[Ben]

It's parked outside with a cover on it all the time. In about a week it will live in an enclosed trailer.

[Chris05STi]

Very nice Ben, the car really came a long way! Looks sick on the inside! I bet you miss driving it as a daily driver!!

[Ben]

Originally Posted by Chris05STi

Very nice Ben, the car really came a long way! Looks sick on the inside! I bet you miss driving it as a daily driver!!

Thanks , and yes I do...very much .

[DPG]

The car looks great! Does the bolt-in cage move inside the car as the chasis flexes?

[Ben]

Not really. It hasn't moved any measurable distance since we put it in about 4k track miles ago .

EDIT: I may have misinterpreted your question. If you mean does it move while driving around the track, the answer is no also. It's one with the chassis and the chassis flexes very little.

[DPG]

Thats good. I heard that they shake in other cars. Did the cage need modification to install? Installation time? I've been waiting to have a custom cage fabricated and learned yesterday that it will be delayed. After looking at your pics, I might buy a bolt-in and modify to fit my needs. Thanks.

[Ben]

No bolt-in cage is ever perfect. I had the guys that manufacture the cage install it, and it required SLIGHT modification, such as cutting one tube 1/16th of an inch. A well built bolt-in cage (and there are very few) won't rattle, and will be just as safe, if not safer than a weld-in cage. The particular cage I'm using is the AutoPower cage; it's definitely the best bolt-in cage out there.

[DPG]

Safety being my utmost concern, I also want to increase the rigidity of the chassis. My concerns with an AutoPower are fitment ( IE me getting my fat ass in and out of the car) and the ability to attach the cage to the pillars, firewall, roof, rockers, etc.. In reality the bolt-in does not meet all my goals, but time being critical, may be a good temporary solution. Thanks for the info.

[Ben]

I think you would be very suprised at how much the bolt-in cage stiffens the chassis. Anyway, good luck!

[Nivek]

These were posted in another thread and I thought those reading this journal might want to hear about the experiences:

Originally Posted by MCSTI

Hello everyone,I am a new 2006 STI owner and I had the pleasure of meeting Ben and Kevin.I first saw the IWSTI/HSPN car in the photo gallery about a month ago and thought to myself how much fun it would be to ride in that beast.Fast forward to this past Sunday and my thoughts became a reality.My friend in his sleeper 05 STI invited me to go with him to hang out with the guys.They were shooting an install video on a quick release steering wheel using his car.I didn't know what to expect other than I was going to hang out with some fellow Subie owners.As we rounded the corner to Ben's street,I could see the Car parked in front of his house.You have to see this thing in person,it looks like something from GT4.I must have spent a good 20 minutes checking out his car.I know there's pics of it in the photo gallery,but in real life I noticed things like the CF mirrors,CF front splitter,aluminum trunk lid,etc.About an hour passed and Kevin asked if I would like to look inside of the HSPN car.Hell yeah I want to look inside!Let me tell you this car is stripped.No carpet,no back seats,seatbelts,headliner,sunvisors,half the dash is gone,no door panels,radio,speakers,center console,no factory seats.Even though the interior is naked,it's still beautiful.I asked if I could sit in the passenger seat.After bumping my head on the roll bar I relaxed in the Recaro race seat.The seats are actually comfortable,I could tell right away that they hold you alot better than the stock STI seats.Then to my amazement Kevin asked Ben if he could give me a ride in it.Ben said sure,just be careful.Holy $hit I can't believe I'm going for a ride.Kevin told me to buckle up.Well I'm not used to cam lock harnesses,so Ben had to strap me in.Then Kevin starts the car and slowly takes off down the street.Now I'm not going to write where all this took place.This is a race car with license plates,no cats,no interior,race graphics with numbers and a roll bar.When Kevin pulled out onto a main street all eyes were on us!I know what celebrities feel like now.It's not as loud in the car as one would think with no interior,and the ride is smoother than stock thanks to the Tein coilovers with electronic adjustability.We pulled down some side street,waited for some cars to pass and Kevin launched this thing hard.The car accelerates so quickly,we hit 120 in no time.That's with the stock turbo!The brakes are more impressive than the motor.My glasses just about came off when we were coming to a halt.Kevin had a big grin on his face and said that this car is so dialed in,everything works together perfectly.I could really feel the weight reduction that Ben did to his ride.The Subaru really spools up fast and you have to pay attention to the RPM's.I thought that my ride would be over with but we kept cruising down the street for a bit.When your in a race car on the street,everyone wants to race you or try to make you show off.We had a newer style Mustang rev at us and 2 guys in a lowered G35 giving us the look to race.Kevin said he was very tempted to race but it's not his car if something were to go wrong.Next thing I knew Kevin was heading for a short canyon run.I tightened my harness a little more and grabbed the roll bar for dear life!This guy can drive and it's not even his car!He was diving into the corners at crazy speeds(to me they were crazy)and braking at the last second(or so it seemed).The car sticks to the road with no body roll,very minimal tire slip(cold tires) and a smooth ride.When we got back to Ben's house I still couldn't believe I got to ride in his car.That made my day!Thanx you guys.

Originally Posted by Nivek

When we drove in Ben's Car, that was my first time driving it. Even though I did not have my glasses on that day (the butt dyno for measuring brake performance these days), I was equally impressed with the HSPN Race Car's braking, acceleration, and handling.

Ben spent a considerable amount of time researching his mods and I have to agree with you MCSTI, this car IS DIALED IN. I particularly enjoyed the part of the canyon run without any traffic to speak of. After driving the car, I noticed that my adrenaline was pumping much like it does when I drive at the racetrack. I felt nostalgic for those days at the track because it has been several months since I last got the opportunity to go.

It was particularly enjoyable because we each got to each experience this car for the first time. We had no idea what to expect or what would happen. I could only imagine what thoughts were going on through Ben's head when he called us twenty minutes later and asked whether we were in any trouble or not.

I can still remember the aggressive surge of power this car serves up at the 4000 mark and then throughout the RPM range. It is simply unbelieveable what lightweight rotors, a lightweight driveshaft, and Cobb Stage 2 can do for a car with a stock turbo. Many enthusiasts who drive their STIs daily, like yourself, would find this particular combination of performance modifications perfect. If you add in a Pro Tune, I cannot imagine a more ideal STI.

I know Ben has been thinking about doing this, so I am waiting patiently for the day it happens. Perhaps then I will take some time off of work to go to the track and see how much excitement we can have in an STI powered by a stock turbo. Maybe even when Rac10000 comes into town.

[Ben]

I just got the tracking numbers, and the wheels will be here on Monday! Very exciting!

[Jas0nn]

all three sets??

[blk rex]

Originally Posted by Ben

I just got the tracking numbers, and the wheels will be here on Monday! Very exciting!

Which rubber bands are going on them?

[Ben]

Dunlop Super Sport Race tires until I burn up these last 3 sets. Then it's up in the air. Michelin, Yokohama, Dunlop, Khumo, Hoosier, etc...slicks. I have no idea yet. It's all about which company is willing to deal on their slicks.

[Ben]

Originally Posted by Jas0nn

all three sets??

Yep.