It happens all too often: Ex-jocks enter the tuner world and all they want are unrealistic power figures. "I'm gonna straight blow your dyno in half bro...EXTREME!!" Yes it's unfortunate that the guy with the biggest turbo is often the same guy who has the smallest...well you get it. But Aaron was smarter than that. He wanted a setup that delivered a powerband suitable for the streets and most importantly, with minimal lag. A complete Perrin rotated turbo kit was the answer. With a Garrett GT30R at the center of attention, it was obvious that this kit was in it for the win. Perrin accompanies the turbo with an orchestra of tubing, including up and downpipes, an equal-length turbo manifold, re-routed intake piping and a large front-mount intercooler. Aaron completed the pressurized circuit with a GReddy Type-RS blow-off valve, to annoy the neighbors, and a TiAL 44mm wastegate that is routed back into the downpipe before exiting out of the Invidia exhaust.
An increase in boost demands more fuel. A Walbro fuel pump increases supply to the Power Enterprise 850cc injectors that are mounted in a Perrin fuel rail. Asking the factory ECU to accept changes of this caliber is complicated. Aaron turned to Turbo XS for help. With an arsenal of products, Turbo XS installed their boost controller, fuel cut defender and five-bar map sensor, which are all controlled by their UTEC engine management system. At the end of a long day of tuning and the installation of a stronger Exedy clutch, Turbo XS managed to squeeze out 411 hp and 419 lb-ft of torque on pump gas. Before putting the hood down, Aaron dressed up the engine bay with a Cusco radiator cap, ARC titanium pulley cover and a Vivid Racing brace that holds down the Optima battery.
The interior of this STI mirrors the game face of its exterior. A Cusco rollcage was bolted in cleanly, leaving plenty of room for Aaron and his girlfriend to go fast and be protected. STIs come from the factory with some of the best seats in the business, but even they didn't cut it for Aaron. Sparco Milano seats wrapped with gray Alcantara were installed and draped with competition harnesses. The stock Momo steering wheel was exchanged with a Sparco unit. Getting in and out of the race seat is easier with the Night Pager hub receiver that can flip up or release the wheel. The new gray seats clashed with the rest of the STI blue so Aaron had the door panels and rear seat custom matched and stitched. Serious about performance, Aaron relocated the comfort controls for the A/C into the glove box to make room for the vitals. In its place, a custom gauge cluster was made to accommodate the Auto Meter Nexus gauges that monitor boost, EGT, oil pressure, water temperature and fuel pressure. A Kart Boy shift knob changed up the look while additional Kart Boy shifter bushings improved the feel. The completion of the interior marked the completion of Aaron's project. Or does it?
After transforming his brand-new STI into the beast you see here, Aaron decided to get another WRX to use as a daily driver. After dumping the leftover STI parts into his new wagon, he now has a backup car that will annihilate a good amount of the competition on the streets. Knowing well that a gearhead can't leave a good thing alone, we give Aaron about a year before the wagon has 400 hp and he needs a new daily driver. Although Aaron has evolved from hot-rods to imports, his passion for performance is unchanged, proving that he indeed does have gas in his veins.