Some things shouldn't be translated. Casablanca, for example, sounds romantic because of the black-and-white movie classic of that name, and exotic because it's a city in far-flung Morocco. "White house" doesn't quite have the same ring. Do-Luck also sounds esoteric. We know it's the brand name of some high-end aftermarket schwag from Japan. It's expensive, exclusive, well-made, and fits right. So calling it "my hobby" (which is what "do-luck" means) seems way too lame. It doesn't do justice to their operation. Nor does it adequately describe Gilbert Lustina's WRX project. Although spending three years and $30,000 on a hobby is not unheard of-builds like these tend to be more labors of love, the realization of a vision.At the tender age of 26, Lustina is no stranger to what has become a rare motor in the USA: the VW Corrado G60. The Corrado is one of the coolest VWs that never wore a GTI badge. The G60 was the 158hp supercharged version, last on sale stateside in 1993. A friend's father had one and that was all it took to introduce Lustina to the wonderful world of torque. He even bought his own G60 as soon as he could.
As the seasons passed, our friend from Bothell, WA, took the Pacific Northwest winters into account when renewing his wheels. Reliability and all-wheel drive seemed like good ideas, but he wasn't willing to give up on forced induction. An '04 Subaru WRX, then, was a no-brainer. It was also the perfect platform for modding. Lustina wanted a daily driver that could provide some fun as well as visual impact. He decided a Do-Luck body kit had to be part of that equation.
In the meantime, there was work to be done on the EJ20 engine. Because greater horsepower was the target, the stock turbocharger was upgraded to an IHI VF34 unit, with a boost controller, front-mount intercooler and associated plumbing coming from Turbo XS. Perrin is also the name on the up- and downpipes, while ARC is the logo on the blow-off valve. More air needs more fuel, and a Walbro 255lph pump and Power Enterprise 800cc/min injectors supply it in bulk. Once the fuel/air charge hits the chamber, it's detonated with NGK Iridium spark plugs, then an Espelir JGT500 exhaust hustles spent gases through its stainless steel system.
Snohomish is not some weird religious sect where even the women have beards and everyone goes around by horse and buggy. It's the town in Washington where Robert and Jayson Crisostomo tuned Lustina's WRX using a Turbo XS UTEC (user-tunable engine computer). While the factory ECU tends to mundane tasks-like hot and cold starts, A/C compensation, and closed-loop fuel control signals-the Turbo XS plug-and-play unit looks after ignition timing and the generally more sexy stuff that goes into making 341 hp at 5,600 rpm and 350 lb-ft of torque at 4,200 rpm.
However, it takes even more parts to make a daily-driven show car. Step forward Gates Racing timing, A/C and alternator belts; ARC titanium pulley cover, radiator shroud and oil catch can; Samco Sport hoses; Tein hood dampers, and an oil pan from a 2.5-liter STI. Respect and props to World One Performance for the engine, transmission, and suspension work.
Before we get to the suspension, though, we'd better stop off at the transmission, because it's never as simple as gaining more power and then driving off into the sunset-that could mash up a stock driveline. Lustina went for a cryogenically treated STI RA gearset, plus a clutch and flywheel from ACT.
If there's one thing Lustina's not afraid of, it's spending money on top-drawer Japanese products-not if a set of Zeal Function-D coilovers is anything to go by. Set 2.5 inches lower than the factory ride height, these Zeals are complemented by Perrin bushings and anti-roll bars, and a Cusco Type OS aluminum front strut brace.
The subject of pricey Japanese parts brings us back to Do-Luck. But since it took eight weeks for the aero kit to cross the Pacific, let's kill time by looking at the frankly beautiful Do-Luck Double Six 17x8.5 wheels with their +43mm offset at the front and +30mm offset at the rear. Clad in 245/40 Nitto Invo rubber, behind them are Brembo STI-model brake calipers with Project Mu slotted and drilled rotors, fed by StopTech stainless steel braided lines.
At last, our ship has docked. Coming out of the crates are a front bumper, side skirts and rear bumper fashioned from fiberglass, and a carbon fiber hood (with a serious scoop) and T2 rear wing. Attaching these pieces was handled by Alki Autobody. Obtaining this kit was the hardest part of the project, not least because paying for it involved putting in plenty of overtime at work.
Team Menace, in conjunction with S&P Designs, took care of the interior. This involved Bride Ergo II front seats and door panels, resplendent in red, along with blue STI carpeting. A custom dash houses an ATI gauge pod and a JDM STI instrument cluster, in front of which is a Sparco Lap 5 steering wheel coupled to an NRG quick-release adapter. A custom-made carbon fiber shift knob sits atop an STI lever, illuminated by under-dash lighting.
Also twinkling behind the car's 35-percent tinted glass are Defi-Link Meter BF amber red gauges and a Defi-Link Control Unit II, wired up by Jayson Crisostomo. He also installed the Alpine Blackbird GPS unit, IW200 DVD player, two PDX 1.100 amplifiers and connected them to Boston Pro 60 6.5-inch speakers, Pro 40 4.5-inch speakers, an Alpine Type-R 10-inch subwoofer, and a Rockford Fosgate one-farad capacitor, using Streetwires cables and plugs throughout.
And so we leave Gilbert Lustina wowing the Bothell populace with his remarkably clean machine, strapped in place with a Takata harness and Sparco harness bar. He's even won a few prizes at local events, including best Subaru. And Lustina's still firmly on an all-wheel-drive kick-he's now considering a Nissan GT-R. Hey, everyone needs a hobby.