Time attacking a 3,200-lb Subaru requires some hefty stopping power, and although the OE Brembos are pretty serious, Jacob knew he'd need something even more hardcore if he was going to fearlessly blitz the braking zones at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. With six-piston StopTech big brakes (recently upgraded to StopTech's Trophy Series six-piston front and four-piston rear) Jacob's Subie should have more than enough swept area and heat sink to handle even the most tortuous of braking zones.
To produce competitive time attack horsepower, Jacob went in search of a high-quality turbo kit that was complete and easy to install. He eventually settled on P&L and its GT3076R rotated turbo kit along with its reverse manifold intercooler setup. Once he installed the kit and all the supporting go-fast goodies you'd expect, Jacob trailered the car to P&L in Chicago and had Jorge tune the Cobb AccessPORT. With a safe pump-gas tune producing 407 whp and 356 wtq, Jacob already has a spare EJ25 that he plans to have P&L build for a targeted 550 whp. "I found the quality of the parts at P&L to be amazing, so the engine build will include a full array of parts from P&L including its built short-block and their new high-flow P1 heads."
The interior of Jacob's Subie is all business, having gutted the trunk and replaced the heavy OE reclining seats and three-point seatbelts with Recaro Profi SPG fixed-back racing buckets and Takata harnesses. A little of Jacob's show car background does show through with the UK-imported Recaro fabric the door panels and rear seats, but lightweight carbon-fiber block-off plates for the stereo and rear seats have subsequently been added. The Auto Power roll bar is a solid step in the right direction when it comes to on-track safety, but Jacob plans on installing a full rollcage in the near future.
According to Jacob, "I wanted to build the ultimate performing STI while still looking good at the same time. I wanted a car that would excel in all areas." Already a well-known build within the online Subaru community and having turned some test laps at Mid-O, it would seem that this 29-year-old Midwesterner is well on his way to achieving his goals and living up to the name of his shop.
Worth Knowing
Jacob and his homeslice Stephen Buie started Tuned Perfection Autosports as a side business to their day jobs, specializing in acquiring used Subaru STI parts and rare JDM STI parts. They've also parted out some wrecked STIs and have rebuilt a few as well. They also do all the usual installations of OE and performance parts, so if you happen to live in the Toledo, Ohio, area and are in need of a little tuning help, don't be afraid to look these guys up!
Specs & Details
'05 Subaru Impreza WRX STI
Engine 2.5-liter EJ25 turbocharged flat-4
Engine Management P&L tuned Cobb AccessPort v2
Wheels, Tires & Brakes Enkei NT03+M 18x10.5 +30 offset wheels, Yokohama Advan A048R 295/30-18 tires, Project Kics R40 Neo Chro titanium lug nuts, StopTech 6-piston front brake kit w/ 355mm 2-piece front rotors & braided SS brake lines (f/r); Performance Friction 1038 brake pads (f), OEM Brembo calipers w/ JDM STI pink brake pads (r), ATE super blue brake fluid, custom 3" brake duct setup w/ carbon-fiber surrounds
Suspension STANCE Gr+ 3-way coilovers & camber plates (f/r); custom 10kg/mm front & 8kg/mm rear springs, Cusco titanium strut brace (f), rear trunk bar & 4-point lower chassis brace; Carlabs rear X-brace, Whiteline 4-piece adjustable lateral links (r), 27mm sway bar (f), 24mm sway bar (r), spherical endlinks (f/r) & heavy-duty sway bar mounts (r); JDM STI Spec C pink trailing arms w/ spherical bushings, custom alignment
Interior Recaro Profi SPG racing seats, side mount rails & custom upholstered door panels & rear seats; STI limited center console, Personal Fitti suede race steering wheel, NRG hub & quick release v2.5; custom carbon-fiber rear deck & passenger airbag delete cover; Takata harnesses, TiC race pedals, Cobb dual adjustable short shifter w/ WC Lathe works delrin shift knob, Auto Power race roll bar, gutted trunk with custom paint
Numbers 407 whp & 356 wtq at 22 psi
Special Thanks My wife Rebecca, Stephen Buie, Tuned Perfection Autosports, Paul & Jorge at P&L Motorsports, Erik at StopTech, Peter at APR Performance, Earl at STANCE-USA, King at Enkei, Justin at Grimmspeed, Aaron & Keith at Pure Tuning, Nick Eschhofen, Th3 Clap & Tony at Turn In Concepts
Worthknowing
Like a lot of us, Jacob Barnes' '05 STI isn't his first modified car. It all started for him back in the late '90s when he built his Infiniti G20 into a full-on show car. Then the GD Impreza WRX converted him into a go-fast, JDM-style tuner, which he parted with in 2007 to build this month's cover car.