Back on my Bullsh: It My 2013 FR-S Track Build

Hey Guys, thought I'd post my build here.

Been a LONG time since I frequented the site, or had a subscription. When I was in highschool, I inherited a long time subscription to GRM in print from my grandfather when he passed, and was always fascinated by the 2k challenge, and other financially feasible ways of getting fast. However, I didn't exactly take the lesson to heart that cars, regardless, burn gas and money, at an increasing rate the faster you go. I spent WAY too much money in my youth working on my 2002 WRX wagon.

Timing belt failed after a poor installation by a local shop, and  seeing this as an opportunity, I went head  first into a "build" of my poor Bugeye wagon.  Bigger turbo, upgrading from my VF39 to a Blouch Dom 1.5xtr, and everything to go along with it.

I even swapped in a 2.1L stroked short block, all with my own hands and feeble teenage mind, led by the pied piper's flute of forums DIY guide.

In a catastrophic turn of events, the new engine pooped the bed from an excess of crank case pressure, causing excessive blow by, and you guessed it, another blown motor.

After this, I came to the conclusion that I could not afford another rebuild, and I found a new interest in mountain biking, and moved along, assuming surely it would cost less than cars.

I bought and sold several different Prii, a 2004, 2005, 2006 base, and finally a 2012 Prius V, and absolutely loved them, but I typically ride my bicycle to work, and just don't like commuting by car, so I decided to dip my toes back into enthusiast cars. I traded my 2012 Prius V for a 2015 Golf GTI S 6 speed, which I loved so much that I traded that in to get a 2015 Golf R 6 speed, which I then traded in for a 2017 Golf R DSG. Absolutely loved the MQB platform, hated the 6 speed clutch, especially in the R, but I quickly learned that I can't stand making car payments, so I took advantage of a favorable market for the Golf R, and sold it for more than I was to pay for it...

Being a bit older, and while arguably not any more sound of mind, I had learned that I probably could own an enthusiast car without diving wallet first into runing the car with modifications.

With money in hand, I spent months looking for a Subaru GR STI, or FR-S/BRZ on facebook marketplace, autotempest, etc...With essentially no reasonable results.

But after probably days worth of time spent on the computer, I found a facebook listing for a 2013 FR-S with a 6 Piston Brembo brake kit fitted.

Suspiciously the listing was lacking in detail, but the photos reeled me in enought to endlessly bother the owner, who was more than happy to:

1. Answer every asinine question I put forth

2. Accept my low ball offer, which amounted to the most money I had ever amassed for any one purchase.

IGNORE READING ALL ABOVE AND START HERE FOR BUILD STUFF

That brings us to our current subject, my 2013 FR-S

Current Installed Parts List

Engine + Exhaust

Vortech V3 Supercharger kit

Still trying to figure out the fueling set up, mystery upgraded pump and injectors currently...
Borla Exhaust, UEL Header to catback all borla



Suspension + Chassis
Cusco Bracing
-From what I can gather looking under car, seems to be largely complete chassis bracing.
KW V3 Coilovers
Whiteline:
-Rear adjustable Sway
-F/R Adjustable Endlinks
-Rear Subframe Bushing

-Toe Arm
Agency Power Rear Lower control arms


Drivetrain
Driveshaft Shop Carbon 1-Piece Driveshaft
Tomei 1.5way diff with 4.88 final drive in stock housing

IRP Short Shifter
Whiteline:
-Differential Bushing Inserts
-Transmission Bushing

Stock clutch, afaik


Brakes
Brembo GT 6 Piston front caliper
-Two Piece 355x32mm Rotors


Wheels + Tires
Winter/All Season:
-255/35R18 square Continental DWS06+

-Black Enkei PF01 45mm
+10mm H&R

Track:
-265/645R18 Square Pirelli P Zero Slicks
-18x9.5 Enkei PF01 40mm Offset



Interior
Sparco Harness Bar
Racequip 5 Point Harness
Sparco Roadster Seat

Momo something or other wheel
Works Bell quick release
Gutted, but still have the Climate control and Radio



Misc
Shorai LFX14A2 Battery
Cusco Grounding Kit
Beastronix 86Nanny
Track spec hood vents

QR Bumper Release

Goals for the car are to make it more drivable on the street, and dip my feet back into motorsport.

I'm a full time bicycle mechanic, and aerodynamics are a huge point of interest in road cycling, so I have a VERY basic understanding of the concepts of aerodynamics from that, and a big interest in working to smooth the flow into and around the car. At the moment, that and chasing down small issues I inherited with the car are my main concerns.

That looks like a very good starting point. A couple of thoughts:

• Do you know what sort of tune it's running and what tool was used to tune it?
• If you're planning to track use, put a Killer-B oil pickup in, ideally before you get to change out the whole engine. That seems to address a lot of the oiling issues in these engines and it's a relatively cheap mod.

Nice build!

"and I found a new interest in mountain biking, and moved along, assuming surely it would cost less than cars."  I can definitely relate to that!

In reply to BoxheadTim :

It's got an Ecutek, I can't recall who the PO had tune it, but it's fairly well mannered on the street, but I am tempted to install a flex fuel sensor and have it tuned for that, but $1200+ for the local ecutek tuner to dyno tune and give me a locked tune is hard to swallow...

I had a Killer B pick up and EJ25 pan on my WRX, haven't seen it recommend as frequently for the FA, as I saw it on Nasioc and the old GRM Blue bugeye series for EJ motors as basically a requisite mod for track duty. 

the POs used the car extensively on the track without any oil system changes apart from the Forester Xt oil cooler mod, but the oil system is a big point of hesitation for me with the platform. 

I'm in the process of making some bobo/hillbilly ducting for the front end. I uh, borrowed some coroplast signs from a local housing development, and cut them up into a shape the will hopefully nudge air more into the radiator-intercooler.

I used some of the metal rods used to mount them into the ground as extra lateral rigidity, sliding them through the corugation, then bending the whole sheet into the shape I desired...Surely better than the gaping hole in it previously, and worst case scenario, I'll use these as template for something out of composite or alloy.

Awesome, sounds like fun! I also have a 2013 FR-S, and ironically, just left the bicycle industry after 24 years. I added a mix of Verus Engineering panels plus JDM Subaru underbody aero on mine to clean up the air a bit; gained a couple mpg on the highway, and some stability on the really high speed sweepers.

In reply to ae86andkp61 (Forum Supporter) :

Congratulations on getting away! Lol

I've been considering the JDM underpanels, I wonder about regulations of aero in the slower classes of SCCA TT and Gridlife. 
did you notice any appreciable upset in aero stability at speed after putting on the diffuser?

!Lil update!

Swapped in my summer wheels and tires, another set of PF01s in silver which I'm much more happy with aesthetics wise

Decided I really don't expect to be able to afford to drive on track very frequently, so absolute speed is probably not the most important consideration unfortunately.

Running a set of 265/35R18 Yokohama Advan Apex V601s.

So far, with very few miles on them, very happy with their streets manners, and at limit predictability, but I don't really know what I'm talking about so that's probably not worth anything.

Replaced and bleed the clutch line with a braieded stainless steel unit, which I haven't exactly noticed any kind of difference from, but I guess the theory makes sense for replacing it.