Features - Ďă˝¶ĘÓƵֱ˛Ą is the Tuner's Source for Modified Car Culture since 1999 /features Tue, 01 Jul 2025 09:52:29 +0000 Joomla! - Open Source Content Management en-gb Bridging the Generational Gap - Harry Nguyen's 1993 Honda Civic /features/vehicle-features/bridging-the-generational-gap-harry-nguyen-s-1993-honda-civic /features/vehicle-features/bridging-the-generational-gap-harry-nguyen-s-1993-honda-civic Words by Youssef Rahal 

Photography by Gary Tajudin (@lost_king_media)



In a world of cookie-cutter builds, filled with “intake, downpipe, tune, and front lips,” the aspect of true customization has been pushed off to the side. Building a car that you find perfect, regardless of boundaries, is a true art, and Harry Nguyen’s 1993 Honda Civic is a prime example of that. A JDM Integra front end fused with a Toyota Altezza rear, while somehow looking completely OEM, is no feature to scoff at. Harry’s Civic is a genuinely timeless build that proves original vision still has a place in 2025.

 

Named OG1, this isn’t a trendy rehash or a quick build that can be reverted to stock in a weekend. This car carries the soul of the late ’90s and early 2000s import scene, back when magazine features were the goal, not viral reels. Harry daily drove this Civic in its early life, but between 1999 and 2009, it transformed into a full show car. It hit the East Coast scene hard, collecting trophies at legendary stops like Hot Import Nights, Battle of the Imports, NOPI, and Carlisle. Then, just as quickly as it rose, it vanished. The culture shifted. The term “rice” started getting thrown around too loosely, and a build like OG1, despite its quality, got caught in the crossfire. So Harry did what most car builders eventually do when life gets in the way: he parked it, hooked up a battery tender, threw a cover on, and walked away.

 

For fifteen years, OG1 sat. Then came 2024, and with it, an unexpected reason to bring the Civic back to life. After the sudden passing of close friend Daniel Nguyen, Harry was asked to bring his car out of retirement to sit alongside Daniel’s completed build at HDAY. That moment flipped the switch. The Civic was towed out, cleaned up, and reborn with a set of gold Volk Racing GT7s, and updated just enough to be show-ready but never over-restored. Its OG aesthetic remained intact.

 

From its B18C1 GSR swap with full Skunk2 internals to the Nitrous Express system and custom-fabbed STR pieces, OG1 is a masterclass in early 2000s tuning. The suspension has been dialed in with Tein Flex coilovers spec’d for a DC2, Function 7 arms, and bracing from Cusco, J’s Racing, and Hondasport. Every detail was considered, from the shaved moldings and Buddy Club skirts to the candy red paint and carbon hood with a custom gradient fade. Even the fuel door is Sparco. This is not a parts-bin build — it’s curated. An art that’s missing in today’s day and age.

 

Inside, it’s a full JDM theater. The tan interior was stripped in favor of black with red carbon accents, a JDM gauge cluster and climate setup, a Skunk2 short shifter, red Recaro SRD Millenniums, and an Alpine audio system featuring fifteen Polk speakers, four JL amps, and a Sega Dreamcast mounted in the trunk. It’s unapologetically period correct. If you weren’t around in 2003, that setup might seem wild. But for those who lived it, it’s perfect.

 

This Civic is more than just clean. It’s a time machine. A blueprint of what the scene once was, and a reminder that the foundation of car culture was always built on passion, detail, and personal vision. OG1 bridges generations. It tells new builders that history matters. That quality and character never go out of style.

 

ESSENTIALS

1993 Honda Civic

Location: Aldie, VA
Horsepower: 200 whp
Club: Team Emotion

SOCIAL
IG: @harry_newin

ENGINE
B18C1 engine swap
Skunk2 (stage 2 cams, valve spring and retainers, intake manifold)
Top Fuel (intake, oil cap)
Hasport motor mounts
AEM fuel pressure regulator
STR (fuel rail, engine accessories, cam gears)
GReddy oil catch can
Nitrous Express kit w/ purge valve
Fluidyne radiator
FAL slim fan
Weapon R reservoirs
DressUpBolts titanium hardware
Billet power steering brackets
Custom carbon fiber spark plug cover
Clear red distributor cap cover

EXHAUST
5 Zigen Fireball exhaust
DC Sports header

DRIVETRAIN
Manual transmission swap

WHEELS / TIRES / BRAKES
Volk Racing GT-7 wheels - 17-inch
Falken RT660 tires - 205/40/17
Wilwood front BBK
Civic Si rear disc brake conversion
Brembo rear rotors
Goodridge braided brake lines

CHASSIS / SUSPENSION
Tein Flex Integra coilovers
Function 7 lower control arms
Skunk2 rear lower tie bar
Cusco Type CB carbon strut bar
J’s Racing C pillar bar
HondaSport rear (trunk) strut bar

EXTERIOR
Custom Candy Red paint job
JDM (ITR front end conversion, Altezza taillight conversion)
Shaved roof and door moldings
Buddy Club (molded side skirts, rear bumper w/ integrated STR diffuser)
M-style (front bumper, rear lip wing)
Carbon fiber hood w/ custom red gradient
M3-style mirrors
Sparco gas door
Pulled rear quarters
Quick release hood hinges

INTERIOR
Full tan interior swap
Red and black carbon weave (headliner, dash overlay)
Momo Tuner steering wheel w/ red Ti bolt
NSX horn button
Works Bell quick-release hub w/ gold DressUpBolts hardware
Skunk2 (short shifter, shift knob)
JDM (Type R shift boot, gauge cluster, amber clock, coin pocket)
STR cigarette lighter
Ignited Performance (toggle switches, engine start button)
Custom glove box housing gauges for car audio monitoring status
Apex-i VAFC
Do Luck inner chassis bar
Razo pedals
Red and black rear seat
Red interior pillars
Red wrapped sun visors
Nitrous Express (bottle opener controller, switch panel)
Tekniq Auto red floor mats
AutoMeter instrumentation

AUDIO / MOBILE ELECTRONICS
Polk Audio 15-speaker system
Alpine (CVA 1005, DVA 5200, ERA G320, 6-disc changer)
Sega Dreamcast w/ monitor
JL Audio amplifiers (4)
Monitor pod built under trunk lid
Q Logic kick panels
Lightning Audio 1-farad capacitors (2)
Custom amplifier rack

SPONSORS
Falken
Brother Garage
DressUpBolts
Hasport
VinylDesignz
Absolute Electronix
Vaccaro Services

]]>
Features Mon, 09 Jun 2025 17:13:33 +0000
RJ Enriquez's 1995 Acura NSX /features/vehicle-features/rj-enriquez-s-1995-acura-nsx /features/vehicle-features/rj-enriquez-s-1995-acura-nsx Story by Youssef Rahal

Photography by Nahn Pham Portraits (@phamportraits) & Suka Productions (@sukaproductions) 

This 1995 Acura NSX isn’t just another clean build—it's the kind of project that happens when personal history, automotive obsession, and borderline unhealthy levels of detail all collide in one garage.

RJ Enriquez didn’t buy his NSX off hype or impulse. He got it through a twist of fate: a call from an old friend he hadn’t spoken to in over seven years, who had a second kid on the way—and a very upset wife. You know the rest of that story.

RJ didn’t build this car for followers or trophies. The NSX became RJ’s canvas—an ever-changing and evolving proof of his love for Honda, Spoon Sports, and the ultra-rare NSX-R GT, Honda’s homologation car built for JTCC—one of the coolest racing series ever. He didn’t just chase Spoon parts—he hoarded them, crossing off nearly every NSX-specific piece the company had ever made.

The car got dry carbon from ATR Racing in Austria, titanium from Gooichi Motors, and re-barreled one-of-one Mugen MF10s built in California. Even the barrel stickers were custom-made in the Philippines. This wasn’t just sourcing parts at this point—it was a worldwide game of tracking down everything he wanted.

Paint-wise, it’s coated in a color called Nouvelle Blue Pearl, a subtle nod to the NC1 NSX. RJ debated between this blue and a dark gunmetal, but his kids helped seal the decision after playing around with it on Gran Turismo. From there, it went to Miami for a full respray, which ended up so meticulous that the shop made him replace a targa seal no one would ever notice—delaying the job by a month. That should be an indication of how detailed this entire build is underneath it all.

The interior is decorated with Mugen, Alcantara surfaces, and carbon fiber, with little details like a Tommy Kaira knob and titanium hardware everywhere. Spoon coilovers handle the ride quality, and the car is still regularly driven, despite being detailed to the point of absurdity.

This car isn’t made to be trendy. It’s not trying to be anything other than exactly what RJ wanted: a rolling scrapbook of memories, craftsmanship, and obsession. The final result is worth the effort, as no detail goes unnoticed.

 

ESSENTIALS

1995 Acura NSX

Location: Winter Garden, FL
Horsepower: 274 whp
Club: Emotion

SOCIAL
IG: @bzyrice

ENGINE
Spoon yellow valve covers 

NSXR radiator coolant cover 

NC Auto Carbon (intake manifold Spoon yellow, kevlar headlight buckets)

Chasing Js (titanium intake manifold plate, titanium throttle body cover, titanium fuel injector covers, titanium radiator cooling panel) 

Grey Market G7 one-piece aluminum targa bar 

Gooichi titanium radiator stays 

Aero Spec Racing carbon kevlar intake plate 

Cantrell Concepts carbon kevlar engine cover 

OBX headers 

Injen intake 

Downforce Carbon vent air intake 

RFY coil rain guard 

Mazterpiece Automotive titanium hardware 

Cedar Ridge front compliance clamps 

Spoon (brake reservoir socks, oil cap, radiator cap, magnetic drain bolt)

Spoon VC-3E VTEC controller

EXHAUST
Spoon exhaust
Pride straight pipes
Cedar Ridge adjustable exhaust hangers

DRIVETRAIN

WHEELS / TIRES / BRAKES
H&R extended lugs rear 

Project Kics R40 Iconix Extended Lugs 

Stoptech Slotted Front Rotors 

Goodrich Steel Braided Brake Lines 

S2000 Oem Brake Pads
Spoon calipers

CHASSIS / SUSPENSION
Spoon coilovers
Spoon rigid collar kit

EXTERIOR
Spoon (NSXR GT front bumper, NSXR GT rear bumper, wiper blades, window banner)

Nouvelle Blue Pearl paint

2002+ NSX 4300 HID headlight conversion 

Downforce (conversion brackets and wiring harness, JDM +8mm sport fenders)

Route KS molded side spats

Pride (2002+ side skirts w/ door caps, OEM carbon side vents, NSXR GT carbon vents)

Procar Type R carbon hood 

NCAuto carbon targa roof 

ARC LumiR 2.0 LED tail lights 

S2000 OEM side markers 

F1 style strobe LED brake light 

Suntek clear wrap

Voltex (Type 5 carbon 1700mm GT Wing, trunk lid spoiler) 

Foundry3 dry carbon spoiler stands 

 

INTERIOR
Mugen (MS-Z seats, pedals, automatic gas pedal converted to dead pedal)

Black interior conversion 

Red alcantara accents (door inserts, glove box)

TFENT red carpet 

NSX Zanardi black/red floor mats 

NC Auto (carbon A-pillars, carbon B-pillars, carbon targa headliner)

Pride (carbon door garnish, carbon cowl)

Carbon fiber arm rest 

Bride FO Type seat rails 

Takata Race 4-point snap harness

Dali Racing harness bar w/ floor bar

Tommy Kaira Hebe Bebe knob on modified NSX shift stalk 

NSXR mesh shift boot w/ carbon shift plate 

FEEL's 5-speed shift pattern plate 

Works Bell (short hub, GTC hybrid pop-up steering system)

Mazterpiece Automotive titanium steering wheel hardware 

Chasing Js titanium gauge cluster 

Kuya Auto horn trim ring

SPONSORS
Kuya Automotive

]]>
Features Mon, 09 Jun 2025 17:11:46 +0000
Stored. Restored. Evolved. - Ata Ehdaivand's 2000 Honda S2000 /features/vehicle-features/ata-ehdaivand-s-2000-honda-s2000 /features/vehicle-features/ata-ehdaivand-s-2000-honda-s2000

Ata Ehdaivand - 2000 Honda S2000

Some cars just always stick around. Not because they’re the fastest or the flashiest, but because they’ve been around long enough to collect real history and make enough memories that selling them just isn't an option. That’s what Ata Ehdaivand’s 2000 Honda S2000 is. It’s more than a build at this point—it's a long-term relationship.

This car was one of the first AP1 S2000 models to hit the East Coast, ordered brand new by a friend of Ata’s who ran a shop called Car Trendz. Red paint, black interior, supercharged almost right away—this car was under the knife early. It was then sent off for a Veilside kit, and Ata handled the original audio system back then, not knowing the car would eventually be his.

absoluteelectronixs2k_28_of_61.jpg

After a minor accident took out the factory paint, it got resprayed in a custom PPG Harley Quinn finish. From there, the car floated through the early 2000s show circuit. When the original owner closed up shop, the car was parked—and unfortunately stayed parked—for 15 years. It sat, tucked away, while everything else in the scene kept moving. Trends, cultures, builds, and more came and went, while time stood still for the S2K.

absoluteelectronixs2k_1_of_61.jpg

In 2015, Ata got the call. “Come pick up your car.” No sales pitch. Just a $12,000 storage bill and an S2000 with 12,000 miles on it, untouched since a time before iPhones—back when the newest N’SYNC song played on the radio. The car still ran, and it still looked the part. Most importantly, it still felt like the same machine Ata worked on two decades earlier. He brought it home and didn’t want to rush anything.

It wasn’t until 2020 that things started to change. The old supercharger came off, and an Inline Pro turbo kit went on. Tuned on ethanol using modern technologies, Ata brought the car to the 700-horsepower mark, making all the right turbo sounds. Then came the bodywork. After another front-end hit, Ata ditched the aging Veilside bumper and replaced everything with a Tamon widebody kit. Same painter, same color. Somehow it all matched.

From there, the rest started falling into place. Volk GTC wheels. Bride carbon Kevlar seats. Suede door panels. A carbon hardtop. An iPad dash setup, neatly integrated with the Hondata KPro. The audio system got loud again with custom Gladen drivers, four subs, and three amps. No sponsors. No shops lining up to post about it. Just one guy building a car on his terms over two and a half decades. Some things were left as-is, because not everything needs to be updated. The car grew up the same way a lot of us did—slowly, with a few scars, but overall improved.

Ata’s S2K isn’t built to impress just anyone scrolling by. It’s built to last, and built to be driven—because letting it sit another 15 years would’ve been a waste. Now that it’s back in action, it’s not going anywhere.

absoluteelectronixs2k_17_of_61.jpg

ESSENTIALS

2000 Honda S2000

Location: Linganore, MD
Horsepower: 600 whp
Club: Team Emotion

SOCIAL
IG: @absoluteelectronixmd

ENGINE

Inline Pro (turbo kit modified by Justin at Bad Cat Engineering, fuel rail, evap block-off, 1700cc injectors)

Hell cat fuel pump

Hondata KPro

Turned by Jason Hunt
Custom engine panels
ARC (battery shield, coilpack cover, cooling plate, oil cap, radiator cap)

EXHAUST
Custom 3-inch stainless steel exhaust

DRIVETRAIN
AP2 S2000 transmission
Competition Clutch
R200 differential
Solid diff mount
Inline Pro diff kit
Driveshaft Shop axles

WHEELS / TIRES / BRAKES
Volk GT-C wheels - 17x8 (f), 17x10.5 (r)
Falken RT660 tires
StopTech ST40 brakes

CHASSIS / SUSPENSION
Tein Flex Z coilovers
Cusco 6-point bolt-in roll cage

EXTERIOR

Custom paint PPG Harley Quinn 

Veilside carbon rear Spoiler

Tamon Design widebody kit 

Carbon fiber hard top

 absoluteelectronixs2k_60_of_61.jpg

INTERIOR
Veilside (steering wheel, shift knob)

Cusco roll cage 

Bride seats 

Custom door panels

LED door lighting

AUDIO / MOBILE ELECTRONICS
iPad integrated in dash
Gladen (3-inch speakers, tweeters)
8-inch subwoofers (4)
3 amplifiers

SPONSORS
Bad Cat Engineering
J Hunt Tuning

absoluteelectronixs2k_45_of_61.jpg

]]>
Features Mon, 09 Jun 2025 16:07:55 +0000
Chad Scott's - 1997 Honda Civic /features/vehicle-features/chad-scott-s-1997-honda-civic /features/vehicle-features/chad-scott-s-1997-honda-civic For Chad Scott, the 1997 Honda Civic EK is a connection to the past. It’s a rolling tribute to the kind of joy that doesn’t need speed to make sense. After eight years in the military and a long list of ZIP codes from Washington to Florida, Scott now calls Palestine, Texas home. His path to this particular Civic started with a simple desire: a right-hand drive Honda. When he found this EK, he knew it had to be the one. Years earlier, he and his late wife had parted ways with her 1999 EM1, and she had plans for an EK hatch. In an instant, this car became more than a personal build for him.

 

Under the hood, there’s an H22A4 - a big-hearted motor in a small chassis. It’s held in place with billet mounts and dressed up with titanium hardware, tucked wires, and a cleanly shaved bay. It’s not trying to be loud about its presence. “It’s not fast,” Scott even jokes, “like at all.” But that’s not the point of this build.

 

Scott’s Civic leans more toward personal expression than performance metrics. The M&M Honda R Super Tuning widebody adds just enough aggression, but nothing looks overdone. The car sits on Air Lift Performance suspension, airing out over 17x9 Gram Lights wrapped in 235s. The paint glows under the Bellagio Blue tint, and subtle touches like the JDM plate and power folding mirrors show he pays attention to the small stuff.

 

Inside, it’s all business. Bride buckets and Takata harnesses are backed by a bolt-in cage. A Momo wheel and Acuity shift knob keep things tactile for Scott on every drive. Even the Crown Royal shift boot feels intentional - a nod to the DIY spirit baked into every old school Honda build.

 

Driving it isn’t about hard launches or chasing numbers. It’s about the kind of peace only a '90s Honda with a wide arrange of nostalgia and emotions woven in can give you. Windows down, engine humming, and memories riding shotgun - just the way he intended.

 

ESSENTIALS

 

1997 Honda Civic

 

Location: Palestine, TX
Club: Status CC

 

SOCIAL
IG: @chadillack03

 

ENGINE

H22A4 engine swap

Innovative billet mounts 

4-2-1 headers 

MSD (extreme power distributor cap, plug wires)
Billet (EGR block-off, fuel rail, idle air control valve)

AEM full cold air intake 

Downstar (Vtec solenoid cover, clutch master cylinder plate)

Skunk2 alpha half-radiator 

Mishimoto coolant temp sensor 

Aluminum in-line fuel filter 

Chasing Js (titanium dress up bolts, titanium spark plug cover)

Custom tucked engine harness
Shaved engine bay

 

EXHAUST

Buddy Club racing spec header-back exhaust

 

DRIVETRIAN

M2F4 transmission

 

WHEELS / TIRES / BRAKES

RAYS Gram Lights 57DR - 17x9

Federal 595 RSRR tires - 235/40/17

Rays (locking lug nuts, valve stem caps)
Drilled and slotted rotors

Wilwood (master cylinder, manual proportioning valve)

 

CHASSIS / SUSPENSION

Air Lift Performance (front struts, rear shocks, 3P manifold)
VIAIR twin 444c compressors
5-gallon air tank
P1 adjustable upper control arms

Hardrace (front lower control arms, rear cross member, race trailing arm bushings, race adjustable lateral arms)

Truhart rear lower control arms

 

EXTERIOR

M&M Honda R Super Tuning wide body 

Ominique Bellagio Blue tint 

Japanese illuminated front plate w/ light box 

Type R (rear lip, spoiler w/ aluminum adjustable brackets, front grille, power folding mirrors)

Custom paint 

Black housing headlights w/ JDM parking bulbs 

Extended strut towers

Billet quick-release hood hinges 

 

INTERIOR
Bride Low Max bucket seats

Buddy Club rails 

Takata 4-point harnesses

4-point bolt-in roll cage 

Momo Italy steering wheel

NRG red slim quick-release 

GlowShift (digital tach w/ shift light, 7 series digital oil temp/pressure gauge, 7 series digital coolant temp gauge)

Acuity weighted shift knob 

Custom Crown Royal shift boot

 

AUDIO / MOBILE ELECTRONICS

JVC head unit
Alpine Series S speakers

]]>
Features Mon, 09 Jun 2025 16:08:47 +0000
JDM History - Dominic Dubreuil's 1998 Honda Integra Type R /features/vehicle-features/jdm-history-dominic-dubreuil-s-1998-honda-integra-type-r /features/vehicle-features/jdm-history-dominic-dubreuil-s-1998-honda-integra-type-r Story by Adam Gordon

For Dominic Dubreuil, the seed was planted early. Back in the late ’90s, he was just a teenager discovering the wide world of Japanese performance cars through the pixels of Gran Turismo. One car in particular stood out — the oddly familiar-but-not-quite Honda Integra Type R. It looked like the North American Acura version, but not exactly. It was painted Championship White, wore a Honda badge instead of an Acura one, and had just enough subtle differences to ignite some curiosity.

Fast forward a couple of decades, and Dubreuil finally scratched that itch in the best way possible. While hunting for a project car for his restoration video series in 2022, he came across a Kanjo-inspired DC2R in solid mechanical shape but, aesthetically, it needed work. The bones were good, and the price was right, so he jumped in head first.

What started as a plan for an OEM restoration spiraled into something more ambitious. The goal shifted from showroom spec to a clean restomod with a relatively strict focus on period-correct flair. The approach meant nothing too flashy, and nothing over the top. What Dubreuil wanted was a focus on quality, heritage, and the subtle details that make the car feel like it could have rolled out of a JDM tuning shop in 2001.

The parts list reads like a greatest hits collection for any JDM Honda enthusiast. Nearly every Mugen component made for the chassis was sourced and restored — from the first-gen cat-back exhaust and matching header to the rare gauge cluster, strut bars, pedal set, and even the V1.5 oil cap. Custom titanium pieces were machined to elevate the engine bay, while a Mugen intake with a custom titanium pipe feeds the airflow demands.

To dial in the handling, Ohlins DFV coilovers were bolted up, and as a nod to his love of the NSX, Dominic sourced a set of OEM NSX front calipers — a fitting touch that blends JDM royalty from across the Honda lineup. The brake setup is supported by Mugen lines and Spoon hoses for consistency throughout. The exterior keeps the spirit alive, too. A HondaAccess optional body kit wraps around the factory lines, complemented by Ganador mirrors and an OG Mugen rear wing to give it the right silhouette.

The theme continues in the cabin with Mugen gear throughout: Race III wheel, Boss hub, shift knob, pedal set, and rear-view mirror cover. It’s finished off with a modern touch — a full Audison audio setup paired with a Pioneer head unit for convenience, without compromising the vibe. Over 100 hours of detailing by Pro du Lustre ensured that every corner of the car looked better than new when it debuted.

While Dominic isn’t quite done with the build just yet, it’s already made a name for itself at shows, collecting attention for all the right reasons. This isn’t a car built to impress with flash, but rather it’s built to feel right. It takes a memory from a PlayStation screen and turns it into a tangible, driveable, deeply personal expression of JDM history.

 

ESSENTIALS

1998 Honda Integra
Location: L'Assomption, Quebec
Horsepower: 220 whp
Club: OctnFX

SOCIAL
IG: @dom_dub

 

ENGINE

Mugen (intake w/ custom titanium tube, header, V1.5 oil cap, N1 ECU, reservoir covers)

Spoon Sports radiator hoses

EXHAUST

Mugen first-gen cat-back exhaust

DRIVETRAIN

JUN Racing clutch and flywheel

WHEELS / TIRES / BRAKES

Mugen MF10 wheels – 16x7 +50

Bridgestone Potenza RE71RS tires – 215/45/15

Mugen brake lines

Honda NSX NA1 front calipers

CHASSIS / SUSPENSION

Ohlins DFV coilovers

Mugen V2 strut bars front and rear

Hardrace suspension arms

EXTERIOR

Super Ganador mirrors

Mugen Gen1 rear wing

HondaAccess (body kit, optical door remote and handle)

OEM UK Honda taillights

Spoon Sports wipers

JDM Honda clear sidemarkers

INTERIOR

Mugen (gauge cluster, Boss hub, Race III steering wheel, shift knob, pedals w/ dead pedal, rear-view mirror cover)

AUDIO / MOBILE ELECTRONICS

Pioneer head unit

Audison (APBX 10DS subwoofer, Forza DSP, Prima components and speakers)

SPONSORS

eBay Motors

LP Custom Fab

Groupe Lallier Honda

]]>
Features Mon, 09 Jun 2025 16:10:27 +0000
Jonathan Monteith's 2001 Honda S2000 /features/vehicle-features/jonathan-monteith-s-2001-honda-s2000 /features/vehicle-features/jonathan-monteith-s-2001-honda-s2000 Some builds speak loudly before the engine even fires up. Jonathan Monteith’s 2001 Honda S2000 is one of those cars, and it’s evident upon first glance. Everything about it, from the way it sits to the way it sounds at idle, tells you this isn’t a build that stumbled into greatness. It’s been carefully pushed, pulled, and reimagined across seven years of obsession.

 

Monteith grew up around Hondas. At age five, his uncle - who worked for Honda of America in Torrance - gifted him a dirt bike. One Thanksgiving, that same uncle showed up in a 2005 S2000. Just like that, Monteith was hooked. In 2017, after selling a previous build, Monteith spotted a clean, two-owner AP1 online. One test drive later, the deal was sealed, and the plan going into ownership was never to leave it stock.

 

Today, the car sports a full color change to Porsche Grey Black, a finish that balances subtlety with striking presence. A full Voltex aero suite surrounds the chassis - race bumper, carbon canards, side skirts, rear diffuser, and that massive 1700mm swan-neck wing on Renegade Motorsport stands. Authentic ASM, Mugen, and Craftsquare pieces complete the exterior without forcing anything that doesn’t belong.

 

Under the hood, this AP1 S2K puts down 400 wheel horsepower and 275 lb-ft of torque, largely thanks to a Science of Speed supercharger, but the real story is in the details: AMG Fuel & Design built a full titanium charge piping setup, secured with XRP Wiggins clamshells throughout. A Rywire radiator manages cooling, while a Radium fuel rail and ID1050x injectors keep the F20C properly fueled. A Js Racing exhaust and ASM header finish the powertrain off with the right amount of audible aggression.

 

Inside, it’s race-bred with refinement. Ruby Red ASM Recaros ride on PCI rails, strapped in with Renegade x Willans 6-point harnesses. Evasive carbon door cards, a roll bar, and custom carbon panels throughout give the cockpit a purpose-built, cohesive feel. A Personal x Advan x Yokohama collab steering wheel boasts a nod to Honda royalty via an NSX-R horn button and shift boot. Finally, a GaugeArt CAN display brings modern function into the mix.

 

Rare ARC parts, one-off CarshopGlow taillights, and a carefully selected parts list tell a story rooted in a lifetime of Honda heritage, from dirt bikes to the perfect street car. “This build has been my passion project for the last seven years,” Monteith says. That passion has earned him a well-deserved feature after impressing the entire team on the podcast when it was first revealed to the Ďă˝¶ĘÓƵֱ˛Ą team. This is one mean S2K, and we love it.

 

ESSENTIALS

 

2001 Honda S2000

Location: Moreno Valley, CA
Horsepower: 400 whp
Torque: 275 lb-ft
Club: GarageLife

 

SOCIAL
IG: @teddyjon

 

ENGINE

Science of Speed supercharger kit
AMG Fuel & Design custom fabrication
Titanium charge piping
XRP (AN radiator, catch can lines w/ wiggins fittings)
Rywire radiator
Radium fuel rail
Injector Dynamics 1050x injectors

ARC (coil cover, cooling plate, heatshield, oil cap)

HKS intake filter

Chasing Js titanium hardware

Origin Fabrication catch can

Hasport engine mounts

 

EXHAUST

Js Racing (header, 70RR exhaust)

 

DRIVETRAIN

Advanced Clutch Technology (clutch, flywheel)

Hasport differential mounts

 

WHEELS / TIRES / BRAKES

Volk Racing ZE40 wheels - 18x9.5 +21

Toyo R888R tires - 275/35/18

Chasing Js titanium lug nuts

StopTech (ST40 front BBK, ST22 rear BBK)

 

CHASSIS / SUSPENSION

Eibach MultiPro RS2 coilovers

StanceParts air cups

Eibach sway bars front and rear

K-Tuned camber kits front and rear

 

EXTERIOR

Porsche GreyBlack paint

Voltex (Race front bumper w/ carbon splitter, carbon canards, Race side skirts, fender flares, rear carbon diffuser, 1700mm carbon swan neck wing)

Renegade Motorsport carbon wing stands 

Evasive Motorsport front fenders 

Varis carbon fiber hood 

Alpharex Nova Series headlights 

Mugen hardtop 

Craftsquare carbon fiber mirrors w/ custom baseplates

ASM (rear bumper, tow hooks)

K1 Laboratory duckbill 

CarshopGlow custom taillights 

 

INTERIOR

ASM (Recaro RSG Ruby bucket seats, wheel hub)

Renegade x Willians 6-point harnesses 

PCI sliding seat rails 

Evasive Motorsport (dry carbon door cards, roll bar) 

Works Bell quick-tilt 

Advan x Yokohama x Personal steering wheel 

NSX-R (horn button, shift boot)

Renegade Motorsports short shifter 

ASM x Zoom carbon rear view mirror 

Custom carbon fiber (center console panels, radio door, dash switch panels)

GaugeArt CanBus display 

 

AUDIO / MOBILE ELECTRONICS

Alpine head unit

 

SPONSORS

Mackin Ind / RAYS Wheels

Toyo Tires

Antigravity Batteries

AlphaRex

Adam’s Polishes

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Features Mon, 09 Jun 2025 16:27:12 +0000
Jonny Couture's 1988 Honda CRX /features/vehicle-features/jonny-couture-s-1988-honda-crx /features/vehicle-features/jonny-couture-s-1988-honda-crx Story by Adam Gordon

Photography by Rene Mendez (@Genzilla_Coupe2.0T)

 

Jonny Couture’s name might be familiar to some readers. His previous CRX made the rounds, even landing in Ďă˝¶ĘÓƵֱ˛Ą, but this one is a different animal. He’s owned it for about two and a half years now, building it from the ground up in his own garage — a full rotisserie process that left no piece untouched. The goal wasn’t to recreate his past success — it was to chase something no one had done before: a right-hand-drive, K-swapped, all-wheel-drive CRX.

 

At the core of the build is a fully built K20A — sleeved, cammed, and breathing through 58mm TWM individual throttle bodies. Wiseco pistons and Manley rods hold it together internally, while a Ferrea valvetrain keeps churning up top. The shaved bay keeps things clean, but far from ornamental. Rywire took care of the harness, while cooling duties were split between Killer Glass hoses, a Chase Bays overflow, and a tucked Hush Performance battery box. Downstar and K-Tuned components are scattered throughout — functional accents that serve both form and purpose.

 

The real party trick is under the surface. The drivetrain was lifted from a K24-powered CR-V, giving the CRX full-time AWD through a custom S1 Built driveshaft and Hasport axles. The transmission, transfer case, and diff all managed to fit the compact chassis with some massaging. Nothing here was off-the-shelf plug-and-play. Couture fabricated his own mounts, brackets, and solutions along the way — it’s not like there were DIY instructions for this one on an old forum.

 

Outside, the Almond Cream paint leans into subtlety. VIS carbon fiber fenders, a Seibon hatch, and a carbon rear visor contrast the softness with texture. JDM pieces like folding mirrors, amber tails, fogs, and a parking pole nod to the car’s original identity, while the antenna delete and Sol Kreations vent pieces sharpen the silhouette.

 

Inside, there’s not much that hasn’t been modified. A full layer of Dynamat lines the shell, cutting the noise. The front seats were swapped for carbon Kevmannz buckets, anchored by Sparco harnesses and a custom bar. In the rear, a JDM seat conversion, reupholstered in Bride gradation to match the headliner, cargo cover, and armrest. The cluster is from an S2000, a sought-after conversion for many Honda fans. The center console was designed and 3D-printed to house an iPad — a modern touch in a sea of rare classic parts.

 

The race-spec K-Tuned shifter assembly connects to a Competition Clutch setup, while a Wilwood pedal box handles footwork. Everything inside feels like it belongs — not just in the car, but in this car specifically. Couture didn’t build this car to chase a trend or win a show. He built it because it hadn’t been done, and because it wasn’t supposed to be possible. That’s the kind of thinking that turns a humble CRX into something entirely different — not louder or flashier, just special. And that might be the hardest thing to replicate.

 

ESSENTIALS

 

1988 Honda CRX

 

Location: Youngtown, AZ
Club: NvUS

 

SOCIAL
IG: @sxyrexy2.0

 

ENGINE

K20A engine swap

Darton sleeves 

Wiesco pistons 

Manley rods 

K20A head 

Ferrea valve train 

Stage 3 cams 

58mm TWM individual throttle bodies

Shaved engine bay

Downstar (hardware, satin black solenoid cap)

Hush Performance bumper battery box

Rywire custom harness

Skunk2 timing cover

K-Tuned (valve cover, oil cap, dipstick, swivel billet thermostat housing, heater hoses, right engine mount bracket)

Chase bays coolant overflow 

Killer Glass custom upper and lower hoses

Custom rear engine mount

S1 Built headers
AEM fuel pump
Aeromotive FPR

 

EXHAUST

Custom 3-inch oval exhaust

K-Tuned Turndown muffler

 

DRIVETRAIN

Honda K24 CRV (AWD transmission, transfer case, differential)
Competition Clutch stage 2 clutch
K-Tuned shifter cable bushings
Hasport axles

S1 Built (custom driveshaft, carrier bearings)
Wilwood clutch line

 

WHEELS / TIRES / BRAKES

Desmond Regamaster wheels - 16x7

Toyo Extensa tires - 205/45/16

RAYS satin black lug nuts

Wilwood (front BBK, brake master cylinder, custom brake lines)
R1 Concepts (rear rotors, rear pads)

 

CHASSIS / SUSPENSION

Custom 3-piece strut bar

 

EXTERIOR

Almond Cream paint

Downstar hardware

JDM (power folding mirrors, amber tail lights w/ new CRX decal, parking pole, fog lights)

Antenna delete

Sol Kreations (windshield cowl, window vents)

VIS carbon fiber fenders

Carbon fiber rear visor

Seibon Carbon hatch

Aux beam LED headlight conversion

 

INTERIOR
Full Dynamat interior sound deadening

Carbon Kevmannz custom seats

Sparco seat harnesses 

Custom harness bar 

Sol Kreations ECU mount plate 

JDM (rear seat conversion w/ Bride gradation reupholstery, carbon fiber arm rest, road flare light w/ bracket, personal trash box, A pillar light)
Bride fabric reupholstered (headliner, rear cargo cover, arm rest)

Custom digital clock 

Custom 3D-printed ipad center console 

Honda S2000 AP1 cluster swap

Custom carbon fiber complete center console

Wilwood race pedal box Custom made Carbon fiber glove box 

Bride rear speaker covers 

Momo (alcantara steering wheel, wheel hub)

NRG E-brake handle 

K-Tuned (shift knob, race shifter assembly, Pro race spec shifter cables, datalogger)

Black rear hatch carpet

Paint-matched fuel cell

S1 Built fuel filler kit, custom fuel door bezel)

 

AUDIO / MOBILE ELECTRONICS

Dash-mounted iPad

Odyssey battery

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Features Mon, 09 Jun 2025 16:28:02 +0000