JDM Hawkeye for occasional trackdays?
 

I'm living in Japan at the moment and I am eying up a Hawkeye as a weekend driver / occasional track car.

I've read quite a few older posts with advice like "Don't drive the car on long radius corners on less than 1/3 tank of fuel" and "Don't drive the car hard because the engine will start knocking" etc., as well as talk of the car understeering like a truck unless you fit a stiffer rear antiroll bar. Coupled with the fact that most Hawkeyes within my price range have 60,000m/100,000km+ on the clock I am wondering whether buying a 15 year old Subaru with track use in mind might be the wrong move? Or are JDMs a little stronger than their European counterparts?

Jdm spec C is made for the track. Just like anywhere, look for a vehicle that has had regular oil changes, good history. You should be able to find plenty that have already been modified with quality parts.

A HG said above.
Seems interesting to live in Japan. How is the situation there regarding corona, lockdowns etc, ?

Is this a WRX or STI your thinking of buying?

Are not all JDM Hawkeye models 2.0 not the 2.5 engine?

So better to look for a Spec C rather than a regular WRX STI? What do you think of cars that have already been modified vs. those close to spec? Can it indicate whether a car has been looked after or abused?

JDM Hawkeyes use the EJ20 engine, yes, but still produce 280bhp+. Better fuel mileage (+5 MPG-ish) and a few hundred kgs lighter than the European counterparts with the EJ25.

From Japanese Wiki:

280PS / 6,400rpm, 43.0kg-m / 4,400rpm (Impreza sedan WRX-STI / Wagon WRX-STI GDB / GGB STI specification)EJ20 installed in the GDB type STI specification. Intake AVCS mounted intercooler improved and twin scroll turbo mounted (Applied C hereinafter) evolving around the torque characteristics and feel like, 2005 generating a maximum torque of more than 3,500Cc NA classes 43 kg · m by the time Will come to do. On the other hand, the forged piston used in the GC / GF type STI model was abolished and changed to a high-strength casting type because the cost relationship and strength problems were solved. Due to recent demands for environmental performance, we are responding later than other models.

Much better than the UK, because people actually comply with mask wearing, social distancing, hand washing etc. Although I doubt the numbers are as low as they claim, especially given that Tokyo tests only 1000 people a day in a population of well over 8 million....It feels under control here though and life is largely normal.

if you're just doing the odd trackday and using the car as a day to day drive too, then the normal STI is plenty IMO. The spec-c has some nice bits, but at least over here they seem to command a 50% premium on top of a normal STI, and I'm not sure I'd pay 50% extra for one myself. My friend used to have one, which was very very nice, but it's a lot of money on top of an STI.

The sump is the same, for example, so the oil surge control would be similar between spec-c/normal sti (normally the main concern for Subarus on track). Also, the brakes are identical AFAIK (unless the spec-c is the motorsport version on original brakes (which are shocking...)).

The spec-c does have an oil cooler, though, and maybe also a steering cooler... The oil cooler would definitely be useful on track, but you can get an aftermarket one for the normal STI for a couple of hundred all in.

Any of the Impreza range can be made to be more track focused with the addition of a baffled sump and even a fuel swirl pot, uprated lift pump and external pump if you are serious about track work, so I'd buy on condition rather than one being more track focused than the other.

Also, the whole range benefits from an uprated rear ARB to minimise understeer, so i'd factor the money for one of those in too, it's one of the bet bang for buck handling improvements that you'll add to the car and is relatively inexpensive.

I would for starters.

Fit a very good set of front pads and make sure the fluid is in good nick. No expense spared

Fit a stiffer Rear ARB. Try and get an adjustable one. Set to the mid setting see how you get on.

Fresh good oil. No expense spared.

​​​​​​Fit an oil temp guage or a way of monitoring oil temps.

Fit a set of road legal but track focused tyres.

Run with a fuel tank that is always fairly full.

Perhaps try 1degree negative camber on the front

And then see how you get on. The above is enough for starters and might be ok for a few track days.

If you are finding you are really beginning to get quick through the bends then think about, upgrading sumps and fuel system and so on.

When talking about the Hawkeye specifically, the JDM STI and the Spec C are pretty much the same car in terms of mechanicals. Many people think the Spec C is a completely different animal in that respect, but it is not. STI gearbox is TY856WB7KA and the Spec C is TY856WB7JA, the ratios are exactly the same, the front and rear diffs are the same. They both have the pumps fitted internally for the cooler. Only difference between them is the Spec C box has the cooler fitted from factory and the JDM STI does not and obviously the code.

High castor arms are on both cars, not specific to Spec C. Spec C springs are different but if you are tracking the car it's likely coilovers will be fitted to both cars anyway.

Engines are the same bar the Spec C being fitted with a VF36 roller bearing turbo, revised water pump, engine oil cooler, anti-surge fuel pump and a lightweight A/C unit.

There is a rear brace fitted in the boot of the Spec C which the JDM STI does not have from factory. The U-frame is lighter on the Spec C (flimsier really).

Looking at the differences, all of these parts can be retrofitted to a standard JDM STI or can be improved upon. What you really are paying for is the seam welded chassis, 50L fuel tank, roof flap (gimmick), alloy boot, thinner glass and black interior etc.

The prices have shot up massively in Japan now and Spec C's aren't as easily affordable as they used to be. Im currently looking at reshelling my JDM Hawk STI due to a number of issues and I'm looking for a Spec C shell instead due to the stiffer chassis BUT would I pay maybe 4/5k more for a Spec C over a JDM STI outright? No, its just not worth it in my opinion. Im only looking at the Spec C just purely from the position I am in.

Id say save your money, buy a JDM STI, and the money you have left over spend it on upgrades. Im in no way shape or form saying the Spec C isn't the superior car because it is, but your money can be better spent elsewhere to improve upon an already great car.

So by the sounds of it, all I need to do is buy the stock JDM STI, add a baffled sump and an aftermarket rear anti-rollbar and I'm ready to go. Thanks a lot for all the advice!

Changing the rear ARB isn't really addressing the mechanical understeer, you are just masking it by altering the weight transfer. Really you should get a proper wheel alignment and dial in as much negative camber and positive castor as you can.

I think that there is a slightly different baffle plate in the spec C sump.

my JDM Type 20 STI Hawk was set up awesome.
earlier models bigger differences between spec C and STi
And as Dreep, technopug and Steve etc said.
service well, my average ol change was under 2000km
Only high octane fuel
fit good tyres like RE070,s dry or RE050,s dry or wet. as good side wall strength or otherwise it will turn into a tyre squeeling understeering wreck.
tyre pressures
warm up tyre
tyre pressures
Throw away boost gauge, add dephi oil pressure, oil tem and water temp
Performance friction pads and disc, same front as back
baffle sump
Oil cooler
Good 4w geometery set up

Driver training will add 75bhp and less strain on engine

Tony