TRUE GRIPTrue Grip is the official magazine of the Subaru Impreza Drivers Club

P36T5NYW TRIES AND THEN BUYS SUBARU’S NEW STI320R!

P24READER’S RIDES: P1 #007

P26MATTY WR1’S AUTOEXPRESS PHOTOSHOOT

P14TEAM JAPSPEED SCOOBY

FEATURES

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TRUE GRIPTrue Grip is the official magazine of the Subaru Impreza Drivers Club

CONTENT 3 Editor’s Intro

4 Autoglym Giveaway

5 Chairman’s Intro

6 Regional Organisers

7 Photo Competition

8 News

11 Track Day Calendar

12 VF Racing & SIDC

13 Best of the Web

14 FEATURE: STi320R Driven

18 Reader’s Rides

22 FEATURE: JapSpeed Impreza

28 FEATURE: Japfest 2011

32 FEATURE: Autoexpress WR1

36 Technical: Header Tank Mod

43 Members’ Discounts

After announcing in the last issue that True Grip would now be available in print as well as digitally I had no idea of the interest it would generate and I’m very happy to tell you that issues are scattered across the globe as well as the UK. We couldn’t have done it without our readers so thank you all, your support and encouragement is always appreciated!Moving onto this issue and we’ve yet another exclusive in the form of

the first published interview with Team JapSpeed’s Steve ‘Baggsy’ Biagioni since the theft of the team’s RWD drift Impreza from Santa Pod and the social media tour de force that ensued!We also joined SIDC veteran T5NYW as he test drove Subaru’s new STi320R - I think it’s pretty safe to say that we were all impressed, none more so than Tony but I’ll let you read the article yourselves before I go spoiling the outcome! ;)Thanks to the lovely people at Autoglym, we’ve 4 of their excellent Aqua Wax Kits to give away so be sure to check that out.We’ve also got our JapFest 2011 photo gallery round up and SIDC member Matty WR1 gives us an insight into having your car featured as he takes his pride and joy along to an Autoexpress photoshoot.I would also like to draw your attention to our campaign to give a scooby mad young lad with cerebral palsey (Jake, 7) the ultimate scooby day to remember! You can read the details at http://bit.ly/mGKfQh but if can help in any way, be that by donating some goodies or by coming along on the day it would be very much appreciated! That and you’ll feel all warm and fuzzy after! Lastly, and I know I’m likely preaching to the converted but don’t forget you can buy True Grip in print at through HP’s MagCloud at www.magcloud.com/user/truegrip

Stu MasonEditor, True Grip

PRE LOADINGEditor, true grip

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WIN ONE OF FOUR AUTOGLYM AQUA WAX KITS

Aqua Wax is specially formulated to impart a brilliant smear-free finish on ALL exterior surfaces, even when the vehicle is wet. The immediate benefit is that there is no need to dry the car between washing and polishing.

“ Real easy to use, great finish. Excellent shine! Will buy more. 10/10”

Aqua Wax is suitable for all paint types including metallics, as well as rubber, plastic and glass.

How to enter:To be in with a chance of winning one of four autoglym aqua wax kits (RRP £13.99), just email your details to stu@sidc.co.uk with the subject: AutoglymClosing date 30th July 2011

competition

TRUE GRIPTrue Grip is the official

magazine of the Subaru Impreza Drivers Club

Cover Image: Stu Mason

Editor: Stu Mason (stum450n) Deputy Editor: Rachel Keir

(little green goblin)

Advertising Sales: Kay Scott, KJS Advertising.

T: 01943 461679 E: kjsadvertising@btinternet.com

Designed & Produced by: Stu Mason

E: stu@sidc.co.uk www.stumason.com

Published by: SIDC, PO BOX 26334, Clarkston, Glasgow G76 6BB

Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without prior permission

of the Editor. Opinions expressed are those of the authors and not the SIDC.

All contributions, whether they bear the names, initials or pseudonyms, are

accepted on the understanding that the author is responsible for the opinions

expressed and that they do not necessarily reflect or comply with those of the publisher or editor.

Although every care is taken, the publisher, designer and editor cannot be held responsible for loss or damage to

material submitted. Whilst every care is taken to ensure contents are accurate,

the publisher and editor assume no responsibility for any effects arising

from errors or omissions. Acceptance of material is not a guarantee of

publication in any particular issue, since space is often at a premium.

The publisher and editor cannot guarantee to return

original material and photographs.

© SIDC 2011

What a packed issue we have this month, I really wonder where Stu gets the time pull everything together.

On the show front we had a great stand at Japshow and a big thanks to Subaru UK for supplying the Pro-R trailer for the show. Modified Live at Knockhill saw one of the biggest Scottish stands in recent years with nearly 30 cars, something we hope to build on in future.Modified Live at Knockhill also Jon Mathers in the Pro-R Impreza take his first podium place with Third in Club Pro Class. The double header at Brands Hatch saw the team take First Place in Round One and Second in Round Two which is a great achievement for their first year in Time Attack, they have also taken the SIDC fastest Subaru Trophy in each round so far.VF Racing have had continued success a change of series to the Nippon Challenge, Vaughan was First in class and First overall in the both races and repeated First in class at the rounds five and six at Mallory park in the Classic Thunder Championship.

Last month also saw the shocking theft of the Japspeed Drift Impreza and it was really good news that it was recovered so quickly with the help of the online car community (more on that later!)On Committee news Dale (TheFastOne) has

stood down as co-club secretary and RO Coordinator we’d like to thank him for all his work as Aberdeen RO over the years and his help on the committee over the last six months. Glyn (Ballistic) has taken on all the Club Secretary duties and we are pleased to welcome Dave (Scooby222) as new RO Coordinator. Dave has been Inverness and Highlands RO for a number of years and we’re sure he’ll be great addition to the team.We were also pleased to announce that True Grip was available in print again something that some members had been asking for. Remember it’s your club so any suggestions to help the club are always welcome.Hopefully I’ll meet a few of you at the next rounds of Time attack and remember to check out the shop for great deals on tickets for Rally Day and Total Japfest.Remember drive safe.

Robert AllanClub Chairman

PACE NOTESsidc club chairman

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Total Sound Protection

www.noisekiller.co.ukTel: 0161 652 7080 Fax: 0161 652 4448Unit 7, Parkside Ind Estate, Edge Lane Street, Royton, Oldham, OL2 6DS

Each car soundproofing kit (available from £120 incl. VAT) has been custom designed for the vehicle and uses a combination of materials to ensure maximum noise reduction for each area of the vehicle. Fitting a car soundproofing kit will reduce engine noise, road and tyre noise, exhaust noise and vehicle body vibrations leading to not only a quieter vehicle but helping to give a more comfortable ride for both driver and passengers.

DIY or fitted by our engineers, you’ll be amazed at the results! We offer a nationwide fitting service for all our kits or you can visit our factory in Manchester.

SPECIAL OFFER: 25% OFF FACTORY INSTALLATION (NORMALLY £120 NOW JUST £90) ON ANY FULL CAR SOUNDPROOFING KIT.

Bedfordshire Kip Chris Kirby 07921 909 989 Kipper7_1@msn.com

Devon j wrx tonkins Jamie Tonkins 07725 738658 jtonkins@live.co.ukphil r Phil Reed reedparks37@aol.com

Essex BRI4N Brian Stott 07828 164669 bri4n333@googlemail.com

Hampshire amahrap Andy Parham 07795 296902 amahrap@aol.com

Harrogate sl0959 Paul Greenwood 07530 166242 pag7110@yahoo.co.uk

North West Diablo_Blaze Andy Gill 07768 595756 diablo@cadscoobies.com

Oxfordshire Big ‘D’ Iain Duncan 07961 614452 whitenoise350@sol.com

Somerset/Whiltshire Bailey73 Darren Coombs 07854 521728 Bailey.73@btinternet.com

Worcestershire & Herefordshire andy scoob Andy Winter 07821 663551 andrewwinter@live.co.uk

Channel IslandsJD Steve Forrest 07825 502294 steveforrest222@msn.com

Aberdeenshire supremeweb Blair Nichols 07717 598841 sidc@supremewebsolutions.com

Edinburgh/Lothian’s Gus the Bus Angus Duncan 07725 840363 Gus@sidc.co.uk

Glasgow/Strathclyde STI Pretender Robert Allan 07581 068641 Robert@sidc.co.uk

Central Scotland rallye 6 Brian Smith 07979 708118 brian.smith22@btinternet.com

Central Scotland tommytcut Tam Mellon 07847 131660 tammellon@hotmail.com

Dundee BalliSTIc Glyn McCrickard 07739 036929 glyn@sidc.co.uk

Inverness / Highlands Scooby222 Dave Shanks 07768 230461 dave222@tiscali.co.uk

Scottish Borders cruz104 John McBay 07721 433848 blurxc@tiscali.co.uk

Lanarkshire badbaz Barry McGowan 07831 638482 badbaz@sidc.co.uk

Fife Irish Al Alan Shaw 07843 606577 irishal555@yahoo.co.uk

Morayshire Scooby Doom Pete Stanton 07758 959550 razorback.haggis@btinternet.com

=============================

No local group in your area? Interested in starting one?Contact Dale or Glyn, Regional Organiser Co-ordinators

Subaru Impreza Drivers ClubPO BOX 26334,Clarkston,GlasgowG76 6BB

or email glyn@sidc.co.uk dale@sidc.co.uk

=============================

REGIONAL ORGANISERSthe ro team

The latest winners from October to January in our monthly photo competition. To take part or view any of the entries, visit the SIDC Monthly Photo Competition section of the forums.

LATEST WINNERSsidc photo competition

TORPEDOMAD1 May: Things are looking up

BMWHERE? April: Buttons

SALSA-KING June: Games

TRUE GRIP 7

NEWSSUBARU SMASHES ISLE OF MAN LAP RECORDThe long-standing road-car lap record for the Isle of Man TT circuit has been comprehensively smashed in a production-spec Subaru WRX STI saloon. In his very first run around the challenging 37.8-mile course, former British Rally Champion Mark Higgins posted a blistering lap time of 19 minutes and 56.7 seconds, translating to an average speed of 113mph. The peak speed achieved during the lap was 162mph.Higgins’ time is more than two minutes faster than the previous record, set by the late Tony Pond 21 years ago to the day (on 6 June 1990), at the wheel of an Rover 827 Vitesse. Pond was the first to break the average 100mph barrier in a road car, and his lap record has stood ever since.

The TT event organisers gave Higgins just one lap to conduct his record attempt in the car, and there was no opportunity to carry out high speed practice runs. The WRX STI used for the record breaking run was a standard Subaru production car, equipped with a 300PS Horizontally-Opposed Boxer engine, unmodified brake callipers and with road-legal Pirelli P Zero Trofeo tyres. Springs and dampers were adjusted to minimise any potential damage when the car encountering the various bumps and jumps at high speed along the course.In recognition of the speeds involved, and the fact that there are little or no crash barriers around most of the TT road circuit, the WRX STI was fitted with some

TRUE GRIP 8

essential safety enhancements. These included an MSA-specification T45 integrated roll cage, TRS race harnesses and a Lifeline extinguisher system. To help forewarn spectators of the presence of the oncoming car, the Subaru team also fitted the WRX STI with a high-decibel exhaust.

“Setting the record was both the most exhilarating and the most frightening thing I have ever done,” explains Higgins, whose career as a driver in the British and World Rally Championships hasn’t exactly been short of excitement. “The rules allow for a flying start, so I crossed the line at 125mph. I then went down through the Bray Hill junction – normally taken at around 20mph – at over 150mph. Once that tricky section was out of the way I settled into the lap and quickly got used to the balance and sheer pace of the car.“In the end the lap was simply fantastic, and the WRX STI behaved impeccably,” explains Higgins. “That we managed to set such an impressive time at our first attempt is a great tribute to the Subaru, especially given that so few modifications have been made. The engine pulled incredibly strongly throughout and the cornering capability proved crucial on such a twisty, unforgiving course.”The TT crowds got fully behind the record attempt, reports Higgins. “The atmosphere out on the circuit was incredible, especially once the spectators heard over the PA system that we were in the process of setting a new record. I could hear the cheers in the car and it really added to the experience.”

The WRX STI is currently available from all Subaru dealers with free satellite navigation and a free power upgrade, taking the power output to a blistering 320PS – more than enough, no doubt, to break the Isle of Man record yet again.

The outright lap record on the TT course was set in 2009 by John McGuinness on a Honda CBR1000RR ‘Fireblade’ motorcycle. McGuinness posted a time of 17 minutes and 12.3 seconds, equivalent to an average speed of 131mph.The WRX STI will continue unchanged in the UK for the foreseeable future.

“ That we managed to set such an impressive time at our first attempt is a great tribute to the Subaru, especially given that so few modifications have been made”

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Subaru claimed an impressive class win at the infamous 24 Hour Nürburgring race last weekend, setting a blistering pace and achieving unbeatable levels of reliability during what is arguably the world’s toughest motor race.The WRX STI tS, prepared by Subaru Tecnica International, completed 142 laps (approx 3,603km) in 24 hours - 76km further than the car covered in the keenly-fought 2010 race. The WRX STI tS finished first in the SP3T class ahead of some notable race-proven machinery, including Team Raeder Mortorsport’s Audi TT S, Kissling Motorsport’s Opel Astra GTC and Michael Kraus’ Mitsubishi Lancer CTO.Starting on Saturday 25 June in wet conditions, the car was driven around the circuit by Toshihiro Yoshida, who has taken part in the Nürburgring 24-Hour race every year since 2008, and Kouta Sasaki, who competes in Japan’s Super GT series with a Subaru Legacy. Dutchman Carlo van Dam and Germany’s Marcel Engels completed the four-man team.

The Nürburgring 24-Hour is widely regarded as one of Europe’s most demanding races, combining both the Grand Prix circuit and the legendary Nordschleife course. The gruelling event attracted more than 210 entrants this year, including some of the best European touring cars.Hideharu Tatsumi, General Manager of STI’s Vehicle Experiment Department and Team Manager for the 24-hour race, said: “As always, taking part in this race presents an enormous challenge, and our team has put in a mammoth effort to fight against some of the world’s best cars. In our third year of racing in the SP3T class, it’s clear that we have come a long way. Our success in 2011 stands as testament to the fundamental capability of the WRX STI, and that STI’s direction in creating cars is not wrong,” Tatsumi continued.Based on the standard Subaru WRX STI, the tS competition vehicle has been developed with a focus on weight-saving, improved aerodynamics and performance upgrades on its EJ20 turbo engine.

SUBARU TAKES HOME CLASS WIN IN GRUELLING NURBURGRING 24 HOUR RACE

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events calendarsidc track day

In an apparent u-turn in their decision making, the Government’s Transport Select Committee have agreed to re-open its inquiry into the cost of motor insurance, in the light of further concerns about the rising cost of premiums.The Committee has called Jack Straw MP to give oral evidence [about bloody time to we hear you all cry!] Mr Straw has published a paper on the rising cost of premiums which covers many of the issues raised by the Committee’s 2011 report which includes the recent increase in the number of personal injury claims resulting from motor accidents, the referral fees paid by solicitors and others to manage aspects of the claims process, and the role of claims management companies.Committee Chair Louise Ellman MP today said “Motorists continue to suffer as premiums increase and there is mounting evidence that the insurance industry itself is part of the problem. Jack Straw’s research is a powerful contribution to the debate and as well as hearing what he has to say I will want to hold the insurance industry and the Government to account”.The meeting will take place in the autumn, date to be announced, and other witnesses will be called.So it’s hardly anything we didn’t know already and doesn’t exactly take a rocket scientist to work out but it’s something and right now, with talk of further increases down the line, any hope is better than none at all!

TRANSPORT COMMITTEE REOPEN CAR INSURANCE INQUIRY OVER SOARING COSTS

Sat 29th July: Cadwell Park - full circuit. £149 (members), £179 (non members), £119 (first timers)

Sat 20th Aug: Castle Combe £149 (members), £179 (non members), £119 (first timers)

Sat 24th Sept: Snetterton £159 (members), £189 (non members), £139 (first timers)

Fri 11th Nov: Oulton Park £129 (members), £149 (non members), £119 (first timers)

Extras:

Garage space for one car at Snetterton £10 Must be paid in advance

Garage space for one car at Oulton Park £10 Must be paid in advance

Additional drivers: £35pp (can be paid on the day)

Passengers: £10pp (can be paid on the day)

For full details please check in the Track Days and National Events section on the forum at

http://bit.ly/kfGDkw

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It has been well over a year since the team last visited Mallory Park, and a lot has changed in that time, for both the circuit and the car.With a new tarmac surface, and considerable ground works having taken place, we were looking forward to seeing how the combination of a fresh track and a revised car faired.The Leicestershire circuit was playing host to the annual CTCRC festival, which had moved north from Lydden Hill in Kent for this year’s event.With the weather being decidedly “wet” tyre choice would be critical. With two heavy down pours prior to qualifying, the track conditions were changing by the hour. With rain falling in the distance, and time running out we had to make a decision.With a damp track, and the possibility of further showers during the session, we opted to run with the Toyo 888 tyres and a wet setting on the suspension. Only our lap times would tell if we’d made the right choice.With the circuit still holding onto a bit of moisture, the set up on the car worked well initially.

Towards the end of qualifying, the tyres were beginning to loose traction when pushed through Gerrards and the Esses, so we knew we’d got our best time recorded. WHEN THE RESULTS CAME IN:Qualified 1st in class (6th overall)Fastest lap: 52.262 sec on lap 16 of 16 Back in the paddock, the tyre temperatures and pressures indicated that the set up hadn’t been working at its best, so there was still some more to come from the car. As the races were taking place the next day, we would wait to see what the conditions were before making any set up changes.The telemetry was downloaded from the data logger, which showed our lap times were consistent, with overlays showing almost the same data on each lap.After the first results were published, the driver on pole was later disqualified, which moved Vaughan to 5th on the grid.

ROUND 5:With the weather looking like staying fine, it was decided that we would be running the slicks for round 5.The suspension was set to allow for a better turn in around Gerrards, and the rest of the preparation was thankfully limited to just adding enough fuel for the race.Due to the original pole man being dq’d, we now lined up on the inside of the grid, behind Neil Philpotts in his Evo engined Starion, alongside Martin Davies in his Sierra Cosworth (who is 2nd in class A4) and in front of Joss Ronchetti in the Sunbeam Lotus.The grid followed the safety car around on the formation lap in readiness for the rolling start. With Brett in the Porsche dictating the pace of the rolling start, everyone held their position until the red lights went out.With the lead 4 cars ahead and charging, we tucked in behind Whittaker in the BMW M3 holding off any advances from behind.Cleanly around Gerrards for the first time, the pack was quickly becoming strung out, with Winstanley, Robinson, Philpotts and Whittaker streaking off towards the Esses.Ronchetti had dispatched Davies to sit in 6th place behind us and was charging to catch and pass us.For half a dozen or so laps, we held a lead over Ronchetti and the Sunbeam, until an Alfa back marker decided to let go right in from of Vaughan which boxed his route and allowed Joss to capitalise and drive around the outside at Gerrards. Traffic now played a major part in the race with slower cars making overtaking difficult and costing Vaughan dearly in terms of time. By the time he was passed, Joss had pulled a good lead out, and we knew barring any mishaps, we would be finishing the race where we stood.Finished 1st in class (4th overall)Fastest lap: 49.118 on lap 21 of 25 (Fastest lap in class)

VF RACING UPDATEVF-RACING ‘CLASSIC THUNDER’ 18TH/19TH JUNE @ MALLORY PARK

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BEST OF THE WEB

OUR ROUNDUP OF THE MOST INTERESTING, USEFUL AND OFTEN BIZARRE THINGS WE’VE FOUND ONLINE.

SPOTTED SOMETHING SPECIAL? Email: stu@sidc.co.uk

McRae Legacy RS Oh. My. God. It sounds soooo good!

Colin McRae flat-out as ever with his Legacy RS in the twisty tarmac roads of Tour de Corse Rally Corsica 1993 http://bit.ly/iwlNnY

World Record Jump Tanner Foust’s World Record Jump

Tanner Foust of Team Hot Wheels breaks the world record for distance jump in a four-wheeled vehicle at the Indianapolis 500http://bit.ly/li928C

Evo/Impreza smash Polish Rally stage carnage (Grrrr!)

Evo crashes off on a Polish Rally stage - unfortunately straight into the side of an Impreza innocently sat at the side of the track - evil, evil Evo, bad puppy!http://bit.ly/kwnf92

Rally Crashes 2010

A round up of 2010’s most spectacular rally crashes - standout roll at 2:17 - poor scoob (driver was okay though!)http://bit.ly/j5buS5

Back in the paddock, the suspension settings from the morning had proved to work well, but there was still room for improvement.

ROUND 6:Looking to the skies, we were going to stay running with the slicks for round 6.A couple of adjustments to the tyre pressures and the front suspension were all that were needed before we headed out for the grid.Now on the outside of the grid and with Joss alongside us, we knew it would be a fight to get ahead going into the first corner.With race 1 winner Whittaker and Robinson in his Ford Falcon on the front row, we were looking for them to make the break when the lights went out.With the race underway, the thunderous Falcon powered ahead with Whittaker, Ronchetti and then the Subaru tucking into the train that was leading the race.Down the back straight, the sheer pace of Robinson couldn’t be matched and he quickly got into pulling out a commanding lead. Keith Butcher in the Super Touring Primera was now behind us followed by Kev Wendt in his V8 BMW, although neither seemed to be closing.

Having failed to finish race one due to a broken throttle cable, the Porsche of Winstanley was charging through from the back of the grid, and we could see he was closing at a pace. Coming out of Gerrard’s at just over half distance he made his move to pass. Getting out of shape as he got on the gas, Vaughan gave him the space he needed to pass going into the Esses.A couple of laps later, he made the same move on Ronchetti, but in doing so he clipped the rear of the Sunbeam, spinning off in the process and firing Joss into the Armco just before the Esses.With Joss coming to a standstill in the middle of the track, meant the red flags came out and the grid was brought into Parc Ferme while the debris was cleared away.The race was restarted behind the safety car and with us in 3rd place behind Robinson and Whittaker.On the restart we held position from Butcher who was quickly on the inside looking for a way through, and continued to the flag in the same formation.

FINISHED 1ST IN CLASSFINISHED 3RD OVERALLFASTEST LAP: 49.601 ON LAP 3 OF 8 (FASTEST LAP IN CLASS).

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UNLIKE MOST PERFORMANCE CARS?THERE’S BEEN A LOT SAID RECENTLY ABOUT SUBARU’S STI 320R UPGRADES [PARTICULARLY AS THE NEW WRX STI 320R COMES WITH ADDED POWER AND SATNAV AT NO ADDED COST] WE TAGGED ALONG AS SIDC’S VERY OWN DRIVING LEGEND, TONY WALLS TEST DROVE BOTH THE STI320R SALOON AND HATCHBACK MODELS...

WORDS T5NYW IMAGES stum450n

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I’ve been thinking about a new car as a replacement for my current Litchfield Type 20 for some time now and having looked at my options, I was keen to test drive Subaru’s 2011 saloon STi. With that in mind, I decided to arrange a test drive at Cross Roads Subaru in Warwickshire, (home of Subaru’s Pro-R Time Attack car). At the time I rang they didn’t have a saloon demonstrator ready but Elliott Cartwright (Sales Director) couldn’t have been more helpful and ensured they had one on site for when we managed to fit a date in my busy

around at all the cars on display we were welcomed by Elliot, complete with a rather lovely cup of coffee, before being given an insight into the dealership’s long ties with Subaru [Cross Roads have been selling Subarus in Warwickshire since I was in nappies... literally! - Stu]. He also gave us the guided tour of the workshops and the Pro-R Time Attack car which was a very nice touch; it’s great to see what’s behind such a nice, posh facade. This sort of customer service reminded me very much of Listers Subaru, Worcester [now a Lexus dealership] who looked after my two previous UK Subaru Impreza’s.Elliot explained that despite me expecting just the one car, he had in fact arranged two saloons and a hatch for me to test drive - one standard saloon with only 20 miles on the clock in standard STi guise (not yet a 320R), a saloon 320R with more PRO-R goodies than you could shake a stick at (Stage 2 engine tuning, AST coilovers, Alcon(?) brake upgrade and 19” wheels. I didn’t really feel happy taking out a brand new car out as everything is a bit tight and wouldn’t be a realistic back to back test so I opted to take an STi320R hatch demonstrator and the Pro-R fettled (Stage 2) saloon.The 320R hatch looks similar to other standard STi’s with maybe some cosmetic changes, I didn’t notice. The 320R is essentially an STi with a remap, 18” wheels and Satnav as standard. Elliot did explain that bar form having no “boot” this would feel and handle the same as a new 320R saloon. With Elliot driving the three of us set off in the 320R hatch first. The cabin was a really nice place to be, very comfortable even Stu piled in the back with all his camera gear commented how comfortable the car was, even in the back. Elliot showed us a nice quite route that runs part way along what is known as ‘The Fosseway‘ [an Iron Age Roman Road that ran between Exeter and Lincon - Stu] with a nice mixture of Dual Carriageways, typical poor

schedule! Although an appointment is not normally needed it suited us both better this way. Having posted on the SIDC forums that a saloon test drive was booked, Stu (True Grip Editor), asked if he could come along and do an article about my experiences with the new model(s). With the test drive date sorted I thought I better ask if they minded the added distraction and, helpful as ever, Elliot agreed.On the day, and after a drive across from Herefordshire, I met up with Stu and we drove together to the dealership. After having a good look

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A-Roads and B-Roads. On the B-Road there was a nice twisty section and a pair of “S” bends which meant I could really try out the handling without going ever over the speed limit. We headed back to the route start and I changed seats with Elliot - my turn to drive...I got more than I bargained for when I jumped in - the front adjustable seats were a dream to get a perfect drivers position - even for my odd shape. The steering wheel was more like an F1 car with loads of gismos that I could play with albeit at a much later date as for now, there was driving to be done! We headed down the Dual Carriageway which gave me the opportunity to safely try a 5-70mph acceleration run. The 320R 2.5ltr engine had good torque and responded very well - particularly for having three fully grown adults piled in. Personally I would have loved a more refined exhaust note - one perhaps like the 330s I tried last year. The standard Spec C suspension was firm and gave similar comfort level to my Type 20 on ASTs. Soon we entered the B-Road section which I had really been looking forward to. We went through a pair of “S” bends at about 50mph and it was immediately clear that the Spec C suspension certainly handles better than a 2010 hatch but it does still suffers from a certain amount of body roll. I thought that even the 320R could use a little more traction out of the corner but that may well have just been me missing some of the extra horse power that I have been spoilt with in my 350bhp 8,000rpm Type 20. That said, we were feeling the bumps more now we were off the A-Road and Stu in the back seat said he was struggling to get pin-sharp photos through the “S’s”.We made our way back to the Dealership and parked up the hatch, jumping straight inyp the 320R Saloon with loads of Pro-R goodies thrown at it. This would be little unfair to

compare this to a 320R but it would be a far closer comparison to my 2006 Type 20’s Specifications. We did a nice steady run of the route to warm up the car and I instantly noticed the exhaust note and the extra torque.

Out on the Dual Carriageway I was pleasantly surprised by the comfort -normally back seat comfort is a trade off with coilovers but Stu was quick to give it a thumps up [Honestly, I was astounded by the low-speed ride quality. For a ‘tuned’ car with uprated suspension, it was one of the most comfortable back seat rides

I’ve had!]. The engine had plenty of low down grunt, particularly for 5th and 6th gear touring. With approximately 370bhp this car unleashed is an animal yet more than usable as a daily drive and importantly, sounded great!

Now on the B-Road I could really try out the Pro-R goodies!! The road bumps are still not as noticeable as I’m used to with coilovers so I was a little wary this maybe just too soft to handle well... Travelling through the pair of “S” bends it was well planted with very little body roll and GREAT grip - to the point that I nearly exceeded the speed limit. The car seemed far more balanced when compared to the standard 320R. Even Stu said he had no problem taking pictures during the twisty section.

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MY CONCLUSIONSI personally prefer the shape of the Saloon to the Hatch-back. The Boot is a little shallow and a shame the hinges still go into boot space. The only things I would change immediately on the 320r would be the suspension and exhaust as you may find the standard Spec C suspension a bit too harsh, particularly if like me you do most of your driving on pot-holed ridden B-Roads. I must be getting old though as I reckon looks better without the WRC spoiler... I have opted for a more discrete low level spoiler.Overall this car feels like a return to form for Subaru with both models handling comparably to the bug and blobeye STis and whilst the two cars were quite a way apart in terms of specifications, both would have absolutely no trouble out-performing most other cars on the road!The ‘standard 320R is a fantastic car in its own right but I think it’s worth sharing my thoughts on some of the Pro-R upgrades that were on the Saloon...EXHAUST UPGRADE I think most enthusiasts will require this to improve the “Burble” and match the car’s bark to its bite!

POLY BUSH UPGRADE A worthwhile investment to improve the handling (although like I say, it’s far from bad to start with!).AST SUSPENSION In my humble opinion this doesn’t fall into the “nice to have” category - more a necessity. Even if you pootle along like you’re driving Miss Daisy and never go over 50mph I would recommend you get Coilovers. With this option you’ll retain comfort at ALL speeds and at faster speeds a stable, planted car.STAGE 2 UPGRADES 377bhp upgrade is a nice to have - personally I would just get the 320R and use the throttle more and the brake less.PRO-R ALCON BRAKE UPGRADE They will work for much longer periods than the standard Brembo’s but most of us mortal drivers will never stretch the Brembo’s to their limit.

Although the AST and Stage 2 upgrades make for more rapid point to point progress, it’s well worth pointing out that these Cross Roads-specific options fall outside of the warranty umbrella offered by the forthcoming Pro-R range - a point that needs considering on a brand new car. With ex-Prodrive technical guru Mike Wood now behind Subaru UK’s tuning brand, we’re told that 100% warranty-friendly versions of these enhancements aren’t too far down the road...

So, the all important question - would I buy one? Well actually, yes! My Type 20 is sold and I’ve just put the deposit down on an STi 320R saloon in San Remo red! Now I just need to win the lottery to fit all the Pro-R goodies on! If you’re a little more patient than me, you might want to bide your time and wait for the warranty approved mods…’

Tony

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It’s not often we have celebrities gracing the pages of True Grip but when we heard of a very special P1 having just resurfaced in rural Oxfordshire, we had to find out some more...The chances are, you’ve all seen this very car many, many times before - this particular P1 has a very interesting heritage and is as close to celebrity as an Impreza’s likely to get.

You see, this P1 was one of two cars used in the press fleet for the launch of the mighty P1. Almost every TV motoring journalist of the late 90’s has driven this car - from Vicki Butler-Henderson and Tiff Needell on Fifth Gear to Clarkson and the Top Gear crew (and Tiff again!). Add to the list a plethora of magazines, promo drivers, test drives and the abuse at the hands of each and every one of them,

you quickly start to get an idea why the very existence of this car on UK roads is somewhat of a miracle! This isn’t something that phases new owner Felix79 - in fact it was one of the attractions to the car. You look at any of Subaru or Prodrive’s press photographs, it’s this car - search YouTube, it’s this car and no other car can offer that! The P1 was a very special car to start with but

IMPREZA P1 BUILD NUMBER 007

felix79's

READER’S RIDESsidc member cars

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the very fact that this particular car has withstood the test of time (and all that abuse) is testament to quite how right Subaru and Prodive got it when they launched the P1!Okay, so the car’s on it’s second gearbox and had an engine rebuild before it was released back into general population and whilst this is no show car, it’s a daily driver and with the love and attention

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sidc READERS RIDES

Just send 4/5 high-resolution images and a brief spec of your ride to stu@sidc.co.uk

WANT A FEATURE?

she’s receiving at the hands of owner Felix79, she’s likely to be showing her face a lot more regularly from now on!Besides, who else can boast that they’ve video evidence of Vicki Butler-Henderson squealing with excitement in the front seat of their car eh!?!

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SUBARU’S PRO-R ATTACK ON THE AFTERMARKET

world exclusive

WORDS stum450n IMAGES Darren Coombs

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Now let’s be honest – who can say that they’ve watched Fast & Furious Tokyo Drift and not had the slightest inclination to give it a go? I’m sure there’s not that many of us and the only thing stopping us is that we own Subarus with AWD and not RWD Nissans, but to a team of the calibre of JapSpeed this was seen as a challenge, not an impossibility and their Hawkeye drift Impreza was born!

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So it was with much excitement that Kim (Frenchy) and I set off for Kings Lynn for Round 2 of the BDC with the promise of passenger laps in the Subaru ringing in our ears. For those of you who follow the BDC you will already know that at Castle Combe the previous weekend the JapSpeed team had had an unfortunate incident resulting in Steve (Baggsy) Biagioni’s Impreza suffering pretty severe front end damage after colliding with another car on track and they’d had to work pretty much flat out for several days (and into the night) to make sure it was repaired and ready for Round 2. I have to admit to watching the footage before I went just to make sure it wasn’t caused by driver error, I like to know that I’m getting into a car with a reasonably sensible driver to say the least! But luck was not on our side that day, we arrived at the gate to be told that the Impreza was “out of action” – bang went our passenger laps! All

was not lost though as Baggsy still made it through to finish 8th in the Super-Pro class and Kim and I witnessed some awesome driving from all of the BDC drivers that day.

Not one to fall at the first hurdle, two weeks later I was heading to Essex Arena with my ticket for passenger laps with Baggsy firmly clasped in my hand, admittedly it wasn’t likely to be in the Subaru

but I was going to get a taste of “proper” drifting at long last. However, my run of bad luck raised its ugly head once again as the car being used for the passenger laps decided to develop an “issue” with the front nearside wheel namely that it pretty much fell off after just a few laps! At this point I started to convince myself that I was jinxed where Team JapSpeed

WORDS RACHEL KIER (Little Green Goblin) IMAGES STUM450N/TEAM JAPSPEED

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and their Impreza were concerned. Credit where it’s due though, after approximately half an hours wait and a couple of phone calls three BDC cars drove into the arena to take myself and the two other guys who had also booked passenger laps out so all was not lost. At this point I would like to say a really big thank you to Belinda Challis for

being my “knight” in shining armour – she was amazing and made drifting look far easier than I’m sure it really is. I was so excited by the experience that I spent the entire journey home trying to convince my partner that it was a really good idea to convert his STi Type R into a drift car!

So home again and it was back to the drawing board. I had an article that needed writing and the

JapSpeed Impreza was proving to be a little elusive to say the least, surely my luck had to change soon?

Unfortunately it was not to be, as many of you are aware one week later on 11th June the JapSpeed Impreza was stolen from the Performance Vauxhall Show at Santa Pod whilst on the Maxxis tyre stand. I cannot begin to explain my feelings when I first heard the news late on the Saturday evening. I couldn’t even begin to comprehend how two people could have had the audacity to take the time to reconnect the battery and fuel lines, start the car and blatantly drive it out of the main gates of Pod knowing that at any time somebody could come along and catch them in the act. My heart went out to the JapSpeed team especially to Baggsy (whose birthday was the next day),

I experienced the attempted theft of my Impreza a couple of years ago and that was horrendous enough

but to have such a unique car stolen must have been absolutely devastating. Incredibly thanks to the power of the internet word of the theft spread like wildfire and within minutes threads were being posted on a huge array of forums asking people to look out for the car. A real breakthrough came when a guy posted a video on YouTube that he had recorded of the Impreza driving down the M25 on the Saturday evening, the car hadn’t

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even been reported stolen at the time of recording – talk about being in the right place at the right time. The theft even made it onto the BBC news on the Sunday evening, a unique occurrence in itself! Miraculously, less than 36 hours after the car was stolen it was found (partially stripped) in Reading by Thames Valley Police and at the time of writing this article four men have been arrested in connection to the theft and let out on bail.

Two days ago I was really lucky and managed to grab an exclusive interview with Baggsy to ask him some questions about drifting and obviously his feelings regarding the events of the past few weeks. I would just like to say a massive thank you to him for the time he gave me and for being an absolute pleasure to talk to – oh and next time I see him I hope he proves that he was right and I was wrong and I’m actually not jinxing the Impreza!

ENGINE2.5 Toyota 1JZ Engine Producing 470BHP/460 LB FT1000cc injectorsGarret 30/76R TurboJapspeed Turbo ManifoldECU SolarisJapspeed FMIC KitJapspeed Oversized radiatorFull 3” Japspeed Exhaust SystemToyota R154 GearboxTwin Plate Exedy ClutchCustom made prop shaftUprated Engine MountsModified SubframeBosche 044 Fuel PumpsCustom catch and power steering cans

CHASSISHubs all modified to take 114.3 fitmentD2 8 Pot brakes all roundCustom made fuel tank

Hell Brake linesRAYS VOLK Wheels 57D GramlightsMaxxis MA-Z1 254/40/18 Drift TyresDaiyama coiloversWhiteline Antidive KitWhiteline Rear Adjustable ArmsModified Steering RackNissan/Kazz 2 way diffCustom made knuckles for extra lock

EXTERIORAWB Full wide arch Body KitJapspeed Carbon Fibre bonnetJapspeed Carbon Fibre Boot Lid

Japspeed Carbon Fibre High Mount SpoilerPolycarb windowsLightened doorsSeam welded Lightened Shell

INTERIORDigital DashpodCustom wiring loomCorbeau Sprint FIA race SeatsLuke HarnessesJapspeed hydraulic handbrakeFabricage full weld -in custom cage

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Starting out as a standard bugeye (yes, bugeye) WRX the JapSpeed drift Impreza has undergone vast changes (including a Toyota 1JZ engine and Nissan LSD) to become one of the most recognisable cars in the drift scene. Some say a RWD Impreza is wrong, purists consider it sacrilege but what has made the Team Japspeed scoob such an icon?

2003 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX

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What initially drew you to drifting and what was the appeal?From the offset it was the sheer factor of the feeling of drifting. I had previously been involved in circuit racing but drifting is so much more of a buzz, there are no limits, you push as hard and as fast as you can. I can’t even describe what it feels like – it takes you into another world and you just don’t want it to stop.

Why did you choose a Subaru Impreza as a drift car when it is inherently a 4WD car? On reflection would you have done anything differently?We chose an Impreza because we wanted to be different really. When we decided to build a new car for 2010 we all sat down and decided we wanted a challenge, we wanted to bring a new car and new people into the drifting community. I like to be unique and so we decided to build one from scratch, learn the hard way what things worked and what things didn’t so that if people wanted to build one in the future we can say this is the way to approach it - tried and tested. I don’t think I would do anything differently perhaps just some things sooner because we tried lots of different things and “Baggsy wasted 2 years of his life (joke)” but finally here we are.

Mauro Carlo broke the world drift record on Sunday; achieving 2,308 metres of continuous drift, have you ever been tempted to attempt anything similar? This is something we will look at in the future; we’ll certainly be keeping an eye on things so watch this space! To be honest a continual drift is not much of a challenge as you are purely going round in a circle and the record will get to a point where it can no longer be

broken because the tyres will give out, it won’t be a record on how far you can drift but how long you can get your tyres to last. “Actually you can put this as an official Baggsy statement; the world’s longest sideways jump in a drift car would be cool!”

With regard to the theft at Santa Pod last week, what were your feelings regarding the enormous response from the motoring community/Facebook/Twitter?Overwhelming, absolutely overwhelming, we couldn’t have asked for any more support from so many different car cultures – from

Land Rover’s to a website for pre 1970’s Mini’s, absolutely everyone involved with cars and into cars. We’ve been told that over 1 million people had heard about the theft within the first 24 hours. I’d like to say a massive thank you to everyone involved, from the people who tagged photos and put posts up on their forums to the guys who actually got into their cars and went out searching. I obviously didn’t realize just how big it had got at

“ It wasn’t until I was sat into my car on the Sunday with my laptop that I realized the enormity of it all...”

STEVE ‘BAGGSY’ BAGGIONI

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the time; it wasn’t until I was sat into my car on the Sunday with my laptop that I realized the enormity of it all, word had spread literally within minutes. When we saw the footage of the car on the M25 we were actually pleased because the police told us it was a good thing, it showed that this was not a professional set up – it hadn’t been loaded straight onto the back of a lorry and transported to who knows where to be broken and so we were much more likely to be able to find it again, I do admit that the footage made me break down in

tears though because that was my car in the hands of someone who probably didn’t know what they were doing.

Will the incident at Santa Pod have any implications on future car show appearances? I.e. security devices, public accessibility to the cars etcI think our situation has really opened people’s eyes to just what can happen at a car show, something like this had never happened before and we at JapSpeed hope that people can learn from it and realise it’s not

always a safe environment. JapSpeed will now be severely upgrading security; massively in fact so it can never happen again, it doesn’t matter who you are or what team you’re from you’re not always safe. I can also confirm that neither JapSpeed or Maxxis Tyres had plans to attend the JapShow at Santa Pod last weekend so our non attendance was nothing to do with the theft, it was one of a few weekends that we had planned to take time off.

2011 has been an ‘interesting’ year so far for JapSpeed especially where the Impreza is concerned; do you think this will have any impact on the team for the rest of the season? JapSpeed have not had the best start to the season but you won’t ever get rid of us, we will always keep pushing. We’ve just had a bad start but we’re now due some good luck, the Scooby will be ready for round 3 of BDC and the cars are always being pushed better and better so things can only improve...

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JAPFEST 2011JAPFEST 2011 LIVED UP TO FORM BY DELIVERING YET

ANOTHER OUTSTANDING SHOW AND AS THEY SAY A PICTURE’S WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS, WE’LL SHUT UP

AND LET YOU OGGLE OVER THE CAR PORN!

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JAPFEST 2011

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SIDC MEMBER MATTY WR1 (PROUD OWNER OF THE FINE LOOKING WR1 YOU SEE BELOW) GIVES US AN INSIDE LOOK AT HIS RECENT AUTOEXPRESS PHOTOSHOOT...

AUTOEXPRESS PHOTOSHOOT

Whilst using the last of my holiday and cruising the forum for most of the morning, I saw a request for a new age Impreza, required for an Autoexpress Article. Thinking about getting a proper set of pics for the WR1, I jumped on it and fired over an email that day (with pics)...I got an email back the next day and then had to arrange a time that suited the photographer/studio and for me to book a

day off. This took a while, but that was ok as it meant lots of time for proper detailing and a clean up, haha (no flies on my WR1). Nearing the date in May I started getting a little jittery about the weather prospects and embarked on a programme of daily sun dance rituals. It seemed to work as thankfully the weather held and all looked good! I booked the WR1 in with Cotswolds Subaru to have it checked over and a couple more...

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of small dents ironed out, then spent most of the night/morning before waxing, buffing and generally faffing!! One of my mates from work thought he might be able to blag a few pics of his Z3M so joined me on the trip, I was glad of this as I’d only get lost on my own!! After a nice drive down to Hartley Wintney (avoiding every fly and bug on the way), we arrived at the studio and promptly set about a last minute detailing on the WR1.Once the photographer arrived we set about the business of moving a pretty priceless Lancia out of the studio – it was heavy, difficult and fragile, we were all a little nervous on that one!Driving the WR1 into a totally white studio felt odd and disorientating, not being able to see where the walls met the floor, and with people watching. It was an accident waiting to happen!!Once in - we got our cameras out and started taking our own pics – well for about 5 minutes until the photographer pulled out a three foot Canon (as in the camera, not heavy artillery)! Our cameras looked pathetic in comparison and we promptly packed them up!

Sensing that we were getting in the way we went to the pub for a shandy (to settle our nerves). We were like concerned but proud parents, and concerned rightly so, as we only returned to find the car spinning around on a few wheel jacks! All was

fine, but I did have a ‘moment’! The photographer then asked if I could point to the coil pack, where I promptly opened the bonnet and (whilst waving my pointing finger vaguely over the engine area) said “there somewhere”! (I could tell he was impressed). Ok, so I text Stu who sent me a pic or two of where to look but I found nothing. Feeling pretty dumb I called Cotswolds

Once in - we got our cameras out and started taking our own pics – well for about 5 minutes until the photographer pulled out a three foot Canon (as in the camera, not heavy artillery)!

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Subaru who informed me that the WR1 has individual coil packs for each plug. Haha!! [Yeah, yeah, I know! As Editor I really should’ve know that - Stu] This had taken up so much time that my mates Z3M didn’t get any pics. It was a great day out and a couple of weeks later I received the CD of pictures. Wow, the quality of the pictures is amazing, I was a little stunned and have printed a few of the pics out and will be sending them as Christmas cards this year!I thought that was the end of it until I got a call from the writer last night,

he asked a few Q’s about why I chose the Impreza over an EVO, what I like/don’t like/reliability/how long have I owned it/SIDC etc, etc. I am interested to see how much makes Autoexpress from the 30 minute call (which left my dinner in the cat), and hope the EVO vs Impreza bit gets in!True Grip cherry popped lol

Matty WR1

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CARL DAVEY COOLANT HEADER TANK INSULATOR FITTING

Technical section

WORDS Vimmy IMAGES Vimmy

Background

It is a well known fact that having cool air fed into the throttle body is good for combustion as this cooler air carries more oxygen, have you noticed how on cold mornings the car runs much better.

Cold air is denser, therefore is heavier than warm air and will have a greater mass for the same volume of air. It is this mass of air when breathed in by the engine, be it normally aspirated or forced/turbocharged, that creates power rather than the volume of air fed to it. The maximum power possible is going to be lower when the car is fed by high pressure warm air, when compared to being fed high pressure cold air, the lower the incoming air temperature the better the results will be in terms of power output.

There are problems with running higher intake air temperatures, one such problem comes in the form of pre-detonation or knock. This is where the air/fuel combustion does not take place correctly in the cylinder and can occur at a time before the exhaust valves get chance open to release the exhaust gases, leading to things such as piston damage. There are more physical damage issues caused by this but out of scope due to the writer not being an engine guru ☺

Another problem to consider is that when the warmer and less oxygen rich air is fed into the intake manifold,

this will in turn alter the air/fuel ratio and then have the effect of the engine running rich. The cars’ ECU will see this change at the O2 sensor and reduce the fuel flow to keep the air/fuel ratio constant and ultimately drop the power output of the car. This will be noticeable when stuck in busy traffic where the car will feel a tad sluggish until these under-bonnet temperatures have reduced.

Having recently felt the surface temperature of the Imprezas drivers’ side intake manifold after a run to work, I found that it was too hot to touch by hand. The temperature of the passengers’ side was cooler than the drivers’ side but even then was still fairly warm.

As this was the external surface of the manifold rather than the internal surface, there was no way of knowing what the ultimate effect would be on the air temperatures after entering the throttle body and being fed down each branch of the manifold, picking up heat along the way down. To my mind, any air that has to pass over or through some form of heated jacket is going to be heated to a degree (no pun intended) and therefore have some adverse effect on it. I would assume a slow flow of air is going to be heated at a faster rate then fast flow of air. (This would be the case when the turbo was providing boost pressure, but this only happens in bursts and not normally at a constant high pressure rate). In theory there is a problem that I can

see here and that is that the slower you drive, the less the heat created by the exhaust manifold (as a major heat source), but the intake air sits longer in the manifold, heating up during this time. On the flip side to this, the faster you drive the quicker the air passes through the intake manifold, however exhaust manifold temperatures will be up and cause the outside of the intake manifold to absorb this heat, leading back to air intake temperature increases.

The heat transfer along the manifold from the drivers side to the passengers side is considerable so the same must be said going from the outside to the inside surfaces. It would be safe to assume, although no proof is available, that whatever the external surface temperature of the manifold was sitting at, the inside temperature must be very close to this when at idle. The good news is that on cool days these temperatures will be reduced with incoming airflow (in and around the engine bay as well as intake air), but on warmer days they will be reduced but to a lesser extent.

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What you get in the kit• Two nylon machined insulators• Two brass inserts (that come

already fitted, one to each spacer)• Two M8 stainless steel countersunk

bolts (5mm Allen key required)• A set of fitting instructions

Spacer Material The spacers, manufactured by Carl Davey, are made of a variant of Nylon66 thermoplastic material having a high tensile strength, coupled with very good heat resistance characteristics. This makes it an ideal material to use to hold up a heavy coolant header tank, whilst being strong enough to absorb vibrations and ultimately keep the high temperatures of the coolant header tank away from the intake manifold, this it does very well.

FittingThe installation is very simple, taking about 5 to 10 minutes and takes but a few modest tools to perform, these being:

• A 5mm Allen Key• A 12mm socket/spanner

There are two 12mm bolts that hold top of the header tank to the intake manifold and a single 12mm nut that secures the bottom of the header tank to a chassis mounted captive bolt.

You may have to remove the air box assembly to get at the bottom nut however this only has to be loosened and not totally removed, this I had to do with the 12mm spanner due to restricted space. The top two 12mm bolts can be removed and retained.

The header tank is then moved out of the way so that the spacers can be fitted. The bottom nut /captive bolt can be tightened back up in case the spacers are later removed and you not left wondering where you put the bolt afterwards.

Taking one of the two countersunk M8 bolts, place this into the spacers’ countersunk recess/hole (hole facing upwards) and then screw this into one of the manifold holes left by the previous header tank bolts, using a 5mm Allen key but only do them finger tight. Repeat this for the second spacer. (The spacers will at this point have their brass inserts on the bottom side of the spacer)

Using the two 12mm bolts previously removed, from the header tank, line up the header tank ensuring that the coolant lines are not caught and screw them into the spacers, again finger tight.

Adjust the final location of the header tank, which by now will be around 1 inch away from the intake manifold, so that it sits within the confines of the air box assembly or other hardware and won’t rub/catch/chafe anything in the vicinity. Ensure that the bottom of the header tank doesn’t come into contact with the existing bolt that used to hold it in place, having these the header tank touch will negate any work just carried out. Use the Allen key to tighten the M8 countersunk screws and then the

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tank (and manifold) temperatures to rise, a few of these could be:

• Exhaust up pipe heatsoak• Exhaust manifold heat soak• Engine block heatsoak.• Engine coolant piping heatsoak• Turbo heatsoak• Turbo coolant pipe heatsoak

Any one of these could/would contribute to the heating problem as any fast runs would then create extra heat via the engine block and exhaust system, which in turn radiated outwards. All the tests were done by increasing speeds gradually as to not create extra heat.

As can be seen from above on both Table 1 and 2:

• the solid black line is the header tank temperature used here as a reference.

• the solid red line is the passengers side manifold branch temperature.

• the dotted red line is the ambient air temperature in front of the passengers side manifold branch.

• the solid blue line is the drivers side manifold branch temperature.

• the dotted blue line is the ambient air temperature in front of the drivers side manifold branch.

12mm socket/spanner to tight the existing header tank bolts. Caution – do not over tighten these two 12mm bolts as it may cause the brass inserts to break away from the spacer material.

Spacer testing

Over a period of a week or so I had recorded the external surface temperatures at 3 points of the system, these were:

The top of the Coolant Header Tank

At the branch on the passengers side of the intake manifold

At the branch on the drivers side of the intake manifold.

The temperature probe was attached to the coolant tank by placing it in between the coolant pipe and tank casing to keep it secure. Where the probe was attached to each of the manifold branches, a Velcro strip was used to keep the probe in place.

The temperatures were noted at different speeds between 30mph and 80mph and done at time intervals to allow for the temperatures to settle down once each 10mph increment was reached.

These tests were then repeated with the Header Tank spacers attached to the car.

The ResultsWhen the engine/oil temps were at normal operating conditions, the header tank temps were high, above 70 degrees, as a result of idling and initial slow moving town traffic but then dropped down as the car speed increased (Any readings above this temperature weren’t measurable with the temp sensor display due to its upper reading cut-off).

It was noted that as the speeds increased the header tank cooled down, this reduction in temperature could be due to few things, such as:

• air movement around the engine block forcing air over the header tank,

• external air cooling the radiator and coolant running through it,

• convection currents helping heat escape by flowing up through the reverse bonnet vents.

As well as considering the reasons above for the header tank being cooled, there also has to be considered those elements that could cause the header

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THE UK'S PREMIER RALLY CAR SHOW

Temperature findings without spacers installed (Table1)

As you can see there is virtually no difference between the header tank and drivers side manifold temperatures. The passengers’ side shows a difference (to the header tank) of 27 degrees at 30mph to around a 22 degree of difference at 80mph. The slow down of temperatures I believe could be due to the reflected heat being pushed up from the engine block itself..

What is worrying see, to me anyway, is an average of 25 degrees C between the drivers and passengers side of the intake manifold, does this infer that the drivers side always run hotter? The car runs a single knock sensor and if knock is found (possibly based on higher intake temperatures from one side only), then the power is reduced to protect the engine. Does this mean that one side of the engine is being affected more than the other? I am not an automotive engineer, nor an engine tuner or builder, just rather inquisitive and this doesn’t look too good.

Temperature findings without spacers installed (Table2)

As you can this time there is a vast difference between the header tank and drivers’ side manifold, as well as a drop in the passengers side manifold. The passengers’ side this time shows a difference (to the header tank) of 27 degrees at 30mph to around a 22 degree difference at 80mph. The passengers’ side shows an average drop of 10 degrees from 30mph to 80mph. This is a significant drop in overall temperatures for both sides of the manifold.

I think that with further heat reduction in place, by the use of manifold spacers, that these temperatures could me made lower again. The dotted red and blue lines support this, possible further testing with manifold spacers is needed to finally confirm the theory.

This time it can now be seen that both sides of the manifold are around 10 degrees C different at 30mph and this gap reduces to around 3 degrees at 80mph, this has to be better for the car overall as the intake temperatures will be evenly matched.

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I would certainly recommend these spacers as a very useful and worthwhile aid in increasing the efficiency of the car, anything that can keep intake air temperatures down has to be a good thing!References:

http://www.misterfixit.com/deton.htmhttp://www.autospeed.com/cms/A_107759/article.html

Many thanks to Jamie for his help with the many temperature readings ☺

ConclusionThe inclusion of these header tank spacers has made a significant difference to the temperatures seen on both sides of the intake manifold, it can be seen that it has almost evened out these originally differing manifold temperatures.

For the sake of a few pounds and a bit of labour, using fairly modest tools, results like these can be reproduced easily. The effect that these spacers is quite remarkable, the air temperatures around the manifold appear to be low whilst the car is moving, any reduction in speed will mean an increase and

start stop traffic increases these to above 70 degrees. Whilst incoming air into the intake manifold does cool the manifold down, it can only cool it down to a certain point. Only with the spacers attached can the drivers’ side of the manifold achieve the same (almost equal) temperature of the passengers’ side. The spacers do their job very well and are hampered by other heat sources, but I suspect if the issue of heat-soak rising from the engine block itself can be quashed then we could see even lower manifold temperatures, aided by these spacers.

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www.keithmichaels.co.uk

The following Subaru dealers offer discount to Members on the production of a valid Membership card. Always confirm the level of discount on parts, (some Prodrive parts may not be discounted at all dealers) labour or accessories with the dealer prior to work commencing, or ordering parts.

A F Noble & Son Penicuik 01968 678002Adams Brothers Ltd Aylesbury 01296 434343Aird Motors* Invernesshire 01463 782266 AMC (Chelmsford) Ltd Essex 01245 235030 Ashburton Motor Works Ltd Ashburton 01364 652302 Barry Curran Ltd Isle Of Man 01624 817050Beechdale Derby Derby 01332 372555 Bell & Colvill (Horsley) Ltd West Horsley 01483 281000Bramley Kensington* London 0208 838 3113Bramley Kensington (Sales) Kensington 0207 937 8487Bulldog Twyford Twyford 0118 932 1331 Carstins Ltd Coventry 01676 533145 Chandlers Grantham Grantham 01476 590077Chandlers Horncastle* Horncastle 01507 527211Cheam Motors (Ewell) Ltd Ewell 0208 394 2266 Christopher Neil Cheshire 01606 41481 Concept* Birmingham 0121 313 6100Conders Subaru Cambridgeshire 01733 893704Constitution Motors Ltd Norwich 01603 411111 Cotswolds* Witney 01993 776622 Cross Roads Garage (Tredington) Ltd Shipston-on-Stour 01608 661544 Culverwell Cars Robertsbridge 01580 880567 Cutlers Of Streetly* West Midlands 01 922 472250Cvc (Cardiff) Cardiff 02920 222100 Davies Motors (Cardigan) Cardigan 01239 621222Dennis Common Morpeth 01665 570542 Desmond Eastwood Motors Ltd Lisburn 02892 621293 Dicksons Of Inverness* Inverness 01463 712800 Donnelly Belfast 02890 375000 Eaglesham Garage Ltd* Eaglesham 01355 302685Emg Bury St Edmunds Suffolk 01284 775900 Emg Spalding Spalding 01775 767651Evans Halshaw Newcastle-upon-Tyne 0191 266 4055F R Pulleyn Wigginton Garage Ltd* York 01904 690742Fiskens Of Forfar Forfar 01307 462980 G C Stanbury & Son* Dulverton 01398 323545 Gatwick Crawley 01293 429800 Gilesgate Ltd Hexham 01434 605825 Gmd Car Sales Durham 01913 840070Greenwood Manchester 0161 301 5000H Robinson & Sons (Rochdale) Ltd Rochdale 01706 716655 Haddocks Colchester 01206 230331

Halleys Garage Ltd Milngavie 0141 956 1126Heritage (Leicester) Ltd Leicester 0116 283 1052 Holdcroft (Staffordshire) Newcastle-under-Lyme 01782 617321 Hylton Of Shrewsbury Shrewsbury 01743 450 450Hylton Of Worcester Worcester 01905 748414 Ian Grieve Falkirk 01324 605100 J N Royle & Son Ltd (Parts Only) Oswestry 01691 610216James Haugh (Dumfries) Ltd Dumfrieshire 01387 255291 Jennings Middlesbrough 01642 209100John Grose Suffolk 01394 383456 John R Weir Ltd Perth 01738 477700 Jordans* Hull 01482 222500K T Green Ltd Nr Leeds 0113 284 3535Keith Price Garages Ltd Abergavenny 01873 811555Kendal Motor Village LA9 6DU 01539 736666 Kenneth Melville (Errol) Ltd* Errol 01821 670242 Le Mont Saint Garage Ltd 01481 264811Lifestyle Tunbridge Wells 01892 510005 Listers Of Worcester* Worcester 01905 640512 Lucas Of Mansfield Ltd Mansfield 01623 624244 M & R Gair Shetland 01595 693246Mantle’s (Trefeglwys) Ltd* Caersws 01686 430202Marlborough Isleworth Motors Ltd* Isleworth 0208 568 1414 Maugers Garage Ltd Channel Islands 01534 861388Mckeary Motors* Coleraine 02870 351081Mkg 3000 Middlesex 0208 894 7504Monks Heath Motors Ltd Macclesfield 01625 861544Monty’s Of Sheffield Sheffield 0114 221 4333Oaken Garage Wolverhampton 01902 844441Pewsham Garage Wiltshire 01249 654429Prosport Ltd* Stockport 0161 432 9999Proven Motor Company Ltd Haslemere 01428 652554 Quenby Bros Ltd Baldock 01462 499930 R N Golden Ltd Huddersfield 01484 608060Research Garage Group Ltd Nuneaton 02476 377170 Robert Bowett Motoring Leeds 0113 277 6099S & S Services Heathfield 01292 880080S G Petch (Richmond) Richmond 01748 825757Sgt Select Maidenhead 01628 605353Showells (Garages) Ltd Nr Stourbridge 01384 422488Simpsons Of Swindon Swindon 01793 762234

Slip End Garage Ltd Bedfordshire 01582 456888 Soul Garages Limited Buckinghamshire 01234 244300 Sparshatts Of Botley Ltd Southampton 01489 785111 St Leger Doncaster 01302 571420 Stan Palmer Ltd Carlisle 01228 525051T H White Ltd Cirencester 01285 653354Threeways Garage Ltd Clwyd 01745 825847Tiley Bristol Ltd Bristol 0117 923 1231Town & County Motors Ltd Aberdeen 01224 874333 Triangle Of Chesterfield Ltd Chesterfield 01246 454545Vale Motors Wincanton 01963 34034Vospers Exeter Exeter 01392 203800Vospers Of Truro Ltd Truro 01872 226226Walldonway Ltd Larkfield 01732 870386Webbers Hampshire 01256 300653Welch Group Garages Ltd Cambridge 01223 843015Westaway Motors Ltd Spratton 01604 847245Williams Lancing 01903 753535Willoughby Group Nottingham 0115 925 8282

*(Authorised Repairer Only)

MEMBER DISCOUNTS

A large number of specialist suppliers also offer discounts to Members on the production of a valid Membership card. These include The AA, Black Circles, Scoobyworld and many, many more. Check out the Membership /Club Enquiries section of the forums for a complete list.

national subaru dealers

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Laura

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Adrian Flux Insurance Services has been built around the enthusiast markets.We have specialist teams dealing with your request, providing you with atailor-made policy based on your own personal requirements and drivinghistory. This means that when you ring us, we’ll always endeavour to findyou the best possible rate available. So please call us today for a free, noobligation quote for your Impreza.

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American Performance Classic Hot Hatch 4x4 Standard Modified

AF0168 Imprezas 24/3/10 12:16 Page 1

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