BRZ Track Build Setup: STX Autocross, NASA TT5, Wheels, Exhaust & Power Mods

Build Direction & Class Goals

The plan all along was to toe the line between SCCA STX autocross and NASA TT5. SCCA TimeTrial T4 and Gridlife ClubTR were fortunate secondary possibilities.

Exhaust & Power Setup

SCCA ST classes require keeping one catalytic converter, so the hot ticket for power is to do a catless header and keep one cat in the over/mid pipe.

So I ordered a ceramic coated JDL EL 4-2-1 header and matching "Ultra Quiet" catted and resonated midpipe. That order took forever with catalytic converters disappearing from the world economy at one point during covid.

At some point I also scored a used and unmarried Open Flash Tablet tuner.

Wheel Setup for STX

Wheel choice is also limited in ST classes, with STX being limited to a 17x9. Options aplenty, but I didn't lke any of the Konigs at the time and 6ULs were actively going extinct. Enter the Enkei PF05. 17x9 +40mm

Chassis Condition & Starting Point

Did I mention this is a 146k mile, northeast Ohio car that was sold to me with Bridgestone Blizzak winter tires installed? Evidence of the "Salt Life" below:

Exhaust Notes & Real-World Driving

On the Tomei expreme Ti 80mm exhaust: I love the idea of a titanium exhaust. I actually liked the sound of it below 30% throttle and also above 5500rpm. The problem is that real life driving is none of those things and it made my ears bleed if I wasn't wearing a helmet... More on this later.