Quick Quirt
Quirt Crawford has practically dedicated his life to extracting maximum performance from relatively small four-cylinder engines. He has worked with fours for decades - everything from sand rails to land speed record machines. And he's become an expert in the use, abuse, and optimization of Motec engine control and data acquisition systems in the process. The current obsession at his Crawford Performance shop in Oceanside, California is pressurized Subarus making ludicrous power for road racing, rallying and general intimidation. If anyone can build a 2004 WRX STI to overwhelm the USSC competition, it's Crawford. Assuming, of course, the power is of the friendly sort, cradled in a chassis that can make use of it without sacrificing all civility.
The engine in Crawford's Subie is comprehensively re-invented. Crawford's own 84mm billet stroker crank (up from the stock 79mm) increases total displacement from 2457cc (a nominal 2.5 liters) to 2613cc (let's call it 2.6 liters) and is twisted by CP forged pistons on Crawford 4340 chromoly rods. With a mere 8.1:1 compression ratio, there's plenty of room to heave in boost. That's exactly what Crawford does, using a Garrett GT35R turbo. He did the turbo plumbing with an APR DR725 intercooler chilling the fuel/air charge, a TiAl 44M as the blowoff valve, and a Walbro pump sending fuel to JEC 720cc injectors. With stock camshafts and the exhaust steaming out of a Crawford three-inch pipe, the whole engine should be making something like 500 wheel-hp. And it's all funneled through a Crawford clutch and pressure plate to the stock STI manual transmission and Subaru all-wheel drive system.
So much oomph demands an equal amount of chassis. So Crawford went to 700-pound springs in front and 650-pounders in the back, added Whiteline anti-roll bars (22mm in front, 27mm in back), and fit DMS 50 shocks.
Chunky 13.1-inch diameter Brembo Gran Turismo brakes grab with four-pot power in front, with more Brembos behind. Wheels are 18x9.5 Enkei NT03+Ms wearing P265/35R18 Kumho rubber.
An APR Performance wide-body kit covers those massive meats, while an air dam, front splitter and big wing from the same source complete the aero package. Throw in an Alpine stereo, some Autometer gauges and Racetech six-point belts and that's it - a lot of engine, tire, and brakes, but a relatively civil suspension and the stock seats, so anyone can fit in.
Editor's Note: This STI has proven its on-track reliability at countless NASA events and is one of the fastest in the unlimited time trial class, even beating a Radical. The best part about the fully-specc'd interior is that there's a baby seat in the back.