Thomas brought us his Evo 7 with a simple request.

Build something fast, drivable with usable power and make it look little different. He was pretty pleased with the result, so take a look at what the PBMS team put together... With the freedom Thomas gave us, we drafted a plan for the build. The idea was to keep it simple and not over-complicate anything, whilst looking beautiful and having a very good power band.

Block

To piece together an engine that is an all-rounder, we suggested a 2.2L stroker which Thomas happily accepted. This has the advantage of extra displacement to help drivability and turbo response whilst keeping a safe rod-to-stroke ratio. This basically means the engine is happy to rev out, particularly with extra-long BC rods used in the build. The engine has been built to PBMS specification and assembled with ARP main studs to hold it together.

Stroker 4G63 2.2L

• PBMS prepped block
• Eagle Stroker Crankshaft
• BC Forged Long rods
• CP Stroker Forged Pistons
• Balanced Rotating Assembly
• Balance Shaft Delete
• ARP Main Studs

Head

The cylinder head is where power is made, so we focused on improving the flow to aid response and power goals. Our PBMS Stage 2 port and polish is the go-to for most high power jobs like this, which deburr, enlarge and smooth the factory ports whilst keeping the factory shape. This represents the best value for money cylinder head improvements whilst giving a great result. To prevent the cylinder head lifting under high boost, a set of ARP headstands clamp it down to the block.

High flow 4G63 Road/Race spec

• PBMS stage 2 port and polish
• GSC Power Division S2 Cams
• GSC Power Division Beehive Valve Springs and Titanium Retainers
• ARP Head studs

Turbo and fabrication

We wanted a big turbo that could make big power, but also respond well. Keeping things simple was also high on the agenda. A Borg Warner EFR8374 twin scroll turbo with an internal wastegate was the best option to meet all of these requirements. Fabrication was left up to Mike and the team at Sinco Customs. The decision was made to top-mount the turbo, simply so you can see the impressive snail taking up the engine bay. It wasn't an easy task fitting it all in, with the wastegate actuator relocated to the compressor housing and the exhaust downpipe positioned to maintain the factory air-con pump. The result has definitely been worth it!

ECU and EFI components

Safety is high on the priority list, so we included a range of AEM gauges and a fuel pressure sensor to feed the ECU additional data. This allows the ECU to implement additional compensations to keep the car running at its best and protect itself if issues occur. The electronic system is simple and effective, consisting of the following:

• Link ECU G4+ Plug in
• Bosch 1000cc Injectors
• Walbro 465 LPH fuel pump
• Hard-wired fuel pump
• AEM Wideband, oil pressure and oil temp gauges
• Fuel pressure sensor
• Aeromotive fuel pressure regulator

Results

Thomas' Evo is simply a dream to drive. We have neglected to discuss a number of components like the rebuilt gearbox and silky smooth twin plate clutch that make it surprisingly easy to cruise. Full throttle is simply outstanding. With a bit of load in a high gear, full boost is achieved around 4000RPM, and it pulls VERY well from even before this point. The sound of large cams and cyclic idle (programmed in ECU) makes it sound like a full-blown rally car. The presentation is as good as any show car and the enjoyment factor is next level. 

On the dyno it made 407kw on pump 98 at 30psi. The future will likely see an E85 conversion, however that might be a while away as this will definitely take a bit of getting used to. We think this might have met Thomas' request of being fast, drivable and being a little different.