[M3-FAST]

As some of you may know, I have a track day car for blasting round the likes of Oulton Park in. It's only a mid 90's Pug 306 S16 which goes well but I have always craved a little more ooomph from it so decided to up the ante a little and get a more powerful toy

I have been looking for a while now at VW Golf VR6, Mitsubishi Evo's, etc. Almost bought an Evo IV last week that was fully stripped, caged, lowered, etc but someone beat me to it Then I started browsing around for Impreza's and found this one - the internet auction finished with me winning it!

The first problem was it was down in Battle (nr Hastings) some and a mate set off at 9am yesterday morning on the train to Euston, got a cab to London Bridge and then picked up another train to Battle. I had arranged with the seller to pick us up from the station and as soon as the train pulled in I saw the car and just knew it was right!

It is a 2002 52 Plate Impreza WRX - finished in dark Mica Blue with gold wheels.

Spec (with all invoices and receipts) as follows:

Engine:
2.0 litre turbo - documented remap by Scooby Clinic to 280 bhp [£600]
TSL Motorsport Decat up-pipe to remove CAT between turbo & ex manifold) [£175]
TSL Thundercat down pipe [£395]
TSL Motorsport Sports cat/centre section [£255]
Prodrive rear silencer [£400]
Samco Silicone Intercooler hoses [£100]
Adjustable Dump Valve [£180]
Cold Air induction Kit [£180]
High Flow fuel pump [£135]
High Flow group N spec panel filter [£48]
Reconditioned Turbo [£361]

Chassis:
40mm TSL Motorsport lowered Suspension (springs & dampers) [£500]
Radius R3 5/100 alloys [£853]
Refinish alloys in Platinum Paint [£220]

Body:
Prodrive WR Boot Spoiler [£505]
Prodrive Headlight Conversion inc.Painting [£489]

Every single receipt/invoice etc has been documeted and kept in a folder including the original purchase invoices for the car - it has wanted for nothing and has been fully serviced at either TSL motorsport or Graham Goode Motorsport. I got the car off a trader who took it in part ex against a Mondeo ST. The headlamp conversion was removed just prior to sale at it failed it's MOT on a faulty headlight and after examing the lights today (was hoping to re-fit them this afternoon) it seems some of the bulb connectors have started to corrode etc so need a few hours spending on them ensuring they work spot on. I also have supplied the original OEM boot spoiler wrapped in bubble wrap as well as a box containing the original airbox etc...

The front windows also have a tint film applied which needs removing as it is starting to peel - the rears had a very dark film which was also poor - the trader had already removed this.

The plan is to now fit some harnesses and get it on the track asap. It has 11 months MOT and 5 months TAX so am running it around this week (was only £23 to insure for the week) but first track day is planned at Oulton Park on the 12th Feb.

I know a few forum members have got out of Scoobies before getting into their Beemers so interested to hear comments!

[ed335d]

Looks like a lot of fun

How's it in the snow?

[Tunna_uk]

I like it. Nice present to yourself. Well done. A friend of mine has a P1 2 door jobbie, runs about 350 BHP. only prob with his is starting to rust on back arches but your should be Ok its a lot younger than my friends.
Oh and I like the colour.

[Gibbo]

Looks a great track toy and should be a good upgrade from your current car. Have you got any days booked yet for next year or are you going to start looking in the spring?

[Carrera RSR]

Four wheel drifting in the snow, hope your giving it the full Ken Block treatment, fast and sideyways!!!

[M3-FAST]

Originally Posted by Carrera RSR

Four wheel drifting in the snow, hope your giving it the full Ken Block treatment, fast and sideyways!!!

Had some fun in places on the M1 yesterday on the way home but all four wheel drifts were 100% unintentional!!

Originally Posted by Gibbo

Looks a great track toy and should be a good upgrade from your current car. Have you got any days booked yet for next year or are you going to start looking in the spring?

Not booked Sat12th feb yet but have a £10 discount with Focussed Events if I book before 2011 and also pay at this years VAT - £109 for open pitlane at Oulton Park

Originally Posted by Tunna_uk

I like it. Nice present to yourself. Well done. A friend of mine has a P1 2 door jobbie, runs about 350 BHP. only prob with his is starting to rust on back arches but your should be Ok its a lot younger than my friends.
Oh and I like the colour.

Not sure about the 2 door ones, something just doesn't look quite right with them IMO? I was looking at a well prep'd P1 STi last week but got outbid - that had some slight bubbling on the rear arches also.

Originally Posted by ed335d

Looks like a lot of fun

How's it in the snow?

Cheers Ed

It's OK in the snow Ed but not a patch on the M3 with winters on. Had the chance over the past 24 hours to try 3 different tyre formats on the same roads.

My estate has a mixture of compressed shiny snow and also areas that have now frozen over and become sheet ice.

The missus front wheel drive Passat copes OK (as in you can move the car, etc... it's never gonna get stuck) but you have to brake VERY early and treat the clutch and steering wheel very gently indeed.

The Scooby has summer tyres on (Hankooks with about 5-6mm of tread) - accelerating from standstill is easier and steering is more precise on snow than the Passat but performance on the icy surface is abysmal. I turned it around in the turning area at the end of my road and nearly slid into the side of a neighbours Zafira at about 5mph - stopped about 2-3 inches short of the NS door!!)

The M3 simply grips and go's - the snow performance is better again than the Impreza but it is the braking where it excels. It just stops with no ABS intervention needed at all. The icy road performace is in a different league and has really made me realise the benefits even more.

I have been accelerating hard in the Scooby today and had the back end stepping out very easily indeed. With 280bhp it can be expected but I fail to get the M3 out of shape at all, even with 420bhp on tap. Even flooring it in second gear on an empty snow covered car park was so uneventful I got bored and drove home!

[sheps]

Looks great Paul. A buddy and I are going halves on an Impreza as a track toy next year when he's finished building his new house, and has time to enjoy the track days. I took him to Oulton in mine and he was massively impressed; it was October, wet and greasy and we sent just about everything home with their ass in a sling.

Use a little lift of throttle on turn in to get the nose in tight and nail the power, you'll be 4 wheel drifting like Ari Vattinen in no time.

You will need to upgrade the brakes. Even STI brembo stoppers aren't up to the task of track work. Have a look at powerstation's "Big Red" Porsche stoppers - not cheap but they'll take any punishment you throw at them.

Also look at whiteline droplinks kit, that will help eradicate understeer. Search out powerstation on the web and look at their recommended upgrade paths.

[M3-FAST]

Cheers Simon

The brakes did concern me to be honest, surprised to see that they were not grooved discs. I have read pretty good stories about the EBC discs and pads.

Looking through the history, it appears to have had a set of discs and pads at just about every 10k service, which seems excessive to me and proves they are hard on brakes.

[dxb335d]

Looks good mate, rather large improvement on the PUG!

How much was she (on I-Phizzle) ?

[M3-FAST]

cheers Carl, paid just over £3k for it which with it's history and condition seemed pretty good. Done 74k miles and has obviously had a couple of fastidious owners.

[Jon D]

Those clever Japanese think of everything; who else would have thought to put an ironing board on the boot?

[Hotcoupe]

Originally Posted by M3-FAST

cheers Carl, paid just over £3k for it which with it's history and condition seemed pretty good. Done 74k miles and has obviously had a couple of fastidious owners.

Sounds a bargain and £3k for hours of fun sounds great.

Enjoy Paul.

PS -you waxed lyrical about the M3's grip in the snow, what tyres are you running and are they something special, you mentioned 'winters',

[E902717]

Looks great Paul

[creepy coupe]

Nice one Paul, congrats on the new toy.

[Dizzle]

Absolute bargain imo. Not much for the wheels but I'm guessing you'll be making quite a few changes for track use.

eBay purchase?

[briers]

That looks like a lot of fun Paul. V.nice little project you have there.

How is it handling in the short time you have driven it?

I've always had a soft spot for the Imprezas and their burbles ever since the rally spec Imprezas drove past my house as i stood on the wall watching them as a young lad.

[M3-FAST]

Originally Posted by briers

That looks like a lot of fun Paul. V.nice little project you have there.

How is it handling in the short time you have driven it?

I've always had a soft spot for the Imprezas and their burbles ever since the rally spec Imprezas drove past my house as i stood on the wall watching them as a young lad.

It handles great - did about 250 miles getting it back home in Sunday and about another 50 yesterday round Stafford. It is very squat on the road, very little body roll. I have got the dump valve on 'max power' setting at the moment and having fun just driving round in 2nd gear ha ha [note to self: MUST grow up ]

Originally Posted by Dizzle

Absolute bargain imo. Not much for the wheels but I'm guessing you'll be making quite a few changes for track use.

eBay purchase?

Yep, got it off ebay - I actually quite like the wheels but might get them done in graphite grey or maybe even get a second set and fit some semi slicks to them.

Prob also looking at upgrading at least pads & discs to drilled and grooved ones.

Bolt in roll-cage and harnesses are also on the shopping list

Originally Posted by creepy coupe

Nice one Paul, congrats on the new toy.

Cheers Del

Originally Posted by E902717

Looks great Paul

Thanks Paul - you may hear me around town in it

Originally Posted by Hotcoupe

Sounds a bargain and £3k for hours of fun sounds great.

Enjoy Paul.

PS -you waxed lyrical about the M3's grip in the snow, what tyres are you running and are they something special, you mentioned 'winters',

Did I not mention that the M3 is running winters

Originally Posted by Jon D

Those clever Japanese think of everything; who else would have thought to put an ironing board on the boot?

[KadeSdad]

Originally Posted by M3-FAST

but I fail to get the M3 out of shape at all, even with 420bhp on tap. Even flooring it in second gear on an empty snow covered car park was so uneventful I got bored and drove home!

Try full steering lock, then see what happens

[rogerxp]

The classic Scooby. Looks in great condition; bet it's a hoot round a track. Nice one.

[Billyray911]

Paul.
As you probably know,this shape is called the bugeye-it was very unpopular at the time(and still is to the the classic shape boo boys) as it moved away from the original shape,but the modifications to the suspension and slight tweek in power made it a nice ride and a great all rounder.This shape only lasted a few years before being replaced with they 'blobeye' shape.
The price that youve paid is very reasonable for the condition and not ott modifications-apart from the vta valve!.Mica blue is also my favourite!
I would seriously modify the brakes as in the present form,they are gash-especially for track use!I bought a full set of Brembo Sti calipers and discs,which were great-for road use.As previously mentioned though,porsche stoppers are the way forward-very expensive and you may have to modify the wheels to fit...
I had a full perrin suspension setup with prodrive springs,which was a great compromise...
Ive used both TSL and GGR and they are both well respected tuners.
When I looked at your picture,I thought that the headlights werent prodrives,but I read your write-up which explains.The bugeye lights are also terrible.I had HIDs fitted,which were fantastic.
I owned a bugeye for over 6 years,only selling it a few months ago and modified almost every part of mine,so feel free to ask any questions...

[squeezebm]

[zltm089]

nice!....hope u get it on track soon....want a lil review of M3 v/s Impreza! ;-) come on entertain us!!!...