"I was halfway to a show in Detroit when Third gear went out," Terry explained. "After a couple shifts, Fifth gear went out ... then Fourth, and finally Second. I ended up driving almost 100 miles to the show in First gear, won, and had to leave the car there for repair." The engine was unharmed, so Terry decided to have the trans sent out to Albins in Australia to be retrofitted with stronger, cryogenically treated internals, before having it sent back to Detroit for reinstallation. After a few weeks, Terry found himself back in the Motor City, behind the wheel of his reinforced WRX ... and stranded on the side of the highway 30 minutes into his trip home. It seems built EJ25s run better when they're filled with oil-something the rookie shop neglected to do upon reassembly.
This time Terry'd had enough. The car was towed back to P&L in Chicago, gutted, and sent across town to Richards Body Shop, where select components were shaved, a unique combination of Japanese and USDM aero parts were added, and the custom Sunburst Orange dress it sits with now was applied to nearly every square inch of its body. Back inside P&L headquarters, Terry commissioned the build of an identical EJ25 block from Elkins Engines, while Paul repeated his previous steps on a fresh pair of heads.
Once the shell was returned, Terry and the P&L crew got to work on the details: A full Endura-tech coilover suspension was added to each corner, coupled with custom PDE camber plates, JDM STI aluminum control arms, and Whiteline adjustable endlinks. Massive 13.5-inch AP Racing and OE STI Brembo brakes were added front and rear, respectively, each on modified 5x100 hubs.
Terry made it a point to handle interior appointments himself, but in sharp contrast to anything he'd built in past 15 years, approached the task focused on functionality and subtlety, rather than luxury and flash. "The more I drove the WRX, the more I realized it wasn't meant for flash," Terry struggled to explain. "It's a driver's car more than a passenger's, and I wanted my interior mods to accentuate that." The stock front recliners were thrown out, and in went a pair of black-on-black Sparco Monzas with matching Sparco cloth applied to the rear seats and door panels. A Sparco steering wheel with quick release hub, and Schroth five-point harness replace the original equipment at shows or when racing, and a Hurst shift knob and PDE adjustable pedals stand-in for stock full-time. Terry's only ICE this time around? Select gauges from Defi and AEM, a Clarion head unit, Dynaudio 7-inch door speakers, and a 7-inch Alpine GPS system resting in the dash-all for the sake of bettering the driving experience. Under the hood, Paul's new power goal-700 whp-mandated the work go a little farther than before. An Innovative GT67 turbo was elected as the power-adder of choice, meaning P&L's 1,600cc fuel system and an AEM EMS had to be employed, along with a grip of custom bits to allow the new powerplant and chassis to work toward their full potential.
Anyone who has had the pleasure of meeting P&L's Paul Szuba in person will understand the unique societal classifications that apply to him. The most applicable of which, is "dedicated."
Paul ran his business by day, and cut, welded and wrenched Terry's WRX together by night, fabricating a 4-inch intake, 3-inch downpipe and exhaust, and a trick reversed intake manifold adapter that allowed for shortened, custom 3-inch intercooler piping. He machined a high-flow oil pump to provide even more vital lubricant to the EJ25's rotating assembly, and fabbed a custom coolant expansion tank to help it stay cool more efficiently. Most impressive are his handmade eight-point, 9-second NHRA legal cage, Simpson drag chute mount, and custom aluminum/carbon-fiber drag wing; finishing touches that guarantee consistent First Place performance on the track, street (don't tell the Chicago P.D.), and show alike.