Pour One Out for My Homie

It’s crazy the bond that can be formed with an inanimate object like a car. When I’m bullshitting about being younger a lot of the stories revolve around cars and and the things I miss the most are cars that have been long sold off. What caused me to write this was my buddy Andy selling his EF hatch that I sold to him. Without that car we wouldn’t be as tight as we are now. Nights of sleep have been lost along with some brain cells while having a few beers in the garage. The hours among hours of time spent drilling into this car taking up every free second of life. Among the overdrafted bank accounts and pissed off girlfriends. Looking back most but not all the trade-offs made were well worth it. But in the end you totally loose your ass when comparing the money spent to the short stack that’s left in your hand after being sold. But I’ve been at it for a decade with no signs of slowing down. Some of you probably have no clue what I’m talking about but all the car junkies know exactly where I’m coming from. If I dedicated half the energy I use on cars into school I’d be a millionaire doctor right now. Instead I’m 26 and still in school. On Monday class ended at 4:35 and I had every intention on dedicating that night to school work. But during my daily Craigslist scouring I found a cheap B20b less than 2 hours away. I went and grabbed my cash and I can assure you no books were opened that night. At the moment my EK is parked in the student lot with a motor in the hatch. I don’t need another engine cluttering up my packed garage but it’s second nature to take advantage of every good deal where there is money to be made. The different parts of my brain no longer work in unison. They’ve been replaced by 2 sides that are constantly at war in the balancing act between car’s and other aspects of life. This is just a hobby or a pass time for some but it’s an obsession and a lifestyle for others. But either way have fun and enjoy what you do. Whether your phased out on cars by next month or waste deep in debt from your recent build, appreciate the friends you make along the way as well as the memories. I know without cars I would be a totally different person. How big of a role cars play in your life I’ll obviously never know. But if your anything like me, the next time your somewhere eating with your buddies you’ll be the one grubbing on a dollar cheeseburger and drinking water. All because your scrounging up every last penny to pay for your next part.

Enjoy these awesome builds that wouldn’t be here without the true enthusiast.

 

 

 

 

Oh, How Times Have Changed

I can’t speak to much for what went on pre-2000 but since then what is seen as normal has changed drastically. I’ve read a lot about what was going on in the early 90’s when engine swaps and other things Honda related were in their infancy. But back in ’01 the original Fast and Furious movie came out and 15 year old put my obsession with muscle cars on the back burner and dove into Imports full force. Say what you will about that movie but I still like it even if it is totally ridiculous. I loved body kits and underglow neon’s along with other horrid things. I even picked a 91 Civic as my 1st car based on some wide body kit I seen in a magazine. Luckily after a year of saving up money for some less than tasteful appearance mods my buddies directed me toward the performance side of things. It’s been a smooth ride ever since. But what sparked me to write this was today when I was looking through 2 import magazines I saved since 2002. In them were articles about colored vacuum hose, featured cars with more appearance the engine mods, and other things which never should have been “in.” I do miss my early days in the Honda scene. I’ll never forget the look on my dads face when my B16 swap started on the 1st try. I was so proud of myself that I paid for everything to do the swap while most of my friends still had never had a job yet back in high school. Next time you see some punk kid driving a Civic with a park bench sized spoiler on it try pointing them in the right rather than laughing them out of the parking lot or where ever you might be. Chances are you have some embarrassing things under your belt to. Looking back at the changes in the past decade really makes me wonder where the next 10 years are going to take us. Hopefully further and further from this…

From This

To This

Legit Wheels, Crazy Price Tag

It’s been forever since I’ve been on here. Life’s been getting in the way. But anyways, I don’t know if you keep tabs on fads with wheels and the price tags that go along with them but it can get pretty outrageous. From your common wheel that just carries a huge price with it to the find of a century on some obscure “JDM” wheel, the price some are willing to pay is outrageous. I’m a fan of the “golden era” (88-00) Civics so to me anything larger than a 16″ wheel is hideous to me. This being said, price tags creeping up on, and sometimes passing the $1500 mark are, and have been, a common thing. For some fiending for that perfect look they’ve been envisioning in their head as they’ve been snatching up every penny they could this isn’t outlandish. It’s that final touch that sets their car out from the field of Rotas and other knock-off wheel companies that most flock too. Some would call this a waste of money as they envision the number of go fast parts that could be obtained with that much loot. But to each his own. I think that is something that needs to be remembered in our community. Rather than cutting up on every car that isn’t up to your own standards take it for what it is. Someone else’s car who doesn’t necessarily have the same ideas of what is and isn’t important. The sense of unity between Honda heads sometimes feels as though it’s been lost. It’s a shame but it is what it is. Be yourself, fuck everyone else.

Honda Fads: The Clean, The Crazy, and The Pointless

If you go on forums or read Import magazines then you notice all the fads that come and go. Although none of these fads are as bad as those from the ricer days, some still scream “LOOK AT ME” just like a body kit or the 9 foot wings that used to ruin Imports. In my opinion a car build should be clean and well balanced. It also shouldn’t be riddled with eBay special parts and zip ties. If your going to put time and effort into something why half ass it? The final product should be something your proud to showoff, something that makes you feel great when you tell someone “I did this.” Leave the embarrassment in your rear view. Take your time. The best builds take years of tinkering and a lot of the times different setups til you find the one that’s just right. Us Honda owners have a bulls eye on our backs already. Let’s not give the Honda-adversary anything else to cut up on us about.

The Clean

What elements are in a great car to each person is different. To some a gutted, flat black, 500 hp Civic is their dream car and to others the exact opposite. But what makes a good car a great car is in the details. To me, one of the best “fads” going on right now is shaving and tucking the engine bay. Look at any top notch build and they most likely did this. Even Honda’s that are built for dragging, auto x, etc. are playing follow the leader. One great aspect is if the seams are stitch welded it stiffens the chassis. But who am I kidding? The fact that something positive, other than improving the astetics of the car, comes out of this doesn’t grace the minds of most.

The Crazy

The things people do sometimes to achieve a certain look is astonishing. A lot of people are into tire stretching with a ton of camber along with just barely hovering over the pavement. But riding bumpstops comes at a price. If you like a smooth riding car that you don’t have to dodge every crack and bump in then the “hellaflush” look isn’t for you. A lot of people really push the limits of their tires and suspension clear up to their breaking point. All just to get the wheel to have the perfect fitment on the car. Some like it, some don’t. Only you can decide.

The Pointless

Through the years Honda’s have come a long way no doubt, and during that time trends have come and gone. The good ones stick with us while the bad are gone just as fast as they came. Now that everyone throws pictures of their cars all over the internet one persons stroke of genius turns into the next cool thing. Bosozoku style, sticker bombing, roof racks, and a couple other things are what’s on their way out. I personally can’t wait. There are so many things that can be done to a car. Goofy add-ons that serve no purpose just aren’t my thing. Whether it’s a totally restored show car, your daily driver, or a track ready monster ready to test just how good the tires can really grip I don’t see why these are part of any build. If you want to be taken serious then build a serious car. Leave these mods where they belong, on V dubs.

Synopsis

No matter what your into in life there will be fads. Stop and look around. Although some fads stick around most don’t. Then when the fad is gone what are you left with? A drawer full of skinny jeans that you no longer want. Be yourself. Maybe you’ll be the next trend setter.

One of the Cleanest Setups I’ve Seen

Honda Tuning Magazine posted a picture of an engine compartment taken at the Import Alliance Fall 2011 meet. The only details they gave about the car was that it had 500hp/395tq. This bay really made me want to find out more about the car. After searching through IA coverage I found some other pictures of the car. Enjoy.

This is the picture Honda Tuning shared.

9 sec All Motor Civic

Well it was looking like TB Motorworx was going to make the first 9 sec… Apparently not. History was made when a 9.93 was ran. Congratulations to Driveshaft Shop and Norris Prayoonto. Here’s a short video.