Ok...first off i am in the US Navy stationed in japan...so any parts that you guys know of that are exclusive to japan can be recomended. Ok here it goes....i am going to purchase a GC8 WRX in december. What i want is to make it a complete sleeper. Heres some ideas...

1. Its gotta have 4 doors and its gotta be Black...gotta gotta be black...or that forest green color it came in. ( thought about a green wagon but thats not a sleeper any more...thats a senior citizen)

2. the hood has gotta go...front mount will go in and non turbo hood will come on...p.s. FM intercooler will be painted black.

3. I NEED A QUIET EXHAUST...thats made for turbo ( 3inc piping or bigger) and preferably twin outlet. NOOO N1 EXHAUST...those things ae soo played out here.

4. Bronze or black rims...or legacy bronze 5 spokes...whatever i can scrounge up

5. QUIET BLOW OFF VALVE....No WHOOOSHHHHHHPOWWWWBOOOMMTOTOTOTOTO Blow off valves...i'm planning on having the excess air get blown back into the intake piping before the turbo...( heard it makes it more silent. )

6. NO WINGS... No Dual Canards...No sti foglight covers...just bugs in the headlights and maybe a ram air duct..hidden of course.

7.NO CRAZY QUADRUPLE DOOR PILLAR GAUGES...NO STi MOMO 85th ANIVERSARY EDITION CHROMED TITANIUM FORGED RALLISPEC PETTER SOHLBERG INSPIRED SHiFTKNOB.

8. And last but not least.... the icing on the cake...the cream de la crem... The Babyseat for conversion to soccer mom spec.

this is what i got so far...but the more sophisticated stuff is more for the future. Such as ej257 engine, APS turbocharger, Stronger tranny, 114.3 PCD wheel lug spacing. Etc.

I was gonna get an s13 180sx but everyone and there Madrastra drives a silvia or s13...and more guys own GTR's on the Base than any kind of subaru there is. Yup...i wanna beat those guys...maybe ej25 will help. Anyway...i will make it RWD until a stronger tranny gets put in. ( the Rear differential is stronger than we think...and if the tranny is overwhelmed it will cause tire spin on the rear wheels taking stress off the tranny...same cant be said for awd and weak tranny) anyway if the differential cant take the power...i'd wrather replace a DIFF than a Tranny...Right! Plus i'm not down with the initial understeer into snap oversteer imfamacy of the GC8...so RWD sounds good to me.

SO what i need are parts recomendations for each category....this is a GC8 remember that. UNLESS YOU ARE SURE THE PARTS ARE INTERCHANGEABLE DONT RECOMEND....and dont talk outta the ***...only recomend stuff you have on your own car...or heard on a friends....No Magazine quotes .

Also since i am unfamiliar with the ej20t please tell me how the ej20 differes from the ej20 found on the sti version...for ex. are the wrx ej20s internals cast...turbo difference and potential. Injector size, compression ratio...intake manifold, difference in the heads etc.

And last but not least...every high boosting ej20 seems to be running on high octane gas or race gas...why is that? is the boxer engine prone to detonation? what is it? its like if your gonna boost 20 psi you need race fuel or 103 octane. on base they only offer 93...and offbase there is 103 oct but to fill your tank is around 60 bucks american.

Anyway thanks hope to hear your input.

 

Use the 103 octane, it's damn near 60 dollars a tank to fill here on 93 octane. In Maryland they're paying almost $4.00/gallon on premium.

 

Welcome to Japan. Spent ten years in Yokosuka.
IF you are going to play with ANYTHING performance DO NOT USE THE BASE GAS. IF you have reservations about paying the 6,000 yen to fill up...then forget playing the game.

The base gas will cost you your engine, and they won't pay you to repair it.

Next, go to the Autohobby Shop, get to know the guys there. Talk to Gus the Manager. He has been around there for a long time and has owned alot of different cars in Japan.

Tell him Marc sent you his way. Be cool when you meet them, they are very prone to first impression syndrome. Come off as over the top and they'll not want to help you.

He may be willing to put you in touch with some of the places out there that can help you. Also see if you can meet Gary (ask Gus) he has mad hook ups with getting deals on cars. Tell Gary I sent you as well.

Get in good with these guys and they will take care of you.

Remember JAPAN is expensive.......I played the game as an E4 and E5....and it was rough. 5,000 yen a week in gas adds up quick. S13 Silvia K's, A31 Cefiro, 180SX.....all with 101 octane out on town.

Yokosuka is in a prime location for tuning shops. Learn about how the cars are tuned in Japan, especially the older STi's....Japan has all the knowledge.

 

I believe this is what your looking for in this case:
http://www.speedwaremotorsports.com/seat/child.asp

-Matt

 

Wow hey thanks redstage...its a small world huh. I'll talk to those guys at the autohobby shop...beats paying intall fees out in town i guess. So NO BASE GAS!!!! that will hurt the pocket but i guess its worth it. What places do you recomend for good cheap parts??? I thought japan would have cheap parts but that wasnt really the case when i got here. Things here cost the same if not sometimes more than they do in the states or online.

Anyway.... Thanks for the connections in the autohobby. Gary can find me deals on the ACTUAL cars or on the parts for the cars?

Another question I had is ...Are imprezas a good way to go? I'm leaning towards an early WRX GC8? I dont really know how it differes from the sti version except ofcourse in power and handling.

I'm a nissan NUT and I know nissan is Reliable and durable...subaru is iffy since i have never had experience.

Last question. WHERE DO PEOPLE MEET UP NEAR YOKOSUKA TO DRAG/DRIFT/ROAD RACE???? I have no idea. they dont have to be near...i'm willing to go as far as yokohama but would like to know of any places closer to the base.

Anyways thanks.... and STi-FTW Recaro makes baby seats? Do they make em in red?? LOL

 

I think I'd just be happy having a real GC8. I mean, if it is a junker that you've swapped good drivetrain components into, I can understand keeping the sleeper look. But making the car less attractive so no one knows it is fast just doesn't make any sense to me. You may as well just get a new age impreza impreza and make it look boring. It's a better starting point, IMO. The looks are the only thing that truely makes the GC special when compared to the GD. The GD is the faster car.

~~Quentin

 

Sorry bro...missed your reply.....

Gary should be able to help with both...he has an amazing ability to get stuff from friends out on town.

There are used parts shops around Yokosuka, Yokohama and more near Tokyo....

auctions.yahoo.co.jp is a great place, but you'll need a hook up with an account to buy from it....mine was the JDM Wife....

Imprezas are good. Of course they have tranny issues. In my opinion/experience..... Nissan is stronger in Japan. Owned quite a few. Easy to work on, get parts for....dig up in yards in decent shape. Drifters are always wrecking them (poor Nissan's) but there some good spots in Yokosuka to get good cars from Junkyards.....YES from junkyards.

My 94 180SX I got for $1700.00 from a yard. Only had a bad water pump.

Subaru's tend to be hard to get stuff for. Not a lot of used parts for them.

As for where to meet....things have apparently changed since I was there (2003), and it seems that the local drags are not going on in the same place. Get in good with Gary and he should show you around. He takes getting used too....once you know how he is, you won't stop laughing.....BUT it takes getting used too.....lol