This is TJ’s first car, and he’s had and cherished it for the past three and a half years.  I’m sure a lot of you cherished/still cherish your first WRX as well – I know I do.  TJ even stated he “will have it as long as physically possible.”  I asked why he chose this particular car as his first car, and he told me: “Honestly I can’t think of any car I would have gotten besides a Subaru.  My parents wanted me to get something safe, I wanted to get into the local car scene, and I needed AWD for winter driving.  Nothing else really fits all those categories for less than $7,000.  Plus, the first time I heard the ‘Subie rumble’ I knew I wasn’t going to settle for anything less.”  His mileage may come as a surprise based off how good it looks; he’s got 234k miles on the original EJ205 engine.  He’s put about 40,000 miles on it during his ownership, and he’s done several mods as you can see.

If you haven’t noticed, the car is lowered.  TJ is on some Broadway Static coilovers with 14k spring rates on all four corners, and with some Fortune Auto rear camber plates.  The wheels seem to be the main focus of the car – they catch your attention right away.  TJ says his Work VSKF’s might just be his favorite modification on the car.  “It really brought the car together, in my opinion”, he told me.  His wheels were re-lipped by VR Wheels and are 18″ x 9.5″+20 with 215/35/18 federal 595 tires.  Aside from the wheels, he says his other favorite mod might be his Tial 38mm external wastegate.  More noise is always more fun, am I right?  Other significant mods include: a Crawford AOS, a Cobb turboback exhaust, Perrin short ram intake, Tomei inlet pipe, STi TMIC, Steamspeed EBCS, Mishimoto radiator, Perrin brake master cylinder brace, and some Cobb front and rear sway bars.

“My future plans are to enjoy the car.  I’ve spent a long time to get it where it is now, and I finally feel like I can calm down and give my bank account a break.”  I can 100% relate to this statement.  Stopping the build temporarily to enjoy what you’ve already accomplished is a great feeling and is healthy for us car people to do every once in a while.  TJ goes on to say “As with any car enthusiast, the build isn’t ever finished.  I still plan to add underglow for ‘max fast and furious rice’ and to redo little things that I rushed, like my interior.  Other than that, I’m just saving all my pennies for the day my 234k mile EJ205 decides to retire.”  Let’s hope that day doesn’t come anytime soon!

When asked what his favorite thing about the car is, TJ told me: “The way it looks while rolling is one of my favorite things in the world, but trolling distracted drivers with my external wastegate is a close second though.”  I personally love the look of lowered and stanced Subarus, in fact, mine used to be one of them.  All of the exterior mods TJ has done with his wagon work well with each other, and like I said before, the wheels just grab your attention right away.  Something about that timeless styling of the VSKF’s – they look good on every car.  I can tell TJ loves his WRX just from talking to him, just like many other enthusiasts I’ve met.  His car is set up the way he likes it – he says most of his driving is in the city and he thinks it’s fun to cruise around in it and break necks.  Instead of thinking of it as a show car, TJ describes his car as an extension of his personality, and that’s something a lot of us car enthusiasts can relate to.

Thank you, TJ for being our Driver of the Day, and a special thanks to his friend Malcomb, (@malcombb on Instagram) for providing these awesome photos of the car!  Keep up with TJ’s wagon’s progress on Instagram, (@_itstj__)!

By Ethan Pfab – @supwagon

The post Driver of the Day: TJ’s 2003 WRX Wagon appeared first on MFortyFive.

The car caught CJ’s attention while shooting photos of other cars around the event, which led to CJ asking the owner, Miguel, if he would be down for a quick photo shoot of his WRX.  Ethan and I were chatting with someone else while this was going down, so we weren’t around to talk with Miguel about his car, unfortunately.  We reached out to him a few weeks later via social media and were able to ask him a few questions about the car to learn more.  This is Miguel’s second car, but his first jump into Subaru ownership.  He got the car about 2 years ago, originally wanting an ’08-’14 hatch but couldn’t find one he really liked.  “I’ve always been a fan of the brand.  One day I came across the car I have now.  The price and color are what really hooked me.”  I love the way the Dark Grey Metallic looked with the black wheels.  At the time, Miguel had Work Emotion Cr-Kai’s but has recently swapped them out for a set of MB Battles – some of my favorite wheels.  Ok, I have a lot of favorite wheels but I like them a lot, the struggle of being 5×100 is real.  With a push of a button, Miguel can tuck the rear wheels up into the wheel-wells as desired with the Airlift Performance V2 system, and shortly after our shoot he installed the front air struts to be able to do the same with the front wheels.

“What I really enjoy most about my Subie is mainly driving it.  I love everything about it honestly.”  Miguel’s current modifications consist of a Mishimoto intake, full Invidia cat-back exhaust, Cobb AccessPort with an OTS map, custom headlights with LEDs, Megan Racing control and toe arms, and aero pieces all around the car.

Just by talking over Instagram DM’s, I know he has some major plans for his WRX in the future.  He’s mentioned going wider in addition to some carbon goodies that could really change the whole appearance of the car.  Some three-piece wheels are planned, along with a wing, pro-tune, “go fast” parts, a color change, and he even considers doing a rear-wheel-drive conversion later in the year.  A RWD Subaru would be so fun – not a bad idea, my friend.  Mega Meet was definitely one for the books.  We appreciate Miguel greatly for letting CJ get some photos of the car and talking to me over social media.  Someday soon we will definitely have to meet up for some more car hangs and shenanigans.  To see more of Miguel’s ’15 WRX check out his Instagram @boofaru.  Thanks Miguel for letting us feature you as our Driver of the Day!

By Zach Osborne – @momentum.rs

The post Driver of the Day: Miguel’s ’15 WRX appeared first on MFortyFive.

The concept of simplicity seems like it’s starting to take over the world of automotive modifications.  Patrick’s example of a Subaru doesn’t need much to show what it’s capable of.  He bought his 2011 Subaru STi Limited sedan new as his 4th Subaru.  In the past, Patrick has owned a 2007 STi limited, a ’97 Legacy Wagon, and still owns a ’98 Impreza wagon as his daily driver.  Patrick actually ordered his STi in 2011, and says, “I had a 2007 STi Limited previously, and while it was very special, it was somewhat harsh and not ideal for long trips.  Subaru made me an offer for the car that I couldn’t refuse, so I ordered the 2011 STi to replace it.”  We have a huge soft spot for hawkeye sedans.  The difference in the older and newer Imprezas is pretty remarkable (besides the engine LOL).  The newer Imprezas are definitely comfier for longer drives and for everyday use, so I completely understand why Patrick decided it was time to get in a newer one.

“I’ve been in the world of Subarus for the better part of a decade, and in that time I’ve made amazing friendships.  I never experienced that with another car brand.  In addition, I love how versatile my STi is.  I can swap rubber on it and track it in the summer, throw on snow tires and take long trips without worry about the cold and snow in the winter.”  Patrick has been very selective about what he does to the car.  He wants to make sure every part he installs has a purpose to benefit the car and driving experience.  “Even though the car looks heavily modified, I really haven’t done a whole lot to it.  I really only modify things to harden the car for track duty.  It’s pretty much OEM-plus at this point.”

Patrick has the lightweight, Enkei RPF1 wheels in an aggressive 18×10 +38, with some sticky Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R’s in a 275/35 size.  RPF1’s just look good on everything, and these particular wheels weigh in at around 20 pounds per-wheel.  Rotational weight plays such a huge part in the way a car performs in handling and braking, especially on the track, so lighter wheels can definitely make an improvement.  Patrick enjoys track days, so as expected, he’s upgraded the suspension to RCE Tarmac 2 coilovers with HVT camber plates and Eibach Pro-Kit sway bars.  To bump up the power, Patrick added an Invidia Q300 cat-back with a Turbo XS catted downpipe, Cobb V2 Accessport, APS bypass valve, IAG street air-oil separator, and a Cobb SF intake with a custom carbon airbox lid.  These are a safe and reasonable amount of mods that perform on track and make it a fun street car as well.

Eventually, Patrick plans to add some fuel system upgrades along with equal-length headers and a power steering cooler.  He wants the car to be fun while maintaining reliability and functionality.  Hopefully one day we can all meet up and get some much needed track time in, that would be a blast!  If you want to see more of Patrick’s rad photos of his STi, go take a look on his Instagram @_patrick.  Thanks Patrick for letting us feature you as our Driver of the Day!

By Zach Osborne – @momentum.rs

The post Driver of the Day: Patrick’s Track-Ready 2011 STi appeared first on MFortyFive.

“I ended up falling in love with it and the community,” Leena says, as she is extremely active in the SoCal car scene.  I later found out she runs the FB20 Society Instagram page, in addition to owning @LeenaDesignsUSA and co-owning @360LEDS as well.  She attends the majority of all the major car shows around the area, which I must admit, I’m a little jelly.  Southern California has so many incredible meets/shows to offer throughout the year.  Because she is so involved in the community, she has been able to make many connections and friends along the way since getting her Impreza.  Some of those connections have resulted into sponsorships, such as: Toyo Tires, HPS Performance, Odyssey Battery, R1 Concepts, Mothers Polishes, Airlift Performance, and Bavar Racing.  Talk about setting the bar high for the Impreza community!  She has done just that and then some – not only with air suspension and wheels, but a whole bunch of other little things that make it what it is today.

To be completely honest, I didn’t think one could get that kind of recognition with an Impreza.  She has proven myself and many others wrong.  As much as I love your typical WRX/STi, it’s awesome to see more enthusiasts are getting into the “not as popular” Subarus.  Her Impreza is definitely a “make you look twice” type of car.  For wheels, she recently partnered with Bavar Racing and went with their BVR03 in a 18×8.5 +35 with 215/35/18 Toyo Extensa HP tires.  Without going too deep into her parts list, a few of the significant mods on the car include: Airlift Performance suspension, Sparco seats, BaysonR front lip, JDM grille, and much more.  I asked what her future plans are and she isn’t quite sure.  She said, “I guess we will see as we go!”  To see more of Leena’s FB20 Impreza, check her out on Instagram @leenacoupe.  If you have an FB20 Crosstrek or Impreza, check out @fb20society and see what others are doing in the world of FB20s!  Thanks Leena for letting us feature you as our Driver of the Day!

By Zach Osborne – @momentum.rs

The post Driver of the Day: Leena’s Bagged FB20 Impreza appeared first on MFortyFive.

His WRX has gone through quite the transformation throughout his ownership.  We asked Brandon what he enjoys most about the car, and he said “I would have to say the fully-built version 7 STi Spec-C transmission, with front and rear Cusco limited-slip differentials.  They have really made it a monster on the road.”  I personally haven’t heard of many Subarus running the Cusco RS differentials, which really stood out to me.  As for some of his most significant and current modifications, the list can go on forever.

He has a fully built motor and transmission, all done by GST Motorsports out of Hayward, California.  In addition to the built long block, Brandon has JE Time Attack FSR pistons, Brian Crower Racing I-Beam connecting rods, port and polished heads, and a Blouch 18GXT turbo – just to name a few of the go-fast parts.  Brandon also added a DCCD Pro Spider controller, which allows him to adjust the amount of torque distributed to both axles, similar to the STis from factory.  Aside from power mods, he’s done a full WRC (World Rally Championship) widebody kit.  The car looks incredible with it.  You don’t see too many Subarus with a fully-molded WRC kit rolling around town without a team trailer.  A full respray is in affect, which will really transform the car.  Once paint is finished he will be throwing in the new Autopower 4-point cage as well.

Brandon is not only working on this particular WRX, but has a whole lot planned for his other Subarus as well.  In addition to his ’06, he has a ’96 Impreza L, ’03 WRX, and a 2017 Forester.  The Impreza L is planned to be a carbon 22B clone, which is awesome.  The 2003 WRX is going to be a full-on time-attack race car, which is even crazier.  As for the Forester – that’s his daily.  But you never know, he may want to mess with it someday!  To see more of Brandon’s widebody WRX and the rest of his projects, check him out on Instagram at @petey_wrxracing.  Thanks again to Brandon for letting us feature you as our Driver of the Day!

By Zach Osborne – @momentum.rs

The post Driver of the Day: Brandon’s 2006 “WRC-style” Impreza WRX appeared first on MFortyFive.

Tom previously owned a bugeye sedan, but has owned this particular WRX for about a year and half now. His wagon didn’t start out as your typical modified Subaru “build” though.  It was fully stripped to a bare shell from a friend of his.  He says, “He lost interest and offered it to me first. I had always loved the car when it was previously put together, so I had to go for it and build it myself.”  I really dislike using the term “JDM” nowadays, since it gets thrown around so much and doesn’t seem to describe the significance of a “rare” Japanese part anymore, but Tom has all kinds of authentic JDM parts that are truly unique.  He currently has a built EJ20 with forged internals and 272 cams, mated to a version-7 STi Type-RA 6-Speed from Japan.  Also, his wagon is equipped with one of my favorite JDM goodies; the OEM roof vent, – which of course forces you to drill a hole in your roof.  Worth it?  Absolutely.

In addition, he has a power steering cooler and a long runner intake manifold all from an STi Spec-C model.  “On the inside is also a full version-7 STi wagon interior, including the rear fold-down seat,” he says.  Tom is the perfect example of “built not bought.”  Yes, a played-out phrase, but it was truly built by him from the ground up.  Starting with a shell and ending up with this would be quite the accomplishment and self-gratification.  “I really enjoy just driving it.  Don’t get me wrong, I love the build process but there is just something about driving a car built by yourself.”  Looking forward, he says, “The future plan is to just keep collecting rare JDM goodies and build my dream Subie!”  To see more of Tom’s 2002 Subaru WRX wagon, check him out on Instagram at @stiwgn.  Thanks again to Tom for letting us feature you as our Driver of the Day!

By Zach Osborne – @momentum.rs

The post Driver of the Day: Tom’s 2002 “STIWGN” appeared first on MFortyFive.

Some of Benny’s favorite things about the car are the build quality and reliability that comes with a late 90’s naturally-aspirated Subaru, but the enjoyment of owning a Subaru goes a little deeper.  He says, “I’ve met some great people just from being in the Subaru community and hanging out at car meets, going on cruises, and just having fun.”  I feel the same exact way since getting mine a few years ago.  The Subaru community isn’t like any other community.  I came for the cars, but stayed for the people.  The people are what make this community so awesome.

I love what Benny has done with the car to benefit it in every possible way.  He’s looked to nothing but quality parts to keep it clean, simple, and running proper.  Just judging by the exterior, you would never think it’s a 300,000+ mile car, which gets me even more stoked on this particular Legacy Outback wagon of his.  Benny has changed out the headlights, tail lights, side markers, and side moldings for the JDM versions offered on the wagons in Japan.  But that’s not all, he also swapped the stock front brake calipers for the 4-pots from an overseas GC8 with 02-05 WRX rotors.  In addition, he also added the JDM strut tower bars and version 5 STi 555 GC8 seats – something with better bolstering and also a great OEM+ upgrade.

To eliminate the wheel gap and increase the handling, Benny installed a set of the K-Sport Control Pro coilovers, combined with the 5ZIGEN Pro Racer GN+ wheels in a 17×8.5″, wrapped in Hankook Ventus V12 Evo2’s.  These are some of the best things you can do for a Subaru to handle better.  The future plans Benny has for the car are underway as you’re reading this article.  “I’ve been planning a motor swap forever.  Currently getting the motor and transmission out, to put in a JDM EJ206 single-turbo conversion with a VF23 turbocharger along with a Legacy GTB 5-Speed.”

Benny is raising the bar high for the Legacy Outback wagon owners out there.  He’s executed a killer wagon that I can’t get enough of, and it will never get old seeing on social media.  To see more of Benny’s ’97 Outback, check him out on Instagram at @bennywatkins/@bwwmedia_ for more photos.  Thanks again to Benny for letting us feature you as our Driver of the Day!

By Zach Osborne – @momentum.rs

The post Driver of the Day: Benny’s 1997 Subaru Legacy Outback Wagon appeared first on MFortyFive.

By Zach Osborne – @momentum.rs

The post Driver of the Day: Carter’s 2013 BRZ Limited appeared first on MFortyFive.

I was scrolling through Instagram like I often do, when I came across a picture of this tough, go-anywhere-I-want-looking WRX.  Deep down, I am crazy about off-road Subaru builds, and I envy some of those who have them.  After checking out his profile (@zj_fresh), I knew I had to do a write-up on it.  To be more specific, this is a 2011 Subaru WRX Limited in Subaru’s signature and beautiful World Rally Blue.  It’s also a great example of doing something totally different from the norm of WRX hatches.  The owner, Zack, tells me that it’s his first Subaru, and this month marks 1 year of ownership.  This just goes to show that when you have a vision and determination, you can accomplish big things in a relatively short time period!

“I bought my Subaru to be more able to go wherever I wanted.  It’s a very versatile vehicle,” says Zack.  The pictures seem to definitely back up his claim, and you can tell it has been some places.  Zack goes on to say “What I enjoy the most is probably its off-road capability.  I’m able to do light Jeep/truck trails no problem,” which is pretty impressive considering the types of terrain that involves.

Zack’s WRX sits on 1.5″ strut spacers from Subtle Solutions along with King raised springs to give it enough clearance for fitting those Method Race wheels wrapped in beefy General Grabber AT2s.  Performance-wise, the car is on a Cobb stage 1 tune, which I’m sure makes it more fun to throw around in the dirt.  He’s got some pretty big future plans too!  Zack tells me he wants to install a rooftop tent setup since he does a lot of car camping, and even mentioned about doing a possible kitchen conversion in the hatch area!  This would definitely make the car stand out in the WRX world, and would also make it an excellent outdoor excursion vehicle.

I personally love the creativity Zack has with his car, and I love that there are still tons of people out there doing all kinds of crazy things with their WRXs.  Thanks to Zack for being our Driver of the Day!  See more of his car on Instagram @zj_fresh!

By Ethan Pfab – @indecisivewagon

The post Driver of the Day: Zack’s Adventure-Ready WRX Hatch appeared first on MFortyFive.

 

Angelo got his first Subaru, a 2006 WRX wagon three years ago with the mindset of reliability, aftermarket support, and wanting to see what Subaru ownership was like.  “I enjoy the stance and sound of my car the most.”  I first saw Angelo’s car a few years ago through Instagram (@kidwithboost) on Fortune Auto Coilovers and Volk Racing CE28’s, which I loved.  It was a nice simple and clean style, but this past year he has stepped the game up a notch.  He installed an Airlift Performance V2 air suspension setup with parts from BecauseBags/Sprint Autoworks to give it the functionality around town and that hard-parked attitude for killer pictures, with Angelo himself usually behind the lens.

Angelo recently scooped up a set of the two-piece Rotiform OZT wheels that work so well on his wagon.  As far as engine and suspension mods go, he has done the common bolt-ons such as; a Cobb intake and Accessport, Invidia cat-less downpipe, Exedy Stage 1 clutch, Whiteline sway bars, and a bunch of other things to tie up the loose ends.  In the future he plans on dialing-in the fitment a little more along with adding some interior modifications, and of course more engine goodies.  Thanks again to Angelo for letting us feature you as our Driver of the Day!  To see more of Angelo’s WRX wagon find him on Instagram at @kidwithboost!

By Zach Osborne – @momentum.rs

The post Driver of the Day: Angelo Strongone’s 2006 WRX Wagon on Air appeared first on MFortyFive.