Some of you saw our Project WRX in person at the NOPI Nationals, but since then we’ve taken the car to the next level. As we mentioned in the Dec. ’01 issue, whatever wheel choice we made for the WRX had to accommodate the new brake kit from HP Racing. Not only did the rims have to be big, they also had to look good enough to floss.
Brent Hattan from APC contacted DAZZ in Baldwin Park, California, to see what wheel the company could provide that would fit our requirements. DAZZ started us off with a set of 18-inch Racing Hart M5 wheels with a gleaming white finish. Offset on these rims had to be +42 or else the spokes would hit the caliper. To make sure the rims were wrapped in high-quality rubber, we called on Dan Newsome from BFGoodrich. Dan suggested we use BFG’s top-of-the-line, high- performance G-Force T/A tires in 225/40-ZR18 trim. Like we told you, we’re only using the best products on Project WRX. For our intended uses for this car, the tires were the perfect setup. The WRX will be able to hug the turns on any road course or track and hopefully be able to maintain traction with 6,000-rpm launches at the dragstrip.
Yet again, our wild and crazy antics got us into a little bit of a bind. In our quest to make our WRX look different with another set of rims, we ran into some minor complications. The Racing Hart CP-035R rims that were special-ordered from Japan were the wrong offset and stuck out too far past the rear wheelwells. We were so concerned with brake fitment that the wheelwell-clearance issue totally slipped our minds. DAZZ had to shave down the inside pad of the wheel in order to bring it to a more tuckable position. That’s “tuck” with a “T.” Still wrapped in BFG high- performance rubber, our WRX was soon rolling deep with the new rims.
The stock WRX was designed as a high-performance vehicle, so the factory seats closely resemble racing seats. But we were still not content. We knew some Sparco Torino racing seats would look a thousand times better than the stock clunkers. No offense to the Subaru design team, but the Sparcos are just awesome. The design is exquisite, and they’re beyond comfortable. These seats might quite possibly be the most sophisticated seats Sparco has ever made. And best of all, they’re fully adjustable. That means the winner of this WRX won’t have to sit forevermore at a preset incline but instead be able to adjust the backrest to his or her own preference and comfort zone. These seats also have a quick-tilt system (QTS), so instead of turning the adjustment knob, you can fold them forward with the flip of a switch. That makes access to the rear seats much more convenient. Not a big issue in our case, since the WRX is a four-door. But coupe owners will count their blessings with the QTS. Since Sparco USA is also working on a WRX, it had just finished designing and testing the seat brackets for the car—which in turn meant less work for us.
It’s almost time to wrap up our Project WRX. We’re still working on the ICE, and a few more go-fast goodies are in the works. One lucky winner will get to take the car home at the Spring Break Bash in Daytona Beach, Florida. Is it going to be you? It might be. Better hurry up and register. Stay tuned, same Super Street time, same Super Street channel.