At the annual SEMA show in Las Vegas, OEM and aftermarket manufacturers light a fire under their asses and bring out their best: the newest inventions, the biggest booths, the biggest fake breasts and the baddest display cars. Cruising the 2004 SEMA show, 2NR cover cars can be found in all corners of the convention center, because--well--we have incredible taste.
After we polished off the Cristal and gave each other high fives until our hands bled, we shook off the self-congratulatory aura and went to find more cars. Displayed by the Aussie suspension guru, Whiteline Automotive, this EVO VIII caught our eye, and when we returned from "Sin Headquarters," we hunted down the owner. Prepared by Doug Parks of Audiobahn Inc., Whiteline's Project EVO VIII-S features much more than 600 whp, lots of carbon fiber, a race-quality suspension and one hell of a wild daily drive.
As director of shows for Audiobahn and all its subsidiary companies, Parks has seen his share of automobiles. Current owner and builder of the Audiobahn widebody WRX show car, Parks got tired of "being afraid to drive it and worrying if its fenders would fall off." A Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII was purchased for actual driving, and then the madness began.
First on the list was GT Motorsports in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. Parks ordered up some big power. The EVO was used as the test bed to create the prototype GT Motorsports 2.3-liter stroker kit-- that should make big-block Chevelle owners happy. With the engine in pieces, a knife-edged forged crankshaft was fitted with Crower rods and Wiseco pistons with the balance shafts eliminated. Up top, the head was given a Stage 5 port and polish and fitted with 1mm larger valves, titanium double valve springs and retainers, all courtesy of Ferrea. HKS 272 camshafts and AEM cam gears ensure that few parts remain stock in the engine.
Hung on an Automotorsports exhaust manifold, the Garrett GT35R turbo promises more than 700 hp at maximum output. Excellent. Supported by a 38mm wastegate and blow-off valve from Australian boost freaks, Turbosmart, the turbo huffs into a front-mount intercooler by the Australian chill-down freaks at PWR. To answer your thoughts, no, we don't think Parks is Australian. He never said mate or bloke, and he doesn't look like a crocodile hunter. Representing the American side of the engine is DC Sports with a full exhaust and Perrin with the fuel rail, oil catch can and silicone boost tube. Power Enterprise's Super Strong timing belt is a little detail many would overlook and cut corners on, but the belt is actually very important when you make this much power and put it through daily use.
In the name of harnessing power, Parks added an RC Engineering throttle body and 900cc injectors, Walbro 255lph fuel pump and a Magnus Motorsports sheet-metal intake manifold. Dropping cash like a high roller is great, but how do you get it to work together? Parks used a Blitz boost controller and AEM plug-and-play engine management system. The system completely replaces the factory ECU and uses either factory sensors or AEM sensor kits. It lets you tune a car as modified as this with graphical ease, unlike other systems.
With this much power on tap, Parks realized even with custom 19-inch Boyd Coddington wheels and Michelin rubber, all four wheels would go up in smoke if he hit it at 80 mph. Good thing there's a six-piston Wilwood front 14-inch brake upgrade and four-piston rear brake upgrade. But with an untested Nitrous Express system on board, it makes for one interesting drive down city streets.
To keep the car in the correct lane and maintain a shred of control, Whiteline Automotive stepped in. The techs added the same suspension found on the previous Whiteline EVO VIII that won the 2004 Dutton Rally, coming in ahead of Porsche GT3s and a Lamborghini Gallardo. These impressive credentials were a selling point, and Parks loaded up with Whiteline's "The Works" package. Based on the Whiteline Group 4 fully adjustable coil-over kit, Whiteline also supplied the solid bearing camber plates, adjustable sway bars, low compliance performance polyurethane bushing kit, rear bump steer correction kit and the front steering precision kit. Combined with the already-potent factory EVO tuning, this rocket is ready for the track and the drive home.
Well, maybe not the drive home for everybody. Some people are all soft with their radios and seating for five. Not Doug Parks. Inside the EVO is a custom rear L-Con body-brace kit covering the rear and a pair of Cobra Suzuka seats with Schroth harnesses re-covered in suede by Stitchcraft of Huntington Beach, Calif. Carbon-fiber panels block off the radio, so the driver better be entertained by the horsepower and the Autometer gauges on the dash and A-pillar. Ichibahn provided the shift knob, boot, pedals and harness pads--some of the few interior upgrades to this otherwise track-bred Mitsubishi.
Dominated by the Bio-Graphics vinyl work, the body theme is carbon fiber. Although not quite the HKS TRB-02, the Fiber Images carbon-fiber hood and trunk make this EVO scream out, "My shiznickle is made from the same stuff as the space shuttle." The APR Performance carbon-fiber rear wing and side mirrors ensure highway patrol officers never miss Parks when he drives to work, but they'll never know what's going on up front. Born out of a mold based on the Gialla front EVO bumper, Fiber Images' front is full carbon fiber--painted yellow in this case.
With monstrous power, race suspension and every goodie an EVO could want, it doesn't seem to have anything else to add on. Parks has some plans in the works for the car--plans involving an empty racetrack, a lap timer and some very quick driving. We look forward to smelling the tire smoke.