This week ill be meeting up with Fernando Sosa from St.Louis, Missouri. Fernando is sporting a White GD Honda fit which is quite a contender in SCCA events. The first time I spotted his ride was at a local rooftop car event here in downtown STL, ever since then i have wanted to learn all about it. I will be going over everything inside and out on this little twistie terror this week! So please keep tuned in to Microcarmag for the whole scoop on Fernandos Fit!

Got some info from Fernando and a whole story about his car came to be where it is today! A big thanks to Fernando for keeping it real in this tight knit community of Micro car modders! I looks forward to seeing Fernandos Fit and where it will be at in the future! On to the reading folks!

First off I’m a San Juan, Puerto Rico native whose life has brought many changes including now working out in Granite City, Il. One thing remains constant during my life span is my formal love for cars, it’s pretty safe to assume my car obsession started from a young age from LEGOs to 1/10 Scale electric R/C car racing back in Puerto Rico. I have been in love with anything with an internal combustion engine since the beginning. In my university days to get my BS in Mechanical Engineering I rebuilt the suspension for the 2008 Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico SAE Mini Baja Car. But my 4 wheel obsession really started with lowed trucks back in the mid 90’s but then modified to mini trucks. As one day would have it, I saw a feature on an early model black Toyota Tacoma modified by Axis that had an intercooled turbo swap done and I was hooked. At the time I thought this was the coolest thing on 4 wheels.

My bug for modifying cars really changed its quality when I got the chance to work and learn from the masters at HKS in Los Angeles for an internship. In California I got an automatic  91’ Honda Accord DX and that pretty much sealed the deal with my Honda obsession. I loved my Accord but I knew when I got a full time job that is was time to get something newer, more reliable, and had a good following in the aftermarket world so I could start racing. Basically I wanted a starting point to learn to drive AND take me to work, I wanted a “then new” 2007 White GD3 (’02-’08 Honda Fit/Jazz) base model with manual transmission.

As soon as my car got transferred to the good old US of A from Puerto Rico it was getting modified brakes, suspension, and a new rim/tires set-up. My plan was to use this car to learn how to drive to then eventually trade up to something faster (Subaru STI.. long time fan), but along the years of owning my Fit I have fallen in love with it! The fact that modified Fits are a lot less common than other Hondas like EG, EF, EK or DC’s really makes it really hard to part ways with it, plus it is a lot of fun to drive a slow car fast!

I have been auto crossing non-stop for 3 years in various SCCA regions and also took it to track day events at New Jersey Motorsports Park. I took part in a range of autocross schools in Philadelphia, Houston, and recently the Evolution Performance Driving School in St.Louis. This season I placed 2^nd in Class Championship Points in the St.Louis Region SCCA. I plan to continue to race the Fit and tweak it to be even more competitive in the ST class. With some new rule changes hopefully happening in ST Class for the 2012 Season and the removal of the almost spec car to have (89-91 Civic Si) into another class, I hope to be in even better shape for next year maybe even go to nationals! 2012 might see the Fit wearing a new brake set-up, engine mounts, new clutch, more suspension tweaks, and adding more lightness J

My Fit has been my daily driver since day one and has been set-up to follow ST Class rules in SCCA, so most of the attention goes towards what gives me faster times with a few thing added for looks.

Go Fast Parts:

PRM Racing Prototype GD3 Intake

T1R (Ceramic coated) Response header

Skunk 2 50mm Cat back exhaust

Skunk 2 Limited Edition Oil Cap

AMSOIL 100% Synthetic Oils

Password JDM CF engine cover

Brakes:

Power Slot Cryo-treated Slotted Rotors

Hawk HP+ Pads

T1R braided lines

Motul RBF600 fluid

Rims + Tires:

Miteki open end lug nuts

(Daily) Enkei RPF1 15×7

205/50 Toyo R1R

(Auto X) 949Racing 6UL 15×7.5

225/45 Hankook RS3

Suspension:

Cusco front and rear Strut Bars

T1R Lower Arm Bar

Skunk 2 Pro C Coilover (6k front, 6k Rear)

Progress Rear Sway bar

Eibach Camber Bolts

Racing Alignment + Corner Balanced (w/ help from Dad’s Auto Repair)

Exterior:

J’s Racing front grill

OEM Sport Front lip and side skirts

Siebon Carbon Fiber spoiler

3M carbon fiber wrapped roof

Spoon Sports antenna

Interior:

Skunk 2 short shifter

Skunk 2  10^th Anniversary shifter

JDM Passenger side sun visor (Gf approved mirror)

Sparco 4 point harness

In the end I want to give big thanks to my very patience girlfriend Susan Giger, my family for all the moral support, Skunk 2 for the hook-ups, Bruce @ Dad’s Auto Repair, Terry and Bob @ Dent Devils, all the great car friends I meet through SCCA and my traveling, finally a shout out to FitFreak.Net and all the great members, and my healthy credit card.