Nothing worse than seeing a great old car being driven into the ground. Believe me, we know what we’re talking about! In the Demaras Racing stable we have a modified ’92 Subaru SVX and stock ’03 Bugeye WRX both in shiny, rust-free condition.
So, we were a little bothered by a Jalopnik article about a super-clean, mint-condition Bugeye WRX being sacrificed to the racing gods. Just look at those pictures. The article describes it as a beautiful car; a single owner, original engine, zero rust, zero food eaten in it, no vape Subaru. That’s saying a lot.
The car is onwed by Jimmy Pelizzari who’s been racing his JDM STI-swapped 1st-Gen Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS in American Rally Association events. Apparently after 22 competition rallies in Michigan, the car was ready for retirement, and Jimmy looked to a 2nd-Gen Impreza for the right foundation. The car may look perfect, but before anyone calls the Subaru of America museum in New Jersey, keep in mind this car had 330,000 miles on it and was leaking oil pretty heavily. A perfect Candidate for a rally conversion.
Since the Bugeye was completed, it’s already competed in the Lake Superior Performance Memorial Rally finishing 37th overall, and 4th in O4WD class (open four wheel drive). Jimmy was under any kind of obligation to keep the Bugeye in original condition, but looking at pictures of a perfectly good car being stripped down to the frame seems a little odd.
Unless you subscribe to the belief that every car’s highest calling is to die as a winning race car. Then the whole story makes perfect sense.
I know exactly what you mean, during the 1980s and 1990s I have seen my fair share of perfectly good cars finish their lives at the racetrack or drag strip.