Tuned by Godspeed, the Hydra ECU is a complete plug and play standalone system that completely replaces the stock ECU. Steinbrecher chose to tune this STi in street form, which meant 93 octane fuel with alcohol injection all the time. If the windshield sprayer (now filled with alcohol) runs dry, the cooling effects of the atomized alcohol will disappear and only pump gas remains to keep detonation at bay. Needless to say, Steinbrecher thought it a very important point to place his ilevel lowi indicator dead center in front of the Sparco steering wheel.
Sadly enough for 2.0L WRX owners who scream at the moon about iglass transmissionsi that strip gear teeth at the slightest prod of the throttle, this STi still makes use of its stock six-speed drivetrain. An Exedy twin-plate clutch and flywheel kit provide holding power for 500+ lb-ft of torque and Steinbrecher tells us the clutch pedal feel isn't too far off stock. Beyond that, the only things you wouldn't find at a Subaru dealership are the Fusion oils produced by Top Secret. Coating the motor, the transmission, and the rear end, the Fusion lubricants are full synthetic oils, chemically formulated to coat surfaces with a 5-10 nanometer thick layer of diamond graphite. This coating promises to reduce friction, increase power, and resist breakdown under extreme heat. Sadly for this debt-ridden excuse for a writer, you get what you pay for. Fusion oil isn't cheap.
The suspension has been tightened up and lowered by the Flex coilover offering from popular suspension manufacturer TEIN. Perched on top of the front TEIN camber plates is a STi titanium tower bar, and out back is a Cusco V-mount rear tower bar. Packed to the gills from the factory with a user-adjustable center differential, full-time all-wheel drive, and monster Brembo brakes, the STi doesn't require too many braking or handling upgrades to be able to embarrass expensive European exotica. Although the stock Brembo's remain, Steinbrecher fitted them with Top Secret brake pads and Fusion brake fluid.
Keeping the trend going strong, the inside of this golden beast is enough to make any Impreza owner's heart stop. A pair of carbon-kevlar woven Recaro Tomcat limited edition seats and Takata harnesses provide comfort for the only two passengers the car will see. The backseat has been ripped out and replaced with a three-piece carbon-fiber backing plate by Rally Tech. Based out of England, Rally Tech manufactures carbon-fiber replacements for motorsport use, such as the full carbon-fiber door panels. The Cusco roll cage was custom painted in the same Top Secret gold paint by Steinbrecher and fitted with Cusco side bars. Strapped to the front supports of the Cusco cage are Defi BF fuel and oil pressure gauges, with the boost, EGT, and oil temperature units resting in the center of the dash. The stock six-disc in-dash CD head unit has been dumped in favor of a Pioneer AVIC-N1, although you won't find a single speaker anywhere in this ride. The AVIC-N1 is used solely for navigation purposes, and the only sound system Steinbrecher listens to is a RS*R 3-inch cat-back sound blaster. With the help of his wife Nicole, his parents, Nick Voils, and Jason Dominguez, Eric Steinbrecher has succeeded in his initial goal, to build a 500whp Subaru stomper. With a body clad in gold, an interior clad in carbon-fiber, and an engine clad in abundant horsepower, Steinbrecher can finally rest, confident that he is in fact the ultimate badass. Gold will do that to ya.
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"I WANTED 500WHP AND TORQUE SO THAT WAS THE GOAL, WE MADE 520WHP AND 500FT-LBS"
Behind The Build
Name: Eric & Nicole Steinbrecher
Age: 28
Hometown: Orangevale, Ca
Occupation: Dentist
Hobbies: Cars, Dirt Bikes, Paintball
Build Time: 8 Months
Feedback: esteinbr@iupui.edu
By Joey Leh
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