Any Honda enthusiast knows that the Type-R is the flagship for performance in their line-up and with performance and style this EP3 Civic Type-R is no exception. We caught up with Chikao Matsuura deep in the heart of Japan to get the low down on his Civic.

The natural flow of the Championship White exterior was kept completely intact but the rest of the car received some very tasteful upgrades. The engine was worked over with the Spoon catalogue including the throttle body, exhaust manifold, torque damper and of course the yellow valve cover. The OEM ECU was also swapped out for a Spoon version which would not only re-balance the air/fuel ratio but help increase the effectiveness of the bolt-ons.

The EP3's handling was also boosted with the help of Tein Mono-Flex coilovers sitting in Function 7 lower control arms which were all tied together with a BEAKS tie bar. On the high side of the suspension we found more Spoon parts with front and rear tower bars. To help stop the vehicle the brakes were also upgraded to Spoon with 4-Piston calipers up front tucked behind a set of 18" Work Meister S1R's. This Authentic JDM Civic is one of the cleanest we've seen in a long time and look forward to everything else Japan has to offer.

Performance:
Spoon Big throttle kit
Spoon ECU
Spoon Exhaust manifold
Spoon Yellow Head Cover
Password JDM intake manifold
5zigen Exhaust muffler
Spoon Engine Torque Damper kit

Handling:
TEIN MONO FLEX
Function7 LCA
SPOON Strut Tower bar F&R
BEAKS Lower tie bar

Braking:
SPOON Caliper & Roter

Wheels:
WORK Meister S1R F.18×9J R.18×9J

Photos by Takeshi Yasumasu
Ryuji from "Defcult" (http://defcult.ocnk.net/) wearing our Mask T-Shirt available in our Facebook Store

The Honda Civic Type R MUGEN debuted in 2010 to near-universal acclaim, and a 20-strong limited edition production run of the hand-built, motorsport-derived machines went on sale to UK enthusiasts.

Now technicians at Northampton-based MUGEN Euro have worked their magic again, producing a unique version with even more power and torque.

The cylinder bore and stroke have been increased to create an overall capacity of 2,156cc, so the car has been christened the Honda Civic Type R MUGEN 2.2.

The result of the change is a boost in engine output from 240 to 260PS, and additional torque is available throughout the rev range. Peak torque is now 240Nm at 6,000rpm. Compared to a standard Honda Civic Type R, both power and torque are up 30 per cent.

When coupled to the host of motorsport-derived components created exclusively by MUGEN – including sports suspension, uprated brakes and a stunning performance bodykit – the MUGEN 2.2 represents the ultimate expression of the Honda Civic Type R philosophy.

It has been created as a fitting tribute to the highly successful Honda K20 2.0-litre petrol engine, which has ceased production in Japan. Homologated by MUGEN as an FIA Group N race series engine, the K20 has long been the powerplant of choice with tuners and motorsports competitors who want the very best in naturally aspirated performance.

Moreover, it has been at the very heart of everything MUGEN Euro has achieved since the company was formed in 2006. Its skilled engineers have built or tuned almost 400 examples for race and rally competitors around the world.

The Honda K20 engine has also powered the only two complete road cars produced by MUGEN; the Honda Civic MUGEN RR four-door saloon sold in Japan, plus the limited Honda Civic Type R MUGEN sold in the UK.

Hiro Toyoda, vice-president of MUGEN Euro, commented: “Environmental pressures mean naturally aspirated engines are rapidly being superseded by other engine architectures and technologies. We may never see the like of the K20 in a mainstream production car again, so felt it only fitting we mark the occasion with this special 2.2 version of the Honda Civic Type R”.

Plans for the 2.2 car have yet to be finalised. Of the 20 limited edition 2.0-litre cars launched in 2010, four remain unsold and it’s possible MUGEN Euro may offer them with the reworked engine. Existing owners could also be invited to return their cars for an upgrade. A decision on these two proposals is expected to be made shortly

As part of the launch of the all-new 2012 Honda Civic; Honda Canada assembled a cross country 5 city tour to promote the vehicles. In addition to the 2012 models Honda created a club atomsphere at every venue with some of the top acts around; for Montreal the event featured Grammy-Nominated Wolfgang Gartner. As part of the spectical, certain modified Civic owners were able to showcase their work by invite only. As the music bumped into the night and based on conversations with the crowd this was definitely an event enjoyed by all and even for the people who only came out for the show; many left with an all new respect for modifying cars.

Thanks to Honda Canada and Club Civic Quebec

Photoshoot with Marco's 2006 Honda Civic last week. I was told this car was put back together for the Honda Indy 2011 and the owner decided to continue to mod it. I've seen this car at many different car shows before but I never got to meet the owner until now. The exterior is a mix of onderground and B*Magic along with carbon pieces here and there thanks to NextMod. Same goes for whats under the hood as well, a mix of Fujita intake, skunk2 intake manifold, T1R catback, controlled with a AEM F/IC piggyback. Skunk2 and Cusco makes up majority of the suspension and brace parts. Sponsored by VIP Status wheels and Sailun Tires, Marco used the RG3 wheels and the Atrezzo Z4+AS all seasons. The rest?? Well, see the photos for yourself!

By: Spyder01

Wheel alignments are one of the most important services you can get for your car period. Not only will they help make your car stay true to the road but it also ensures that your vehicle does not pull to one side versus another and helps maintain tire wear.

What is a wheel alignment? It's actually exactly as it sounds, wheels alignments are the adjustment of 3 primary angles which are relative to each other and to the car body. These adjustments are the camber, caster and toe. The process of a wheel alignment is usually completed on a specialized alignment rack where your vehicle gets equipped with 4 temporary wheel reflectors which will provide real-time feedback to the computer to identify what your current angle settings are and what's needed to adjust. In this particular case we were using a Hunter 3D alignment rack.

The real-time visuals provide the mechanic the necessary information to make adjustments to your vehicle to ensure that all wheels are angled correctly for your suspension setup and road conditions; in this example the car was primarily setup for street use and required heavy adjustment to the toe angles as both wheels were pulling outward; we've also noted the driver side rear can no longer be adjusted as it's reached the maximum allowance and will require a new aftermarket toe link to ensure a perfect alignment. The aftermarket industry is full of high quality parts to help ensure perfect alignment for any setup and can be adjusted for your car whether it's your daily driver, drift car or hella flushed.

The JDM tuning scene in North America has a life of its own as it continues to grow; but still, where would we be without the pioneers in Japan who got our scene to where it is today? We decided to do some searching and find out how our peers over seas are tuning cars today.

One of the most common tuning cars in the world is the 1996-2000 Honda Civic. The EK code name for the 96-00 Civic may be  familiar around JDM enthusiasts but for those who may not know; this is the branding code each 96-00 Civic received as it rolled off the assembly line from Honda. The chassis codes can range by engine type and body style from 1 to 9 and that's where we start today; with an exceptional EK9 from Garage K and K.

Yuya, like most of us started with the exterior; he decided to remove the OEM JDM front end for something much different and unique; Canadian? The car was fitted with an Acura 1.6 EL front end swap brought over from Canada as it was not sold in Japan. He continued his North American mods including the mirrors and shorter CX spoiler all of which were color matched to the car. The Civic Type-R feel was maintained with a custom lip install and side skirts. On the interior Yuya kepts the North American feel going with changing some dash plugs and vents to swapping in the 1.6 EL visors and Acura air bag. The B16B engine was massaged with Integra Type-R internals and AEM Intake and 5Zigen exhaust. One of the most impressive pieces in Yuya's car was his choice of wheels; 11 to be exact (4x HRE HR504 and 7x Hayashi Racing Equipment which were discontinued in the early 80's)

Regardless of location Yuya's EK is one of the cleanest around and as we continue to live the JDM lifestyle in North America perhaps the next trends are closer than we think.

Mod List:

Performance/

B16B-kai 1800cc

ITR conrod

ITR crankshaft

ITR piston

5zigen exhaust

AEM intake

Exedy fly wheel

Exedy clutch

Alminium Radiator

Not tuck not shaved

Exterior/

CDM EL Face conversion

CDM EL 99-00 Grill

CTR Front lip spoiler(mod install)

CTR Rear under spoiler

USDM CX Rear Wing

USDM Door Thin Moldings(match body color)

USDM Door mirrors

Smoke Glass(Standard JDM EK9)→Green Glass conversion

Porsche Slate gray mettalic all paint

Interior/

JDM S2K Red Leather Seats

JDM SIR Leather Steering

CDM EL Airbag

CDM Sunvisors

UKDM AC vent(asymmetry USDM AC vent)

USDM AC vent plug

USDM AC vent Dimmer switch

USDM mirror control switch delete plug

USDM Si Tweeters

JDM Power Window unit→USDM Manual window conversion(Trim & unit)

Door trim change s2k red leather material

Defi Water & Oil Temp/Oil-Press Gauges

Pioneer CD player

Pioneer Door Speakers

Suspension/Brake

Buddy Club Race spec dumper

Change springs late

BLOX Front upper arm

BLOX LCA

Hyakushiki Rear Adjustable camber rod

NA1 Front Brake Calipers

ARP long stud bolt

Wheels/Tires

Front:

HRE  HRE504 16x8.5J+8(over 20years discontinued)

Custom Rebarrled & Redrilled(130→114.3）

Pirelli NERO 195/40R16

Rear:

Hayashi Racing Equipment HR504 16x9.5+22(included 10mm spacer)(early 80's discontinued)

Custom Redrilled(120.65→114.3）

Pirelli NERO 215/40R16

Photos by: Koremoto Nobutaka, Masayuki Ishibashi andYuya Yasunari

Photos and Article by: Jason Hoang

Ryan O’ Hara’s import hobby began 8 years ago. His first car was a 1988 Honda CRX DX. After he blew the headgasket, he swapped a ZC into it and did an auto to manual conversion. Since then, he’s moved on to this 2004 Honda Civic SiR you see now. It started off like everyone else’s project car with rims and suspension. The craving didn’t stop there though, it eventually led to a lip kit and the infamous carbon fiber pieces with the occasional engine mod here and there.

3 years ago, Ryan felt the car was completed but it was far from that. He wasn’t happy with the usual. At that point over the winter Ryan put together the whole JDM front-end conversion, JDM Recaros, and his first taste of Volks – CE28 White with Red lip limited edition. At that point he felt it was done again, unfortunately for his wallet this was not the case. He eventually added a new DC race header and the shiny new Greddy Spectrum Elite exhaust, a new hood, a bigger more aggressive Mugen wing to replace his CTR wing and a fresh new set of Volk RE30’s in the limited edition formula silver.

Is he done now? Not so fast, his future plans are to finish up his new suspension set up with the CTR rear swaybar, new endlinks, beaks car and skunk2 lower control arms. The greatest thing about Ryan’s car? It has been a daily driver that sees Calgary winters each year and rolls hard during the summer. Now he’s got a Honda Element to take the place of his beautiful EP3.

Exterior:

Engine:

• HKS super power flow intake
• DC Sports race header
• Greddy Spectrum Elite catback exhaust
• O2 sim
• Spoon Sports engine torque
• T1R purple oil cap
• T1R reservoir socks
• J’s Racing rad cap
• Custom candy-teal valve cover

Suspension and Wheels:

• 17×7.5+43 Volk RE-30 in limited edition Formula Silver
• 215/45/16 Falken Azenis RT-615
• Muteki lug nuts
• Tein Basic coilover
• SPC camber kit
• J’s Racing front strut bar

Brakes:

• Powerslot front rotors
• Hawk HPS front pads
• Hawk HPS rear pads
• SS brake lines
• Motul fluid

Interior:

• JDM EP3 CTR Recaro seats
• Takata harness
• Alex titanium shift knob
• JDM CTR shift boot
• Pioneer deck

Photos by: Soulessphoto
Article by: Nelson Q.

First and foremost, this is the first incarnation of this “project” or “build” or whatever you want to call it. Most featured cars are done or … done-ish when they get featured. Not this one, this 93 Civic DX gracing the pages of InTuned is in the process of receiving quite the facelift, so while it’s already amazing and hella fast….it’s only gonna get better and faster. Scary.

Let’s give a little insight on Andre Bourne, owner of this vehicular masterpiece. Andre is your typical hardcore Honda guy, he’s gone through all the phases, from the early days of Altezza taillights(lol) to the now hardcore JDM movement.  You see, while some of us dream of Ferrari and Lambos and Skylines, a Milano Red Honda Civic Hatchback is Andre’s dream car. Yeah…this is it. And when his first Milano Red goodness was totaled one early Saturday morning by a grandmother driving a big Cadillac(no offense to any elderly drivers reading this.-NQ) Andre decided to come back with a vengeance.

He got his hands on this 93 DX, it was already converted to RHD by the previous owner, and while being weary of conversions, he decided to give it a shot. His first motor was the B16 in his previous hacth, had that for while and with plans of going LS/Vtec-Turbo he swapped in a B18B, and quickly added a few more ponies with the help of a Spooling Performance manifold and Garret T3/T4 Turbo. To make sure the engine didn’t implode itself due to newly acquired compressed and then intercooled air, he opted for a set or R/C 440cc injectors along with Earl’s SS fuel lines. To add some flair to the now more “boosted” engine bay, he custom coated the valve cover, tucked all the wiring along with a relocated fuse box and even hid an Odyssey PC680 battery under the dash. End result is an engine bay so fresh and clean you can literally eat off of it…..but I wouldn’t advice you do so because you know…that’s just weird.

Let’s go back for a second and mention that custom coated valve cover, as you can see it’s white, and it matched his first set of wheels, and this Civic has seen many, first set were GAB Sport wheels in the traditional white finish, but as you can see in the pics those are now gone and a classy set of super clean Mugen M7 wheels took their place (oh btw those have been sold by the publishing of this article and something much better is in the works  -NQ)  Poking behind the polished face of the wheels are Willwood 4-Piston calipers in the front and an Integra GSR rear disk conversion to get rid of outdated brake drums. After drooling on such awesome wheel/brake combo, you start drooling some more at the authentic Backyard Special front lip, I think Backyard Special is THE front lip to get for an EG chassis, it just looks right at home and so so sexy.

Now, there’s a splurge of JDM parts to mention, but let’s get a little American made quality in the mix, with the help of pair of Status seats and to round out the suspension, an ASR subframe brace to add some reinforcement to the rear along with an ITR 23mm sway bar.
A lot of tuners will be happy with this, I would, but not Andre. You see, the motor was swapped out shortly after the snapping of these pics(on a cold Miami night ?-NQ) and something much bigger and better is in the works, it’s safe to say this car has another go-around at InTuned and the secret works shall not be revealed. So until next time!

Photography by KC Photography
Editorial by Ryan Jones

As the JDM lifestyle continues to grow in North America there are many modifications that the tuners in Japan make but they haven’t fully caught on here yet. For example how many times have you seen a modified mini van? or have seen a Japanese car with straight pipe exhaust the height of the car sticking out the sides? All of these are modifications which aren’t entirely uncommon in Japan but haven’t completely caught on here. What’s unique about Japan is that all the people that modify cars are into it because that is what they love. They do not stereotype, they do not call each other ricers and most don’t hate on other people cars because they understand what kind of effort and money goes into building a car; most of all they respect that each person builds their car for themselves.

Over the past year I’ve noticed that this isn’t entirely true in North America. While competitors shine their cars, proud to show off their builds it’s not uncommon for ‘haters’ to share their dislikes ‘that vent is stupid’ or ‘that car is rice’ most of whom do not own a car of their own.

At Intuned Online it is important for us to share all kinds of cars in the JDM lifestyle, we understand that not every car will be built the same way and that’s the way we like it. How boring would life be if every car looked the same; I’m pretty sure most of you are like me and got into this sport just because you didn’t want to drive the same car as your neighbor.

This week’s feature car not only shows off the JDM merchandise but it’s built exactly the way the owner wanted it. Kevin’s 03 Civic started its life stock but soon transformed into his version of a Honda Civic. The exterior of the car retained its metallic black finish with the addition of a Type-R grill, JDM headlights, the appearance of the car was also made lower with a type-b front under spoiler and Kaminari side skirts. The added aggressiveness was provided with custom vinyl samurai’s on each side of the Civic.

The engine received a boost with a variety of products from Top Fuel Japan, DC Sports and Buddy Club as the interior was worked over in carbon fiber and some custom painting; the OEM steering wheel was replaced by a removable NRG race wheel. As this car often races through tight corners, the stock seats just wouldn’t do; they were swapped out for a pair of Buddy Club buckets with some Takata harnesses. The car received its stance from a Progress coil over kit which definitely suits the car sitting on a set of bronze Work Emotions.

We like Kevin’s Civic just the way it is and want to encourage every tuner out there that trends come and go and within every trend there are hundreds of different styles. The best thing to do if you’re working on a project or planning to get one soon is to just follow what you like, build your ride for yourself and you can’t go wrong.

Make: Honda
Model: Civic
Edition: 4 door EX
Year: 2003

SPONSOR

• Work Wheels
• NRG Innovations
• Redline Design
• Effect apparel
• Dunlop
• Amplified Expressions
• Meguiars

EXTERIOR

• JDM Type R Front Grill
• JDM Headlights
• Lamin – X Yellow Headlight Films
• Type B Front Lip
• Kaminari Side Skirts
• Type B Rear Lip
• Anime Female Samurai Vinyl Graphics by Redline Design
• Tsunami Roof Spoiler
• Datum1 Rear Tow Hook
• Japanese License Plate

INTERIOR

• Custom Painted Trims ( ’01 Civic Coupe Rally Red )
• Woodview Red & Black Carbon Fiber Dash Overlay
• Broadway 240mm Rear View Mirror
• ATI Gauge Pod
• Glow Shift A/F Ratio Gauge
• Glow Shift Volt Gauge
• NRG Short Hub
• NRG Ver.2 Quick Release
• NRG Steering Wheel
• Top Fuel Shift Knob
• Project Mu Pedals
• Buddy Club Bucket Seats
• Bride FO – Type Seat Rails
• Takata 4 Point Harnesses
• Takata Shoulder Pads
• ACC Red Floor Mats
• Alpine Head Unit
• 12” JL W3 Subs ( x 2 )
• 2 Channel Kicker Amp

ENGINE

• Top Fuel Power Chamber Intake
• Top Fuel Cat-back Exhaust
• Top Fuel Oil Catch Can
• Top Fuel Oil Cap
• Ruby Red Valve Cover
• Carbon Fiber Spark Plug Cover
• DC Sports 4 – 1 Ceramic Header
• DC Sports Battery Tie Down
• Custom Heat Shield
• Buddy Club Condenser
• Buddy Club Radiator Cap
• Tein Hood Dampers

HANDLING

• Progress Competition Series Coilovers
• Rotora Drilled & Slotted Front Rotors
• Hawk Performance HPS Brake Pads
• DC Sports Upper Front Strut Bar
• DC Sports Rear Low Tie Bar
• CorSports Upper Rear Strut Bar
• Eibach Front & Rear Adjustable Camber Kit
• Work Emotion XT7 17 x 7 ( Bronze )
• Work Emotion XT7 Center Caps
• Work RS Light Weight Lug Nuts
• Work Valve Stems
• Dunlop Direzza 205/40/17