What's lightweight, strong, radar absorbing and made of carbon fiber? Until recently, we could only come up with the stealth bomber and the stealth fighter. But Matthew Weiner took the liberty of adding his Acura RSX to that short but dignified list. We don't know if this car is radar absorbent, but it definitely means business. This car is no poseur and neither is its owner.
In the '90s when the import scene was new, Matthew Weiner was 19, a member of the U.S. Air Force Security Forces and stationed in Japan. While overseas, he bought a four-door Civic. Not long after he was exposed to Japanese auto trends and caught the customization bug that was rooted deep in his soul. His father loved to race motorcycles and cars, and Weiner has always had a passion for performance. After serving for four years, he returned to the States without his Civic, but with an itch for tuning.
While stationed in California, Weiner had a Mercury Cougar, but it just wasn't the same. He messed around with it a little, but it wasn't anything he was enthusiastic about.
Eventually he left the USAF and his Cougar, entered the USAF Reserve, returned home to Delray Beach, Fla., and answered the call to duty once more, this time as a member of the police academy. Once settled, he contemplated which import he'd like to get into next. He had heard about the new 350Z, but at the time the car was still a rumor, and Nissan kept delaying its release. So he thought about an alternative, and fell in love with the brand-new 2002 Acura RSX Type-S.
Weiner wasted no time getting started on his new project. He was serious about his machine and wanted it to be a one-of-a-kind competitor right out of the starting gate. He started by taking the car to AudioNutz in Ocala, Fla. Without even batting an eyelash, he dropped $10,000 and gave the guys free reign to create a kick-ass audio system. AudioNutz began with a Pioneer CD 9000 TV head unit with LCD screen, Sony PlayStation 2 and a host of Arc Audio speakers and amps in custom fiberglass enclosures and racks. With custom Corbeau racing seats in the front, a solo bucket in the rear and Corbeau five-point harnesses holding everyone in place, Weiner's RSX was ready to be seen. Fred Lynch at Arc Audio wanted to display this work of art at CES 2002 in Las Vegas. Before he could utter his acceptance, Weiner was on his way to Sin City. With the addition of a set of wheels and tires, this RSX was ready to go.
A short while after CES, Arc Audio became a full sponsor and equipped his baby with Arc CS230 speakers in the kick panels, dash and rear side panels. Audionutz's custom fiberglass enclosures now house three Arc Audio subwoofers and two amplifiers in the trunk, along with a 15-inch Accele Vision monitor. He took the rest of the year to showcase his ride at several IASCA events as well as a local Acura dealer show in Ocala, Fla. Of all his events, he managed one first- and three second-place finishes. Not bad for the new kid. He even got permission from the USAF to proudly adhere his USAF Reserves decals on the hood, promoting his branch of the military.