Always Inspired, Never Bored: Rob Thiel and his 2004 Subaru STi

There have been many times when we see a vehicle at an event or meet people through our business that are always in view because of their outgoing personality, the knowledge of the Subaru brand and history, and also, the pure quality of their build. We had first noticed Rob Thiel's 2004 Subaru Impreza WRX STi at Boxerfest 2024 standing beautifully with its clean lines and iconic design while also winning “Best Blob” and “Best Engine Bay”at the event. When it comes into your view, you just know it is a car that automatically gets attention from the Subaru purist anywhere it goes. A vehicle that literally looks like you could eat a meal off its engine bay, you can tell that this car has been loved by its owner, one who has respected and obsessed about the platform for a very long time. Now residing in Dunmore, PA, Thiel has been a lifelong native spending his formative years in both Scranton and Moscow respectively. "I have always had a passion for cars.", Rob remembers. "I grew up with my grandfather owning an auto body repair shop. I would always want to go down and see my father working on all the cool cars that would come in." 

That time in his life obviously planted an important seed that would lead to many great things in the future, including his Subaru STi ownership. Thiel was bitten by the bug soon and willingly scratched that itch as a boy and dwelled on its amazing persona to fuel his inspiration. "The first time I saw one was in my family’s shop and I fell in love with it instantly.", he confirms fondly. "It’s almost a cartoon of a car that a kid would draw with the massive hood scoop and comically large rear spoiler. In my opinion it’s one of the most iconic Subaru bodystyles, only to be beat out by the 22B." , he adds. "The 2004 Subaru STi is the one that most people associate with the name “STi” because of the iconic WRB and gold rally liveries." Choosing this platform was nothing less than destiny in practice. Some enthusiasts find a vehicle within a group of cars that they come across due to opportunity or chance, others experience the car choosing them, which is Thiel's undoubtable story. "The first time I decided to purchase a Subaru was as soon as I was able to.", he said. "I had always wanted one so there was no other option for me."

Many of us start our journey in this life by working our way through several cars, many not even considered performers, but eventually, when the stars align and all the cards are in our favor we are in a position to finally grab the brass ring and drive the prize home. Once the commitment is made and the first hurdle has been conquered, the lifestyle takes on its own energy and demands a focused sense of purpose, especially if the owner respects the importance and significance of the ride. "My 2004 Subaru STi is the first performance car that I’ve owned.", Rob confirms with pride. "I have done many, many modifications to it...and as we all know, it’s a never ending cycle with more already in the pipeline." As mentioned, this can be a challenging time of learning, making mistakes, taking risks, and experiencing incredible satisfaction, but moreover, the best of us lean into our experience and always depend on educating ourselves to keep our investment at top value, performing well, and looking its best.

Rob's past and observations as a younger man have become a definite benefit as he has been pulled forward on this journey. "I would say my level of automotive expertise is fairly high and well rounded.", Thiel exclaimed. "However, my highest level of experience would be in auto body work. Over the years I have really dove deep into Subarus and my love of them. I am constantly researching everything I can about them, following the latest and greatest things that Subaru announces, along with trying to keep the older chassis cars alive." A vehicle with such an iconic prowess, performance legacy, and fandom that holds the highest level of respect in the Subaru community is naturally something that everyone observing expects to be respected and cherished by default. One could equate this to someone who works hard to purchase a fine, rare work of art. When obtained, the most dedicated fans and serious members of the art community naturally expect the piece to be cared for properly. In this case, Thiel is in no danger of being doubted or criticized. He is the caretaker of a masterpiece.

This journey has been a busy one with hundreds of hours and gallons of sweat equity invested into showing this piece of mechanical art and engineering complete honor with his efforts. Looking at the car and reading the build list will be both inspiring and encouraging for anyone who has their own dream car to create. With no doubt, Rob has injected his soul into this STi and gone above and beyond. "I modified pretty much everything except the actual exterior body panels," he confirmed. "The car has a shaved, tubbed, wire-tucked engine bay. It is sporting a rotated kit from Perrin Performance with a BoostLab Inc. 58X turbo, and a motor built by Marianelli Motorsports." he adds. Moving forward with some premiere quality parts and respected help launched Rob's project into what many of us would consider an arena of excellence. Not cutting corners, not making exceptions, or finding alternatives to make this an easier journey to cheapen its value behind closed doors. His modification is legit and worthy of respectable envy.

"Also, it has a custom fuel system utilizing all Vibrant Performance-8 AN fittings and lines," he continues to explain. "I've included a Radium Engineering dual pump hanger with Walbro 525 pumps, Radium Engineering AOS, Aeromotive FPR, ID1700s, custom intercooler piping being held together with Vibrant HD clamps, Volvo Electric Power Steering remote mounted in the trunk, Haltech Elite 2500 ecu, Haltech IC7 digital display, Bride Euroster seats, and much, much more.", he says with pride and gratitude. "I wanted to put high quality parts on the car, no excuses and no compromises.” he proclaimed. “I had plenty of help choosing products that shops I trust recommended. If a company didn’t make something that I needed in the way that I wanted it to work, then a custom part was used." Definitely, a modification project for the ages, but a personal labor of love, Rob's grateful personality shines as he remembers what has gone into his efforts so far. "I did all of the work on the car myself, with the exception of Marianelli Motorsports for building the motor, Marianelli Metal Works for intercooler piping/radiator fab work, and EFI Logics for tuning.” 

As we should realize, the true cost of a passion project like this really starts to get clouded as time goes on. Like any great chef, the quality of the meal is calculated by the extra pinches and added flavors that no one is really keeping track of during the creative process. Between the investment of real time, true labor costs, the ever-adjusted build list, and additions along the way it might be impossible to tack on a solid value of this modification since it goes much deeper than what money can buy. "It took me roughly two and a half years from the day I took the motor out to start on the car until the day I was able to drive it on the street for the first time.", Rob confirmed with confidence. "I really have no idea on a total for the project over the course of two and a half years so it wasn’t all spent at once and I did 99% of the work myself.", he said. Although looking at the car in its current state and magnificent posture, we know that great things do not come to be without a struggle. Challenges are a very real part of the path to success. The bumps and obstacles are something Thiel knows well. 

"I ran into quite a few challenges along the way," Rob admitted. "Such as getting the intercooler piping exactly the way I wanted, deleting the power steering from the bay and finding a way to still have it without needing the OEM pump, finding all the proper fitting angles so everything tucked the way it needed to, one bad motor from a previous builder, and a few other odds and ends that I’m sure I’m forgetting.", he adds. "However, without any of the problems that I had I wouldn’t have the car that I wanted today.", he said with gratitude. "All of the problems made me think outside of the box for solutions that would not only be functional but also keep the clean, shaved look that I was trying to achieve." Our team at Subimods was also thrilled to hear about the success of this build and felt appreciative that we were helpful along the way to get Rob whatever he needed to bring his dream to reality. "I pretty much stuck to Subimods because of their awesome customer service, the availability of the parts, and the fact that they support the community," he explained.

Now that this vehicle has reached a point that some may consider "accomplished", Rob has a different view, since as a true creative is always looking to adjust his art, exhibit his inspiration, and propel his motivation and energy to a new level of satisfaction. "My ultimate goal for my car is to be my personal dream STi.", he said optimistically. "Most people see it and think that I just use it for shows or that it may not get driven a lot. But, the truth is I take that car out every chance I possibly get.", he adds. "Whether it’s going to car shows, going on backroad cruises with friends, date night with my wife, I use it all the time. At the end of the day that’s what I truly built it for, to put a smile on my face and see as much street time as possible." Rob Thiel is a grateful and driven enthusiast who runs on a spirited fuel that has been motivating his rewarding lifelong journey. His story and attitude clearly confirms, as our unique community continually promotes, that encouragement and sharing experiences is half the battle in reaching personal victory. "Building a car is a huge undertaking.", he says with pride. "If everyone ran the same exact parts or colors, etc. then every car out there would be boring. Take the time to enjoy the journey of creating your perfect version of your car. That’s what it’s all about."

At Subimods, we offer a wide range of Subaru components to help you achieve your desired performance goals. Our team of experts can help you navigate the different options and make informed decisions based on your specific needs. With the right upgrades and proper installation, you can transform your Subaru's performance and enjoy a more exhilarating driving experience. 

Browse a small collection of aftermarket parts we have available in the Subimods catalog in the gallery below:

It is the primary goal at Subimods to create a powerful channel between the growing community of inspired enthusiasts and the productive marketplace who provides a plethora of quality solutions which assist in bringing victory to their lives through the performance of their cars.

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