Hail to the King

If you really think about it, there are basically two types of automotive competition in the import world: race and show. With all the various competition classes present in drag and road-course racing, it's hard to get a feel for the ultimate performance car. A car that does well in one class will get its ass spanked in another, and a car that beats all takers at the track will probably run like shit on the street--if it doesn't break first. In race competition, domination is all about perspective--as far as we can tell, there's no be-all, end-all when it comes to high performance.

On the other hand, show domination is all about attitude--and who's got the most of it. That said, go ahead and consider this 1996 Civic EX the king of all California show imports. When George Burgs first purchased his car, he admits he knew nothing about cars and the aftermarket industry, much less the import show scene. Now, he can't get enough of it. In the six years campaigning the car, he's transformed the Civic into one of the most formidable show entries in the nation. Burgs' '96 EX is the penultimate show creation, ranked number two in the nation and number one in California according to rankings posted by the NCCA, which are based on points standings determined by show rankings at events like HIN, HID and Import Showoff. He's also been Extreme Autofest's series champion for the last two years running, gleaning the most points for best of show awards. To date, Burgs and his Civic have racked up an amazing 18 individual best of show awards.

What makes the car so special? In a word, we'd have to say everything. There's no area on the vehicle that hasn't been extensively picked over and modified. International Auto Body in Hawthorne, Calif., is the place responsible for much of the exterior work, which includes a full Evolution M widebody kit conversion by JT Autostyle in Rosemead, Calif. The kit includes Evo 3 front and rear bumpers, Evo 3 hood, Evo 5 side skirts, fender flares, M3-style mirrors and rear wing. Exterior distractions like the rear door handles and antenna were shaved, and the doors have been altered by Decah to swing upward like a Lamborghini's. Topping the list of exterior mods is a million-dollar paint job, DuPont Chromalusion Plazzberry, a concoction of transparent metal oxides laid on in a multi-stage process that creates color with a prism effect by refracting or bending light through a five-layer flake. Though the paint job didn't actually cost a million dollars--we like to exaggerate things wherever and whenever we can--it did cost a hell of a lot more than a factory repaint.

Other exterior tricks and features, also effected by International Autobody, include a sideways-swinging effect on the JT Autostyle hood, 6-1/2-in Denji foglights molded into the front bumper, and a full Mercedes-Benz S-Class conversion on the rear end. Beneath the car, R-1 coilovers and Tokico adjustable struts drop the chassis into battle position. The front brakes have been enhanced with a complete AEM big brake kit, while the rear drum assemblies have been converted to discs using AEM big rotors and equipment pilfered from an Integra GS-R. Though we didn't get down on our hands and knees to look, Burgs tells us numerous components attached to the undercarriage have been chrome plated, including most of the hardware and the stock gas tank, and portions of the undercarriage that weren't chromed were painted in the same color-shifting DuPont Chromalusion paint. New anti-sway bars and strut tower braces further bolster the suspension, and a polished camber kit makes sure the car's wheels and tires meet with the road in the proper manner.

Speaking of wheels and tires, George Burgs has probably the biggest set we've seen on a car of these dimensions. The wheels are gigantic 20x7.5-in American Racing TISs--that's an abbreviation for Twenty Inches Strong--and the tires are the world's first 20-inch offerings designed specifically for a sport compact application. They're BFGoodrich G-Force T/As sized 225/30R20, and now that Burgs is rolling on possibly the largest set of rolling stock we've ever seen on a Civic, we expect that others will soon follow in his tire tracks. Just remember you saw it here first.

You may think with all this exterior bling there isn't any room for performance. Well, you'd be wrong. Along with color-changing paint and the world's first compact dubs, Burgs invested in a full GS-R engine transplant, and converted the Civic's lame automatic over to a matching GS-R five-speed manual. Mods within the converted engine bay include an AEM intake, a DC header and full Magnaflow cat-back exhaust. Type R cams have also been installed, along with adjustable AEM sprockets, an AEM fuel rail and AEM fuel pressure regulator. A polished aluminum Koyo radiator enhances the compartment's look and helps with cooling, while a Nitrous Express 50-shot NO2 system gives the GS-R plant a small kick in the ass when Burgs feels the need. Though this engine configuration performs on a considerably elevated level when compared to the EX's old D-series motor, Burgs has plans to supercharge the B18C in the near future with a Vortech blower kit.

The final area, the car's interior, was reworked by Roman's Upholstery in La Puente, Calif., in a purple Italian suede theme that's been applied to the dash, door panels and seats, as well as the headliner. The back seat was pulled to make room for the in-car entertainment, which also takes up most of the trunk. The big purple fiberglass enclosure houses no less than four 12-in Kicker Solobaric subs, as well as sets of component speakers and a three-dimensional "Scream" mask molded into the top center. Three amps power the system, dual two-channels to power the subs in pairs and another four-channel amp to send juice to the components. No less than five LCD screens have been installed throughout the cockpit, including two in the flip-down visors and two on the rear pillars. A Pioneer head unit controls the system from its position in the dash, and a Mobile Interactive Solution computer with a 10.4-in touch screen interface has been installed in the trunk area, just in case all this electronic shit wasn't enough to weld the fillings in your teeth together.

Considering the magnitude of this car's presence, it's a foregone conclusion it'll be attending all the important shows in the upcoming season, which should be quickly unfolding shortly after you read this. If you can't quite believe our assessment here, come out to one of them and have a look for yourself. We probably haven't done the car much justice here. It's just one of those things you just need to experience.