Spending good money on a car is crazy if some funds don't go toward an upgraded braking system. The five-lug hubs allow use of dual-piston Acura NSX front calipers, biting onto 11.1-inch rotors. The rear calipers are Integra Type R single-piston pieces, paired with 10.1-inch discs. Chan has added a DC5 master cylinder and booster, fitted Mugen stainless steel brake lines and chose Hawk HPS pads.
If Chan took a conservative stance on the engine, he's made up for it with the bodywork. As well as a carbon fiber front lip from JDP, plus a matching hood and trunk lid from VIS Racing, the roof is a custom-made carbon fiber piece. The work was done by Simon & Gee Auto Body in San Francisco, including the antenna and rear screen washer nozzle shave jobs.
Sunny Wong from S&G did the paintwork, applying DuPont's Sunset Orange. Chan decided to go JDM for the front and rear lights, side moldings, door mirrors, window visors, and glass.
There's also plenty of JDM stuff (sourced from the good people at N1 Concepts) in the cabin--seat belts, door panels, instrument binnacle, rear seats--throwing the Recaro Profi SPG driver's seat and the Personal Neo Grinta 330mm suede-covered steering wheel into sharper contrast. Deeper in the driver's footwell is an Integra DC2 Type R pedal set.
As if the intake snort and exhaust rasp isn't music enough to Chan's ears (or more probably, to appease his profoundly patient girlfriend), the center console houses a Panasonic CQ-C5303U stereo, playing through Alpine Type-R 6.5-inch speakers.
After spending $1K on the DA shell, another $9K in modification, and around one year of hard labor (including two months of the aforementioned late nights) putting it all together, Chan has a Third Place Best Integra at the 2008 J's Gathering to show for it. The reasoning behind his choice of parts was simple: whatever worked. The main problems he had related to obtaining JDM parts that are becoming scarcer by the day as the car gets older. Today, he puts the car's value between $6K to $8K, but the value he puts on friends' and family's support--his"biggest influences"--is far greater. The price of Chan's accomplishment is something we all know, but does no harm to hear again: to build something on a budget, prepare to put in a lot of hard work.
Chan's bigger journey of discovery is far from over. He's matured, has come to appreciate the finer and more expensive things in life. The next project looks like being a current-generation Lexus GS350. "I'm going for the VIP look," he says. VIP on a budget? An oxymoron if ever there was one, but with Chan and a good set of tools, anything is possible.
Behind The Build
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Hometown.
San Francisco, CA
Occupation.
Technician, Mercedes-Benz Of San Francisco
Hobbies.
Wrenching On Cars
Build time.
Approx. 12 Months
Feedback.
ricecooker713@yahoo.com
Quote.
"I built this car to see the different kinds of things i can do."
'92 Acura Integra
Output N/A
Engine Injen air intake; Blox intake manifold, straight pipe; HKS cam gears; Rage Tri Y stainless steel exhaust header; Tanabe G Power stainless steel exhaust; R Crew intake manifold spacer, oil cap; Fluidyne aluminum radiator; Trust oil cooler; Spoon Sports radiator hose, spark plug wires; chrome valve cover
Drivetrain Spoon Sports shifter bushings; B&M short shifter kit
Suspension Tein SS coilovers (front), Eibach Sportline springs and Koni Yellow shocks (rear); Integra Type R 23mm rear anti-roll bar; Function7 rear lower control arms; Blox camber kit; R Crew lug nuts
Wheels/Tires Integra Type R five-lug conversion; 16x7 +43mm offset Sprint Hart CPR wheels; Toyo Proxes 4 205/45-16 tires