To help the silver wagon shed off the energy developed by the 2.0-liter and to further help the suspension get the job done, Erin replaced the stock braking system with a Brembo GT kit at the front of the car and used a Racing Brake conversion at the rear. Erin wisely went with Hawk blues all the way around and the brakes were filled with Motul fluid. Recognizing the worth and importance of proper lubrication throughout his highly modded Subie, Erin went with Motul fluids in the whole machine.
In addition to the flared fenders and matte-silver paint on the wagon Erin decided on a few other cosmetic and functional improvements to the immaculate exterior of his car. A blend of JDM pieces such as a wagon lip, mid spoiler and grille are all being used. One of my favorite elements is the Seibon reverse scoop finished in raw carbon fiber. Erin also decided to use the diffuser from an STi. As mentioned before, the look of Erin's car makes it very clear that there has been a lot of work, money and thought put into the machine.
The interior was gutted and sported the same matte-silver paint from the exterior painted on the raw metal interior from the seats back. A set of simply fantastic Sparco EVO seats replaced the stock units complete with harness and sub belts. A suede-covered and well-sized NRG steering wheel stared me in the face and was at an excellent angle and position. A center gauge pod housed a clean and clear set of Defi gauges for boost pressure, oil pressure and oil temperature. I used the factory tach for revs.
We decided to break the drive into several drive sessions. It is always a good idea, especially in a highly modded car, to take an easy session to make sure that everything is functioning properly before really putting some stick to the car. In this case, it was an especially good idea because a line feeding the maze of engine plumbing happened to be resting on the throttle cable housing, and as we started to develop more lateral grip in the car, the line added tension to the throttle. Not a big deal really, just a spike in revs as I depressed the clutch between shifts. It was easily taken care of, and then we drove a couple sessions at speed.
Power output from the Spec C motor was noticeably stronger than stock, propelling the sliver Subie down the straights quickly and pushing me back firmly into the Sparco seats. The power delivery was predictably peaky, with anemic response below 4000 rpm that quickly built up to 7800 rpm, which I decided to use for maximum revs for the test. Although Goodspeed told me that the motor was good for just over 8000 rpm, I didn't want to risk hurting the pristine Subaru. The flat-spot below 4000 rpm, although certainly something that might not be the best for everyday street use, was tempered by the shortened gears, and was not much of a factor on the track.
While the power was certainly decent and offered a nice pull in just about every gear, it was not the strongest suit of the car by any means. You can give that title to the suspension, braking and differential setup. Erin's car carved corners with agility and confidence, totally belying the fact that I was in a station wagon! Spring control from the Tein coilovers was excellent with spot-on compression and rebound settings. The Toyos, which had been through a few heat cycles prior to me driving the car, were predictable and offered decent grip, but the Tein/Whiteline/Hotchkis combination would have benefited from a fresh set of 888s or something with even more grip.