Peter Granberg: BRZ K-Swap
As James and I were walking through the Lime Rock paddock during GRIDLIFE's Circuit Legends event, we came across a blue Subaru BRZ, similar to the one we drove to the track, which is relatively stock. As we got closer, it looked less and less like the BRZ we came in with, as one would expect at a track, but this one held a curious surprise. We circled to the front of the car and the hood was up; the engine had red on it, but it wasn't the intake manifold like the 17+ models, and it wasn't laying flat in the engine bay like the boxers do. And it said Honda on it. I should have taken all of the "K" references on the body panels as a hint; this BRZ has the heart of a Honda.
For all the talk about how underpowered the 86 chassis traditionally has been, innovative people have been coming up with some really cool ways to remedy the issue, and the K24 swap from KPower Industries is one excellent example. I'm still new to this game with the 86, so to see a nicely done K-swap in a rally blue BRZ in the proper racing context got me "hype" as the kids say.
We saw Peter Granberg, half-in his firesuit, sweating under the morning sun and carrying his helmet to his car; we introduced ourselves and he was amicable as we chatted a bit before we let him finish up prepping for the day's racing. We continued on our way, but each time that rally blue BRZ swung around our section of the track, we shot it, or stopped to watch and listen. Pete agreed to a chat after the weekend was over; we were able to catch up with him recently and he was kind enough to answer a few questions for us.
Thanks for chatting with us! We really enjoyed your battles at Gridlife Circuit Legends, saw you make a number of pretty impressive saves coming out of Big Bend! So, tell us a little about yourself! Where did you grow up? Were you into racing as a kid?
I grew up in Chicago, IL and was born and raised here! To be honest, I never really was into racing as a kid. I may have played with legos more than hot wheels. Growing up though, I was always extremely competitive and was taught at a young age to always try your best.
Sound advice. What were some of your earliest automotive memories? Was your family into racing?
My earliest automotive memory was when my cousin took me out for a drive one night. And we went to a car meet. He had a 2007 WRX, so this was back in 2010. I was still in high school and we were just doing hooligan type stuff. Staying out until 3am at car meets. Nothing like you see today though with these crazy, reckless street takeovers. The car show stuff back then was much more “normal”? So to speak, much more chill.
Absolutely, those chill events with the purists are the ticket. When did you pick up your BRZ? What drew you to the platform?
This is a funny story actually. I got my BRZ brand new back in 2014 at Evanston Subaru. Shout out to my parents for co-signing for me to get a super low interest rate, and paid the rest off myself years ago. So, the story behind the BRZ was this idea: I needed a reliable car to get to work. I was commuting almost 20 miles to go to work, one way. My car at the time was a 2000 Toyota Celica, and it had broken down on me on the highway 2-3 times at this point leaving me stranded, and having to fork over hundreds of dollars for towing.. Not knowing much about the potential of this car, I just knew I liked Subaru because of my earlier experience and my cousin owning a WRX, so I thought it was cool. I just liked the style of the body of the car too.
The body lines are definitely quite sexy, but it's also quite a driver's car to stumble on like that! How did you get into racing with Gridlife?
I do Time Attack; I run in the racing class called Falken ClubTR. I had the car prior to even knowing that Gridlife was a thing. I found out about Gridlife through a friend and [they] told me to do a track day/HPDE event back in 2015. I tried one day, and at that point I knew I was hooked. Naturally, as my driving skills increased and I got better at it, it got to the point where I was one of the faster people in the advanced run groups. I was always trying to better myself and get faster times, but a lot of the times I’d get stuck in traffic… Naturally, I decided to compete. That’s the only way to get faster right?
Competition always brings out the best! And more power helps too, especially in this chassis..so, in that vein, tell us about the BRZ! I should've noticed all the K references all over the car as a hint; she's obviously got a Honda heart. You said the swap was pretty straightforward? Were there any massive hangups?
The swap was amazing! It was created by Kpower Industries. They did an absolute phenomenal job with this kit, really making it truly plug and play. I think the hardest thing about the swap wasn’t really the swap itself, but the limited space I had in my parents garage. I didn’t have a lift either.. But that says a lot about this K-swap kit. It’s absolutely doable with your basic tool set and an engine hoist!
That's wild! You've clearly done more mods than just the swap; what else have you done with it? What kind of power does it make?
So the car makes 218whp and 177wtq. It’s running a Haltech ECU that Boosted Performance tuned for me. Many mods, Ground Control suspension, Nine Lives rear wing, custom front splitter, Verus Engineering hood vents, Stoptech big brake kit front and rear paired with G-LOC R16 pads. I have a Cobra racing seat and a Sparco passenger seat for the interior. It runs on flex fuel as well! Fueling system comprises a DW65c fuel pump and ID1050x.
How does it feel to drive? The car is light to begin with, and you've done some significant weight savings; how much different is it than a normal BRZ?
This thing absolutely rips. To be honest though, the feel of the car is pretty close to stock. If I didn’t have all the [visible] modifications done to this car, and I took someone for a ride without telling them anything, they would have thought the car was stock and would have no idea there was a honda motor in there. The weight advantage is definitely key though when it comes to competition. We have a rule where we have to be at least 2550lbs with the driver in the car. And I’m pretty close to that.
How about the details on suspension/brakes/wheels/tires - what setup are you running there and how is everything holding up to consistent abuse?
So, I have a Ground Control suspension setup right now. Which are essentially custom valved Konis with custom Eibach spring rates. Those rates are 440in/lbs all around. As far as brakes, I have the Stoptech C43 front big brake kit and a C42 rear big brake kit. Wheels; I have Titan 7 paired with 255/35/18 Falken RT660. So far, this setup has been holding up great. I haven’t had any issues with any of it. I may be due for a suspension refresh though soon, since I’ve had my Ground Control since 2016.
That's great to hear. What are the biggest challenges to competing in Time Attack?
I think the biggest challenge is getting a good flier/clean lap. A lot of the times, I’ll get stuck behind someone, or I’ll misjudge the spacing between the car in front of me and I’ll end up catching up to the car in front of me, having to slow down and then having to restart my flier on the next lap. The other big challenge is honestly the competitors. The top dogs have their cars so dialed in and this is my first season in ClubTR since I moved over from StreetMod. I think once I have my car dialed in more, I’ll be able to do some damage. I’ve seen it a little bit already. I hold 3rd place from Midwest Festival and just placed 3rd for Lime Rock Park.
Hell yeah 3rd! Nice dude, was this your first time at Lime Rock?
First time ever at Lime Rock Park, zero sim racing time.
Wow! You dig the track?
This track was absolutely awesome.
We love it too. So, what does racing mean to you? Obviously going fast is a thrill, but going up against others on the track in a dedicated car you've clearly put lots of time and money and effort into; what do you get out of it? Is it the art of the racing line you choose? The intensity of the battles in competition? The personal challenge of pushing yourself to find and stay at the very edge of you and your car's limits? Or just traveling the country and turning hot laps in your ride of choice?
This is such a great question. It’s really my passion I’d say. I don’t know what else I’d be doing if I didn’t have this going on. I used to be a big skateboarder, sponsored, etc. As I got older and busier with work it was hard to go out and skate, and in the back of my mind, if I get hurt, I may not be able to go to work, etc. Racing is certainly more dangerous if you crash, but the chances of getting a rolled ankle or breaking a bone is much higher with skateboarding. But getting back to your question, I think it’s the adrenaline rush, pushing one’s limits, and going fast. All these things combined gives me a surreal experience you just can’t get anywhere else. The competition aspect makes it a lot of fun too, you meet new people and create new experiences. I think it’s just icing on the cake I get to travel to do this too.
That's awesome dude, we were appreciative ya let us steal a few minutes of your time in the paddock, and it was awesome watching you tear it up; also really appreciate ya chatting with us a bit on the build and your journey! What's next for you and the car?
Next up is most likely aero development alongside a suspension refresh!
Special thanks to Peter Granberg for his time and energy. And chassis platform.
~ Nicholas Pascarella // @nicksglasseye
Photos: Nicholas Pascarella // James Woodard
