Cars of Bendix - May 2017

For May’s Cars of Bendix, we were invited to join Subyclub’s annual Hunter Valley Cruise (HVC). It’s a cruise organized for Subaru enthusiasts from NSW, Queensland and Victoria, winding through the scenic Putty Road or Peats Ridge, before arriving and taking in the day at Harrington’s Pub, Pokolbin.

It was a perfect day for over 400 burbling boxers coming from all over the East Coast, with temperatures just right and the roads clear enough to have a fun drive. This time, the winners of HVC are featured as the Cars of Bendix, as a tribute to their efforts and participation in this great car community event.

Racecar of HVC: An ex-Cars of Bendix feature, Damien’s WRX returns, with a bit more polish and a lot more horsepower. Under the bonnet, the forged 2L boxer sucks air through a massive Garrett GTX3076R turbocharger, breathing flames estimated at 350kW at 28PSI.

Inside, you’ll find an interior that’s all business. A hydraulic handbrake sprouts from the centre console, a no-frills roll cage in the back, and a Sparco full bucket seat takes the place of the stock driver’s seat. Who cares about form when you’ve got function like that?

Best P Plater: P platers today have it rough. Not only are they now barred from driving choice turbocharged sports cars, the P-plates themselves have now become a massive cop magnet. Oliver was highly aware of this fact, so even though his heart said Nissan, his head decided to buy a Liberty GX as a first car. And thus his love of Subarus began. His latest car is a Legacy wagon, whose previous owner has fully converted it to RS-spec before Oliver picked it up. Choice upgrades such as WRX leather front and rear seats ensure passengers and driver is comfortable, while the motor upfront whistles and chirps away thanks to a bigger turbocharger. It’s also got bigger WRX brakes, and despite running a pretty loud exhaust, it slips under the radar due to its unassuming shape, while still being a hoot to drive.

Best of HVC: Ryan’s WRX took out the best of HVC, and it’s not hard to see why. The outrageous Varis widebody kit, paired with even more outlandish paint, stood out from the rest of the Subarus. Slammed on Airlift suspension and dished Work wheels, it easily breaks the necks of bystanders. It looks as good rolling as it does parked, and so we warmly congratulate him on winning the award. PS: He also won 2nd place for biggest wing!

Most Stickers Award: Mitchell’s mighty Forester GT won the most stickers award outright; there is literally a sticker for every panel. The Forester has been infused with Mitchell’s love of stickers, cars, and the good old fashion turbocharged boxer engine.

The EJ has been overhauled and had a bigger WRX turbo upgrade, along with a full 3in turbo back exhaust. It handles reasonably well too, with coilovers, bigger, wider wheels and thicker anti-roll bars fitted to the big spacious wagon. All said and done, Mitchell’s Forester turns heads wherever he drives it.

Boeing Award: Probably the most identifiable part of a souped up Subaru is the factory big wing on the trunk. The food tray is simply iconic. But sometimes, it’s not enough. The Boeing award is for the Subaru with the biggest aftermarket wing on the day, and Clayden’s WRX STi has done well to clinch it. A fully functional, adjustable rear wing replaces the factory one, adding that racy touch to the STi. That wing isn’t just for show; constructed from lightweight carbon fibre, the APR wing is fine tuned to deliver proper downforce, required when Clayden attacks those fast sweepers at the track or on the road!

Spirit of HVC: The Spirit of HVC is for the Subaru that has done the most to get to the annual cruise. Ty’s adventure began in Melbourne, approximately five nights before the cruise. With three straight nights of working on his Liberty after work, Ty finally got the new EJ257 motor in and running. Driving up to Sydney on Thursday, he told us he had a few breakdowns along the way, but with the help of his mates, he managed to make it to the HVC, and even helped out the event organizers. A row of HVC stickers dating back to 2014 dates his commitment to attending this annual cruise. Nearly everything has been converted to the JDM spec, featuring HID projector headlights, leather interior, front bumper, and even Brembos from its WRX STi cousin.

Most Original Car: Brad’s WRX STi was purchased three years ago, unfortunately not in its present pristine condition. A mechanic by trade, Brad took it upon himself to painstakingly restore the STi, an unconventional choice given the abundance of modification options. Its engine has been rebuilt with choice Cosworth pistons and Subaru OEM parts, while the bodywork was sparingly worked on; a mate resprayed his front and rear bars and the bonnet. Now completely pristine, Brad enjoys driving the WRX STi as Subaru had intended, matching numbers and all.

For more information about End Of Month Meet and how to attend visit the Facebook page

To learn more about the Bendix Brakes range of products visit: www.bendix.com.au