Just as much as the wild rear diffuser and unique aero package, it's the wheel offset and stance of Dave's Impreza that sets it apart from the crowd. It's not every day you see a set of JUN Nissan S13 fender flares on a Subaru, but that's exactly what Dave chose to create the super-flush look on his GC8, along with Rota SVN-R 18x10-inch +30 wheels spacered out to a +5 offset up front and +1 out back. Rolling on 265/35-18 Bridgestone RE-11s, ride height was set with Racecomp Engineering Tarmac II double-adjustable coilovers. The rest of the running gear is straight off a '01 Version 7 WRX STI-from the axles to the hubs, rotors and calipers, along with Cusco camber plates and a Whiteline 24mm rear antisway bar.
Under the hood there's been no shortage of wrench-spinning by Dave and his crew, the '01 v7 engine having been treated to an Ultimate Racing GT35R turbo kit including an up-pipe and a 3-inch racing downpipe. Controlled by an Autronic SM4 stand-alone ECU, power is sent to all four wheels through Suretrac front and rear LSDs and a 20kg viscous center differential. And there's no shortage of power to be distributed, the current 94-octane pump gas tune being good for 470 bhp at 1.4-bar of boost pressure.
Having home-built this stunning Subaru with a style all its own, Dave Mann has no plans to stop developing his GC8. "My future plans include an upgraded fuel system with a surge tank, a built 2.5-liter engine tuned for high boost with an Aquamist water injection system, and a Accusump wet system. I also plan to do some more custom aero work." With a seven-page thread on NASIOC.com featuring nothing but declarations of love and admiration for Dave's Impreza, there's no shortage of fans (us included) that'll be watching as he continues to push the boundaries of function and form on this truly great GC8.
Worth Knowing
»Subaru owes much of its current popularity in the tuner/high-performance market to the success of its World Rally Championship program. In fact, the STI division was created by Subaru in the late '80s to spearhead its WRC effort. With WRC manufacturer's championships claimed in 19=95, 1996 and 1997 and a driver's championship in 1995 by the late-great Colin McRae, it was on the dirt in a GC8 (built in large part by Prodrive) that Subaru established its credentials as a high-performance brand and earned the company a loyal following in the process.
»Two Impreza generations later, the GC8 chassis continues to dominate time attack beasts campaigned by the likes of GST Motorsports, Top Speed, Roger Clark Racing and Zen Motorsports. Due to its relatively low mass (compared to GD and GR Imprezas) and expert tuning, the GST GC8 has won the Modified Tuner Shootout two years in a row as well as being a top runner in the highly competitive Unlimited AWD time attack division.
Specs & Details
'98 Subaru Impreza 2.5RS Coupe
Engine
2.0-liter EJ20 2001 JDM Version 7 WRX STI
Engine Modifications
Ultimate Racing GT3582R (0.82a/r) turbocharger, racing up-pipe, and 3" downpipe; AUS spec turbo blanket, HKS turbo heat shield, TiAL 44mm wastegate, TurboXS FMIC, custom Regan Ritchie intercooler piping, modified/reversed intake manifold, Invidia G200 3" after-cat exhaust, Deatschwerks 850cc fuel injectors, Walbro 255-lph fuel pump, Mishimoto radiator and slim fans; Element Tuning race air/oil seperator, Mocal race oil cooler, rear-mounted Braille 6-lb carbon-fiber battery
Engine Management
Autronic SM4 stand-alone ECU w/ antilag, A'PEXi AVC-R electronic boost controller
Suspension
Complete '01 Version 7 WRX STI suspension conversion (control arms, knuckles, hubs, subframes), Racecomp Engineering Tarmac II double-adjustable coilovers, Cusco adjustable camber plates (f/r), Whiteline 24mm rear sway bar
Wheels, Tires & Brakes
Rota 18x10" SVN-R +30 wheels (25mm spacers front, 29mm spacers rear), Bridgestone 265/35R18 Potenza RE11 tires, Rays extended lug nuts, complete '01 Version 7 WRX STI brake conversion (hubs, rotors and calipers), Hawk HP+ brake pads, Goodridge SS brake lines