Beer... Who Doesn't Love Beer? (and camber)

One my my hobbies (aside from cars, of course...) is BEER. Being a resident of one of the greatest cities in the US lends itself to some of the greatest craft brews you can imagine. While the blog is heavily based around cars, I plan to integrate some interesting craft brewed beers, as well. (...and maybe even a little bit of food every now and then)

This is a seasonal craft beer from the well-known Southern Tier Brewing Company... Pumking. This is a super tasty beer, unlike anything that I had really tasted prior to this. Everyone has had your typical "Sam Adams-Style" Octoberfest beers, but this is something different. Brewed with pumpkins, this beer has an intense flavor of cinnamon, cloves, and pumpkins that you can not only taste, but SMELL. From the moment that you pop the cap, you can smell the aroma just like pumpkin pie. It really brings me back to my Halloween childhood; I even got a flashback to when I dressed up as one of the Street Sharks.

Overall, I really enjoyed this beer. If you're looking for something festive to bring to a fall party, grab a 22 oz. bomber of Pumking by Southern Tier. You shant be disappointed!

Now for some car stuff!

Two weeks ago, I finally built up the energy to install my new Skunk2 front camber kit. Overall, the quality of the kit seems amazing. The powdercoat is fresh, the kit comes with a certificate of authenticity, and the fitment was spot-on.

This is hands-down the UGLIEST suspension setup I have ever seen... But shit, it's functional. Function > Form. Remember that!

After a full alignment, the shop was able to get -3.2* camber up front, -1.7* camber in the rear (2 washers) and zero toe all around. I'm really happy with the results, and the car feels like it drives on rails. Turning is unreal, zero understeer and the car just goes. The engine and the suspension complement each other perfectly in that everything is just. so. damn. responsive... The car is a blast, and the first autocross event is slated for 10/19, so stay tuned!

Aaaaannnnddddd We're Back!

For those of you who may have been following this journal for its Subaru content, I would like to apologize as this will no longer be a Subaru-centric blog. Pat has split off and started his own venture in Cincinnati, OH (All Speed Innovations) and I have chosen to stick with racing and modding cars as a hobby in a different Midwestern state ;). This was not a painful separation, so please be sure to check out ASI and give the new shop the support they deserve! They do some excellent work over there, and you'd be bringing your car to a shop that truly cares about the performance of your vehicle.

All Speed Innovations
2996 Henkle Dr.
Suite J
Lebanon, OH 45036

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For those of you who might be wondering what I have been up to and the future of Battle Monkey Enterprises, there have been some pretty BIG changes. Back in July, I made the decision to sell my 2007 Subaru WRX in favor of a full spec B16B EK9 Civic Type R replica. This was by no means an easy decision, that took months of thought and planning. With the current state of the WRX, there were just too many things left on my list of completion that I was not able to see happening; mainly the issues with the WRX drivetrain. In order to reach my goals with the WRX, it would've required a complete STI 6-speed and 5x114 hub swap, along with 3 new aftermarket differentials. While these were not the only things that led me to sell this car, they were certainly a big factor. So, let's take a brief moment of silence to pay our respects to the Original Battle Monkey...

(Silence)

Now... For the new era of Battle Monkey! Here is what I will be working with going forward...

The EK9 Type R is one of those cars that I have always wanted to own... Classic styling, High revving NA Engine, lightweight, double wishbone suspension, simple, and easy to work on. I had been mapping out the cost for a full build on the Beater Hatch, when I stumbled across this gem on the forums. At a fraction of the cost of a full conversion, this car was a steal. And trust me, it is CLEANNNN. It is a blast to drive, and shifting at 9,000+ rpm's is an experience that not many Subaru owners will ever have. (Not in a Subaru, anyway)

The plan for this car is to be a clean, fully LHD-version of the coveted EK9 only released in Japan. It is not going to be a trailer queen; this car will see autocross, track days, drag strips, and maybe even a couple of shows from time to time. I don't plan for it to be a national SCCA or NASA competitor, but it should be one hell of a regional car!

Some of the goodies that car is currently equipped with (full mod list located HERE);
 - B16B engine with S4C LSD Transmission
 - Koni Yellow Dampers with Ground Control Coilover Sleeve Kit (400lb/500lb)
 - Skunk2 Front Camber Kit (-3.2/-1.7 camber, zero toe)
 - 5x114.3 Hub Conversion with f/r ITR Disk Brakes
 - Complete EK9 Interior/Exterior
 - 205/50/15 BFG Rivals
 - And a handful of other goodies

Keep your eyes open for event updates, parts installations, and more pictures! The car's first autocross event is set for 10/19/13!

Loong Overdue TT STI Update

It has been quite some time since we've given you any updates on our STI... So I figured that all of our viewers at least deserved a little sneak peak at some of the new parts that are going on it. We will post up a lot better pictures of the details as things are going onto the car!

Enjoy!

So we weren't happy with the FP turbo, so we decided to make a change.

A teaser on the v-mount setup that Nameless is sending us. This is the prototype, ours will have slightly different dimensions and angles.

Our custom-designed double catch can. All -AN fittings, and will be used with Fragola stainless lines

These things are in the mail...

BME Radio: 02/05/13

Song of the Day

I figured that I would post up a full album today. I felt like listening to some old school Mudvayne, so here is L.D. 50.

L.D. 50 Full Album by Mudvayne

BME Radio: 01/29/13

Song of the Day

Greetings from Illinois, where it is (somehow) in the 60's today! Extremely atypical for us this time of year, but who am I to complain? I'll take it! Although tomorrow we are back to reality in the teens... Anyway, here's some music.

"Simple Math" by Manchester Orchestra

BME Radio: 01/24/13

Song of the Day

This song is by a band called Pinback. They're a very mellow, earthy trio that makes some absolutely great music. I've seen them play live twice now, and have yet to be disappointed. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I do!

"Clemenceau" by Pinback

Fear No Evo: A Glimpse Of What's To Come

It is no secret that STI's and Evo's have a long history of competition. "EVO LOL" and "PFFT STI" license plates are commonplace in the racing scene. But there is absolutely nothing wrong with a little rivalry... It creates great competition and pushes both sides to improve. At BME, we support any platform that has a great racing heritage; and the Mitsubishi Evolution is no exception. Take for example, Sam's new 2006 Wicked White Evo MR. Sam has been in the Evo scene ever since he bought his black GSR back in 2006. It was minty, with just 3 miles on it when he picked it up from the dealer. Sam and his Evo have gone through many, many changes over the years. The idea was to build the best autocross machine possible, while never compromising its daily-driveability. I can speak first-hand when I say that this guy is nothing less than a perfectionist when it comes to his cars. We go way back to college days, and even started a racing league in Central Illinois that we ran successfully for a couple of years. But geographical constraints forced us to shut it down. GRM Article below.

Sam has been searching the used market for a fresh wicked white MR for about 6 months now. I honestly can't believe all that he has gone through to get this car... He finally picked one up in Cincinnati 2 weeks ago, and it was definitely worth the long search. With just 22,xxx miles on the odometer and not a single door ding, this thing is an absolute gem. We expect nothing but perfection when it comes to the build of Sam's new machine, and BME is proud to be able to get our hands dirty with it. While our shop operations are handled out of the Cincinnati-region, we will be meeting Sam in the Chicago suburbs to handle the work that he needs done. We consider it a small price to pay to work on perhaps one of the cleanest Evo IX's left in the scene.

Here's a short list of the work we'll be completing;

   - Ohlins DFV Coilovers onto the WW Evo
   - Swapping out his MR Suspension from the Black Evo
   - DW300 Fuel Pump
   - Buschur JDM-fit Catback Exhaust
   - Authentic JDM Rear Bumper Cover & JDM IX Taillights
   - Front & Rear Crash Beams
   - Buschur Quick-Release Harness Bar
   - ACD Computer, Coil On Packs, and a handful of bushings

Here's a little teaser to get you excited about the things to come! You can also follow Sam's journal at EvoM!

GoPro or GoHome

Well, I decided to splurge a bit and pick us up one of the new GoPro Hero3 Black Edition cameras. I figure that this will be a nice addition to the team, and will help us capture some great moments working on the cars. I'm excited to start messing around with it! Unfortunately, I haven't ordered an SD card yet, so I can't use it until that gets here...

Anyway, here are some pictures of the new hardware.

A little update from Illinois

Well... It has been quite some time since we've made any updates, and I apologize. The last few months have been hectic between me planning my wedding and searching for a new home. Pat also has accepted a job with Turn In Concepts and is now working there. He has officially gotten out of corporate America. Lucky bastard...

Anyway... I was able to pick up a nice little daily driver and put the AutoX WRX into storage for 2013.

Meet Layla, the scrappy little 1997 EK hatch. She had about 98k miles on her when I brought her home. The car is really fun to drive, and I have some future plans for a full LHD EK9 CTR conversion. But that must wait until the WRX is complete. As a California car, the paint is in really rough shape, but the interior is pristine. Mechanically it runs great.

Pat should be posting up the latest on the TT STI shortly. He has been super busy working on the TIC shop and customer cars, but has still been doing some awesome things. 

Twins, Bazzle... Twins!

BME Time Attack STI Build Update

Ok, after that comment this may not exactly be what you were expecting to find. Although I promise that it is pretty damn sexy...

Helping to put the power to the ground in the STI is Competition Clutch's new twin disc clutch kit with hydraulic throw out bearing conversion. Of course, we couldn't just receive this gorgeous kit and leave it assembled... So we're going to take you through full disassembly to show you exactly what is included in this package.

Old rickety clutch fork assembly...

Shiny new hydraulic goodies...

To be continued...