I was raised in Texas for most of my life. I'm 36 years old and started my own small concrete company back in 2017 that has never stopped growing in the Austin, TX area.

The Silver Screen Spark

I'm sure this is said a lot, but "Fast and The Furious" was what I like to consider the jump start into the car world for me. After watching the film, it was like I could see the world through a new perspective. I started noticing cars more often, like the beautiful Civics that my neighbors across the street owned, and the more I dove into the scene, the more I exposed myself to cars. Mostly through shows such as Hot Import Nights, which in particular motivated me to start learning more about the JDM scene.

2013 Subaru WRX Hatchback in sky blue

The Subaru Obsession

Honda Civics and Beyond

Growing up, all I knew was Honda Civics. I was surrounded by them as a child, and it wasn't until later on in life that I found myself standing before a beautiful blue '07 Subaru WRX STI. A friend of mine at the time had asked me to come over because he couldn't drive a manual car, and since that moment, it was love at first sight, I guess you could say. We drove that car everywhere; me in the driver's seat while my friend was riding like a passenger princess.

The Evolution of Desire

Considering my love for this car, I became upset when the next year of sedans lost that big STI wing style. Hatchbacks were now the public's choice but were ugly to me (Ironic, I know). Fast forward a few years later to when I could finally afford a car. Finding a Blobeye or a Hawkeye was near impossible, and despite the few hatches available, none were older generations like I wanted. So, I settled for a red narrow-body hatch and driving it threw me back to the good 'ole days. It wasn't until then that I fell in love with the platform, but I really wanted a wide-body hatch.

A rear shot of a v

The Automotive Journey

Early Automotive Adventures

My first car was a 1989 Pontiac Trans-AM GTA. The thing was beautiful. I ended up giving it to my little brother and got myself a '99 Honda Civic, which did not age well. I ended up blowing the motor. My little brother got a '97 Prelude that I loved so much I ended up getting one of my own.

The Modding Odyssey

I started to meet so many people because of the Prelude. One in particular, @ebpludesh, became my inspiration to continue diving into cars. That's when I started to modify cars. Built the Prelude with a GReddy turbo kit with a whole bunch of other goodies from Japan. I couldn't have continued modifying my cars after the Prelude without the help of my brother, @shos_ride. I like to think his knowledge plus my own has made us unstoppable when it comes to modifying our cars.

The Wide-Body Hatch Masterpiece

A Labor of Love

Every time I look at my car, I get chills. To this day, I still can't believe my brother and I have built something so crazy looking. It's not perfect, but it is a reflection of all the hard work and dedication we put into it. It's refreshing to know I'm the one who built that car and didn't just ship it off to a shop to get the work done. Blood, sweat, and tears have gone into that build, so nothing makes me happier than having someone come up and ask me about it.

A Conversation Starter

I can explain every item and mod in great detail, which always leads to fun conversations at shows, but the best thing I like getting in return for my hard work is the pictures. Every photo captures a different part of the build that makes me ecstatic to see and be able to repost on my page. Just proves the hard work was worth it.

2013 Subaru WRX Hatchback

Advice for Aspiring Enthusiasts

Embracing the Subaru WRX STI Platform

If you're looking to get into the Subaru WRX STI platform, then I hope you already know what to expect from it. It's definitely a fun car to drive, but mechanically, most of the car community already knows the damage a Subaru can do to your wallet. Other than that, it all comes down to how much you really like the car and what your vision is for it.

Forging Your Own Path

A lot of people will say it's not worth it to mod your car a certain way, like wanting to do an STI drivetrain swap on a WRX. Some would say to sell the WRX and just buy an STI, but the way I see it, if you're already attached to the car and want to make it your own, then just do it. Don't let others discourage you from building a car that makes you happy. When seeking advice, make sure you talk to people who have done the work on it and not the ones who just like the car but don't want to ruin the value by putting miles on it. A lot of the newer car generation don't want to mod their cars because they are more into the resale value. Take it from someone who is old school. We used to install different motors into any platform. That's the beauty of modding a car. Trying things that are not so common and making it your own.

Subaru WRX Hatchback: A Unique Creation

Honestly, I don't really think my car is unique, but I do know that it is modified to a point where there is no return back to stock. Most hatchback Subies run the same mods I do. The only ones really setting apart mine from others are the wheels, trunk setup, and taillights.

Take A Quiz: So you think you know all about Cars prove it,

The engine bay of a 2013 Subaru WRX Hatchback

Subaru WRX Hatchback Build List

Subaru WRX Hatchback Exterior -

Tiny bot wrap
Brembo 6 pot brakes painted Rivera blue
Air Lift Performance Suspension
Flush wind visors
Carbon fiber lip kit
Street aero diffuser
Battle aero wide body
Seibon carbon fiber hood
Carbon fiber vis racing style wing
Custom RGBW tail lights (built by @shos_ride)
Demon Circuit headlights with custom RGBW

Subaru WRX Hatchback Interior -

Red Bride Stradia II carbon fiber seats
Carbon fiber trim
CAE racing shifter
Workbells quick release
Nardi steering carbon fiber wheel
Custom carbon fiber cruise control holder
Carbon fiber cruise controller and volume cover
Carbon fiber door trims and A/C vents

The trunk build of a 2013 Subaru WRX Hatchback

Subaru WRX Hatchback Trunk -

Carbon fiber style fabric board
Custom 3/8 hard lines
Custom subwoofer box with 3/4 inch plexiglass to hold subwoofer
Small tanks powder-coated
Glass interior
Lowglow lights RGB inside box
JD Customs ‘Gaijin Society’ plate for airlift module

Subaru WRX Hatchback Engine -

Stock for the most part except dress-up kits from Perrin
Cobb intake
Grimmspeed bigger TMIC
Strut bar
Low profile battery

Subaru WRX Hatchback Wheels -

Work Meisters S1 3 piece - 19x11 - custom centre caps - 6-inch polish lips
SSR Formula Aero Spoke - 19x11 - custom design for car by Jamz Customs - two-piece wheels converted into 3 pieces and 6-inch lips

3 Piece Wheels of a 2013 Subaru WRX Hatchback

A Collaborative Effort

Most of the custom work has been done at home with @shos_ride. The wrap was done by @Vq_grant (he does an amazing job). I've also had some help from fellow @Gaijin.Society team members of a great club that I'm part of as well, like @jcheverezz, @atrevi_o, and @elii_gti_mk6.

Subaru WRX Hatchback Future Plans

Next, I'm planning on painting the car, maybe adding some mold fenders, and doing an engine swap.

2013 Subaru WRX Hatchback

The Car Community

A Welcoming Embrace

Like I mentioned previously, I'm heavily involved with @Gaijin.Society. The founder of it, Sam (better known as Panda; @thesakurawrx), welcomed my brother and me into the group, and I've very much become his right-hand-man. Other groups that I'm proud to be a part of are @parked.up (great people to hang out with), my Instagram partner @subaru_nation_georgia, and @widebodysubies.

The best part of the car scene is meeting new friends and coming back to the old ones as well. Needless to say, all the friendships that we have created and the fun times we have at our gatherings make my day. Also, getting to meet all the talented photographers in the car scene has been an awesome experience.

Most importantly, believe it or not, it's also a stress reliever for me. It allows me to get away from home to travel and go on some amazing road trips.

Dream Cars and Aspirations

The Subaru Obsession Continues

My dream car was always a Subaru after I drove the blue STI.

A Diverse Automotive Wishlist

Now, it's really hard to choose. I like a lot of them, like the GT-R32, GT-R34, an RX7 FD, a Nissan Silvia S-14, most of the Mitsubishi Evos, and a VW small truck too.

Join the Discussion:

Share your thoughts and experiences with Modified Cars in the comments below! Let's create a space for informed discussion and responsible car modifications.

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