SP Rides: The Blessing

SP-RIDES-100518-p4-2002_subaru_WRX

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BY MICHAEL KITCHENS

Name: Mac Quade Afaese
Occupation: Helper
Hobbies: Cars, Beach, Movies
Year, Make, Model: 2002 Subaru WRX
Color: Toyota White W/ Blue Flakes
Engine: Full manual swap (five-speed), JDM EJ205, Perrin front mount full set up, Perrin pitch stop (mount), Grimmspeed heat sheild, Perrin turbo inlet, Mishimoto radiator hose, Sickspeed oil catch can, Mishimoto radia- tor, Mishimoto oil cooler, Perrin downpipe, 3-inch straight pipe all the way back to 3-inch truck tip, Mishimoto intake, Perrin short shifter, NRG quick release, Copp access port V3, Pro Sport sil, Boostg gauge, Walbro 225 fuel pump
Exterior: Homemade 1”1/8 Thick front splitter w/chain rods, Homemade 1”1/8 Thick Rear Diffuser mounted w/ L Brackets, 2014 Rear Roof Window Spoiler (Shaved to Fit), Rear Visual Window Air Vents w/Spikes, 3” Flares (unknown) W/Spikes , Rear Converted From 02-05 , Primitive Racing Roof Vent, Gutted out whole A/C System ( Not A Fan Of A/C), Aluminum Hood (Unknown), Dual Halo Projector Headlights, Rocket Bunny Trunk Spoiler (Molded)
Interior: 2 kenwood dvd up dash one mid dash, 1000 Watt Kicker Amp, 300 Watt Punch mid Amp, 2-12 Kicker Sub (Comp), 6 Kicker tweeters/ 4 Mids/ 4 infinity crossovers/ Kicker Mids, Seats converted From 02-05, Dash Console Conversion From 02-05, Sticker Bomb Roof
Suspension, wheels and tires: Tein Coil Overs, 1 1/2” Spacers Front And Back, Avid1 Wheels 18×9.5 +38, Arroyo Tires (Stretched)

SHOUT-OUTS: I would like to thank our FATHER up above for blessing me with the knowledge, patience and strength to get through those early mornings and long stressful nights, to my friends that helped me along the way Lina, John, Lando, Junior, Roy, Jeremiah and to the boys at Tokyo Auto. Much love to all you guys.  Genesis 20:8

Being a tuning enthusiast can be a hard life, especially when you’re on a budget. The long nights spent wrenching, the saving and scrounging for parts, and the constant balancing act that one must struggle with between work and play is a fine line that most enthusiasts walk upon.

There are many enthusiasts who have a vision, one that requires real ingenuity to make it happen. Mac Quade Afaese is one such tuner having given new life to a broken and battered salvage vehicle that most would have wrote off long ago. Mac was a lifted truck guy until he purchased this 2002 Subaru WRX at auction for $300 dollars with that vision in his head. Over time, he’s put in the work, round-the-clock, to turn it into the incredible vehicle it is today.

After finding something to build, Mac got to work. The car had a smashed front end, blown motor, popped air bags, an automatic transmission and was essentially a mess. Thanks to constant trips to the junkyard, Mac has breathed new life into this Subie which now consists of parts from four donor cars.

Mac had never, ever done an engine swap before…but that’s what it took. It was nerve-wracking to say the least. From 4 in the morning till 2AM the next day, Afaese put in the blood, sweat and tears to put this engine together, bit by bit.


“My Honda friend told me, ‘make sure you do it right’…so I had lots of friends to help me” says Mac. Cranking the EJ205 engine for the first time is one considered of the scariest times for an engine rebuild. What if something was put wrong, what if something was missed or not included? The idea of troubleshooting is daunting to say the least. Luckily for Mac, after switching the fuel lines to the proper setup, the engine roared to life. Talk about relief.


And opening the hood reveals one of the prettiest engine bays I’ve ever seen for what started off as a junker. It looks better than factory. His modification sheet is a laundry list of performance and reliability mods hand-picked by Mac. All of it is held together thanks to the Cobb Access Port V3 that keeps this baby running smoothly.

There are plenty of custom parts on this ride. When your budget is tight, the mental juices flow and the end result is a whopping amount of creativity. The exterior features a homemade thick front splitter and rear diffuser hand-crafted by Mac. The rear has been converted from a 2002 to an 05 and the Rocket Bunny trunk spoiler has been hand molded into place. A Primitive Racing roof vent was installed as well as sexy 3” fender flares with spiked accents.

The interior has a sticker bombed roof, a huge sound system setup of various performance components as well as a full dash conversion. The vehicle rides on Tein coil overs with blindingly white 18×9.5 Avid1 Wheels wrapped in Arroyo Tires.

Truth be told, this car is stunning in person. While it’s a tribute to his Samoan heritage thanks to the self-drawn tribal “tattoos” that follow the rear body panels, this ride truly represents himself as well as his faith in God and the strength given him to build it. It’s a true blessing.

 

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