Custom 2010 Subaru WRX Build: On Air Ride Suspension

Order Your Car Magazines From Our Amazon or Etsy Store!

Introduction: Meet Jacob Gruhn

Jacob Gruhn - 2010 Subaru WRX Hatchback 

Instagram: @Jbg.wrx

Photographer: Matthew Hernandez 

Instagram: @Mattxhernandez

Performance Stats: 320hp

Hello! My name is Jacob, and this is my story. It all started with my first memories of being around classic cars with my grandfather, who had many street rods and classic vehicles. It was more than just shiny, stunning cars; it was the sounds these machines made, the vibrations that tingled in my bones, and the butterflies in my stomach as the RPMs increased and the exhaust roared. The bright paint jobs and intricate details made it seem like the cars were wearing jewelry. But the best part was learning the process of creating a beautiful car, which taught me life lessons about patience, determination, wins and losses, and pure joy, no matter the circumstances.

Many important people have inspired me to become a die-hard car fanatic, but it is my grandfather, Jeff Gruhn, who ignited this passion. Growing up with him was the best part of my life; he was not just my grandfather but my world, best friend, mentor, and everything I aspired to be. I learned from him the right ways of thinking, doing, and accomplishing things in the car community. I built my first truck with him when I was 13 years old, spending hours that felt like infinite, long summer days sanding, grinding, and measuring to achieve perfection. While I hated it at first, looking back 13 years later, I realize those were the moments I wish I had taken more advantage of. My grandfather shaped me into the person I am today, instilling in me a respect for the details and patience required in life and in building a one-of-a-kind car.

My 2010 Subaru WRX: A Personal Connection

My car has been a significant part of my life, and I've poured my soul into it. It features a MNT Rider widebody kit and a custom fresh paint job. The idea for the front and rear bumpers came from a friend, and I never thought of doing it before. The fiberglass bumper caps were molded into the bumper, as they weren't meant for it originally. I then took my front fenders and carbon fiber flares to my good friends Mike and Albert, who helped me create a one-of-a-kind molded carbon widebody fender replacement, resulting in one solid, beautiful piece.

For lighting, I’m running VLAND headlights and Spyder Auto taillights. I also added a VIS Racing carbon fiber hood, carbon fiber rocker panels, mirrors, wing, lip, and diffuser, all molded into the rear bumper. I went crazy with the carbon fiber, even shipping out my door panels to Mike and Albert to convert them to carbon fiber as well. That still wasn’t enough, so I partnered with a company called RPG Carbon, which sponsored my car and provided a full carbon trunk, upper and lower B-pillars, and dash trim pieces.

The interior is designed to be as eye-catching as possible. I installed Bride Low Max seats with full carbon fiber backs and had the rear seats upholstered with authentic Bride material in the iconic gradation pattern. I removed the headliner and wrapped it in black suede with a starlight headliner. I also added a chromed harness bar with an H3R fire extinguisher and Raptor harness collars to keep my Night Runner x Willans limited edition harnesses tight and secure. To top it off, I created a custom trunk setup to display the Airlift system nicely.

Performance and Modifications

Under the Hood

Under the hood, I have a Perrin TMI, Perrin pinch stop mount, Cobb intake, Go Fast Bits BOV, Mishimoto radiator, Invidia N1 race exhaust (straight pipe), and a Snail Performance Stage 2 tune with a short shifter kit.

Suspension and Brakes

The car is equipped with Airlift 3P suspension, Blox Racing LCAs, Whiteline bump steer kit and end links, Eibach sway bars, camber bolts, Omni camber plates, Cusco brackets, Brembo BBK, and a 2015 STI steering rack.

Standing Out in the Subaru Community

Standing out among Subarus is challenging, as it is a common car to build. However, to make mine unique, I chased the wildest dreams of building a car. My WRX is a 2010 narrow body from the factory, but it underwent significant modifications, including swapping all the quarter panels, fenders, and doors to STI body parts before I purchased it. It was shocking to learn how much work had been done before I got it. The extensive use of carbon fiber parts and custom widebody carbon fenders never fails to blow people’s minds. I often get asked how much carbon I have, as acquiring these parts has become a luxury.

Build List

Exterior

• MNT Rider widebody kit

• Custom paint

• Custom bumpers

• Custom molded carbon fiber widebody

• VIS Racing carbon hood

• Carbon fiber wing, rocker panels, mirrors, diffuser

• VLAND headlights

• Spyder Auto taillights

• Downstar hardware

Interior

• Bride Low Max seats with carbon fiber backs

• Authentic Bride material rear seats

• Carbon fiber door panels, dash trim, A-pillars, upper and lower B-pillars, trunk, steering wheel, glove box

• Chrome harness bar

• H3R fire extinguisher

• RSPRO harness collars

• Night Runner x Willans harness

• Custom trunk setup

• Starlight headliner

Wheels

• Work Emotion 3-piece 18x12 +1

Suspension

• Airlift 3P

• Blox Racing LCAs

• Whiteline bump steer kit and end links

• Eibach sway bars

• Camber bolts

• Omni camber plates

• Cusco brackets

• 2015 STI steering rack

• Brembo brakes

Power Mods

• Perrin TMI

• GFB BOV

• Cobb SF intake

• Mishimoto radiator

• Short shift kit

• Invidia N1 straight pipe

• Stage 2 tune by Snail Performance

Who Helped Me Along the Way

I did a lot of the installation myself, envisioning how I wanted my dream car to be built, from the exterior to the interior. Many people have blessed this car, but the most important are:

• My Grandfather: Before his passing, we made a bracket for the firewall to fix the annoying clutch squeak caused by the thin and flexible firewall.

• My Amazing Wife, Carla: She has put up with my obsession and provided the energy and determination to build this car into what it is today and what it will become in the future.

• My Good Friends, Mike and Albert: They have been rockstars, helping me bring my ideas to life effortlessly.

• RPG Carbon: They offer an amazing lineup of vacuum-sealed carbon parts that are direct replacements for common modifications.

• Luciano Auto Body: Located in Milpitas, CA, they took my car down to bare metal and brought it back up to the stunning one-off blue it is today, expertly crafting the custom molded bumpers and correcting flaws in the fiberglass.

• Hector at Flawless Works: He did the suspension work and bump steer kit that made the car drive so much smoother.

I want to thank everyone who has inspired me and helped build this car with me from the start.

Future Plans for My Subaru WRX

As this build has come so far, the story is never over. My future plans include a full motor build, tucking the wires, doing a rotated turbo setup, and creating a custom-painted engine bay that looks like it popped out of a magazine.

Shout Outs

Follow me on Instagram: @Jbg.Wrx

• @team_prolifik
• @Carbon_Mike
  
• @CTrends2
• @Rpg_Carbon_Fiberglass
• @Flawless_Works_

Dream Cars

I have a few dream cars, including:

• 2004 Subaru STI

• Another 2010 Subaru WRX hatchback

• 1999 Nissan Silvia S15 Spec R

• 1999 Nissan 400R

• 1940 Ford truck

Call to Action

Do you have a build story like this one? Share your journey with Stance Auto Magazine and inspire our car community. Submit your story today!

Get Noticed Use our Hashtags - #stanceauto #stanceautomag #stanceautomagazine #stanceautomedia

UKTM no: UK00003572459