It's been five years in the making, but having one of the dopest Accords in SoCal doesn't happen overnight--especially when you're driving it everyday.
Though it seems Civics and Acuras dominate the sport compact scene, Honda's Accord has always had its credible share of buyers and customizers. Autosound installers love it for its spacious, well-balanced cabin and great speaker placement options. Slap on a body kit, drop it a couple of inches and add some clean 17s or 18s, and this baby has a mean road stance as well.
Mike Phan is one of those who has recognized the Accord's potential. Working with some of Southern California's top customizers, Phan has shaped his '95 Accord with the perfect complement of performance, style and audio gear. Lest you think this is some trailer queen show baby, know that Phan drives his rig everyday, usually to and from his gig as graphic designer at Glendora's Hawk Signs and Engraving, and has put more than 100,000 miles on the odometer.
From the start, Phan had a definite idea of how he wanted the Accord to look and the five-month project was guided by a singular goal: to stand out. That aesthetic worked its way into the audio system when Phan hooked up with Joe Provenzano and Scott Waters at Glendora's Audio Innovations. The crew built the A/V system around Pioneer's DEH-800R source unit and coupled it with a 6.8-in. Necovox flip-out monitor in the factory double-DIN slot. Down in the footwells are Audiobahn 6.5-in. component sets in custom kick panels, which are joined by a similar pair in the rear deck.
In back in the re-fabbed decklid is another pair of 6.5-in. separates, flanking one of three Audiobahn monitors throughout the car. The 7-in. model in the rear deck is accompanied by two 6.8-in. screens in back. Since Phan hits about 10 shows a year with his crew, Team Autobots, the two monitors were built into the rear seat back behind the removable cushions--a move designed to score points with judges.
The rear deck serves another function as well; it vents the bandpass sub box in the totally reconstructed trunk. Made of MDF and covered in the same yellow/white theme carried over from the interior, the dual compartment box holds a pair of Audiobahn dual voice coil 12s. Down on the trunk floor are three A-bahn amps, one two-channel per sub and a single four-channel running the three pairs of separates. Reserve power is provided by two sets of A-Cap 10 capacitors, mounted on each side of trunk. Audiobahn interconnects, cable and wire keep everything flowing.
Phan's efforts on the show floor have paid off, most notably with a first-place finish in the two-door mild custom class at a local Hot Import Nights. It may seem like a small reward for a car that Phan has been dialing in for over five years total. But more important than props on the scene is the feeling Phan gets every day he sits down in his ride and turns the key. Rolling with an Accord unlike many others in SoCal--thanks to some help from Audio Innovations and a host of other collaborators--Phan's ride is proof that a daily driver can be a daily stand out.