Jimmy Pelizzari and his co-driver Kate Stevens are just lately again from the Lake Superior Performance Rally, their first outing in a brand new automobile. They completed, however not in addition to they’re used to, having risen by way of the ARA ranks from novices struggling in a cool however snakebit Mazda 323 GTX to common podium finishers in a GC 2.5RS. It was a shakedown in a brand new automobile, and a few little new automobile points held them again. The new automobile was a 2002 Subaru WRX they’d simply completed constructing. Before it was hurtling down a rally stage, it was the nicest Bugeye I’ve seen in years.
A number of months in the past Jimmy texted me: “I think I’m gonna get a Bugeye.” In my head, I assumed Bugeye Sprite. I requested him what he wished to do with it, and he stated “take it rallying.” Jimmy is a tall, broad midwestern kind, large by race driver requirements. I briefly imagined him making an attempt to make traction in deep snow at 15 miles an hour in an outdated British sports activities automobile, helmet solely happy with the windscreen, and turned again to no matter I used to be doing. A pair hours later, it dawned on me that he meant a Bugeye WRX.
A Bugeye WRX made much more sense, however he was already deeply invested in his present automobile, and the cussed moron in me puzzled why he’d determined to maneuver on. Over a brief interval, Jimmy developed the JDM STI-swapped GC 2.5 RS into one thing succesful profitable ARA occasions, nevertheless it was slightly tough when he purchased it and after years of rally use, he says it was drained:
“We completed around 22 rallies with it in and around Michigan. Our best performances were at our local SnoDrift rally where we’ve won the regional rally since 2019. When the car was non-turbo (NA4WD class), we were the fastest in class with some great competition which feels pretty good. The NA engine with the right gearing is the car to have on the low grip conditions at SnoDrift. You carry so much more speed into, through and out of turns without the restrictor we have to run with the turbo. It’s also much easier to keep traction and not over power the tires.”
Since transferring to the turbo engine, we’ve had good stage instances nevertheless it coincided with broader points. Which is generally why I made a decision to maneuver to the brand new GD chassis to place cash right into a long run challenge.
The GC was a fantastic automobile however after our final SnoDrift I made a decision to maneuver to a brand new chassis. The rust was turning into an even bigger and larger issue – we’d changed the gasoline tank, the exhaust was drained and flopping round and aesthetically it’d develop into a bit worn. It’s a fantastic little automobile and hopefully has just a few extra rallies in it for somebody new to the game however in the end if I used to be going to maintain placing assets (time and $$$$$) into rallying I wished one thing that might final.
I’ve additionally wished a Bugeye since I used to be 14. So which will have been an element within the automobile I purchased.
Stage rally is a brutal factor to do to a automobile. Even with underbody safety, it doesn’t take many occasions earlier than the fixed sand-blast abrasion of stones and grime convert management arms, brake calipers and nearly every little thing else into steel mud. There was rust, too:
It was a Michigan automobile which is a pleasant approach of claiming approach too rusty to place cash into. While it didn’t appear too unhealthy at first as soon as the rust would plague us a few instances leading to an all new gasoline tank. There’s nothing like being parked subsequent to Ken Block on the rally begin solely to have a good friend let me know there was a lake of gasoline beneath my automobile.
It’s actually surprising how briskly large structural components of a rally automobile get diminished to nothing. Just because the automobile started to point out its potential it was time to start out pondering of one thing else.
That one thing else was this pristine Bugeye. When it rolled into my store for the primary time, gave it a glance and instantly began making a half-assed effort to speak Jimmy out of stripping it. I prompt we set up his JDM motor within the engine bay and checklist it on BaT, then use the proceeds for a fair higher rally automobile construct. I can’t be alone in believing that these vehicles have a future as collectibles, and this one, regardless of displaying excessive mileage appeared worthy of preservation.
There was a solitary dent within the floorpan, and the driving force’s seat might have used slightly extra cushion, however that was about it. The paint was good, and authentic Monroneys have been included. The powertrain was unmodified, and there wasn’t a speck of rust to be discovered wherever. The engine did have 330,000 or so miles on it and was leaking oil fairly closely, however aside from that, it was like I stated, the nicest Bugeye I’ve seen since they have been newish. But we began tearing it down anyway.
There can’t be too many Bugeye WRXs in this sort of form. As we all know, the lifecycle of a quick Subaru is fraught with threat. Like a mom duckling, Subaru needed to have numerous little Bugeye infants for a handful to outlive to maturity. Luckily, that’s the case. In 2002, 22,910 WRX hatchlings discovered properties within the US after a much-hyped launch. Surely a dozen or so have been babied by their house owners and at the moment are awaiting their activate BaT. Surely there are some house owners who made the traditional dumb man transfer of by no means driving their automobile within the hope that it might develop into a blue chip collectible. (Sorry, misplaced observe of the duck metaphor.) I requested Jimmy if he felt any regrets, that is his reply:
It was (nonetheless is!) a phenomenal automobile. A single proprietor, 300,000 (!) mile authentic engine, zero rust, zero meals eaten in it, no vape Subaru. The earlier proprietor in Alabama had purchased it new and had religiously maintained it. I used up my factors and flew all the way down to drive it again to Michigan. For positive, there have been a pair moments when it had the rally engine, trans and diff with the total inside the place I thought of holding it that approach. I’d all the time wished a blue bugeye from once I was about 14 however I’ve wished a rally automobile since I used to be about 11.
It solely takes about 5 seconds on stage to by no means remorse a factor. There’s nothing like driving a rally automobile at pace by way of the timber and that’s saying nothing in regards to the unimaginable neighborhood that helps you and your odd interest. 50mph by way of the timber makes 150mph on a straightaway someplace really feel like a grocery run. There are greater than sufficient rally or safari tribute vehicles on the market on the highway and to stay it on an public sale web site would have felt fallacious. The authentic proprietor truly suspected that I deliberate to tear it aside. When I advised him it was going to be a nicely constructed rally automobile he stated one thing to the impact of “Hell Ya, i’m glad you’re actually going to do something with it”.
I don’t assume Jimmy was beneath any sort of obligation to maintain this factor from being floor away on numerous hearth roads across the Midwest, nevertheless it did really feel bizarre watching such a pleasant automobile come aside. The flip facet of that after all, it’s that each automobile’s highest calling is to die as a profitable race automobile.
You can click on by way of the pictures under and get a way for the scope of the challenge. Jimmy, Kate and some buddies did every little thing however the chassis/cage work, and since it began off so good, it ought to show to be a great rally automobile for them within the longterm.
What do you assume? Should this factor be enduring an extended PDR session and getting prepped for BaT, or is it higher off spitting gravel?
Source: jalopnik.com