Ali Allage | Ali Allage (SPT) - Serial Entrepreneur, Writer, Automotive Enthusiast, Web Innovator

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May 16th, 08

Engine Torque Damper

With the current power levels on the Project Evo, something had to be done about the drive train lash we were experiencing. The Evo suffers from a good amount of engine movement due to the soft stock motor mounts. Some issues that results from the motor movement are increased stress on exhaust mounts (and motor mounts), problems shifting, and excessive wheel hop.

Upgrading the motor mounts was the only solution I could think of, until I was introduced to the Stiffy from Ingalls Engineering. The Stiffy seemed like the best solution if you didn’t want to go through the hassle of installing upgraded motor mounts or inserts. Plus it had the ability to adjust the stiffness level, which is a great feature especially if you drive your Evo daily.

The product arrived at my door within a weeks time. Included in the package was the following:

- Stiffy Engine Torque Damper
- Engine Mounting Bracket
- Chassis Mounting Bracket
- Hardware Kit (includes: two 12mm engine mount nuts, two 12mm washers, two bolts, two nylon locking washers, and two washers.)

Installation was simple and took about 30 minutes to complete. Once I finished the install I was out on the road testing it out.

Impressions

After the install I made sure to set the damper to the softest setting before heading out.

Softest/Lowest Setting

Initially I couldn’t feel a difference in the car’s behavior, until I started playing with the throttle. I tried to reproduce the drive train lash I experienced before to see if there was any improvement. I did notice a slight improvement. My shifting was also a little smother than before. Cabin vibrations were very mild, but keep in mind the project Evo has a lumpy idle due to the 272 cams so I’m pretty used to the car being shaky.

Medium/Middle Setting

This setting was a definite improvement from the last setting. Shifting improved and the lash experienced during the last run had reduced. This time around I was able to feel vibrations within the cabin. Again I’m not ultra sensitive to cabin noise or vibrations so this was tolerable for me on a daily basis.

Stiffest/Highest Setting

Finally I decided to go all the way and set the damper to the stiffest setting and head out for the final test run of the day. On this run I could definitely tell that the product was making a difference. Shifting was really smooth this time around. I tried to reproduce the lash again but this time it had greatly reduced from the first setting. Cabin vibrations were definitely noticeable and may be a pain to deal with on daily basis.

At the end of the day I have to say this is a good mod that was easy to install and easy to use. It’s a great alternative to motor mounts, especially if you drive your Evo on a daily basis. A little Dynamat around the strut tower could also help absorb any vibrations experienced, if any. I would also keep the Stiffy set anywhere between the softest to the medium setting for everyday use. I would recommend only using the highest setting on track days.

Ingalls Engineering Company
http://www.ingallseng.com/
2011 Cherry St. Suite 104
Louisville, CO 80027
(800) 641-9795

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May 9th, 08

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Old School Rules – Subaru Impreza vs Mitsubishi Evolution

(Article I wrote for Sport Compact Car)
Does Four Times The Price Mean Four Times Better?

writer: Ali Allage
photographer: Devin Lefevere

Not everyone can afford the 35 large required to buy a new road-going rally car from Mitsubishi or Subaru. But almost anyone can afford to buy a used Subaru Impreza GC8. And the best used GC8 has to be the 2.5 RS. It weighs over 430 pounds less than its modern day equivalents. It has all-wheel drive and its Japanese cousin came with a turbocharged engine that put out more than 276bhp.

The more numbers we plug in, the more curious we become. Available for around $7000-$8000 at the time of writing, we wondered what the $25,000 premium of a new car was really worth. We had to find out. Mitsubishi graciously supplied us with a brand spankin’ new Evo IX MR, but the challenge would be finding a clean Impreza 2.5 RS. We eventually found Pirouz Sichani from Dynamic Power Solutions in Maryland, who had a 2.5 RS that was pristine enough to eat off. He bought the car new in 1999 and has been wrenching on it ever since.

Sichani’s Impreza is no ordinary 2.5. With the same displacement as stock, the car uses an EJ257 swap with a custom Turbonetics T3/T4OB turbo kit. According to Sichani, the car is capable of about 320 wheel-hp. That’s a lot of power for a car weighing less than 2900 pounds. Often mistaken for a standard 2.5 RS, Sichani reports that many overly-anxious 350Z owners get a big surprise when they try to intimidate this car.

To even out the playing field a little, we’ve thrown in a lightly modified Evo VIII from www.evolutionm.net. It represents a good example of how a few careful modifications fit together to achieve a well balanced car; nothing is over the top. The guys at evolutionm.net claim this Evo dynos at 352 wheel-hp, making it the hardest hitter of the bunch by a reasonable margin.

Initially, we wanted to put the cars on an autocross course, but bad weather foiled that plan. No matter, all three cars are better geared for track duty than the tight coned corners of an autocross anyway. As it turns out, we get some track time at Carolina Motorsports Park in Kershaw, South Carolina, for a full day of testing. As an added bonus, the interim between cancelled autocross and eventual track day allows us to get a feel for the cars as daily drivers.

Impreza 2.5 RS

The giant front-mount intercooler sitting immediately above the aggressive Chargespeed front lip makes the intentions of this particular 2.5 RS perfectly clear. While the lip speaks volumes, it’s a pain in the ass to baby out of parking lots and over speedbumps. The version five STI wing with rear bumper spoiler pieces from the (extremely) limited edition 22B also help make the car look authentic-and predatory.

On the street, the spring rates of the Prodrive P1 suspension are low enough to soak up any bumps, but the Subaru still feels distinctly ‘modified car’. With upgraded front calipers and rotors from the much-vaunted 22B, the 2.5 has no trouble stopping. What we don’t like are the large donuts for tires (225/50 Kumho Ecsta MX) mounted on a stock set of 16-inch wheels. With a slightly thinner sidewall, turn-in could be markedly improved.

The steering isn’t as a precise as the two Evos. Granted, the Subaru is about seven years old, but the high level of power assistance makes the steering feel more Cadillac than performance car. The second issue is the clutch. Anything aftermarket will take some getting used to, but for some reason the clutch doesn’t disengage very easily. It’s difficult to get consistently smooth shifts, which can be frustrating on the daily drive. With some acclimatization, this issue might be resolved.

The 2.5 RS takes to the track like a kid to video games; unbelievable fun to pitch into the tighter sections of the course and use the turbo to blast out. With all the low end torque available, the car seems to build a greater amount of exit speed than the Evos. The power is there throughout the day and never backs off, netting the little Sube a 2.00:12 final time, despite the relatively dinky rubber.

We experience a fair amount of nose-dive under braking, which could be attributed to the same soft springs that are such a joy on the road. With each progressive lap, the brakes start to fade, finally requiring a quick cool-down in the pits. State-of-the-art technology from 1999 is seven years old in 2006. Brakes and suspension are the issues clouding the car, track-wise. Otherwise, it has a lot of potential and could easily be a great weekend track machine and workday wonder.

Stock EVO IX MR

The suspension and power makes the bone stock Evo IX easy to drive and well-mannered on the street. Driving around town, the upgraded Bilstein suspension of the MR does a good job of smoothing out bumps and dips. On power delivery, Mitsubishi claims the new IX has a slight torque increase within the lower rev zone. The butt dyno confirms this from as little as 2500rpm when compared to the Evo VIII. Once past 6500rpm, though, the power seems to flatten out.

Trackside, the car feels alive. The factory brakes, suspension, steering, and power delivery make for an incredibly capable package. The car is a blast. Flying through each corner, the IX is being stressed in every possible way as we push harder and harder, but it feels like nothing can release its stranglehold on the asphalt. It’s clear this Evo is a hassle-free ride, whether used as a daily driver or a track monster. It also turns in a very respectable 2.02:33 lap time on its stock Yokohama rubber.

Evolutionm.net EVO VIII

The suspension modifications and aggressive wheel/tire package on the evolutionm.net VIII stand in clear contrast to the untainted lines of the stock Evo IX. The VIII looks aggressive yet simple, with its unreasonably wide Nitto NT01 tires (275/35) mounted on SSIX 18×9-inch wheels. After driving around for a couple of days, it is clear that, while a relatively tame package, this car has sacrificed some of its daily driveability for ultimate speed.

With the combination of a lowered front anti-roll bar (spacers have been added to allow clearance for the Vishnu Performance downpipe) and lowered suspension, the VIII is extremely difficult to drive on uneven pavement. Even when using caution, the low-hanging metal bits too often produce nasty scraping noises that ring through the cockpit.

Not all is lost to modification, though. It has the best power delivery and manages to create more than a few buttcheek-clenching moments during takeoff on the street. The upgraded Ohlins coilover setup with Hyper Coil springs isn’t as harsh as expected compared to the Bilsteins of the IX. The shocks make short(ish) work of most pavement imperfections, even with a 650-pound spring rate in the rear and a 550-pound rate up front.

Stock Brembo calipers are paired with two-piece GiroDisk rotors and mated with a set of Ferodo DS2500 pads front and rear. The setup results in powerful and consistent braking that exhibits no fade during heated mountain runs.

On track, the metamorphosis from street car to roller coaster ride takes place. We’re pinned to the seat during acceleration, hanging from the seatbelt during braking and cutting into side bolsters during cornering. This is an animal. The modified Mitsu squeezes out 1.56:47, a massive six seconds faster than the out-of-the-box Evo IX MR.

With the combination of moderate driveability on the street and demonic track performance, the Evo VIII impresses all who sit behind its aluminum wheel. Priced between the two other cars, it seems to offer more than either, without the need to change a thing. The 2.5 RS, by comparison, requires some alteration in the suspension and braking department to be a chart topper in such tough company. It would even benefit from a quicker steering rack, but then we’re missing the point of buying the budget car in the first place. The Evo IX MR is, well, an Evo IX MR. An awesome car, but just too expensive this time around.

Photo Gallery

: Subaru Impreza RS Engine Bay

: Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 8 EvolutionM Project Evo 8

: Subaru Impreza RS

: Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 9 MR

: Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 9 MR

: Subaru Impreza RS, Mistubishi Lancer Evolution 9, and Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 8

: Subaru Impreza RS

: Subaru Impreza RS

: Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 8 EvolutionM Project Evo

: Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 8 EvolutionM Project Evo Engine Bay

: Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 8 EvolutionM Project Evo

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Apr 30th, 08

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Chasing Road Racing Dreams

Like most aspiring amateur race car drivers, our careers begin on the sofa – watching the heated competition of F1, Le Mans, DTM, Grand Am or World Challenge. As the hours flew by and the laps racked up, dozens of circuits around the world become permanently etched into memory. After some time though, back seat sofa driving got boring. NASA and SCCA provide the means for any aspiring Michael Schumacher to get off the couch and get in their own cars to try the real thing.

Gentlemen, don’t start your engines just yet; like anything worth doing it takes a little time, and due to the inherent danger of performance driving a newbie can’t just jump in a racecar and decide to race. Anything motorsports related uses a ladder system with steps to bring the driver to their goal.

Both a good understanding of the theory and excessive practice are crucial to becoming a safe and successful driver. Life comes at you fast when braking hard into turn 1 off the long straight. Your career won’t be illustrious or long lived if you panic at speed; this isn’t a venue where you want to go out with a bang. Driving school is an important first step and it serves as the springboard to a potentially addictive lifelong hobby.

Most seem to underestimate the importance of a good driving school; instructor reputation greatly supersedes price. While it may be tempting to save on a cheaper school, there’s a good reason that the better schools are more expensive. You wouldn’t skimp on a skydiving instructor would you? The same goes here. Imagine yourself behind the wheel of a powerful car hurtling down a decent straight and we think you’ll agree that even the added confidence wouldn’t hurt.

My performance-driving story is not unique or surprising. Like most I attended weekend driving programs with my own car. Instructors endured lap after lap in my passenger seat offering tips and their lifetime of knowledge. Every weekend I had some of the best road race hardened instructors right in my car; both of us focused on how to improve my driving. As steadily as each lap blended together and weekends flew by, I noticed a bigger issue developing. Each weekend promised a different instructor in my passenger seat. While varying perspectives are often of great value, it quickly became apparent that the consistent feedback I dreamed would bring my driving ability to a new level was not to be found at these events. Something had to change.

Initially it was an issue of quality vs. quantity. My routine of track fees and car prep/maintenance and instruction topped several hundred dollars per weekend (without anything breaking on car). A weekend spent at a proper high performance driving school is about three to four grand (equivalent to six track weekends). That’s a lot to shell out for a weekend all at once, but it was going to happen sooner or later, so I pulled the trigger and went with the tried and true Skip Barber Racing School. Drivers like Juan Pablo Montoya, Michael Andretti, Townsend Bell, and many others have all taken the program offered by Skip Barber. With a list like that, it becomes increasingly harder to pass up the opportunity.

The next hurdle was deciding on which program to take, the Formula School or the Mazdaspeed Racing School. My natural response was to create a pole in the motorsports section (http://forums.evolutionm.net/showthread.php?t=32810), and most of you suggested that I go with the Formula School. Majority opinion aside I decided to ignore all of you and take a chance on the new Mazdaspeed Racing School at Laguna Seca Raceway. The program was so new and curiosity was my motivation. Having spoken to others who have taken the course I understood that the program was based on the Formula program and was a great choice for anyone looking to further their career in closed wheel racing.

As the event drew nearer, I started losing sleep. I wondered who the instructors would be. I wondered what my classmates would know. Finally, with all arrangements made, it was time to set out to experience what Skip Barber had to offer.

Day 1
Like any first day of school, day 1 was overwhelming. It was exciting to meet the other students (some of which were members here) and our instructors (Randy Buck, Conrad Grunewald, Andrew Shoen, and Jeff Rodrigues). I couldn’t recall that I’d ever been that excited to be in class. We had a lot to cover and everyone was on the edge of their seat. Topics included: General Overview, Explanation of Vehicle Dynamics/Car Control, Race Car Intro, Racing Line, and Downshifting (heel and toe). Recess promised a lot more than it did in grade school, although that same anxiety and restlessness hung in the air. Even with the amount of instruction needed to get the basics taught, there was a ton of in car time. All day we oscillated between the classroom and the cars. At each point we applied the lesson through a series of in car drills.

Our first in car practice session was on the mock track setup on the skid pad. An instructor rode shotgun while other instructors stood at certain points along the “track.” Having a group of similarly trained instructors watching every move was something I desperately needed. This type of instruction seemed to wipe away bad habits. With enough practice, the carefully designed drills corrected the various spectrums of possible flaws. By the afternoon everyone could see varying hints of good technique that was becoming sub-conscious behavior.

The sun was high when we got out onto the big track. Much like the morning, an instructor was positioned along each turn; critiquing every move. After the drills were over, each instructor provided a list of possible improvements as well as praise for aspects executed correctly. By the end of the day exhaustion had set in and all were ready to head back to the hotel to pass out.

Day 2
Topics covered in Day 2: The Race Track, Flags, Braking & Trailbraking, Technical Line Talk, and Passing. Braking & Trailbraking were the most physically demanding due to the practice required to get the techniques down. The braking portion required us to get up to speed, and then slam on the brakes hard enough to get close to the lock-up point. Doing that a few dozen times gives you far more than you bargained for in terms of a neck workout.

The second portion to the lesson was the fun and equally scary technique of trailbraking. The goal of the exercise was to get the car to rotate using weight transfer. Coming off a high speed straight into the “Andretti Hairpin” (turn 2), a driver must brake really late to properly carry speed through the corner. This is far more of a mental exercise than a technical challenge. Once I had overcome the mind-game of applying the brakes way beyond the point that seemed logical or even sane, it wasn’t difficult to get it right. Later in the afternoon we were on to open lapping sessions dedicated to passing and learning the line, which was a great way to end the afternoon. The next day would be our last and it was time to get some rest.

Day 3

Ah day 3. This was the day I was most looking forward to because we were to practice race starts and have a lot of open lapping time. Topics covered on day 3: Rain Racing, Race Starts, and Recap of the previous two days. My biggest worry was the mock race start, but in retrospect it wasn’t worth getting worked up over. We did three separate drills per race start, with a position change for each drill. There were two separate race starts we completed (both rolling starts), single file and side by side. Open lapping was the last item on the list, which was the perfect opportunity to apply what we had learned. We had been sheltered in our drills before; now the tires and brakes started to heat up and we had to readjust our entry speeds in order to maintain speed coming out of the turn. Keeping the car consistent was difficult under these conditions but we used what we learned from our drills and classroom time over the previous 2 days to get the job done. After our final track session was over we reluctantly said goodbye to the cars, had a brief graduation ceremony and packed our bags. On the plane home and over the next several days I realized that I had gained a lot more than a few friends and a certificate of completion.

Sunrise at Laguna Seca

Conclusion
Usually I end a review with, “you should really get this part,” or “you should really do x, y and z,” so you’ll have to trust me when I say that the moment you register for this school, the rest of your life will be owned by racing. It’s been a few weeks since I attended and a day hasn’t gone by without thinking about building a spec Miata to race as soon and as much as possible.

So please, do yourself a favor and don’t go to this school, unless all you really want to be is the best possible driver you can be. Don’t go to this school if you’re afraid of your friends being jealous. Don’t go to this school if your wife already tells you that you’re spending too much time and money on your silly hobbies. Sounds awful doesn’t it?

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