Speaking from experience, questions like ‘Where’s your car?’ or ‘When is it going to be done?’ get old very quickly when your four-wheeled pride and joy is off the road for a rebuild. Kevin Espinoza is no stranger to them either. His Subaru Impreza STI build took five years to complete, but the wait was worth it.
The combination of a cancelled body kit shipment from Japan, a paint failure, and ongoing COVID disruptions stretched the project out far beyond what Kevin had first envisaged. But the extra time afforded by the delays allowed him to nail every last detail. And there are many; check out the specification breakdown at the end of the story for a complete list.
I’ve always said that the United States’ East Coast car culture – New York, in particular – has an ‘off-season’ of sorts, which results in some truly epic builds. When winter rolls around, you have every excuse to take your car apart and get stuck in. But when one winter turns into five, well, this is what you get.
The exterior overhaul is what first sets Kevin’s Subaru apart. Here, a Varis Extremor body kit (one of only four in the US) forms the base of an aggressive look further enhanced by an STI Spec C Type RA hood (with a custom hood spoiler), along with a Modellista rear spoiler and a Kakumei roof spoiler. The paint? Porsche PTS Gold Bronze Metallic, laid down by Vilar Auto Body in New Jersey.
While the mix of exterior parts is unique, Kevin stuck with an old favorite for the wheels: RAYS Volk Racing TE37s in 18×10.5-inch +15 all around. The ‘OG’ Dash White wheels are wrapped in 295/30R18 Toyo Proxes R888R semi-slick rubber for plenty of grip.
Don’t think for a moment that it’s just all looks, though; Kevin had plenty of time to upgrade the STI’s engine and driveline, too. While the internals remain stock, the flat-four now benefits from a host of aftermarket performance parts, including a Cosworth high-volume intake manifold, HKS unequal-length headers, Injector Dynamics ID1050x injectors, an ARC intercooler, TiAL MVS 38mm v-band external wastegate, and a Kakimoto Racing exhaust system. The setup is tuned through a COBB Tuning Access Port V3, with the power and torque loads managed through an Exedy Hyper Single VF clutch.
Of course, power is nothing without control, and Kevin also has that aspect covered with Endless ZEAL Function X Hard Type inverted coilovers, Cusco sway bars, and Whiteline rear arms.
Then there’s the interior, which now features a Car Make T&E Vertex/Night Runner steering wheel, Prodrive carbon fiber door panels, Defi gauges, and a Pivot shift knob, among many other upgrades.
Congrats to Kevin for building such a tough STI; to seamlessly meld these parts together is a feat in itself. Now that all the hard work is done, it’s time for him to enjoy it. Is it finished, though? Well, there’s always next winter…
Cool car, great photography and write-up!
But what’s the purpose of the Kakumei roof spoiler? What does it do?