Feature: From Rags to Riches - Juiceboxforyou

The phrase “from rags to riches” was the last thing I wanted to call this feature, but the more Peter told me the story I couldn’t believe how the car had turned out. Eventually I realised after trying to come up with something a little bit more imaginative, this car truly earned the title. The common build we see in the United States of a bog standard civic being converted into a flawless masterpiece in both the exterior and interior is really something that has only started to come around over here in Ireland over the last few years.

One would be very surprised more so in Ireland, where we were importing hundreds of EG6’s find out that this is a bog standard Civic EG. I have great respect for Peter, as he started out with pretty much a damp, soggy, mouldy EG4 which in Ireland would more or less be considered scrap or broken for parts to fix an EG6. Take a look at this this and this if you don’t believe me, the transformation and dedication is unbelievable. Peter even built a makeshift shed at the side of his house to carry out most of the work himself. The car was completely stripped down and rebuilt from the ground up with a host of fresh OEM parts and subtle extras. Be ready for an impressive spec list, its a big one!

The front end received a carbon bonnet with Aero catches, a new OEM Honda lock and Black housing headlights with HID’s. A New OEM front bumper with the classic Mugen lip could never get old accompanied by some JDM fog lights. The car has so many subtle extras, the rub strips have been removed with the aerial being deleted, the rear end was gifted a new OEM bumper along with a Type R back lip. Some 50/50 back lamps were fitted along with an SIR rear spoiler. The sunroof was deleted and replaced with a custom carbon fibre panel.

The classic Spoon carbon Mirrors are a nice touch against the Audi Absolutron red paint job. The fresh paint job is accompanied by brand new window mouldings and plastics from Honda. The underneath has been fully Ireland proofed! A coat of underseal has been added to all the suspension arms and fuel tank ensuring this beauty can stand up to the ever so horrible Irish weather.

The car has received just as much attention under the bonnet. The 1.3 power house has been swapped out for a more enjoyable H22a from a JDM prelude with only 80k miles on the clock. This is fitted to the civic via an Avid engine mount kit. The engine is mated to an MB24 LSD gearbox with a 4.266 final drive with the help of an XTD lightened flywheel and an Exedy stage 2 clutch. Peter made a custom air intake with a cone filter to help the H22 suck in air, and OBX manifold helps the car to breathe out with the assistance of a custom 2.25 full stainless steel exhaust system, with a 3.5 inch tail pipe which looks very impressive.

The original prelude drive shafts were replaced for a set of Raxle custom made shafts and the timing and water pump were replaced. The original radiator was replaced by a more respectable dual core aluminium upgrade to keep the H22 cool, whilst a Walbro 225 litre high flow fuel pump and braided lines accompanied by an anodised filter feed the  H series engine which is all controlled by an Apexi Neo and a chrome with launch control mapped by Inspector. The bay itself is immaculate, everything belongs in the right place, it’s by far one of the best looking EG’s in Ireland. Everything looks so fresh it’s not an often sight for this country, all new seals fitted along with a thermal intake gasket, the engine was finished in a high temp silver. Peter had the bay shaved and seam welded and went for the very appealing minimal tucked look tucking both the wiring loom and brake lines and deleting the power steering and air-con.

The inside as much as every other aspect of this Honda is certainly not stock, the inside has been completely stripped out along with the sound proofing and painted the same absolutron red, the original door cards and dash have been swapped out for the more desirable sought after black variants. Bride low max front fixed buckets look very fitting against a custom gold roll cage. Mugen pedals and a deep dish wheel add to the very race inspired cockpit.

The soundtrack is H series always inside this EG along with added Nitrous which has been rigged to the shifter through a very subtle button under a flip lid, the ECU has been mounted in the glove box opening and in place of an head unit is the Apexi Neo mounted in a custom Carbon fiver surround. The battery kill switch and digital Tachometer are also mounted in a very tidy carbon surround.

The is so much to take in with this car and I mean that in a good way, the Bronze TE37 spare wheel with a custom mount for the Nitrous on top looks amazing when you open the rear end. The attention to detail is just something you don’t see all that often in Ireland. This EG would fit in perfectly at an Eibach meet in Los Angeles.

Handling wise the car has an equally impressive setup. Suspension wise the Civic has been fitted with Gaz fully adjustable coilovers with an Energy master bushing kit. New OEM rear trailing arm bushes with the assistance of Skunk 2 front and rear camber arms with Blox rear toe arms. The front hubs have been swapped for Sir Replacements whilst the back drums were swapped out for disc upgrade from a VTI civic. The brakes were replaced with a set of prelude front calipers combined with 282mm drilled and grooved discs. The rear discs were grooved and drilled also with 2000 VTI rear calipers and trailing arms.  The master cylinder and servo were upgraded to an EG9 replacement feeding Goodrich braided hoses and copper brake lines.

The car is finished with possibly the best wheel ever made, the Rays Te37 on Yokohama Prada Spec 2’s. You have to agree this is quite the build. The first time I laid eyes on this car it just stuck out like a sore thumb and not just because of the amazing colour. It’s a build like Peters which should inspire others, his attitude and dedication is something you don’t come across all that much in the car scene. The build quality and attention to detail could easily rival that of a Honda builder from the infamous California scene, but the best part is the fact this was a base model built in a makeshift shed in Cork, in the lashing rain! Hopefully this type of build will be inspiration to others; a car that has helped raised the bar for the Irish Honda scene. Its cars like Peters Civic that reminds me why we built this website.