It takes a lot to grab my attention at the track. There are some ridiculous cars out there, as you’ve seen here many times, but then I laid eyes on KC Russell’s EF Civic. He was pulling off track after an HPDE session, and I saw the full glory of the livery on his hatchback.
Naturally, I followed him back to the day garage he was sharing with Zack Serna. Zack drives a Civic hatchback himself, one similar to KC’s but rather different at the same time. I chatted them up, and they agreed to let me shoot both of their cars. Since I saw his first, let’s talk about KC’s.
Firstly, let’s talk about the livery. The graphics package from stickymy.com are 103% JDM. Go look at some of the Kanjo Civics and tell me that this thing wouldn’t fit right in. The VIS carbon fiber hood has seen better days, but it being beat up adds to the feel of the car. So does the replica J’s Racing front lip. Rounding out the styling mods are a set of side skirts for an EK.
For a while, every track day Civic was on a set of 949 Racing wheels. Thankfully those days have passed (I dig the 949s, don’t get me wrong. Just got sick of seeing them on every Miata and Civic), and KC threw on some 15×7 Kosei K1 TS’s. Because it’s a track day hatch, he threw on a set of 205/50 Falken Azenis.
Front brake calipers and rotors donated from an Integra ,along with a master cylinder from a Civic EX and a set of Hawk DTC60 pads help reel in the rather light Civic. Helping with the lateral transitions and keeping the rubber on the tarmac are a set of KYB AGX struts and Ground Control coilover sleeves, a truly OG combination, and an Innovative traction bar.
Keeping the dreadlocked driver, or whoever is behind the wheel, and a passenger secured are a pair of Crobeau seats. Steering inputs are entered via the sweet, old school MOMO steering wheel. Just look at that thing!
KC picked up the car in May for $1500, with one big mod already done: the single cam motor was ditched in favor of the venerable B16A. 1.6 liters, twin cam and electronically controlled variable valve timing (hella mad vtaks yo), the B16A powered some of Honda’s best FWD, including the JDM EF chassis Si. Basically KC bought himself one of those. While a bone stock B16 swap is good, one with some mods is even better. He cracked open the ECU and installed a Mugen chip, and threw a Toda replica header on the cylinder head. That exits into a Greddy exhaust. Hiding under the gold foil wrap is a K&N Intake.
A lot of aftermarket radiators for Civics are half size. Think of a big cereal box, that’s about the size of one of those radiators. They do a fine job, but a full size radiator is… well it’s bigger. And this one says Racing Series on it, so that’s something. The radiator is big, but the battery is diminutive. The Odyssey battery provides plenty of juice for a day at the track, and weighs a lot less than your average battery. All of this adds up to a very potent track day car. It has plenty of power, but there are far more powerful swaps one can shove under the hood of a Civic.
We’ll talk about that tomorrow.
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In this era of instant gratification, where some measure their worth in the amounts of likes, shares, favorites and retweets, taking time and doing things right is lost. A lot of people’s “builds” are nothing more than installing coilovers or airbags, and new wheels. It seems that people have forgotten that the more time you put into something the better it can be. This 1967 Chevrolet Chevelle 300 two door post sedan received a frame off restoration, something that takes year to accomplish in its own right. Daniel Chillinski, the owner, has taken ten years to bring the car to this point. It was worth the time.
Daniel bought this car when he was 18, from the original owner. A little old lady who only drove it to church on Sundays, and to the store once a week. Or something like that, because the math says the Chevelle did less than 5000 miles per year in its forty-seven year life span. The car was still packing the 230 cubic inch straight six engine, and three speed transmission with a column shifter. Most of the original things have changed about this car, except the color. According to Daniel “the color was going to be much more radical burnt orange, and gunmetal grey but after so many years I couldn’t part with the original Butternut yellow.” That Butternut yellow was dubbed “Old Man Yellow” by a friend of his who was in town, on leave from the Navy, was refreshed by Nocturnal Performance. They also threw the color on the custom hood that’s sporting an L88 style hood scoop. All the emblems were taken to Unknown Coatings to be powdercoated in black chrome.
In his decade of ownership, Daniel has made quite a few changes to this retiree. The Johnson-era suspension is long gone, replaced by more modern equipment. Up front he installed a set of Hotchkis tubular upper control arms and lowering springs. To settle the motion of the front end there’s a set of QA-1 twelve way adjustable shocks, and to help keep it planted there’s a PST sway bar. All the old suspension bushings have replaced with pieces sourced from PST as well. Hauling this Nimitz-class carrier to a halt are BAER two piston calipers clamping onto 13.5″ rotors.
The rear has also seen its fair share of upgrades. It too has BAER brakes, just smaller: single piston calipers on 11.5″ rotors. There are more Hotchkis control arms in the back (upper and lower), but just like the front they’re tubular. It’s lowered on Hotchkis lowering springs, and stiffened up by a Hotchkis rear sway bar. The main attraction is the rear end: a Moser twelve bolt piece, with 3.55 gears and Positrac to boot. Why does this classic need such a beefy rear end?
Because it has 489 cubic inches of America under the hood! The 489 (that’s 8 liters to those playing the modern version of the home game) started life as an equally massive 427 cubic inch (7 liter) tall deck big block, but then was bored .030″ over and stroked half an inch to come to the massive displacement it currently sits. Seeing as how this whole build took ten years, you can be assured he didn’t just drop a big block in the cavernous engine bay and call it a day. He did things to it.
Things like put a big Howe Racing aluminum radiator in the nose, which he had covered with cardboard (the radiator, not the nose) because it was so cold on the day we shot. Sanderson shorty headers mate to a Pypes three inch exhaust, and an MSD 6AL box and plug wires help get the ignition boogying. Hanging off the front of the motor are some Billet Specialties V-Belt accessories. And then there’s the stuff on top of the massive motor…
This artsy* photo has the Dart Pro 1 heads and intake manifold in it, along with the Barry Grant Mighty Demon 850 CFM carburetor. This whole set up provides for a lot of forward propulsion. Propulsion that the old three on the tree couldn’t handle… Probably. In place of the three speed is a beefy Tremec TKO 600 five speed gear box, with a floor shifter.
A Husrt shifter at that! We’ve seen some cool shift knobs in our history here at CAM, and this one is right up there. But that’s not the coolest thing about the interior.
“During the initial build of the car when I started dating my wife I actually told here that the car was more important than her and she ended up sewing the interior for the car.” She did a killer job. That is the seat she sewed up in black leatherette with orange inserts, and she did not pull a Marge Simpson and knit some seatbelts. Daniel grabbed a set of Corbeau four point harnesses. He also has an Art Morrison four point roll cage in there for that extra little bit of protection.
The dashboard received the custom touch. A set of Autometer Cobalt gauges relay important information to Daniel.
On the day we were shooting he didn’t need to keep cool, but on days he does there’s a Vintage Air air conditioning system to blow conditioned air throughout the cabin. Below the “I can’t believe that’s not an OEM a/c control panel” sits a Pioneer DEH-800PRS head unit, an upgrade from the old AM radio. It sends signals and sounds to an MB Quart Q Series amp and mono amp, and 6.5″ component speakers. There’s also a trio of RE Audio 8″ subwoofers in individual ported boxes.
This car took ten years. In those ten years Daniel dated a girl who became his wife, graduated college, and moved a couple of times. During the restoration, which he did in his two car garage, the car took up more space in their house than they did: doors were in the office, drive shaft was in the guest bedroom, etc. His wife really got to see his passion for cars, and is seeing it again. He’s building a four door Integra for the LeMons race at Miller Motorsports Park coming up in October. But that’s not his only Honda project.
Daniel used to daily drive an Integra LS, which is a fun little car in its own right. But then it his 210,000 miles, and that’s a lot of miles. He needed something different, and up popped this AP1 S2000. He picked it up in November of 2013 and it’s been pretty mild since, only receiving a K&N FIPK intake and JDP carbon fiber duck tail spoiler. This level of modification shall not last, as he plans install a set of KW Variant 2 coilovers, and more aggressive wheels and tires.
It has taken ten years to transform the Old Man Yellow Chevelle from lightly driven, straight six powered cruiser into a 489 powered boulevard bruiser. Could he have thrown in a 350 and called it a day years ago? Definitely, but it wouldn’t be as impressive as it is today. This Chevelle, and the S2000 down the road, rolls as a testament to taking time to get the ultimate build: one that will stand the test of time, and THAT is the ultimate gratification.
Words and photos by Michael Chandler
*Article and Photos are copyright of CAMautoMag.Com and their respective owners.
What makes a cool car? I heard someone say that “the scene” considers a car cool if it’s lowered and has wheels on it. Others think cool is a full on race build, with street legality and budgets thrown in the trash with the stock struts. And others think if it isn’t adorned with the rarest of the rare it’s a waste of time. And it has to be daily driven, or else why build it? David Arellano’s 2000 Subaru Impreza 2.5RS is low, and on a rare set of wheels. It has the heart of a WRX, and enough power to embarrass some people’s dedicated track day toy. And it sees regular street duty. If this isn’t cool, then I don’t know what is anymore.
The search for his “Gumball” began three years ago. While biting into a sandwich, he was bitten by the urge to spend a large amount of money on a car. After mulling over such reliable, and easily modified chassis such as FD RX-7s and twin turbo 300ZXs, David finally settled on the mildly rare 2.5RS coupe. After looking at two other coupes he finally found the 2000 coupe you see here sitting in the corner of a shop. The shop was in the process of building the car, and swapping in a 2.0L WRX motor. With the promise of “prototype” coilovers, David was sold. After some hemming and hawing by the shop, they finally dropped it off in David’s driveway. No coilovers, but some blown struts and what would turn out to be a mismatched transmission and rear differential were in the car (which eventually failed), but so was that lovely WRX motor. Soon after arriving in his driveway, David got to work making this car his own.
First things to go were the US spec lights. David made a call to Japan and had some OEM clear corner markers and red/clear tail lights sent over, along with some Chargespeed clear bumper markers and clear signal lenses. With the scourge that is amber lighting removed and banished to the land of wind and ghosts, it was time to address some other visual cues. After running through a Bugeye WRX lip, and a Bakemono replica of a JDM V5/6 STi lip, David finally settled on something that is no longer in production: Orciari 1 piece front lip. Sitting above the Italian made lip, are his OEM fog lights which were hiding behind the OEM fog light covers. Out back there’s a purple Rallytech tow hook, and a set of Honda Accord spats. According to David they were easier to install than his OEM JDM spats, and they look better. He’s also sporting rolled and pulled fenders, because low car problems (the tires were munching the fenders before the rolling and the pulling) and also because wheel whore.
I use that last term lightly. Having a garage full of Rotas and other OEM whatever make you drive wheels, makes you a wheel street walking hooker. Having the stuff David has had makes you a wheel high class escort. The streets aren’t littered with Volk CE28Ns or Work Emotion 11Rs, and coming across a set of Volk C-Ultras isn’t as easy as walking to the store. He’s had the CE28Ns and the Works, and the C-Ultras are being repaired (they were in pretty rough shape) and custom center caps are being designed. Enough about the past and the future, let’s talk about the present. Specifically these 17×9 +38 Desmond Regamaster Marquis Promadas. An exceedingly rare, Russian made wheel. Normally you see Regamasters on Hondas, and while that’s not terribly unusual (but still cool, so if you’re doing that keep doing that) seeing them on a Subaru is VERY different. Wrapped around the wheels are a set of Achillies ATR Sport tires, measuring in at 205/40. Also of note, he’s running some adapters to make the wheels work. They’re 15mm 5×100-5×114, and they’re made by a local company called Grapple Parts.
To achieve his stance David had to not only throw on coilovers, but things that allow him to make suspension adjustments. The coilovers are BC Racing BR series coilovers with camber plates fore and aft. For more camber adjustment, he is employing OEM camber bolts up front, and Eibach’s in the rear. Joining the OEM camber bolts in the front is an OEM WRX swaybar, while an STi sway bar joins the party in the rear. Also back there are some Cobb end links. Back to the front, and in the engine bay, is a Cusco Type ST strut tower bar. And speaking of the engine bay…
Here it is, in all its glory! There is the afore mentioned WRX swap, which came from a 2004 WRX. No longer is the wrong transmission behind the motor, a 2006 WRX transmission has taken its rightful place on the back end of the motor. Between the motor and transmission rests an Exedy light weight fly wheel, and stage 1 clutch. For enhanced shifting pleasure there are Kartboy shifter bushings, and a stainless steel clutch cable has been installed. Holding the transmission is a STi Group N mount. Rigged Performance performed an internal stub axle conversion and a 2001 2.5RS 4.11 final drive conversion to pair with the 2001 2.5RS viscous limited slip differential. Bracing that rear differential is a Laile Beatrush rear differential brace.
The motor has been hepped up on goof balls accentuated by digging through the massive Subaru parts bin, and picking up quality aftermarket pieces. The OEM supplied parts are a VF39 turbocharger, top mount intercooler, and 565CC fuel injectors all from an STi. The aftermarket bits are a K&N Typhoon intake, a no name one piece header and up pipe, an Invidia Bellmouth downpipe, and a Cobb cat back exhaust. There’s also a Hallman Pro manual boost controller, which helped Jason Cleverly of Cleverly Tuned tune the car to make 286 horsepower and 240lb/ft of torque at 18psi of boost. Prettying up the bay are a Cusco turbo heat shield, Rallytech fuse box cover and radiator shroud, and a Beatrush alternator shroud. The engine bay has been semi-wire tucked, and the battery is now in the trunk. The coolant reservoir is now hiding in the fender and the A/C has been ditched all together.
The interior has also received its share of JDM goodies. JDM STi pedals and Type-RA front seats have been installed, along with a Nardi Torino steering wheel, Splash steering wheel hub and Omori boost gauge. The Beatrush Duracon shift knob sits on a stock length shifter, which has a Zealous Interiors blue suede shift boot with cherry blossom red stitching. The shift boot matches the emergency brake boot. Black WRX carpet and STi floor mats have come to rest at the bottom of the passenger cabin, and the door panels have been recovered in blue suede. All the lighting is LED, and tunes come courtesy of an Alpine deck, which has an ipod cable weaving out of sight through the center console.
Former Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart is famously quoted as saying “I know it when I see it” in regard to hardcore pornography. Cool is definitely subjective, but when you see it, you definitely know it. Will there be a unanimous consensus on what is cool in the automotive world? Probably not, but if there is ever an argument to be made for it, I shall submit David’s Impreza as my exhibit A.
Words and photos by Michael Chandler
*Article and Photos are copyright of CAMAutoMag.Com and their respective owners.
There are hundreds of quotes talking about the greatness of simplicity, and at one point we have all said we wanted something simple. But some of us end up with something overly complicated and regret taking the path of over complication. Nathan Luong has taken his Honda S2000 down the path of simplicity.
The most noticeable modifications the the exterior are the Voltex Type 1V Wing, the OEM hard top and front lip and the APR GT3 carbon fiber mirrors. Most people keep Honda’s roadster as a soft top, so seeing one with a hard top is a bit of a rarity. Seeing one with the Voltex wing is a bit more of a rarity. And you don’t really see Modulo badges everyday either.
Nate also popped on some clear side markers from a S2000 CR and an AP1 S2000 rear bumper. Underneath the Voltex wing is a smaller GT Motoring duckbill spoiler.
The car is a bit more stiffly sprung thanks to a set of KW Variant 3 coilovers and a Cusco strut tower bar. It sticks and stops better thanks to the 255/40 Advan Neovas wrapped around the 17×9 Enkei PF01s. It’s not pushing a penny across a parking lot low, nor is it a super meaty track car stance. It’s a nice look for a street car, and capable enough to turn some laps on a track if the situation arises.
The simplicity continues under the hood. An AutoTecknic carbon fiber cooling plate helps direct airflow to the K&N intake. From there it makes it way through the engine and out of the car by way of an HKS 75mm exhaust.
Cabin wise it’s painfully simple: Bride Vios 3 seat on Buddy Club Super Low Down seat rails, J’s Racing shift plate and a Team VooDoo shift knob. He’s had that shift knob in all of his cars, and probably will continue to keep it in all of them.
Is this the most intensely built S2000 ever? Not even close. Is it a fun driving, handsome roadster? And then some. Ralph Waldo Emerson said “Nothing is more simple than greatness; indeed, to be simple is to be great.” This car embodies those words.
Words and photos by Michael Chandler
*Article and Photos are copyright of CAMAutoMag.Com and their respective owners.
When last we met with Nick Long, he was surprising anyone willing to take a run at his turbo Cobalt SS. Since then, he’s made a slight upgrade to his garage.
He picked up a 1997 15th Anniversary Limited Edition twin turbo Supra after selling his Cobalt. The Cobalt was cool, but this Supra is a thing of legend. It’s the car people aspire to own, and Nick finally got his… Then sent it off to get some work done.
The car got a full detail, a nice 4 inch straight pipe exhaust and a few under-hood “accessories”
A Precision T78 turbo sits in place of the factory twin turbos, with a K&N filter keeping the nasty stuff that could get sucked in to it or the motor out. Custom piping feeds the charged air into a custom front mount, and then in to a factory throttle body and manifold. A Greddy boost controller keeps the pressure at 22psi, which is a nice number but meaningless without proper fueling…
Which is provided by a pair of Walbro fuel pumps and kept in check with an Aeromotive fuel pressure regulator. These few parts, and some careful tuning, yields 610 horsepower at the wheels, and 588 lb/ft of torque. 610whp on an internally stock motor. The stoutness of the 2JZ is one of the reasons why people are still clamoring for these cars fifteen years after American importation stopped.
That, and because it is still a gorgeous car in factory trim. This isn’t factory. It’s been lowered two inches, had a set of BBS wheels fitted and has a VIS carbon fiber hood in place of the stock metal hood. No crazy bumpers, fenders, graphics, wings. Nothing to distract from the classic JDM lines.
Except maybe a little tire smoke…
Words and photos by Michael Chandler
*Article and Photos are copyright of CAMAutoMag.Com and their respective owners. Images and words may not be re-posted, re-distributed, modified, or copied without expressed written consent from CAMAutoMag.Com.
