Without warning it begins to drizzle, so we both jump back into the car. I reach back to pull the four-point restraints from the Sparco harness bar and latch them in place. Just as we're leaving, a smoking-hot Puerto Rican chick in a Mercedes SL55 pulls up. I blurt out, "Damn, that's a nice car!"
Bakley glances then says, "I had one of those before."
My mouth drops.
"I got tired of owning a car I couldn't build or modify to reflect my personality. I sold my AMG and put every penny toward the STi. I have no regrets at all."
Bakley's face beams and he cranks up the Alpine IVA-0900 head unit. I yell at the top of my lungs as the music blares through a set of MB Quart component speakers, which are powered through a JL Audio 500/1 mono D-class and 300/4 amplifiers. With every hit of the bass the car shakes and rumbles, thanks in part to a JL W-7 12-inch subwoofer mounted in a custom fiberglass panel.
Cruising comfortably on the freeway, I can't help but notice the abundance of suede covering the interior. I ask Bakley about it. He responds, "While I was waiting for my body kit I came up with some pretty creative ideas for my interior." And creative it was.
Custom suede wraps every conceivable location, from the dashboard, headliner and door panels down to the trunk. In true Subaru-enthusiast fashion, ghosted pink STi logos were stitched in by Synister Customs in Kissimmee, Fla.
As the last sentence leaves Bakley's lips, I see headlights approaching at a frenzied pace. A Mustang with tinted windows paces us.
Bakley turns his audio down as we note the 'Stang's deep growl. The driver quickly stabs at the gas as the Mustang emits a high-pitched whine while lunging forward. It's obvious this V8 is supercharged.
"Look at this joker," I say sarcastically.
Without notice, the Mustang drops gear and quickly takes off.
"Hold on," says Bakley as he follows suit and drops the hammer, engaging the Cusco twin plate clutch and Cusco lightweight billet flywheel. The 2.5-liter boxer engine growls to life as the exhaust lets out multiple shotgun blasts. With his left hand firmly gripping the Momo steering wheel, Bakley works through a Prodrive short shifter as we quickly pursue the Mustang. In lightning quickness, Bakley upshifts to fifth gear as the custom-mounted dual GReddy Type-RS blow-off valves scream to release intake pressure. Once in sixth gear, the heart of the beast, a GReddy T-67 continues to spool, sending a flurry of exhaust pressure through the HKS stainless-steel exhaust manifold and GReddy up-pipe and downpipe combination. Blasting through the freeway, we're now more than six car lengths ahead of the supercharged V8. Bakley remains silent, perhaps in total concentration, as he continually monitors the carbon-fiber gauge pod mounted directly in the line of sight. Clustered in the pod is an array of GReddy silver-face gauges. I look once again, only to realize the 'Stang's headlights are quickly fading. Within seconds Bakley lets off the accelerator as the car begins to slow.