Introduction
It’s safe to assume that if you’ve found yourself reading this article, you or someone you love has a passion for the automotive world. For automotive fans, vehicles are more than just transportation, they take the mundane act of commuting and turn it into an opportunity to inspire. These rolling canvases express our passion and bond friendships. I believe that this binding quality is what keeps us coming back to this unique form of art, creating a community to observe and revel in these masterpieces of alloys and petroleum. It is people that are at the heart of what we love as automotive enthusiasts. They build the cars, organize the meets, and form the zeitgeist of what is cool and admirable within the community.
To me, Corey’s STI perfectly represents what it means to be a ‘car person’ in this sense. His vehicle truly shows what he enjoys, and also acts as his business card to the world. And in saying that, I really do mean business. This is the living example of ‘built not bought,’ as he has done all the work to this car himself. His Impreza may have started life as an STI with its roots in the rally world but has been transformed into the ultimate street machine with looks that could kill.
That is only the start of Corey’s car modification journey. Using the Subaru as a test bed for unique modifications, he has been able to take the lessons learned and apply them to customer cars. His brand, Invoke, which he runs with his friend and business partner, modifies all sorts of vehicles and is building a name in the scene here in South Carolina as a one stop shop for leveling up your build.
…In the beginning
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was this STI. Being from the same state and having similar interests, it’s not that surprising that our paths have crossed before. Before the Subaru, there was a super hot Honda Civic that I remember seeing from my days of skipping class and driving to the Atlanta Motor Speedway for Import Alliance. Again, the car community brought people together in an extremely impactful way on my younger self and helped shape who I have become.
Later, once I had set out on my photography journey and moved back to my hometown after being away for a few years, I would once again run across Corey’s signature style by way of his new build, this Subaru Impreza. In fact, it was at the very first Cars and Coffee event I attended after my move back home where I saw the Impreza parked next to his buddy’s Evo, both on TE37s at the time. I remember watching them roll in and air out in the parking spaces upfront and losing myself in the juxtaposition of these two legendary vehicles. How could I be experiencing something so cool in a place I had all but written off years before?
Feeling uneasy about being somewhere that felt familiar and yet so foreign at the same time, I was able to find a new identity in the automotive world that separated me from the anxiety of self doubt and worry of the future. After editing the photos and having them shared by the event hosts, I was able to connect with many of the owners of the cars I captured, including Corey, and felt an appreciation for my photography I had never had in the past. I felt there was a whole world to explore and the ticket in was this community of like minded individuals.
Fast Forward to Today
Living in the digital age, we are accustomed to seeing the big camber, flashy wraps, and wide body conversions get lots of attention online. However, having spent some time in the scene and traveling to spectate and cover many events across the US, so much more goes into creating a masterpiece. I’ve been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to shoot this car in a few different stages of its life, and now get to see it as the certified beast that it is.
This STI holds a very unique presence with its custom polished Rega Masters as the cherry on top of an already exciting build. The fully custom air set-up, powered by Air Lift Performance, gives the car a perfect fender to lip stance and a tasteful amount of camber. Combined with his meticulous care for the car’s stock body fenders, the execution of Corey’s vision demands attention from everyone he drives by and starts conversations with passer-bys anywhere he airs out.
The party doesn’t stop there. Moving closer to the ground: the Ings front bumper, Veris side skirts, and AeroFlowDynamics rear diffuser make the car stand out from everyday traffic while not taking away from Subaru’s original design. The white accented splitters that wrap around the front and both sides give this STI a very aggressive feel that serves a dual purpose of hiding his in house brand of LED underglow that illuminates the night and calls back to the 2000’s nostalgia of Fast and Furious.
This Subaru isn’t all show and no go; under the hood is a whole host of bolt on mods. Cobb SF Intake, Tial blow off valve, Invidia downpipe, and an RK titanium exhaust play a melody of all the noises we love from a turbocharged boxer motor. With the supporting mods such as the ETS front mount intercooler, 1050cc injectors, and Cobb fuel rail in place, there is no shortage of excitement from the driving experience either.
Never Stop
There’s no such thing as a finished project car. It’s in every car enthusiast’s nature to continue to tinker and toy with new ideas as time progresses and our interests change. Nothing is more thought-provoking than a new challenge, so the Invoke boys are buckling down and putting in the work to keep pushing the envelope to create even more unique builds for this year. I am not at liberty to disclose everything, but the plans are mighty and the impact will be heavy.
Taking dreams and turning them into reality is really what it is all about for Corey and his team. They are building vehicles that inspire us to start our own modification journey and take on projects that may seem impractical to others. Remember that being an automotive enthusiast means you have a unique take on self expression and you are creating art through your mechanical canvas.
Credits
