Hey,

I'm thinking of buying an STi spec C' Hawkeye... I'v got a few things on my mind however,how do these hold their value?

also which is the better model to go for? V-Limited, spec c' RA etc etc

now if I am going to spend a lot of money on a spec c,I dont want any luxuries really...no boot carpets etc,I'v seen some spec c's that come with a whole heap of luxuries.

and finally what are they like to drive? can you feel the rawness of a spec c'? I have a blob eye STi type uk at the moment.

aso is it common place to push them over 350 BHP?

thanks guy's,

 

Not much difference between the standard and v limited, the big change was on the RA and even bigger changes on the RA-R.

Power wise, about 320 out of the box for a uk fuel mapped hawkeye (ra-r will be different, bigger turbo and different ecu map), 360bhp is easily obtainable and will give 400bhp cars a run for their money (but with better drivabilty).

You can feel the difference, especially between a UK car and a JDM, its like chalk and cheese, the stones bouncing off the bottom of the car can be off putting (you cringe wondering how much of the underseal has been chipped away ) but its not as bad as you think, you get the same with a uk or standard jdm sti, just that you dont hear it

All I will say is drive one first, its not the driving thats the issue, its the living with the slightly harder suspension and lack of soundproofing that seem to be the biggest reason these sometimes dont stay in peoples hands very long oh and the 50ltr fuel tank doesnt help

Tony

 

Hey,

thanks for the response, so there are Uk and JDM spec c's?

my blob eye has tein coilovers which are too harsh for road really so somewhat used to that,are spec c's not under sealed? if not does that make it a dry weather car only? or is it still fine to take it out in the wet??


so what does the standard spec c get? or not get maybe I should say...

thanks again,

 

Spec C's are a JDM only car, and as per JDM cars they dont come with underseal (costs about 130-150 quid for it to be done, all the litchfield imported cars will be undersealed).

Now its more like what the Spec C doesnt get though in addition you do get a roller bearing turbocharger, engine (front mounted) oil cooler and transmission coolers, 12ltr water tank in the boot for the IC water spray, about 60-70kg weight saving over the standard JDM STI (or about 80-90kg over a uk car), uprated engines and internals etc, have a 2005 spec (blobeye) list here somewhere....

Tony

 

ahh ok....to save 80kg it doesn't really seem a fair trade off? how much would you expect to pay more for a spec c, over standard sti?

 

About 3k more for a Spec C, the weight is just one aspect of it, a 360bhp Spec C will keep up with a 400bhp UK car

Tony

 

In a word, YES!
The difference is night & day

 

what can the engines take before internals need to be upgraded further?

i know some people will run them higher than others but what is the common half agreed limit on the std spec c engine?

blobeye and hawkeye

thanks

 

Engines are similar internally for the blob/hawk, limit is probably 500bhp though there is a 550bhp one around on standard internals somewhere but you dont need as much power to have an advantage, thats the joys of twin scroll turbo's

Tony

 

Looking forward to this thread

http://readingeagle.com/BlogUploads/68/popcorn.jpg

TX.

PS

The older the Spec C the more hardcore it will be & the more different to the STi ... the later ones were not much different as the STis gradually inherited all the good bits from the Spec C

 

P**fs I kept mine for 2yrs

TX.

 

As said.... if you want a rawer one, go for an earlier model (i.e. MY03). If you were buying a Hawkeye Spec C, I would save some cash and get a Hawkeye JDM STI..... just like I have *just* brought!

Out with the old and in with the new I say!

 

Shauns even had sound proofing FFS

TX.

 

Perhaps because mine aint no cut n shut!

 

So the hawkeye JDM can handle 500bhp on STD internals then?

And did it get the engine and gearbox oil cooler?

And the weight I assume the jdm still is 60/70kg heavier

 

So the hawkeye JDM can handle 500bhp on STD internals then?

And did it get the engine and gearbox oil cooler?

And the weight I assume the jdm still is 60/70kg heavier

 

Lol, what's the world coming to when the former webby uses brought instead of bought.

No oil cooler for the STi.

I've had my spec c for 3 years, there's not much I'd swap it for, I don't think i'll ever sell it.

 

I would 100% rather have the spec c than a standard sti .bye the time you spend your monies on a 400bhp sti as stated a standard spec c will see you off on the road. I would say from exsperience even if you have 430ish in the sti a standard type 25 -spec c will still have you, no lagg and the spool up is emence bigger anti rioll bars anti lift kit ic spray twin scrool turbo headers.ect ect .

I had a standard sti 430 bhp did a 9.11 at ring just took my standard type 25 350bhp and done a 8.46 25 seconds i would of thought must be 1 mile easy gap.

 

fud you talking a jdm sti

i would assume due to a spec c having the oil coolers, alk, ic spray, better suspension set up and the fact that by the sounds of it the std internals on a spec c can cope with 500bhp (where a jdm sti i would of thought would be no where near that more the 400 mark) then a spec c would be well worth a few grand more that a jdm sti

i may be wrong though and if anyone can correct me on that then great

 

The Spec C and the JDM STI have the same internals, they are capable of quite a bit more than people take them for just trying to think of who it was on here who was running 550bhp on their standard internals

Tony

 

Spec c is well worth the extra money over a standard JDM STI imho and miles better then a UK sti. I personally would go for a Hawkeye spec c as they are the better handling car even due to the DCCD setup. The Hawkeye also seems to hold its value much better than any model and is by far the most popular spec c variant to date. I have sold loads and people choose to buy them over the current hatch sti/ spec c.

The engines are robust and good for 450bhp+ without messing with internals not to mention the weight savings. That alone is worth a few k as that's what you'd have to spend to get the extra power out of an sti to keep up with the spec c on track. Might no be much difference in road use ,but the weight makes a massive difference on track and in the cars handling. The spec c also has transmission coolers where as the sti doesn't.

Immy

 

are you talking of the average spec c here? or the RA variant? what exactly does the RA get over standard spec C?

 

A JDM STI engine will take the same power abuse as a Spec C engine..... more so on the later models like the Hawkeye. As John Felstead has already pointed out (unless you are talking about something like a RA-R or RA), MY05 > and the JDM STI only really lose out to a Spec C with the weight.

Based on the Hawkeye models you are talking 70kg's between the Spec C and JDM STI. Using pure power to weight that would mean a JDM STI would need 380bhp to match a 360bhp Spec C. In that comparison the difference is miniscule. Whilst I agree that this is not the be all, as weight can affect handling characteristics and not just power to weight. However taking power to weight in isolation is the reason why I have always thought the original Spec C's were the best (like mine). They have been somewhat diluted against the equivalent STI, as editions have been revised.

Take a look at how quick John Felstead was at the final in last years ScoobySprint. He ended up only being 1.88s slower in his virtually standard and heavier JDM STI, over Simon in my Spec C that had shedloads more power, loads less weight and fully set-up in the handling department. No one can argue the talent of both John or Simon behind the wheel, so you can't really say anything about drivers. If anything Simon maybe a better driver.

Stats are stats, but reality sometimes shows something different. Out on a proper race track I suspect it would of been a different story, but for most of us behind the wheel, will it REALLY make that much difference.

Bluenose,
****... I did as well.

 

Different handling "bits", but nothing you couldn't get aftermarket.

Like with most "specials"..... people by the car because it IS a special. Absolutely nothing wrong with that imo.

RA-R is different again, as regards to handling goodies, slightly bigger turbo, styling goodies and blue printed engine (all parts measured and balanced) iirc. In reality the engine is no better than a JDM STI / Spec C equivalent.

 

I thought the only difference engine wise was spec c cams?
And a tuner on here rates all sti 8s (blobs)too 500 hp.
I would say if your going to tune your car buy the cheapest best lowest milage sti and dump the spare cash in a 2.1 or 2.35 big turbo and supporting mods to get over 500hp 2.1 is my next step.
I wouldnt want to mod a spec c and id go for a early one if i did.
So i think it all depends if you like to mod your cars?

 

AFAIK in later editions the cams were no different between the JDM STI and the Spec C.

 

Id say it depends on what he wants then really?
rar and s204 etc have blueprinted engines and diff turbos so id go for one of these or just a cheaper sti and tune engine suspen and brakes?

 

Who told you that bull they have the same engines as the Spec C and later JDM STI's, thats how good these engines are

Tony

 

He's quoting from the STI website as it does say each engine is blue printed and the S204 and RA-R do run different turbo the VF42.

Immy

 

Sounds like Johns the better driver to me

Immy