Hanover, Pennsylvania's current population is 14,535. Just 54 miles away is Oriole Park at Camden Yards, which seats 48,876 people. The hottest spot in Hanover is The Golden Mile, a shopping center with a Ruby Tuesdays, Starbucks, McDonalds, and Chili's. You can find all those inside Camden Yards, plus you can also watch the Orioles blow another game, bask under the springtime sun, and pound beers like it was your last day on earth. The point to all of the mathematics is quite simple: Hanover is a freakishly small town, at least to anyone who lives in a big city. So to get noticed nationally as a resident of Hanover is definitely a bigger accomplishment than, say, hitting a homerun at Camden Yards or even streaking the field as a result of one too many beers. The odds are undoubtedly against you.
Troy Szwoyer is from Hanover and so is his '90 Honda Civic EF hatchback. How he managed to get his Civic from the streetlights of The Golden Mile to the limelight of an Import Tuner feature is not only a testament to his hard work, but also to his ability to effectively use limited means at his disposal, begging us to ask: How the hell did he get any aftermarket parts to Hanover? We're almost sure that it's easier to get a JDM B16 motor to the mountains of Hmong than the mound hills of Hanover. That's why his Civic is perhaps one of the most deserving of a feature and national attention. To hate on Troy's Civic is like hating on Rudy Ruettiger for being too short to play for Notre Dame, making fun of Barry Obama because he was too black to be president, or telling Seal that's he's too ugly to chop down on a Victoria's Secret model.
Troy's Civic is a venerable potpourri of varying genres, from JDM to USDM to HDM (the H is for Hanover, just in case you're not in the know), and its Wings West body kit is the most telling feature of the disparity in style. The hottest body kit maker of the '90s, Wings West was as ubiquitous as a "Powered by Deez Nuts" sticker. But now, with the Japanese stronghold on the aerodynamic section of the industry, Wings West is often left out of the body kit discussion, despite its rendition of this classic EF look: strong-edged side skirts, wide open air dams in the front bumper, and of course, the open-ended rear bumper. "I really wanted the authentic Mugen kit," explains Troy, "I searched for months, but couldn't find one anywhere. The Wings West version commemorates it nicely."
At 335 horsepower to the wheels, the B16A and LSD trans in the engine bay are definitely something to behold. Crafted with JDM Integra cams and a Spoon Sports 70mm throttle body, the Civic holds up to its JDM status. The Garrett T3/T4 turbocharger providing boost, however, is downright classic Americana. Working with a Peak Boost manifold and pipes, the turbo manages to get Troy's whip from Ruby Tuesday's to McDonald's in a time the people of The Golden Mile have never seen before. To chill the intercooler, a Nitrous Express intercooler sprayer was added, while a team of Samco Sports hoses makes sure the transfer of fluid is well balanced throughout the car. Troy opted for a Neptune ECU to manage the fuel, while adding RC Engineering 755cc fuel injectors and a Walbro fuel pump to make sure the fuel reaches its destination in the quickest manner. Troy also made sure that the engine bay is as a sexy as the custom gold paint slathered over the Wings West kit. He dressed it up with a JDM VIN badge, a valve cover painted Takata green, and a Custom Killer Glass radiator hose.