DSPORT Issue #253
Text by APEworks// Photos by Arthur Malczewski
For the average enthusiast, the impreza marque conjures images oF pilot and co-pilot, sliding sideways around a banked corner or launching with full suspension extension over a jump, four wheels in the air. Subaru’s claim to fame was indeed its prominence in the World Rally Championship where Impreza sedans were seen kicking ass and taking names regularly. To the more learned Subaru enthusiast, however, the Impreza pictured wears two less doors than expected, in a hyper-modified homologation known as the 22B STi. This coupe version of the Pleiadian-badged rally car achieved unobtanium status as The Best Car Ever in Subaru’s racing stable, an honor that many argue it still holds today some two-and-a-half decades later.
Ontario, Canada, resident Maneet Lubana was born right around the time the 22B went through its ultra-limited release, but that didn’t stop him from being enamored with the platform and the Subaru marque in general. “I was always a major Subaru fan,” Lubana explains. “I believe that the 2-door Impreza is the pinnacle of Subaru’s production, although I love and appreciate all of them.” Still, as Lubana’s go-to platform in racing games, the 2-door Impreza was the natural choice when it was time to build a real world project. “I purchased this (Impreza 2.5 RS) from a friend who reached out to me because he knew I was looking for one,” he explained. “It had a tired old EJ253 motor and five-speed transmission; the entire drivetrain was on its way out; and it had a ton of problems, but for $1,000 dollars I decided it was worth fixing and bought it anyway.” Lubana then went down the path of methodically repairing and upgrading practically the entire vehicle.
Lucky Stars
Many of Subaru’s powerplants are known for their ability to produce abundant power from the horizontally-opposed piston configuration, but the naturally-aspirated EJ253 boxer originally found in the 2.5 RS is not one of them. “I can’t afford a 22B STi, nor would I want to modify one if I could afford it,” he explains. “I never really wanted it to be as fast as (a 22B). But I got especially lucky finding a built EJ207 for a fantastic price.”
Whatever the price, the new motivation seems to be well worth the money. Starting with an aftermarket stroker kit, the EJ207 now houses a set of Manley H Tuff pistons and connecting rods that bumps the displacement up from 1,994 cc to approximately 2,100 cc. The crankshaft was lifted from a 2.5-liter STI unit, nitride-treated and then installed into the H4 block, supported by a set of ACL race bearings on friction surfaces. The twin cylinder heads are separated from the block by Cosworth head gaskets and clamped together with the requisite ARP studs. Each head houses a pair of Kelford 264-degree camshafts actuating GSC Beehive valvetrain components. The combustion chambers are fed by an S90 70mm billet throttle body via a version 8 long runner intake manifold on the oxygen side, while Bosch EV14 2,200 cc/min injectors, IAG fuel rails and a DeatschWerks DW400 fuel pump supply the 94-octane liquid part of the stoichiometric equation. The air-fuel symphony is managed by a version 8 STi ECU that has undergone Neetronics fine-tuning.
Tech Support
As an employee of Vibrant Performance, Lubana had access to a number of off-the-shelf products and advice to help complete his build. A GT Customs downpipe feeds spent gasses through a Tial 44mm waste and GT Customs exhaust piping, reaching exit terminus at the Vibrant Performance flat black muffler. On the intake side, GT Customs air induction system starts the intake party while a Vibrant Performance intercooler provides the chill factor. Additional water and cooling facilities are provided by a CSF aluminum radiator and SPAL fans on the water side and a Killer B oil pan, baffle and custom oil pickup in the engine oil cooling area.
The OE pressurizer was replaced by a Garrett GTX3076R Gen 2 turbocharger featuring a 58mm compressor inducer option and a 76mm exhaust. Neetronics tuning once again modulates the boost pressures and, after all is said and done, the new powerplant produces 425 whp at 7,000 rpm with peak torque checking in at 5,000 rpm in the 373 lb-ft range. “My goal for the car was always ‘The Perfect Street Car 22B’, built to serve as a fun street car that can be competitive on track,” Lubana says of the horsepower numbers. “More importantly to me, building a tribute car was the best way to enjoy the look and be able to modify it however I wanted.”
Scoot Suit
“One of the worst moments of the project was discovering the extent of the rust,” Lubana explained. “It had many rust-related issues like a damaged gas tank and fuel filler neck.” To that end, the chassis itself underwent massive repairs to address. “That definitely demotivated me,” he admits. After the repairs were completed, however, Lubana rewarded himself with the top-of-the-wish-list purchase that defined the spirit of the entire build – the 22B body kit. Front and rear bumpers and fenders, side skirts and accessory hood vents and grills found their respective ways onto the 2.5 RS frame. The new 22B skin found company with a 22B replica rear wing, Japanese market head- and taillights and an EZ Lip Pro front lip before the whole package was covered in Sonic Blue Mica.
The exterior functional fashion completed Lubana’s “perfect street car” idea to fruition with a quartet of 18 in by 10 in Volk TE37SLs wrapped in Toyo R888R rubber. The rolling stock supports the chassis via Cusco Street Zero A coilovers at all four corners, while the handling prowess is increased with assorted Cusco chassis-stiffening braces, Whiteline 22mm swaybars and subframe members pilfered from an STI. Similarly, stopping power at all four corners comes from another STI donor car. The cockpit remains street-strip comfortable with Version 9 Spec C seats and steering wheel highlighting the major changes.
Daily Driver
Lubana concludes, “If I had to do it all again, I would definitely try to find a clean chassis to start with since it sucks spending so much money on welding and body repair work and not having it be apparent at all.” Now that it’s complete, the itch to jump into new modifications is already starting to take hold. “I am really fighting myself to hold off on a circuit-style build, with a big wing and splitter, but I have to give it some more thought.” Whichever direction Lubana takes it, it will still be a one-of-a-kind, dime-a-dozen Subaru STI build, and that’s exactly what it should be.
