DIRECT LINK: SPEEDHUNTERS



These two cars share a lot of components but are also very different. On the left we have a European version of the Honda Integra and on the right is the JDM version. I saw both of these cars when I visited the Rising Sun Performance shop on Monday. Luckily for me the guys at the shop had cleared out the garage so it gave me the perfect opportunity to roll both the cars inside the garage to shoot them together.



This European 1998 model wears some exterior upgrades that include the sideskirts and the rear valance made by Honda Modulo.



The big difference between both the models is obviously the front end. After checking them both extensively I still couldn't pick a favorite. Both of them have a very strong presence. Could you pick a favorite?



This JDM version got a set of ARC winglets that are placed underneath the front bumper. Both cars already look very good in standard guise. They don't need much to stand out because these cars are very special in their own right.



Here is a closer look at the front end of the JDM Integra.



The embossed Integra logo in the front bumper of the European Integra is a pretty cool touch.



These JDM 16" wheels can be found on the EUDM version. The car has been dropped using Tein lowering springs that brought the car 3cm closer to earth.



The JDM version got these cool Sprinthart CP-F's in 15" wrapped in Toyo R1 tires. This car is more circuit oriented so it has Project Mu discs and Ferrodo DS2500 pads. The brake fluid runs through Goodridge steel lines.
This car is lowered using Buddyclub Junior spec dampers.



This beating heart is the venerable B18C engine inside the JDM Integra. In stock form it is very potent but the owner enhanced the engine with a SPfab TODA 4-2-1 header, APE Garage race cat converter and 2.5" catback.



The EUDM B18C engine is pretty stock except for a Spoon air fliter, Spoon N1 B-pipe and N1 muffler.



In the end it was a great day and very cool to see both of these cars together. Getting together with enthusiasts and talking about your hobby is what it's all about in our 'scene'. I need to thank the guys at Rising Sun Performance for organizing this small meet with a bunch of cool cars. I'll have some more shots of some of the other cars present on Monday.

-Jeroen Willemsen

DIRECT LINK: SPEEDHUNTERS



For the second of my Honda galleries from good old Tsukuba Circuit, I thought I'd pull a selection of S2000 shots out for you guys.
You have to love scenes of Honda's open top sports car winding around one of Japan's most well known circuits.



Red has got to be my favorite color for the S2000, but surprisingly you don't see a whole lot of red ones out there. This one was spotted tucking into the Dunlop corner during the I Heart Honda event in September '08.



There's nothing like the sound screaming VTEC on a crisp spring morning at Tsukuba. It's something that will always stick with me.



Mugen hosts regular track days on the small Tsukuba 1000 course and that's where I came across this orange AP2.



Along with this big-winged AP1 on Advan RGII's. Why oh why must I be too tall to fit in one of these....



Here's another one from "I Heart Honda", a Spoon-equipped AP1 with its aero hard top.



I'm not sure why Japanese car makers limit the color choices of exported cars, but the JDM S2000's were available in some very cool colors that never made it to US shores. Love this dark blue AP1 biting through the infield.



The same spot on the track from a different viewpoint. RPF1's on an S2000 are always a hit.



On my first visit to Tsukuba Circuit after moving to Japan I spotted this Amuse GT1 S2000 out for a day of tracking. Talk about a warm welcome.



Riding pretty low for a circuit car - this S2000 takes a ride on the rumble strips.



Back on the 1000 course, a white AP1 does its thing.



As I mentioned before, I'm a sucker for S2000's on 16's. Gotta dig the classic look of the Watanabes.



A view of NOB Taniguchi piloting the Top Fuel time attack S2000
a car capable of ripping 55 second lap times when needed.



The Spoon S2000 aero might take some getting used to, but it's 100% functional.



Even with the light mods seen here, an S2000 is a fine choice for motoring around Tsukuba - or any other racing circuit for that matter.



Another scene from the Mugen track day as this hard topped S2000 waits in the paddock alongside some of its FF Honda cousins.



Whether its the hardcore track look you are after...



...or something a little more subtle - the S2000 does it all well.



Looking back at old photos like this makes me quite anxious for my next trip to Japan. Not only am I craving the sights and sounds of Tsukuba Circuit, but the delicious taste of the curry rice served at the trackside snack bar...



One more Amuse GT1 S2000 rounding the corners, AKA another day at Tsukuba.



I'll wrap up with one more shot from the Mugen track day on the 1000 course.

For my next dip through the archive, I'm thinking about a selection of vintage Honda shots so keep an eye out for that!

-Mike Garrett

DIRECT LINK: SPEEDHUNTERS



During the first round of the ITCC which we covered earlier, I picked up a brief spotlight on this K20 powered EK Civic that competes in the Super Touring class.



The car is driven by ITCC organiser Philip Burdock and was built out of desire to go racing again having become bored of Time Attack.



The car is a UK spec VTI shell but when Philip purchased it from Time Attack competitor Dean Reilly, it already had a full race spec engine but unfortunately it spun a bearing after only six laps. Philip then decided to strip the car down and rebuild it from the ground up.



The car is running a standard Honda K20 engine (more commonly found in an EP3 Civic Type if memory serves me correct) with custom ITBs and a Motec M400 ECU. Thanks to Westward Engineering, it's currently running a strong 250BHP which is being deployed through a DC5 Integra gearbox with a Kaaz differential and a 5.9 final drive.



Brembo brakes with carbon lorraine brake pads aid in pulling this lightweight racer (940KG) up.



The shell has been fully seam welded along with a weld-in rollcage.



An OMP seat is Philip's office chair.



The car is rolling on a one off set of HSD coilovers with custom spring rates front and rear with Whiteline anti-roll bars. The car is also fully poly bushed and rose jointed where needed along with a front splitter which mounted directly to the chassis.



In his first eight races, Philip has brought this Civic to the podium no less than seven times. During the last race he managed to lap the Mondello Park National Circuit in 60.7 seconds (I guess the National loop at Mondello is comparable in length to Tsukuba) but is aiming for a sub-sixty second lap before the season is out.

Not too bad for a car that was homebuilt and is only in its second season of racing ...

Paddy McGrath

DIRECT LINK: SPEEDHUNTERS



One thing that has always baffled me about the Japanese car market is the sheer number of models available from each maker - many of them seemingly competing with each other.

Since it's Honda Month, I thought it would be interesting to go through and take a look at the vast amount of compact hatchbacks, vans, and wagons that Honda has offered in Japan over recent years.



The Accord Wagon is a good place to start. Compared to a lot of the cars in this story this one's a pretty simple concept - a wagon version of the Accord sedan. Of course in Japan the wagon version was nearly as popular, if not more popular than the four-door.



As you can see from this rear shot, the later model Accord Wagons had a similar look to the same year Odyssey. It also looks damn good dropped on set of Model 5's!



Since its release in 2001, the Honda Fit has consistently been one of the best selling cars in Japan. It's also caught on big in the rest of the world.



With its popularity comes a huge following in both the tuning and dress up markets. Whether its stripped out for the circuit or plush and loaded with ICE, the Fit is huge in Japan.



Also occupying the compact space are older models like Honda Capa.



The Capa was later replaced by the unique looking seven-seat Mobilio.



In 2008 Honda replaced the Mobilio with the Freed - essentially a taller stretched out version of the Fit with sliding doors.



Here we have the Honda Stream introduced in 2001 and based off the Civic platform.



And the second gen Stream. You guys having any trouble keeping track of these models yet?



If that's not enough choices for you, there's always the Honda Airwave - another MPV based on the Fit.



Or maybe the Honda Edix is more your style? You won't find it dealers though, this model was discontinued in 2009.



In the late '90s and early '00s Honda also sold the SMX, a shortened version of the Step Wagon that shares parts the CRV.



It's three-door layout gives it a pretty smooth look on the driver's side.



With the popularity of hybrid cars in the Japanese market over the last couple years, the Honda Insight is another model that can be thrown into the mix.



Moving on to minivans - the original Honda Odyssey minivan was a rather groundbreaking vehicle, based on the Accord platform but with but with the passenger space and cargo capabilities of a van. It was hit in both Japan and the United States.



While the USDM and JDM first gen Odysseys were the same, the models were split for the second generation. Japan got an upgraded version of the original, seen here in dressed-up form.



America meanwhile got a bigger V6-powered Odyssey. This model was also sold in Japan as the Honda LaGreat although it proved to be a bit large for that market.



I don't think the third generation JDM Odyssey needs much of an introduction. It's without a doubt one of the coolest looking vans ever produced.



Both the third and fourth generation Odysseys are incredibly popular with customizers in Japan. It's vehicles like this that keep "minivan" from being a bad word.



One of my personal favorites in Honda's line up is the Step Wagon. The Step Wagon has been around since 1996 and its high roofline gives it a more traditional van look.



The newer models are a little less boxy but still have plenty of character. Just look at this one!



If you are looking for something a little more plush, you can step up to the Honda Elysion. This is Honda's minivan flagship that competes with the Toyota Alphard and Nissan Elgrand.



It might not sell as well as some of Hondas smaller vans, but the Elysion has still found its place among the dress up community.

Wow, that was a lot to cover and that doesn't even include Honda's kei cars!

So basically what we've learned here is that if you live in Japan and are looking for a practical Honda you won't find a lack of options.

Photos found on Minkara

-Mike Garrett

DIRECT LINK: SPEEDHUNTERS



This Honda S2000 belongs to Honda Verhagen, a Honda dealership in Rotterdam, Holland. In 2010 they raced this car in the Dutch Supercar Challenge, a series that is completely independent and runs solely on entry fees and sponsors. Unfortunately they weren't able to reach a podium finish last year. So to be more competitive this year they needed more power and contacted Hontec and R-Developments an engine rebuild.



Verhagen bought the car in 2009 from Fleper Motorsport after they retired the car. Fleper is responsible for building the car and raced it extensively in Germany. At the recent Time Attack race in Assen, Verhagen tested the car with the new engine. It really stood out with its green color and the fact it was the only S2000 present.



The car has a lot of carbon components to keep the weight down. One prominent part is the massive rear wing that keeps the rear wheels planted on the asphalt.



These center lock 17" wheels are made by ATS and are wrapped with extra sticky Dunlop tires. Brembo provide the stopping power with 4 pot calipers and special endurance discs.



The front end of the car has been made lighter using FRP fenders, front bumper and a carbon hood.



The suspension is comprised of H&R components that are fully adjustable. So Verhagen can adjust the settings for each circuit it races on. Another trick part is the air jacks that allows for very quick tire changes.



Carbon mirrors and a lexan bubble that directs air inside the driver's cabinet.



The beating heart is this F20C that has been completely rebuilt by R-Developments. It uses Mahle racing pistons, Inline rods, Cosworth bearings and gaskets. At the front you see the TTS supercharger that gives the car more low down torque and a higher end speed on the straights.
After R-Developments finished building the engine,Hontec installed everything and then it was time for Bekerom Tuning to map the car. This resulted in 407.4 bhp at fly, 354,7bhp at the hubs. There is a small video that you can see here of the car on the dyno.



A flocked dash, Sparco steering wheel and a Stack multifunction dash display dominate the interior.



But there is more like this extensive rollcage, Sparco seat and fuel cell.



To prevent fuel starvation the car has two fuel pumps that ensure the engine gets more than enough fuel out of the FT3 FIA approved fuel tank.



While shooting the car at Hontec I saw some other cars that included this Ford Fiesta and the Mitsubishi Colt that are used for rally racing. They aren't exactly WRC material but they sure sound like them.

-Jeroen Willemsen

DIRECT LINK: SPEEDHUNTERS



It's no secret that if you lived in North America and were into the import car scene circa the 1990's and 2000's then you more than likely owned (or still own) a Honda. That's why more Hondas graced the pages of tuner magazines than any other car back then. Even though we have diversified our tastes and our scene has grown to include other manufacturers, the core is still held together by Hondas. So why not have a look at some of our Honda project cars, past and present, that have been at the core of our builds at Modified Mag.



My very first Honda project car that I built (not owned) for Modified was a 1994 Honda Accord LX. I've always been a sucker for 4-doors and couldn't help but want to build a capable Accord while everyone was building Civics.



I swapped an H22A engine into it, added some suspension and bigger brakes and went to the track. To my surprise it was a pretty capable car often beating up on Type-R's and built Civics.



After melting a piston, I built a new H22A motor for the Accord but began to see the shortcoming's in its power delivery. If I wanted more power with reliability, I needed to make the jump to a K-series engine, which at the time was becoming the go-to swap.



As much as I wanted to keep the Accord and go with a K-swap in it, there was too much holding it back so I made the jump to a much better platform, a 1999 Acura integra GS-R. I bought the car, sight unseen an online auction for just over $2000.00 and when the car arrived it wasn't in that great a shape, it had scratches everywhere, faded paint, and the original GS-R motor was replaced with an LS powerplant. Needless to say, I've yet to purchase a car off auction again.



Regardless of the condition, I had a straight chassis that I could build upon. On went a JDM Type-R 5-lug swap and KW Coilovers as some of the first modifications.



I really couldn't stand the bug eye look of the Integra so after sourcing a JDM front end, I took it upon myself to install and paint match it, rattle can style, to the rest of the car.



Then on went some aggressive fitting (17x8.5 +32) SSR Type-F wheels and all of a sudden the Integra was starting to look much better.



During the cold winter months in Toronto, Canada, I decided that, with the help of some friends we would finally do the K-swap.



Three long days later, I had a running K20A and boy, was I happy to have done the swap. The K-series is such a great power plant to build off of and can produce great NA power that few engines can come close to.



Shortly after, it came time for me to move to California so I packed the Integra up and with my brother riding shotgun set out on a 3000-mile road trip.



Fitting a +32 offset wheel up front meant I had to run -3.5 degrees of camber. Not ideal for a road trip and the poor Dunlop Star Spec tires payed the price wearing the inside tread rather quickly. They were practically junk when I arrived in LA.



Since then Project DC2 has seen many new parts make their way onto it's chassis. The goal has been to lighten it as much as possible but without taking the streetability out of it.



It is mainly used as my track car now and to this day still retains it's rattle can front end paint job and beat up exterior. It's definitely one of the least pretty looking cars at the track but its probably one of the funnest to drive.



Enough of my car though, Dave Pratte who's been working for Modified almost as long as I have, has owned plenty of Hondas but by far his most involved project has to be his EG Civic race car that also has a K-swap under the hood.
This Civic has actually been 10 years in the making, having been originally picked up for Autocross and Time Attack duty on the local level (having gone through several D-series and B-series engine builds along the way), but evolved into a full blown race car that picked up six race wins in the Canadian Touring Car Championship during it's first season of road racing action. Visible mods include a C-West body kit, J's Racing rear wing, el cheapo carbon hood, lexan side and rear windows, and SSR Competition wheels wrapped in Toyo R888 rubber. Beneath the "look at me! Lime Green Metallic" paint (a factory NSX color option in Japan) there's some pretty baller hardware including Moton triple-adjustable shocks with Eibach ERS springs (900 lb/in front and 1100 lb/in rear), ASR 32mm hollow rear swaybar and subframe brace, a fully built K20 gearbox with JDM 4th, 5th, and 6th gears, 4.7 final drive and a Kaaz LSD, Exedy Hyper Single clutch kit, and Axle System Stage 4 driveshafts.



One of the first tech stories we did on Dave's EG in Modified was a full K24 engine build featuring Ross pistons, Blueprint rods, Skunk2 cams and valvetrain, and some head porting by Gord Bush Performance.



Tuned by our good friend Kenneth "Turtle" Lau from Project Motoring, our K24 pumped 280whp on the dyno, but blew up pretty quickly. Turned out the block we used had a line bore issue we were unaware of until tearing the engine down and examining it more closely after the failure. Live and learn.



One of the most popular tech stories we've ever done in Modified was the custom carbon/Kevlar front splitter Andrew of Auto Analyser helped us build. The welded in chassis mounts and quick release push pins made for a extremely strong (and therefore effective) design.



The high density foam core wrapped by an inner layer of carbon fiber and an outer layer of Kevlar made for a durable and lightweight (7 lbs) piece.



One of our favorite annual trips used to be heading to VIR to compete in the now defunct GT Live Time Attack with our trusty old EG. VIR is a truly world-class track, it's signature Oak Tree corner making for a unique photo op.



Most recently, we installed a Kraftwerks supercharger kit (based on a Rotrex C38 blower) and a Vibrant Performance front mount intercooler setup custom fabricated for us by Sasha and his team at SG-Motorsport.com and tuned on a K-Pro ECU. It managed to squeeze a rock solid 412whp out of a stock K24 block with Skunk2 Stage 3 cams and valvetrain. Not too shabby!



Probably our most involved and hardcore race build to date has been regular Modified contributor Andrew Wojteczko. He started off with a black 2005 S2000 that included Moton Clubsport dampers, K&N intake, Hondata Kpro with SG-Motorsport tune and a Buddy Club header with a Fujitsobo Ti cat back. Inside there was a Hard-Dog 4 point roll bar with OMP grip seats and 6 point belts. It was a great balance between daily drivability and on track performance.



At an event at VIR Raceway Andrew struck oil during his final time attack session after the DentSport 240SX expired a motor on track. The car and driver suffered a very hard crash into the turn 4 tire wall that unfortunately marked the end of our S2000 project.



Despite having 6-point belts and a HANS in the VIR crash it still hurt quite a bit. This prompted the next S2000 build to be a full out race car on a theft recovery AP1 chassis complete with Recaro Pro Racer SPA HANS head support seat, Safecraft 6 point belts and right side net, Lifeline fire system and all the other safety stuff that really should be in a track/race car.



With this project we aren't sparing anything in the quest to go as fast as we can with safety in mind. A J's Racing GT aero package with DJ racecars dual element rear wing and GT Motoring carbon trunk has been fitted to the S2000, while extensive suspension analysis by Auto Analyser Performance, Moton triple adjustable dampers, Advan rims and A005 racing slicks, MoTeC ADL dash and M800 ECU, Tilton triple floor mount pedals, PFC calipers/Project Mu pads and much much more are being installed on the car.



We're after big power matched with excellent reliability. Though this is a challenging goal, we've put together the right ingredients including a Fully built Gord Bush Performance engine with Carrillo rods, ARE/Auto Analyser Performance Dry Sump, lightened and balanced crank, Supertech valves and beehive springs, ARP head and manifold studs and 3mm head gasket. Full-Race manifold with Borg Warner EFR turbo and twin water cooled Tial MV-S wastegates. All mated up to a Competition Clutch twin disk setup with hydraulic release bearing, Driveshaft shop prop shaft and Puddy Mod Stage 5 rear end.



We are taking the necessary steps to make sure our S2000 racecar project is done right. The chassis is currently being fully media-blasted then stitch/seam welded, lightened and ready for powder paint. By removing all paint and deadener the chassis is as light as possible and the clean surface helps improve weldability. We can't wait to get the Advan black/red livery on and shakedown this monster, which will all be available to read about in a future issue of Modified Mag.



Our latest Honda project car to join the fleet is Associate Editor Nate Hassler's 1998 Honda Civic that has owned for about 6 years. I'll let Nate explain more about his pride and joy. We have been through a lot together. I originally bought the car from a gentleman who had a good amount of the parts stockpiled, but the car was not in running condition. Over the course of about 4 months, we put it together in his garage and I drove it home just in time for summer.



Having owned a '00 Civic Si previously, which was stolen and completely stripped (as is all too often the case) I knew I was pushing my luck daily driving a car like this. But I didn't care I loved (and still do love) my Honda, so I began adding small bits to the exterior of the car. Subtle and JDM was my modus operandi.



All this time, the motor in my car was pretty much a hunk'o junk. I had been running on a free B16A swap, and it was worth every penny. Eventually the motor blew a few rings, so I took that opportunity to upgrade to a mildly built LS/VTEC "Frankenstein" motor. With 11.5/1 pistons, rods, and a ported head with CTR cams, the new motor made 183 whp.



At this point, I knew the car needed to live it's life in a garage. Sad, but true! Once upon a time, it served as my daily driver around the city streets of Portland Oregon. But even in the lovely and seemingly quiet Northwest, Honda thieves lurk in the alleyways, just waiting for a car like mine to pop up in the wrong place at the wrong time. Incidentally, at this point in time, I also had a stroke of bad luck and kinda-sorta wrecked the car. Not too bad, but it really bummed me out. The car sat in my garage for over a year until I moved to LA and began working at Modified.



The new job gave me the motivation and means to begin working on the car again, and I couldn't be happier. With a few track days under my belt, and a long laundry list of stuff to do on my Civic, I'll surely be busy enough. The car is no longer a daily driver, but that's okay because it's really much more fun on track. Plus it's a real pain in the you-know-what to drive a car this loud and uncomfortable on the streets, especially with CHP Officers breathing down my neck.
If you'd like more information on our project cars or to follow along on the progress you simply need to pick up the latest issue of Modified, where you're bound to find one of these Honda's being built.

-Peter Tarach

DIRECT LINK: SPEEDHUNTERS



Over the 23 years Spoon Sports has been in business it has firmly established itself as one of the biggest names in Honda circles. With the simple motto that every 1/1000 of a second counts they have created their own tuning philosophy and applied it successfully to both road and race cars. Ichishima-san has always preferred to dedicate himself to the affordable spectrum of Honda production cars, almost ignoring one of Honda's greatest creations, the NSX. So you can imagine how excited everyone got back in 2008 when he came out of nowhere with the car you see here.



Built to celebrate Spoon's 20 years of race entries, Ichishima decided to go full out and build a special racing version of the NSX-R GT that he would, later on that year, enter in the Macau Grand Prix.



It's not every day you get the chance to take a look at such a rare car, so when Ichishima invited me to Motegi during one of the final test sessions before the car was due to be shipped out, I definitely didn't turn him down.



Applying Spoon's knowhow to the C32B can only give incredible results, and this particular build showed the just how extreme Spoon can really go if they want. So boosting power and response of the V6 is a fully balanced one-off stroker kit that lifts capacity to 3.5L. The heads are ported to increase airflow and boost response and fitted along with special Spoon camshafts. Once sealed along with the Spoon metal head gasket an 11.0:1 compression ratio was achieved.



While fully custom race headers and exhaust were created the intake side employes a Toda Racing injection kit made up of a six-throttle conversion and special blue-anodized velocity stacks. Yes the sound is insane! Ichishima says power is around the 400 HP range but seeing the car blast down the Motegi short course I'd guess that was a very conservative estimate.



The work that went on behind this build is nothing short of mind-boggling, it is a true race car in every sense of the word. The all-aluminum chassis was further stiffened and fitted with a custom cage before being painted in gray, a special color that Spoon uses on all their race cars. Simplicity rules inside with a Takata race harness equipped lightweight carbon-Kevlar race seat and the same Spoon steering wheel that is sold on the Spoon catalogue.



Stock instrumentation is replaced with an LCD race display. If you recognize the orange character you will also be able to figure out who took care of creating the lightweight dry carbon...



...dashboard and body parts!



The stock 6-speeder is joined by a ton of Spoon parts like the clutch disc, lightweight flywheel, release bearing, clutch hose, special LSD and a 4.4 final.



A look at the carbon doors.



A lot of effort went into shaving weight off (down to 980 kg!) so along with the doors the NSX-R also sports a carbon hood. The "GT" front...



...side and rear treatment help enhance looks, especially with the blue and yellow livery. Oh and that "unicorn" air intake is a must for feeding air to those six hungry throttles!



A staggered set up is run with 9.5Jx17"; SSR Type-C RS and 240/640R17 Advan slicks at the front, with the rear running 10JX18" rims and 250/660R18 rubber.



A set of Tein adjustable race dampers are used at each corner while unmistakable Spoon monobloc 4-pot calipers take care of braking.



Ichishima had a bit of trouble in Macau on during the qualifying session of the 2008 race, smashing the side of the car against the barriers as the rear end kicked out when exiting the last corner of the street course. The mechanics stayed up all night to fix the car and it was as good as new for race day.



He finished in third in his class and 6th overall, a great success for the team and the car. You can check out this cool film of the race
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YM_OQHvmso
and hear that screaming V6 for yourselves! I'm not sure where this car is kept now, but since I have to head over to Spoon Sports in a few days I can see if it's still kept at the shop and maybe get a few pictures. More on Spoon soon!


Spoon Sports

-Dino Dalle Carbonare

DIRECT LINK: SPEEDHUNTERS



It's a real pity Honda Style Magazine didn't organize this event last month during our Honda theme, but there was no way I was going to skip covering this meet at Honjo Circuit this past weekend. The little gathering at the equally little track was organized by Honda Style Magazine, who invited some of the country's most well known tuning shops, as well as 80 enthusiasts all ready to enjoy a beautiful spring day driving their tuned Honda's to the limit.



I only found out about the event the day before from Ichishima-san at Spoon Sports, and I wasn't even sure if I was going to be able to make it. I ended up moving my schedule around to fit it in and as soon as I arrived at Honjo, in Saitama-ken, I knew it had been worth the early rise and long drive. I admit I don't really cover Honda specific events as much as say drifting or time attack, so being confronted with buzzing Hondas revving their little NA motors as far as the eye could see was a pleasant change from the norm.



Variety is good as they say, and there was definitely a lot to see at Honjo. This is an image I grabbed up in one of the parking lots, giving an example of the Hondas that had shown up on top of those in the paddock for the soukoukai (track day) sessions.



Here is Ichishima-san behind the wheel of his lightweight CR-Z street car being chased by a couple of highly tuned EGs.



Gotta love the choice of number on this Bomex kitted FD2!



And talking of Bomex this Beat was part of their display, which included a "floating" S2000 there in the background, showing off their new adjustable suspension...



...as well as a tuned Mugen RR. Very nice!



HKS came up from Fuji-city with the less powerful variant of their ongoing CR-Z tuning project. This particular street oriented demo car runs a supercharger kit, which boosts power to 200HP, up from around 126 HP. Forced induction completely changes the sound of Honda's little manual hybrid replacing the usual raucous exhaust note with something slightly more muffled, along with plenty of sucking noises!



Ichishima was out doing what he loves most, thrashing his cars around a track!



Within all the customer track sessions the demo cars were let loose, here is Ichishima in the Spoon CR-Z going out against the J's Racing ZF1, which was driven up all the way from Osaka overnight.



It was great seeing Noblesse make it up for the event from Nagoya with both their Fit RS...



...and custom-painted yellow CR-Z. The CR-Z is only available in a choice of 7 colors, and yellow isn't one of them. A pity, as I think it's a hue that definitely highlights its futuristic lines.



Battle of the S2000s!



I got to chatting to Teraoka-san of Seeker and discovered his shop is only a short drive from my place so you can expect to see a tour and car feature coming soon. Problem is what car should I choose? There must have been five Seeker cars at Honjo worth shooting but it was probably their candy orange AP2...



...that deserves to be shot first!



Another shop I plan to drop by and visit in the coming months is CRaft A, a place that has made a name for itself very quickly over the last year or so. Their style tries to blend US and Japanese tastes for a unique look that hasn't really been seen much in Japan.



Here is the line up of CRaft A EGs that showed up on the day most of them running fake California or Hawaii license plates.



How low can you go?



Of course style is nothing without an equal attention to detail where things really matter, as this engine bay belonging to the lime green EF in the opening shot demonstrates.



If you want to stand out, a satin finish will always grab attention, like this military green EG Coupe.



As things quietened down for lunch it was time to head back up to the parking lot to take a look if any other cool cars had dropped by.



The selection certainly did grow with plenty Type-R goodness to satisfy any Honda maniac. There were even a couple of UK-built FN2 Civic Euro-R among the sea of white cars!



Honda Style Magazine had taken over one corner of the parking and set up a shooting area where every tuner demo car would be featured for an upcoming issue. That's the Top Fuel turbocharged CR-Z blurred out in the background there.



I sat behind this Seeker tuned DC2 in traffic for a good hour in the morning. Attention to detail was quite impressive on this car, especially the complex roll cage. Too bad the owner wasn't there to have some fun out on track.



There is plenty more still to come from Honjo, so make sure you check back soon for another Honda fix.

Honda Style Magazine

-Dino Dalle Carbonare

DIRECT LINK: SPEEDHUNTERS



I'm not too certain how specific car groups have developed in other parts of the world but after years of being immersed in Japan's vast car culture, I can safely say that Honda guys are some of the coolest I have come across. These are people that put up with high revving and short-geared cars on a daily basis, strip out most of their interiors in the eternal pursuit of lightness and spend time and money on perfecting their cars so that they can shave off thousands of a second when out on track. Well, at least these are the kind of people that were at Honjo this past weekend.



There were no show cars to be seen, everyone was out on track doing their best to perfect their times and get better behind the wheel. It's events like these that provide a great deal of entertainment as nothing quite beats seeing modified cars driven hard around a tight course like Honjo.



These are the owners of the colorful group of Civics from CRaft A that we saw in Part 1, ecstatic after receiving a few Speedhunters stickers. It really is very rewarding seeing the enthusiasm the site is beginning to generate in Japan!



Here are a few more unique sightings from the parking lots. First off this C-West kitted DC-5...



...and this CL-1 Accord Euro-R. Seeing these cool older cars really does make me wonder what on earth Honda is playing at these days. First the Integra was canned, now the Civic, the S2000 is no more and the current Accord hasn't yet been blessed with the Euro-R badge. I really hope there is something on the horizon to keep the enthusiasm for Honda strong. Not everyone wants to buy economical family minivans, right?



At least there are still shops like Spoon Sports and...



...J's Racing that keep pushing forward despite Honda's worrying softening over the last years.



The CRZ is proving to be quite the success but I'm sure its popularity would exponentially grow if it was to be fitted with a K20 motor and stripped of its IMA electric motor and batteries. Top Fuel have boosted power thanks to turbo and they were really pushing the car hard around the track.



The Bomex Mugen RR, by far the best looking FD2 on the day.



The FN2 Civic Euro-R is currently the only Type-R version on sale in Japan. It's not sure how long Honda intends to sell these but when it's gone there will virtually be nothing on the Honda catalogue for true enthusiasts. Now how worrying is that!



Thought this was quite cool, an original 1999 ZE1 Honda Insight being shown a corner or two around Honjo.



Ahhh, that's more like it. Simple and so beautiful, Honda's best creation, especially this first-gen example.



DC-2 goodness.



I was hoping to see Ichishima's CRZ race car out in action but it was brought to Honjo only for display purposes...



...and sat next to a small line up of popular parts.



The Rigid Collar continues to be a hit and at one point during the lunch break...



...the Spoon mechanics fitted them to the front subframe of this CR-Z. The owner was very impressed with how his car felt after this very simple modification.



The HKS CR-Z really does look good running on those big matte black Yokohama RG-Ds!



Here is a look at how neat and tidy the supercharger kit looks when fitted to the little 1.5L engine.



A closer look at the blower. An easy way to get 200 reliable horses.



Seeker FD2. Most surprising thing was this is actually a customer car!



Stanced Honda Today kei car!



A nice line-up at the back of the main paddock!



A magazine-organized event could never be complete with the obligatory group picture, in this case taken on the Honjo's short straight.



Blue FD2, sure makes a difference from the usual white!



I'll finish up the coverage from Honjo with this pair of DC2s, a car that perfectly exemplifies what Honda was all about. Please bring us more of this kind of stuff Mr. Honda!

Honda Style Magazine

-Dino Dalle Carbonare

DIRECT LINK: FrehFix



Summer is here, apparently, so what better time than this for a little “drop top” feature? What we have here is not one, but two fine examples of Honda’s best loved roadster, the S2000. Shot by FreshFix contributor James McCauley, these two beauties have both been breathed on a little by their respective owners, with varying results. I’ll let you decide which one you’d stick in your garage.



Up first is Ollie’s Indy Yellow JDM example that he picked up in Scotland. The car was pretty well spec’d from the outset, with Spoon goodies such as ECU, cool running kit and lowering springs. Exhaust-wise, it was running a Fujitsubo Legalis R, with the cat removed. Braking is sorted by means of drilled and grooved discs, uprated pads and Endless braided lines. All this sits behind a set of 17” SSR GT1 Alloys. Not a bad way to start at all. A quick service, change of brake pads and tyres and Ollie set off to “the Ring” in Germany. Happy Days!



According to Ollie “After the Nürburgring the modding bug set in and parts starting landing from everywhere”. First up was some new wheels, probably one of my favourite rims out there – Enkei RPF1`s. The pure race-bred look of the Enkei’s suit the car perfectly. A set of Buddyclub N+ coilovers were added to sort the all important “stance”, and also to further improve on the S2000′s already legendary handling.



The Fujitsubo exhaust was swapped out in favour of a Kakimoto N1 single exit that unfortunately lasted all of four days due to the combination of low car, crap road and raised manhole cover. Annoying, to say the least! Amazingly, the road owner paid out for the damage, which allowed for a few further additions. A Mugen exhaust replaced the dead N1 which is mated to a Mugen manifold and JapSpeed de-cat pipe. Other treats added included a Team Spugen carbon intake, uprated engine and gearbox mounts, Samco coolant hoses and Spoon radiator stays.



On the bodywork side of thing the first thing to hit you is the “stickerbombed” OEM front lip, which was mainly because Ollie was getting annoyed painting out stone chips week after week. Not to everyone’s taste these days but horses for courses and all that – I quite like it.



A Backyard Special replica spoiler in carbon was added at the rear to give it a little something extra along with what Ollie calls a “Ebay job” Feels-style rear diffuser. That rounds up Ollie’s Indy Yellow, next up meet Bobs Berlina Black version…



Bob’s version is an altogether more subtle approach. It’s amazing what a paint scheme can do to a car. The Indy Yellow above gives you one side of the coin when it comes to S2000′s, a VTEC equipped, high revving monster that loves the twisty stuff, where as the Berlina Black shows you a much more luxury, elegant and sophisticated side to the car. After initially being a little rough and un-cared for the paintwork has been thoroughly detailed to restore it to its original deep metallic glory.



When you have a car that already looks this good standard adding any of your own touches deserves some time and consideration and I’m assuming a lot of thought went into the wheel choice. The Super Advans, though not a wheel I’m usually a fan of, work so well here. After being sent for a polish the 17×7.5 fronts and 17×8.5 rears were slotted on. The super polished rim and gold centres set off against the metallic black just adds to that JDM luxury vibe this motor gives off.





Lowering was taken care of with the addition of BC Racing coilovers, a brand quickly getting a reputation for quality. Damper settings were fiddled with, heights were changed and the final result has this S2K sitting perfectly and probably handling a whole lot better to boot.



I couldn’t resist sticking in this shot comparing the two wheel choices. Both are completely different wheels that work equally as well on their respective cars.



So there you have it, two perfect cars for some sun shining summertime fun on the black stuff….well maybe not yet but let’s keep the faith…the sun will come. Right?

Words: Paul
Photo’s: James McCauley.

Source=Speedhunters



The love hate relationship that we have with cars often leads us to do strange things. Take, for example, Australian enthusiast Jing, who has taken two bites of the modifying apple. This once blue Integra Type R was a worked street car but, having grown bored of it, Jing decided to sell it off. However a few years ago the itch returned, so he bought it back and embarked on transforming it into a dedicated circuit racer.



When Jing bought back his old Integra, he started off by stripping it to a bare chassis in readiness for some fabrication work, which included the roll-cage and spot welding. The original Arctic Blue Pearl paint was replaced with Honda's more traditional Type R colour: Championship White. The underbody was painted matte black.



What may come as a surprise is that the engine's internals remain stock - for now at least. While speaking with Yonas from JDM Yard, he mentioned that Jing wants to get on top of the chassis setup before swapping in a more powerful naturally aspirated motor. That said, the DC5 currently features Innovative engine mounts, a 53mm Koyo radiator, Mugen airbox and Hondata K-PRO ECU. A Spoon final drive, ORC clutch kit and Cusco 1.5way LSD have also been fitted.



The exhaust comprises of a Spoon 4-2 header that leads to a two-piece Mugen N1 racing exhaust.



The DC5 will race on custom ordered Volk CE28Ns in matching Championship White. Jing has opted to run staggered widths with 17x9 +22 on the front and 17x8.5 +30 on the rear. The tyres that are currently on the rims are Bridgestone RE55S semis measuring 255 at the front and a narrower 225 at the rear. The brakes are Endless 6-piston calipers mated to 300mm slotted rotors.



Although this is still a work in progress, you can see that the interior is starting to take shape. The roll-cage has been completed, the sound deadening removed and the interior given a coat of Championship White. The driver and passenger seats are carbon kevlar Bride Zeta IIIs mounted on Mugen rails, with the stock seat belts replaced with TAKATA harnesses.



The dash has been gutted and is now just a skin. With the audio system deleted, an OEM block-off plate will be fitted where the head unit used to reside. A Stack racing dash will take the place of the stock cluster.



Beneath the DC5 are a host of suspension changes. Tein N1 Racing Super Taikyu coilovers will be mated to Swift Springs (f: 28kg/mm, r: 18kg/mm). JDM Yard have converted the hubs to ones from a Japanese model, fitted Mugen lower control arms, J's Racing tie rods and roll centre adjusters. Camber adjustments can also be made via an Ingalls rear kit and Tein camber top adjuster plates up front.



I'm sure the shipping bill was rather frightening, as Jing has brought in a host of parts from Japan. These included FRP Magic carbon fibre doors that have been painted white to match the rest of the exterior. Jing also picked up some FRP Magic carbon door trims.



The Integra was given a facelift by converting to the newer model's headlights, taillights and JDM rear bumper. The front bar, carbon vented hood, side skirts and rear diffuser are all genuine Mugen items. Yet to be fitted are the ASM racing carbon mirrors.



The Mugen theme continues with the carbon rear wing that, like the other carbon parts, has been painted Championship White. The trunk is also a light weight carbon Backyard Special item that incorporates a Lexan rear window.



A true labour of love, Jing hasn't cut any corners with his Integra's build. Although there are small things that need to be done before it makes its track debut, we're sure the end result is going to be worth the many years that have gone into it.

- Charles Kha

It has four cylinders, a 2.4 litre capacity and no turbo in sight. On paper that's hardly the recipe for a quick car. So for Yonas Liu, the owner of this battleship grey EG Honda Civic, he's heard it all. It's gutless. A grocery getter. Shopping trolley. Wrong wheel drive. But none of the insults faze him, probably because he knows that his little creation can hold its own on the street, strip or track.



Yonas has always had a soft spot for the EG hatch shape, and in 2002 he had saved up enough to finally buy one. Back then it was a blue non-VTEC Si; now, some nine years later, the only thing that remains intact is the chassis. Over the course of those years Yonas - who works at JDMyard, a parts importer - has put his Civic through countless evolutions. This is a car that is constantly changing; one day it has Enkeis, the next it has Bogarts. One day it's powered by a B-series swap, the next a K-series.



While this Civic is very much a street car, Yonas often uses it for extracurricular activities. Over the past few years, his addiction was drag racing, with this naturally aspirated 2.4l EG recording an 11.73 @ 113.17mph down the quarter mile. That's a blisteringly quick time for a car that still retains the stock bottom end, let alone one that is perfectly happy to trundle down to the shops afterwards.



Recently circuit racing has caught Yonas' attention and his Civic has started to evolve away from its former drag racing focus. It's put on some weight since its lean and fit days on the drag strip where it weighed a featherweight 858kg - or 920kg if you include Yonas as well. But in spite of additions like the wing and roll-cage, Yonas is confident that it is still under a tonne with full tanks. Around Wakefield Park Raceway, this Civic's best so far is a 1:07.4sec.



What obviously makes this EG so quick is its power to weight ratio. Wherever possible, Yonas has looked for ways to not only increase its power output, but also reduce its weight. An example of this is the Spoon carbon hood, which has been painted to match the body colour.



Of course, working for a parts importer means Yonas has access to some neat components for his own car. Like the droopy ear Vision Type DC mirrors...



...And the J's Racing GT wing that's mounted onto the EG6 wing.



Yonas also has a few sets of wheels in his garage. For drag racing he runs Mickey Thompsons on Weld Racing fronts and Bogart rears. Currently on the car are 15-inch 949 Racing wheels, with 9-inch widths up front and 8-inch rears. In this photo you'll also spot the front fenders have been massaged to accomodate the widened track.



Yonas wasn't entirely happy with the TODA Fightex DA coilovers that used to be on this Civic, and has since swapped to Tein Super Racing with external reservoirs. The spring rates are certainly on the hefty side: 22kg/mm on the front and 14kg/mm on the rear. Beneath the rear are Function 7 lower control arms and an ASR brace to strengthen the points where the DC2 Type R swaybar is clamped to the subframe. The rear trailing arm bushings have been replaced with spherical bearings, while Mugen and Spoon urethane bushings can be found elsewhere.



A Full Race traction bar - fitted during its drag days - is accompanied by Hardrace roll centre adjusters, front and rear camber kits and a Whiteline caster kit.



Yonas uses NSX calipers that are mated to 282mm slotted rotors, APP braided brake lines. A DC2 Type R has donated its booster and 1-inch BMC.



In the interests of saving weight, the interior has been gutted. Nothing but business inside here.



This street car had to make some sacrifices in the quest for quicker times. The air conditioning has been binned, while a JDM block-off plate covers up the hole vacated by the head unit.



Behind the pair of Bride Zeta III seats you'll spot a C-pillar brace.



The driver also gets the trademark green straps of a TAKATA four-point harness.



The faded door cards have been retrimmed with Bride fabric.



Yonas has modified the gauge cluster so that a Defi tachometer could slot in neatly.



Once the sound deadening had been removed, Yonas gave the floor a coat in matching battleship grey. With its new circuit duties, the back seat has been tossed to make room for a Bond Roll Bars cage with harness bar.



Hasport has played an influential role in Honda's continued popularity amongst enthusiasts. Their mounts were like the key to Pandora's Box; opening up a world of engine swap possibilities.



At the heart of this EG is a K24A. Although the bottom end is still stock, it pushes out 245hp/183kW at the front wheels.



When dropping in the motor, Yonas also did a mild wire tuck to improve the engine bay presentation.



At the front of the motor is the JDMyard intake manifold that Yonas helped develop. While the Civic runs a filter on the street, a velocity stack is fitted for drag racing, which peeks out from the bumper's opening. On the other side of the motor is a JDMyard 4-2-1 header that leads to a 3-inch stainless exhaust. This too, can be swapped at the strip for a Burns megaphone with reverse cone, essentially turning it into an open header.



A half-size Koyo radiator has been used as it provides the necessary clearance for Yonas' intake setup.



Mounted off the strut tower is a Moroso breather can.



In spite of the K24A's bottom end remaining stock, it's proven to be more than capable of handling constant abuse. "I'm not sure how many runs it has done to be exact" Yonas said. "It would be close to 70 passes down the strip and over 20 track days at Wakefield Park thus far."



A host of changes have been done to the head. Within there's a set of rather lumpy Buddy Club N+ camshafts - running 298 degrees and 13mm lift on the intake side, and 293deg and 12.5mm lift on the exhaust - alongside matching valve springs and titanium retainers. Yonas has also fitted the valve spring seats and 50 degree VTC from a K20A. The rocker cover and Circuit Hero coil pack cover have been given a nice coating of black crinkle paint.



The brains of the operation is a programmable Hondata K-Pro.



The EG is now a six-speed thanks to a DC5 Type R transmission filled with a 4.7 final drive and LSD. The shifter box - from a DC5 Type R - has been raised up with an extender and Rcrew mount plate.



Standard DC5 Integra Type R driveshafts and midshaft have stood up well to the combined punishment of grippy tyres and Yonas' left foot. On the strip, Yonas' best 60ft is 1.64sec.



Speedhunted for your viewing pleasure.



The EG is currently back on the hoist getting an interesting addition to the motor. All we'll say for now is this little hatch will be packing considerably more grunt the next time it hits the streets. Stay tuned to Speedhunters for an update!

- Charles Kha

Photos by Dino Dalle Carbonare and Casey Dhnaram



SPECIFICATIONS

OWNER
Yonas Liu / JDMyard

RIDE
1992 Honda Civic Si

ENGINE
K24A3 2.4-litre in-line 4-cylinder i-VTEC

ENGINE MODIFICATIONS
K24A engine conversion, EGK1 Hasport engine mounts , lightened and welded Hasport mount brackets , Moroso breather can , CIrcuit Hero coil pack cover , K-tuned upper coolant housing , Hondata KPRO, Buddy Club N+ camshafts (intake: 298 degrees, 13mm lift; exhaust: 293 degrees, 12.5mm lift), K20A 50 degree VTC, Buddy Club valve springs , Buddyclub titanium retainers, K20A DC5R valve spring seats, Toda chain tensioner , Walbro GSS342 255lph fuel pump, Golden eagle fuel rail , Aeromotive Adj Fuel Pressure Regulator , Earls fittings with braided lines , Mugen fan switch, Koyo half-size aluminium radiator, Spoon Radiator Cap , JDMyard radiator stay , JDMyard intake manifold, 80mm Wilson throttle body, JDMyard 4-2-1 header, custom 3-inch stainless exhaust ,EP3 idle pulley kit , K20A2 Crank pulley , Earls 19 row oil cooler , Earls sandwich plate , Swappable Burns stainless megaphone w/ reverse cone exhaust and 200mm Velocity stack for drag racing use

DRIVELINE
Y2M3 K20A (DC5 Type R) six-speed gearbox, 4.7 final drive - LSD, Exedy 3-puck racing clutch, EP3 flywheel, K20A DC5 Type R driveshafts and midshaft , Rcrew shifter mount plate with raised up extender , DC5R shifter box , DC5R shifter cable with corsport shifter bushing.

SUSPENSION & BRAKES
Tein Super Racing coilovers - external reservoir (22k front spring rate , 14k rear spring rate), Function 7 rear lower control arms, Full Race traction bar , ASR subframe brace , DC2R front and rear sway bar kit, 282mm slotted front brake rotors, Ferodo DS2500 front pads , NSX front caliper , 260mm slotted rear brake rotors , DC2R rear caliper , OEM rear pads , APP braided brake lines , 1-inch DC2R master cylinder and brake booster , Hardrace Front and rear camber kit , Hardrace Roll Centre Adjuster ,Whiteline Caster kit. Spherical bearing rear trailing arm bushings , Spoon and mugen bushings.

WHEELS & TYRES
13x8-inch Weld Racing front wheels, 15x3.5-inch Bogart rear wheels, Mickey Thompson 24.5x9x13 front and 24x4.5x15 rear tyres
15x9 +36 949 Racing wheels with 10mm spacer on the front (extended studs) . 15x8 +36 949 Racing wheels with 3mm spacer on the rear.
225/50/15 Yokohama AO48 , 225/45/15 Hankook z214.

INTERIOR
Stripped interior, removed sound deadening, Bride Zeta 3 fixed seat , Bride seat rail ( ightened) , Bride retrimmed door cards , Takata 4 point harness , Nardi Deep Corn steering wheel w/ blue stitching, HKB 80mm long boss kit , Defi tachometer with custom surround to OEM cluster, Defi Shift light , Defi link meter , Defi link control unit 2 , Mugen shift knob, JDM OEM single-DIN block-off plate , Bonds Roll cage with harness bar , JDMyard ECU tray.

EXTERIOR
J's Racing Front lip , EG6 rear wing with J's Racing GT wing , Custom Wide Front Fender , OEM Honda Antenna block off plate , Spoon Cf Bonnet , Sparco Bonnet pins , EG6 plastic headlights , Vision Type DC side mirrors , Rear wiper delete kit , Custom Battleship grey paint.