With the engine and transmission more than capable of producing and transferring reliable power, it came time for J.P. to find a way to produce it. In one of it's previous builds, he had purchased a Drag turbo kit for his EG, but with the aforementioned changes the car had recently undergone, J.P. knew some changes to the setup had to be made to maximize power and style, "I decided to keep the Garrett T3/T4 turbo the kit came with, but had (now defunct) Sparks Racing replace some of the components with custom-made versions." Sparks replaced the original cast manifold with a tubular stainless one, and fabbed up complementary stainless intercooler plumbing, 3-inch stainless downpipe and a stainless exhaust to match. The addition of a Blox intake manifold eliminated the only remaining restriction in the circuit of useful airflow, while a GReddy BOV and TiAL wastegate were added to better manage the excess. Rather than modify the new plumbing to accommodate the two supplementary fuel injectors, which the bolt-on Drag kit originally employed, J.P. decided to replace all four stock injectors with RC 440s, feed them with a Walbro pump and manage the supply with a Sard adjustable FPR. A Crome-chipped ECU now keeps the vital mixtures of air, fuel and spark consistent.
Boosted engines naturally produce much hotter combustion and won't stand much rigorous street driving if its cooling system is left untouched. To protect against excessive heat and resultant detonation, J.P. replaced his factory radiator with a Fluidyne unit and added a Baker Precision oil cooler to ensure his Valvoline Synpower oil remains in an effective state at all times.
As potent as J.P.'s newly-built LS powertrain is, all the power in the world won't make a bit of difference if a car can't handle it properly, and to ensure he was feeling all of his 320-some-odd wheel horses, the previous suspension was tossed in favor of a full D2 coilover setup at each corner. A web of EM Racing chassis braces, an eight-point Autopower rollcage, and three-point Carbing front upper strut tower brace and front lower tie bar stiffen the 13-year-old chassis, while 15x7 Mugen MF10Ls combine with 205/50/15 Falken Azenis stickies to more effectively transfer power to the driving surface in functional style.
As stated earlier, Long Beach is a melting pot of styles for automotive customization. And while members of different automotive genres regularly shun the idea of incorporating styles of others into their builds, experienced builders of all makes and models realize that they have more in common with one another than they do in difference. "If you're a car person, you're a car person, and you can appreciate good work and dedication no matter what it goes into," explains J.P., "A lot of tuners would never build their cars with influences of different styles, but there are so many impressive cars of different styles out here that I wanted my car to show a little respect for them all."
In keeping with his goal to gain appreciation for the neglected and overlooked, J.P. had the car covered in a shade not often found in the tuner world: brown. House of Kolor's Kandy Root Beer to be exact-which some might argue, combined with the cursive "Long Beach" engraving on the car's hood and valve cover, to be a bit of a tribute to the lowrider scene. The addition of a Spoon lip spoiler, wing and mirrors obviously scream JDM, while the Seibon carbon-fiber hood, gate, doors and diffuser combine with external battery terminals and a gutted interior to stylishly prep the car for race duty, and, covered in coats of the same hue as the rest of the body, collectively work to preserve J.P.'s "less is more" approach of subtle aesthetic. Red F1Spec Type 2 racing buckets draped with Takata harnesses, and a grip of GReddy gauges, further promote JDM-inspired race-readiness, while the contrasting Louis Vuitton upholstery undeniably gives a nod to the urban show car world of donks and modified luxuries.
With so much setting it apart from the herd of modified Civics of the tuner world, the single most defining characteristic of J.P.'s EG is its inclusion of polished copper as engine dress up. "In show cars, lowriders and basically life in general, gold and silver or chrome are everywhere," explains J.P., "but nobody gives love to copper. I like it because it's unexpected." Realizing the car's engine bay would attract the most attention from envious onlookers, J.P. adorns its highest points-those which would be closest to their eager eyes-with representations of that which he values most in his life, and holds above everything else; images of his 2-year-old baby girl, Audrey Cao, grace the car's strut towers at all times.
While a bronze hue might denote conciliatory status to many of us-symbolizing an award given to those whose efforts are not worthy of gold or silver-J.P. successfully combines it with other overlooked and disregarded bits, to prove that success exists apart from "rules"; accomplishing it is more a matter of personal resolve rather than resource, and innovation rather than limitation. His Civic, comprised of parts not normally sought after, styles not normally incorporated and personality not normally risked in the typical sport compact build, has succeeded where others have fallen short, and by means few would even consider. It's taken "Best of Show" at the past Eibach Honda meet, "First Place Honda" in the Kalayaan car show, won "People's Choice" awards at the JDM Japan expo and Formula D, and it was crowned "Best EG" of the Nisei Showoff. It has stood at the forefront of the most influential builds in sport compact tuning, and will continue to inspire countless others with its representation of what can be accomplished when due respect is paid to individuality and hidden potential-things we're all able of contributing in our endeavors.
With his build seeming to have stabilized over the past season, some might suspect J.P. with planning to move onto another platform. Having reached yet another plateau of sorts (the fifth of who knows how many more to come), he's content with enjoying it in pastime for the moment, and appreciating time with family and friends who have supported him along the way. He'll continue to drive his EG regularly, and show it whenever convenient, and won't rule out the possibility of beginning a new project altogether. While he won't say exactly what his next plans are, he promises the EG will transform yet again. Considering his willingness to drive the race-prepped rocket and having the continued support of shops like JDMcarboy, Inlinefour and Sheepy Built, if he's headed in the direction we're betting, he'll undoubtedly be the most stylish car to ever hit a racetrack.