Teenage rebellion has its ways of yielding positive responses.
Children hate the constant nagging they get from their parents while living at home. It's even worse for those from a strict Asian household, where their parents try as hard as possible to instill in them traditional beliefs and values. From studying instead of partying on a Friday night to not getting tattoos or piercings, strict Asian parents try to guide their children in what they feel is the right direction. Throughout his life, Alex Cotraviwat had his parents' strict guidelines echoing in his ear, even when he obtained his 2001 Honda Accord at the age of 18. Cotraviwat had no intentions of modifying the car, knowing all too well that his parents forbade it. So much so, they got mad when he put an air freshener in it. Just like any other rebellious child, it was only a matter of time before Cotraviwat was determined to do things his way, despite his parents' objections.
With some cunning negotiations and persuasion, Cotraviwat was able to convince his dad to let him do some slight modifications without any repercussions. Determined to make it a show car, Cotraviwat hit up M1 Autobody in El Monte, California, to do the bodywork. To give the car a unique look, an authentic full Xenon body kit was molded into place along with a 1998 Accord full metal front end conversion and Accord Euro-R fender flares. To cover up the Bondo, the side moldings and emblems were shaved and a fresh coat of House of Kolor Oriental Kandy Blue paint was slathered on. To top off the look, a carbon-fiber hood and canards from VIS give the Accord a racecar appeal.
By the time the bodywork was complete, Cotraviwat's dad realized his son had gone too far into the modifications to turn back now. The parental pressure was off, so Cotraviwat addressed the interior to complete the show car transformation. Form N Function took on the task of revising the bland stock interior to match the show-quality exterior. A pair of Bride Ergo II seats, complemented by Takata race harnesses, were installed to bring the comfort, styling and race appeal to a whole new level. Not wanting to have a mismatched interior, Cotraviwat requested that the rear seats and door panels be wrapped in Bride material as well. A touch of old-school class was added to the project in the form of custom diamond-cut floor mats-a material popular with the domestic hot rod crowd. In an effort to get rid of almost every stock part, a Nardi Rally steering wheel and a Razo shift knob and pedals were installed to flow with the graphite and black colored dashboard. A Megan Racing A-pillar pod stuffed with Megan Racing boost and air/fuel gauges keeps Cotraviwat informed of what is going on under the hood, while an Apex'I VAFC controller keeps the engine properly tuned.