Snow Drift
Been hella busy lately and also shooting to retool the site soon, sorry for the lack of updates – hopefully that will be short lived.
For now enjoy this really really old school video which first appeared on the internet around 2002-2003 (I.e. these are practically brand new WRX wagons tearing up a frozen lake back in the day)
Happy winter (or summer to the Aussie bugeyers) : )
Snapshot of the Day: Zeekay’s Malaysian version 7 STI bugeye
One of my favorite things about trolling the interwebs and finding pics to post on bugeyegarage is finding cars from different areas of the world. I think so far this blog has dotted the globe with monster HP bugeyes in Puerto Rico (U.S. but pretty exotic and amazing stuff), Jspec bugeyes innumerable as they are unbelievable in Japan, several insane Aussie bugeyes, Irish bugeyes, various UK bugeyes, various Canadian bugeyes, Swiss bugs, Taiwanese bugeyes, Hawaiian bugeyes (again U.S. but pretty exotic and amazing JDM builds), Brazilian bugeyes, Antiguan bugeyes, countless USDM bugeyes, and other bugeyes spread across the globe – and certainly more to come.
This bugeye belongs to Zeekay and resides in Malaysia.
As I think these pics exemplify, the Malaysian tuning scene generally tends to be on the wild side (note the crazy yellow Forester and STI). Depending on where you are, this bugeye could look a bit bold for some, but I think the parts actually compliment each other pretty well and certainly one of the most creative builds I’ve seen. Additionally, this car is in Malaysia so you can get away with more and it fits right in. 
Seen here are:
- Varis hood
- 04-05 JDM STI lip with the side parts cut off and installed on an 02-03 bumper + custom front splitter and canards (perhaps Eurou?)
– 04-05 Chargespeed side and rear bottom line kit installed on 02-03 sideskirts and rear bumper AND side/rear JDM STI aero mudguards
- VolkRacing TE37 wheels (presumably)
- STI wing, STI grill, 04-05 taillights on the OEM 02-03 bumper, Jdm rainvisors, factory rear windshield wiper / etc.
Snapshot: WRC-Lite
Saw this car come up for sale not too long ago (unsure if it sold) and was thinking about it this past week. Oftentimes you see WRC replicas with the full graphics scheme, but this car takes a different approach: just a few hints of an S7 (bugeye) WRC car here and there but things that aren’t necessarily intuitive when you look at a WRC car, and enough to really catch your eye: WRC style headlights with the high-beam-area ducts, rally fogs, drop in hood vent, Spec C roof vent, WRC extended wing, trunk-pins (because the extended wing and accompanying downforce can’t keep it shut on it’s own :p ). Meanwhile, no widebody or graphics to be found. Some more unusual items like Formula mirrors and Zerosport ducts that somehow don’t look all that out of place. The Rota G-Forces, while Rotas, evoke the wide Prodrive race wheels on the S7.
Just a nice looking street car… but kind of makes me want to swap a twin scroll setup with anti lag, gravel tires, and extreme-travel suspension and hit some trails. : ]
Things that Money Can Buy
Money can buy a lot of things, and presently it can get you this nicely modified S202 currently for sale on GooNet. If you’re lucky, maybe it can even buy you the lawyer you’ll need to work through the legal tangles of actually importing one (unless you live in the UK or other jurisdictions that seem to be much cooler about foreign cars). But it doesn’t take any money to appreciate how ridiculous this car is. Take Subaru’s rare 1 of 400 ever made, 320ps-from-the-factory bugeye, and go to town on it.
Chargespeed full front bumper
Sparco bucket, “because rare black v7 seats aren’t supportive enough for what I’m using it for” and Ganador super mirrors = check.
Ridiculously tall GT wing that probably gets put to *actual* use = check.
That’s a SYMS ’06+ STI bumper (which also fits bugeyes) with integrated diffuser = check.
Factory Brembos are so ’02! The RA-R’s are up to 6-pots, and no reason that this track beast shouldn’t have some ENDLESS 6-pot stoppers under the 17″ s202 wheels made by RAYS wheels = check.
Cockpit designed for a purpose. Lap timer mounted above the steering column = check.
Engine is on the tamer side compared to the Tsukuba-ready exterior, but I’ve noticed that Japanese track builds tend to focus more on things like suspension, brakes, and tires, all tuned meticulously – even obsessive-compulsively – to eek out every last ounce of performance of the car for a given track. It’s really in the U.S. that you see random road cars with GT4088R turbos putting down monstrous HP as more of a common goal. I think I read somewhere once that in Japan the goal is a well tuned engine that is well suited to the circuit or medium in which the car is used, rather than meeting some arbitrary power benchmark on the dyno.
“They say money can’t buy happiness? Well look at the smile on my face… Ear to ear baby!”
Dynasty
I don’t know if you’ve noticed the lengths that I go to (in a mostly non-serious way) to keep non-bugeyes off this blog. Even when discussing a part which fits all the GD WRX models regardless of year. It’s not really that I have anything against the other model years, in fact I kind of dig them at times. It’s just that you can see those cars anywhere, and I think what makes Bugeyegarage special is its focus only on one nichey (albeit awesome) variety of the new age Impreza.
But then again, life is short, and how many times are you going to see all the special S20x model imprezas all lined up together, in order, in one place?
Throughout the years, STI has offered extremely exclusive variants of their top-of-the-line STI models, carrying the name S201 (classic impreza), S202 (bugeye), S203 (blobeye), S204 (hawkeye), and in the newer generation, R205 (GRB hatch), S206 (GVB sedan). These cars are macked out with limited edition parts – ranging from titanium exhausts, matte black dash trim, Recaro seats, bordering-on-exotic treatment suede leather key fobs and manuals, carbon wings, 6-pot brakes, purpose-designed BBS wheels, among a host of other luxury and performance upgrades.
The S201 was the first car to start it all. Granted by todays standard the look was quite boy-racerish, but then again lest we forget that was the style at the time. Car was based on the much more boldly-styled STI Elektra One concept.
Next along of course was the S202, a few of which have been featured on bugeyegarage. Characterized by its sonic yellow paint option, front mount oil cooler, CE28N-themed and RAYS-built one-off STI wheels, and carbon wing. Interestingly the first car to break Japan’s post World War II accord to limit cars to 276 PS. The S202 weighed in at 320 PS.
The blob eye years brought the S203. Unlike the earlier S201 and S202, STI this time took a more refined approach, switching out the bronze Rays wheels for silver, almost European-style one-off BBS wheels in ‘diamond black’ and similar in appearance to BBS RE’s. The interior brought suede trim options and Recaros that would look equally in place in a 996 (at the time) Porsche Carrera. Touring style wing.
Not too many changes for the S204 model but bringing the S20x line to the hawkeyes. STI parted ways with the (possibly considered less sophisticated?) metal wing-mounts in favor of a solid one-piece wing design.
You can begin to see the transgression of the S20x line from boy-racerish to sport-luxury through the spoilers.
Matching vanity license plates makes me wonder if they aren’t all under single ownership (whether factory or private individual), making this an outstanding collection of the s20x line in their iconic colors (s202 was the first to offer sonic yellow, s203 – san remo red).
The newer generation has sine brought a resurgence of race-inspired looks to the S20x line.
R205 (right) and S206 (left)… The R205 still maintained some of the civility of the later generation S203 and S204, but the S206 brought it back to racing with a carbon roof, tall touring wing, and louvered fenders. Interestingly since STI left the WRC in 2008 (I would have to gather that WRC-dominance by three-doors was the principle reason for making the STI a hatch in 2007), the focus of the S206 line has shifted to its Nürburgring-focused Subaru factory touring car entry.
Note: R205 license plate… it doesn’t stop! Amazing collection of cars.
For more fun – s202, s203, and s204 meet and drive in Japan
and now back to bugeyes…
So there’s that
Have you seen Adrian’s 828 horsepower bugeye tuned by Jr. ?
I try and not repost current stuff from the bugeye thread on Nasioc because it’s duplicative, and try and vary content sources, but then there’s that crazy, definitive post which just needs immediate republication all over the interwebs.
Everyone outside of Puerto Rico knows that Junior builds the baddest bugs : )
Mystery revealed
Awhile ago I posted up this mystery hood:
Came across this pic the other night on Minkara described as “unknown hood” by the owner of the car… Never seen it ever before anywhere but I love/want it (painted though)
The front vent reminds me of the Kaminari reverse cowl hood for Bugeyes though it clearly isn’t (this hood has an integrated scoop for one)… or a Firstmolding hood for blobeyes.
…also reminds me of something you’d find on a Skyline GT-R from Top Secret
Has anyone seen this bugeye hood before / know the manufacturer?
I’ve come across a few more examples of it since…
edit: Updated for pics (never mind the lambo doors >.< )
It turns out that it’s a ‘Shift Sport’ hood which can be had right here. Unfortunately, like all JDM carbon goodies it retails at over $1,000 (plus shipping and wait times) 
Still pretty neat with the integrated scoop and vent. Definitely reminiscent of the TS2001 GT-R hood. I definitely have never seen a car with it outside of Japan.
Not a billet grill
Just a FMIC the size of a small refrigerator on this STI-swapped Bugeye 2.5RS. Also love the dedication to the C-West brand: CWest v2 front bumper, Cwest sideskirts, CWest rear lip, CWest hood, and CWest v1 grill. Set off nicely with some rally touches UK300 headlights, WRC mirrors, and RA roof vent . The intake manifold is an older high-grade Magnus piece set up for short FMIC piping, not the cheap ebay manifolds. Epic performance build by dangerousatom on Nasioc.
> for more <
M-Sport by Dee.
LOVE this bugeye from Dee hailing from Japan with a full blown M-Sport wide body kit. M-Sport is the kit that made its debut on the Team Orange hawk eye and blobeye drift cars. It looks seriously cool on blobeyes. But unfortunately M-Sport kits aren’t even made for the bugeye, joining the ranks of Impreza parts manufacturers who neglected the poor bugeye. But as the only material differences between the bug-blob-hawk eyes over the years has largely been the front facia and rear facias – this guy made it work. (specifically by using a WRC replica front bumper to compliment the front – thing looks meaner than the M-Sport front actually!)
Work 11R** wheels and money-brand Endless calipers.
Gorgeous, gorgeous WRX…
Snapshot: Neon Lights
Stunning long-exposure photography and stunning V7 JDM STI engine swapped bugeye, complimented by Seattle’s nightlife and a Do Luck trunk (with ‘Aloha’ badge nod to the 808 state)
photo and car via 808_Subie (and sv&co media group | sveeonline.com)
Snapshot & Part: Prodrive Grill
I’ve always been more into the regular JDM STI grill, because of the more rounded 3d appearance, but this rare Prodrive UK piece is one of the few grills that makes me rethink that. It’s part of a 3-piece grill set that can use the stock side-pieces (or any other side piece that permits a factory-sized center grill piece). Pretty hard to top, rarer than the STI grill, comes factory from Subaru on the STI-Prodrive model, and as shown here flows magnificently with the Aqua reverse Hoodscoop and STI version 2 lip. Add some SSR Professor SP1 and you’re ready to roll – in true ‘Panda style.’
via v2lab
InJINious
Came across a cache of pics from this older bugeye build from New York. The owner, Mr. Jin, took an interesting approach that balances JDM style, incorporating a diverse assortment of incredibly rare parts, with WRC Rally style (itself a JDM style in a way, as there are scores of Imprezas in Japan done up as WRC replicas). Some of the best looking bugeye builds are those that don’t follow the strict “rally replica” look, but instead improvise along the way.
The rally graphics and gold was one of the later iterations of the car, and I was more of a fan of the subdued bronze/stickerless look (last pic), but admittedly this car is absolutely wild in any form.
Snapshot: Fear No Evo
Been a busy few months but did make it to a ‘Dinosaur theme’ party a few weeks back at a friends party with a bunch of ‘car people.’ This was my entry for a one-off t-shirt. : P (And yes, Gojirra counted as a Dinosaur for one night)
front
back
Rap Genius
I’d normally say this vinyl wrap thing is getting out of hand, except how unbelievable these cars are coming out.
(lil jon’s insane ej205 build bugeye: Cwest v2 grill, JDM STI headlights(black), Prodrive lip, Kaminari reverse-cowl hood, Bronze volkracing TE37 …and loving the throwback JIC-Magic seats)
bonus
I’m hoping K3lh3′s car will be next on deck:
WRAP IT UP!
ReiNfEktion
Previously featured on BugeyeGarage and hailing from Hawaii, iNfEk’s bugeye now sporting some new Super Advan Racing V2 kicks and JDM ION yellow headlights
I’ve always thought with Blobeyes the ion yellow fogs looked amazing on Aspen White. Apparently the same goes for Bugeyes (at least with a Prodrive bumper and Prodrive optional open foglight covers)
I’ve always been a fan of the exceptional J-Spec details on this car – everything you’d come to expect from a Hawaiian build. Notice the power-folding JDM mirrors among other rarities on this beast
I helped Mr. iNfEk find these ion yellow bad boys in JDM land on the cheap (not to honk my own horn, but, you know… beep beep ; )
What’s GDB? It’s Golden. Genuine. and Glorious.
Really hard to really beat a world-rally-blue on (original-Advan-RG-)gold bugeye with all of Subaru Technica International’s JDM factory upgrade goodies.
More pics of this bugeye on this site (not an STi though, just an exceptionally clean looking and characteristically classic WRX)
- JDM STI projector headlights (black)
- JDM STI pink badge
- JDM STI GDB grill
- JDM STI version 2 front lip
- JDM STI scoop
- JDM STI carbon wing
- USDM OEM painted sideskirts
- USDM OEM bodykit strakes
- USDM OEM bodykit rear lip
- carbon hood
- Advan RG wheels 18″ / gold
- Subaru 4-pot brakes red / black ‘subaru’ lettering
- yellow tinted foglights (Lamin-X or equivalent)
Der Meister
Whatever you may think of ‘stance’ and ‘fitment’ and generally ‘form over function’ setups…
this car looks great
world rally blue Bugeye on blue Work Meister S1 3-piece
Trunk by Do Luck, front lip by Kaminari
Self-Medication
Came across a pic of this S202 out of Japan randomly on another JDM blog, okidokyo, and fortunately they were nice enough to post a link to the Minkara blog where I could snag some more shots
I’m liking this growing trend of aggressively modified S202′s. Actually, just noticed that I’ve seen this car before in a slightly different form The stickers and white roll cage are the giveaway.
I’ve never seen this bodykit before on a Subaru WRX. I’m wondering if it’s not a one-off special: perhaps a body kit meant for another car grafted onto a WRX. I’d love to see it painted. The front lip looks nice from where I’m sitting. (But the sideskirts look awful, can’t even be bothered to post a side angle)
Also have been wondering for some time how a bugeye might look if you just cut the license plate mount out altogether, giving it a GT-R “N1″-ish feel. Carve out a little more room for a giant FMIC too. If I had a FMIC and a spare bumper to play with I’d consider this… but you’d have to do a stellar job not to make it looked hacked.
Not knowing the lip is driving me crazy… any thoughts? Looks a bit like a SYMS lip for a GC8 but it isn’t. There’s one other bugeye-specific model I’ve seen before that’s somewhat similar but can’t remember…
Rear bumper cut to decrease wind resistance. A characteristically JDM track-car trick.
For good or worse, makes you switch
This is a car that I’ve been following since at least 2005, and in that time it’s been through at least eight wheel changes – meaning a new crazy setup each year. I’ve seen a few wheel addicts in my time, but none have had a lineup quite like this under a custom-widebody bug eye.
This is one of my favorite bugeyes
I’ve put off posting this car because it’s already made the rounds on the jdm blogs ad nauseum a few years ago (after first appearing on the Minkara thread on Nasioc and before that ; ). It made a few posts in a few snapshot and video posts. But finally this car has a new setup that’s pretty jaw dropping. I really thought it would go the Volk Racing TE37 Tokyo Time attack route since it seemed to be on a TE37 bender for a while there.
This widebody bugeye belongs to Itakichi and resides in Japan. It sports one-off 80mm wide fenders, and attention to detail like you’ve never seen (notice how the bumper is blended into the Version 1 front lip, the de-whiskered front vents, intake funnels in the foglight housings, and despite all that it still curiously has the lightweight STI type RA spec C headlights (otherwise known as USDM bugeye headlights)).
With all that said, I still think the new setup is lacking something . . .
Personally, I think the tires are little too narrow, and the camber is little too much. These photos are the BEST angles of the car that I could find, but there are some angles where it looks a little eyebrow raising. I think it would be even better with wide tires and a little less camber – Like some ADVAN A048R in 285 width would be awesome : D
Wheels to date…
1. Volk CE28N 18×9.5 bronze (back in 2005)
2. Work Emotion CR Kai bronze 18×9.5 (back in 2005)
3. Volk Racing CE28N 18×10.5 gold
4. Volk Racing TE37 18×10.5 white
5. 5zigen FN01R-C 18×10 silver
6. Volk Racing TE37 SL 18×10.5 gunmetal/polished lip
7. Volk Racing TE37 17×10 bronze
8. BBS LM
A tale of two Sonics
USA
sonic yellow WRX with: Yokohama Advan Racing RCII wheels (one of my favorite wheels for the bugeye ever) in understated silver finish • JDM STI version 2 front lip • JDM STI spec C type RA roof scoop • Varis diffuser with vortex generators • JDM STI projector headlights (black) • JDM STI GDB grill
Not far off in Japan…
sonic yellow JDM WRX STI S202 with: almost everything above… stock • WRC-replica front end • Recaro seats • Enkei wheels • JDM STI carbon fiber aero-mirror overlay (only fits jdm mirrors)
JTUNED
So Jtuned is back.
The other day for no reason I typed “jtuned” into the address bar in my browser (really, I haven’t even thought of that blog in ages) and came across something very usual – apparently the twice defunct (but at its time the pinnacle of jdm blogs) jdm website is due to be relaunched in a few short minutes.
Back in the day the blog was really something else: it featured a minimalistic design that put all the focus on the cars, only three features per month or two, a handpicked assortment of artistically done j-spec and jdm cars which transcended the siloing of streetcar/showcar/trackcar, and the jaw-dropping photography of the best automotive photographer I’ve ever seen : Steve Demmitt.
The site was really at the top of the game in 2005 and 2006 – back then there weren’t really many jdm car blogs, and JTuned (like tunerzine) were fashioned as online magazines. The work that went into it was intense, but the work really showed. But after awhile the features began to grow further and further apart. For reasons unknown Steve Demmitt’s photography was removed from the website. And after awhile the updates stopped altogether. It was really a shame when the site went defunct. Anyone who runs a car blog (and I barely consider this one) can tell you that life makes consistent delivery of outstanding content difficult sometimes. Moreover the proliferation of jdm car blogs (sorry for partying) in recent years I’m sure has lessened the incentive that there once was to throw together amazing content on a monthly basis. But JTuned truly was the best, and it was a shame when it went defunct.
Moreover, the website had a notable affinity to Bugeyes (from memory, there were 4 bug eyes as feature cars: Nasif’s gold bugeye (RIP), Porkchop’s bugeye, D Money’s bugeye when it first hit the scene, and another stunning white bugeye (to later be posted)).
The site was taken over a few years ago by new management and the posts resumed, though the new layout was far busier than the original layout with its Google-like simplicity (I strive for Craigslist-like, personally).
As of this past weekend the website has displayed a nicely-designed countdown screen with a Nismo FIA GT GT-R, promising a new reinvigorated JTUNED – to be dropped in exactly 7 minutes from now. Lets hope it will deliver a gorgeous layout, outstanding feature cars, longevity, and bugeyes as the original JTUNED did.
Update: the counter was reset – pushed back by a month?
the bugeyegarage bugeye c.2006
Hatin’ is Bad.
Photo from an old (~2003?) issue of SuperStreet, Turbo or Import Tuner, so don’t worry I’m sure they’re buddies. I actually forget what the article was about, but I really like the carbon all the way around on the white bugeye… Panda’d.
