints, new front knuckles and tie rods all hooked up.

Saturday i couldn't go to the shop and take any photos, myself and all the DSG guys were attending our buddy Adam's wedding. He is building a classic Mini with a honda b16 swap.

:O

June 14th 2008

Enkei RC-T4's arrived in 17x8 +35 from RalliSpec.


Test fitting it the PF rotors


PF Rotors


Tranny is in, the Kartboy shifter gives an amazing feel. Bill told me "Go feel the shifter" first thing when i came in this morning. I was like "Why" and he was like "JUST DO IT". Its amazing how short the shifts are and how much positive-feedback the feel provides. Very confidence inspiring.


New 39:11 pinion gear (left) we bought from subaru vs old 39:10 pinion gear from the 3.90 ration diff.

We needed to buy a new Crown wheel an pinion for the rear differential to convert the rear end from a 3.90 to 3.54 to work with the 2006 STI tranny i have.


Here on the left is the 3.54 crown wheel vs the 3.90 crown wheel on the right. The orange color is from the QA process where they test the contact points on the gears teeth.



Old and worn pinion bearing. We replaced it with this one: http://www.visual-assault.org/ssd_admin/albums/album-57/lg/IMG_1906.jpg


Bill using the plasma cutter.

Video:
Bill removing the original crown wheel from the LSD:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=1v7qUabdSlg
Part 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfHRCXJAebA

 

Some guys on Forza Motorsports.net forums are building a livery for my car!
Forzamotorsport.net Forums - Contest: 2008 DSG / Visual Assault RASpec Impreza - Time Attack & Road Race car - $50 Cash

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post reserved for future updates

 

Post saved for future details.

 

OT, but you posted a picture... I remember that green mini from when I was up there.  I was so tempted to buy it when it was being sold in 2002 or so.

Progress looks great, Adam.  Drop me email with your name and address and I'll send you something (not a bomb).  jblaine @ stage-infinity.com

The Mini is Adams' car, my names Ron with the WRX. You want my address or his?

Sorry, Ron.  Yours.

email sent.