Perrin Jumpstarts Performance Gains for Subaru Turbo Models

Known throughout the industry for racing exhausts and other engine accessories, Perrin Performance is a name familiar to most car enthusiasts. The company got started some 18 years ago by Adam Taft as a regional outfit in the greater Portland area concentrating on Honda tuning parts. Eventually, Adam realized that the Honda aftermarket was well-stocked by other brands so he moved on to target another automaker popular to tuners – Subaru. Soon after, Jeff Perrin joined the party and the company changed its name.

Since then, Perrin has been a trusted provider of performance exhaust pipes, cold air intakes, shift knobs, bushings, and much more. Basically, if it helps an Impreza WRX/STI or a Scion FR-S get moving, they make it. All of their parts are custom made and known for resiliency. For instance, their line of downpipes and up pipes is recognized not just for improved exhaust flow, but durability, as well. It all comes down to this: if it’s Perrin, the quality can be relied on.

Perrin Downpipes

For well over a decade and change, the premier upgrading spot for Subaru turbo models is the exhaust system. It is, almost unanimously, the first area targeted for customization. While plenty of drivers will go for a new catback system, just as many hook up with a Perrin downpipe. The reason is fairly simple. Stock pipes don’t work well. They are not supposed to. Subaru might give you a turbo, but at the end of the day you are driving a car that wasn’t meant for sporty performance. The kicker is that with a few mods here and there, you can have yourself a customized, aggressive racing machine. That’s where a down pipe comes in.

Perrin Downpipe Diagram

A Perrin WRX downpipe can be a powerful weapon. Because the factory setup is laden with narrow tubing and numerous bends, exhaust airflow is choked back. In order to improve the situation you want more width and less bends. Getting rid of the OEM catalytic converters also helps. Although a catalytic converter cleans up the exhaust and filters out some of the fumes, it too, is restrictive.

Perrin designs their down pipes to offer the kind of dramatic increase in airflow you’ve been waiting for. The mandrel bends allow for exhaust to move through with less restriction and since the diameter is wider than an OEM pipe, there is no slowing it down. Turbo spools faster, horsepower is increased, and the next thing you know, your Subaru is making some impressive gains.

Perrin Suspension Upgrades

After you have gone and thrown a slew of performance enhancers inside and outside of your car, the next step is making sure your frame can handle the newfound speed. Often times, it can’t. You’ll notice some shaking, less intuitiveness around turns, wide cornering, you name it. When that’s the issue, finding ways to improve the suspension is a fairly high priority, especially if you’re a competitive racer.

Perrin Strut Brace

Perrin’s line of strut braces (or strut bars, if you prefer) tighten things up for you. Perrin strut bars replace the flimsy, narrow factory braces with brute-tough rigidity. The best part is that there are different types to choose from. You choose by diameter, the higher it is, the tighter the response. And since you are simply replacing a stock part you don’t have to worry about drilling or cutting. Essentially, you are loosening bolts, removing a bar, putting a new Perrin strut bar in its place, and replacing the bolts. It is that simple. You’ll see that your car is hitting turns without losing the angle. Even on drag strips where turning isn’t necessary, you’ll still notice better traction. It’s as if the chassis being given additional support has made your ride into a monster.

Perrin Shifter Bushings

But it doesn’t end with strut bars. Bushings play a large role in the Perrin inventory. Bushings are like pads or cushions. They are found in numerous areas of a car’s chassis and undercarriage and provide support for stability. The transmission in particular, needs an added element of firmness in racing situations. It elevates the car’s response when shifting. Locking down the sub frame promotes better sensitivity. Your feel of the road improves and so does your performance.

Perrin has a wide variety of polyurethane and other bushings available. They have different durometers, depending on what your specific needs are. If you’re a serious driver, this is one category of products you might not want to ignore.

The Perrin Way

The bottom line is that Perrin Performance showcases a full array of accessories meant to give your Subaru or Scion an advantage on the road. Even if you are not the kind of driver who tears it up on the racetrack when the weekends come, there are still plenty of choices available that help give your ride a healthier profile.

UltraRev carries the widest selection of Perrin automotive accessories you’ll find on the net. Downpipes, strut bars, up pipes, bushings, intakes...the list goes on and on. In addition, we offer the most competitive prices around. If you’re scouring the market for that next great upgrade hop on by our inventory. You won’t be disappointed.

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DC Sports Header Systems Rocking Out for 2014

It’s still early in the year but you can kind of see where trends are developing already and a lot of the news has been about DC Sports. DC Sports has always been an exciting and highly-respected name in the performance parts realm, but this year looks to be even bigger for the California based outfit. The racing scene has picked up over the last year with more shows, more competitions, and of course, the entire subculture that surrounds it. There’s a pretty good chance that it will be DC Sports Headers at the forefront of it all. You have so many drivers switching out for heavier engines in their compacts that it’s a good bet they’ll want lighter headers to help them flow more freely. Well, that’s what they’ll do if they want to win, anyway! DC Sports 3 into 1 Headers are the go-to for this upgrade, canceling out the heaviness of a V6 with the lighter, more accommodating steel setup.

DC Sports also showcases their 4-1 and 4-2-1 headers, which have always been big helps to performance drivers. Stainless steel or ceramic-coated depending on the application, the right header package makes a big difference for the low to mid-range sprint you need. Quick recommendation: If you are not really experienced, don’t try this at home. Get your header installed professionally, preferably by a shop that is familiar with making racing customizations or is just a place you trust.

The calendar is packed this year with plenty of events so even if you aren’t a competitor, get out and enjoy the fun! Before the flag drops many events will let you walk around and check the drivers’ gear under the hood and elsewhere. You are bound to see plenty of DC action up close and personal.

It doesn’t matter if you don’t go for checkered flags, DC Sports headers are for any driver who wants to go the distance. Check out our selection at UltraRev to see what we have for your ride. We’ll take care of you with any of the DC Sports parts you’re looking for!

DC Sports Promises High Performance Quality & Results

DC Sports is an interesting company. Founded by twin brothers Darrell and Darrick Contreras, DC during its inception was akin to a mad scientist’s lab. Not that it was all experimental, because the parts the Contreras brothers were trying to improve upon were already in existence (by and large). What made the early days of DC so unique is that both Darrell and Darrick were highly intelligent, motivated individuals. The reason this is unique is pretty easy – when passion is the ambition there can be no failure. This wasn’t a startup with dollars in its eyes and a bubble to burst. The Contreras siblings had a mission, and that was to develop high-performance parts for sports compact cars that would make a difference both on the track and on the street. But in order for that to happen, Darrick and Darrell had to know what they were doing and moreover, prove it to others.

Once enough buzz was generated, DC started building a following and their level of respect within the industry began to grow. The pivotal moment for DC Sports was in 1987, when they were approached by American Honda to design and build a header for the 1988 Honda CRX competition car. The header was a hit, the company was formed, and next thing they knew, DC was developing additional products for other models in the Honda lineup. It’s a different story, an interesting one. Which makes where DC Sports stands in the auto industry today even more compelling.

Nowadays, DC Sports is one of the big boys when it comes to high performance parts and accessories. The eclectic mix of drivers into DC Sports gear is like going to a Chili Peppers concert – you see people of all backgrounds there. But with that being said, DC Sports is known for churning out performance car accessories geared more towards a competitive segment. After all, soccer moms aren’t usually on the market for strut bars or cold air intake systems. But there is more than one reason DC Sports has such a solid reputation (being under the Pilot Automotive banner doesn’t hurt, certainly). DC doesn’t skimp. They don’t manufacture products out of “metal” or double-welded aluminum. For all of their products that require meaningful structural fortitude, DC Sports goes with stainless steel. Look at their lineup of headers. All of their headers and exhaust workups use stainless steel and are CNC-machined. That may not seem like a big deal, you may even expect it out of that kind of product line, but consider this: There are plenty of foreign companies pulling the proverbial wool over consumer’s eyes with cheap metal exhausts spray-painted with chrome. It happens all the time.

But as much as we can talk about the type of materials the company uses to construct their lineup, it all comes down to how their gear actually performs. DC Sports exhaust headers are among the leaders for competitive drivers and serious customizers to the point where there is almost a cult. Drivers are loyal to the DC Sports and that is quite a compliment given the amount of competition the brand has. And it’s not just exhaust headers. DC Sports Strut Bars and Chassis Braces are also perennial hot items. The best part is, none of this is a coincidence. When you have a company constantly attempting to improve upon what it already does as good or better than everyone else you are always going to see results.

At UltraRev, we hear from drivers all over the globe. We keep our ears to the ground to see what people like, what they are talking about, and who they trust. Pilot Automotive and DC Sports seem to always pop up. That is why we are happy to carry their products. DC Sports performance car accessories like exhaust headers, mufflers, strut bars, and cold air intake systems are an important fabric to the driving public (especially all the racers out there). If hitting the road with greater intensity is your goal and you want sincere quality to back it up, UltraRev has the DC Sports performance parts to get you where you want to go.