Justin Removed the Rice & Doubled the Horsepower
For me Justin’s Civic is one of the nicest in the Netherlands and he really deserved this interview. He’s installed a lot of rare parts and doubled the horsepower by swapping the original 1.5L engine for a Japanese TYPE-R engine. This is an interview with a really passionate owner of a beautiful ’93 Civic.
Hi Justin, can you introduce yourself?
Of course I can! My name is Justin, and I am living in the Netherlands. I am 21 years old, always on the road delivering schoolbooks in Belgium and the Netherlands, and a total Honda lover. The love for Honda started at early age. Never knew why I had so much love for this make, but I can’t drive any other car than a Honda for my own.
First of all, I really like your car! Can you tell us what you’re driving?
Thank you! I am driving a ’93 Honda Civic DXI. This is a Hatchback originally with a 1.5 SOHC engine. I never wanted to keep my engine original, so I had to install a 1.6L Type-R to get the horsepower I wanted. I went from 90hp to 185hp.
I found your topic on the Internet, I saw pictures of the car at the moment you bought it. Why did you buy an orange car with tuning bumpers, angel-eyes and BMW mirrors?
This question makes me laugh a bit. Four years ago, I just started to get in the Honda scene. When I bought the car, I didn’t even have my driver’s license yet. So without looking around how the car styling was developing, I felt in love with an orange Civic with different bumpers and stuff like that. After three weeks, I broke the front bumper and decided to make the car back to its original state.
So, tell us, what did you modify so far?
Everything you can think of. At first I started to get some new OEM bumpers and get the car as far as possible back to its original state. After, I wanted to give the car a total new paint job because the wheel arches were rusted, and I wanted to get rid of it. Since that time until now, I’ve spent more money on the car then I thought I would. Haha. Over those four years, I bought rare and expensive parts for my car; like, Sparco Evo2 race seats, or a rare AIT carbon roof, or the Original Spoon spoiler, and Seibon hood/trunk. I always wanted to be original as far as I could with this Civic. I never wanted to have a look alike of another car. That’s why I buy expensive and rare parts. It is like an addiction.
That is also a main reason why I bought my 1.6L VTEC engine from Japan, and not a 1.8L engine like most people do when they swap an engine. Just to be original and fast.
Also a lot of smaller parts have been fitted to my car, like a Beaks tiebar or a APE Xbar and a very rare OEM full nose mask (against stone chips etc.) and lots of more. Too much to say if you ask me.
You stripped the whole interior, why?
The main reason for that is weight reduction. Sometimes I do some sprinting at traffic lights with some mates, and it gives you that little difference to get faster sometimes.
Why spend that much money on a ’93 Honda?
That’s a good question. The big reason is because I love the model; I love the scene. I think this model Civic is the best Honda made so far. The best looking and the best model to get parts on. After all, when you spend so much money on a car, there is no way back. So you will have to finish the project if you can. And I did. With this beautiful car as a result.
Is the Honda your daily?
No, this Civic is not my daily ride. My orange Civic only gets out of the garage on a sunny/dry day. I own a second 93 Civic DXI. That would be my daily ride.
I read something about you’re engine. It’s not the ‘normal’ VTEC engine we know right?
Indeed, it is not the common engine you see on the streets. This 185hp engine is imported from Japan. Originally, it sits in the 98-00 Civic Type-R.
I bought this engine to be a little different and because this is the best B-Series Vtec engine Honda built. This engine got different pistons, different cams, different valves, etc., compared with the “normal” B16A1/A2’s you know. As you drive a B16B engine, it just invites you to put the throttle down.
How is it possible that this little non-turbo 1.6 4-cilinder make that much horsepower?
All because of the VTEC. VTEC (Variable Valve Timing and lift Electronic Control) is designed to modify the length of time (duration) and how much valves are opened (lift) during the cycling of an engine. By modifying the duration of valve openings at higher rpms and under different loads and air fuel mixtures, more power can be made. This is not needed at lower RPM or low load situations. So, the Honda engines work at high RPM to get the horsepower, and work easy/economic at low RPM.
What are your future plans with the Civic?
I don’t have any, no more. I’ve had this car four years now and I think it is time to move on. She is up for for sale at this moment. It is hard, but I think it is time to start with a new project.
I saw your Civic is for sale (whyyyyy), how can people contact you?
[Justin gave us his phone number and email address for interested parties, but we don't like to publish those due to spammers. If you would like to get in touch with Justin check out his build threads on CivicClubHolland and Civic-EG.com. ~BD]
And like always: Dooooo you think you are a real gearhead?
Of course I am! =) It is my lifestyle!
Photocredits: Katjana Vrösch, Spil-pics.Be, Edwin Teuben, and myself.
What do you guys think about this Civic? For me this Civic is close to perfect. What do you especially like about this Civic? You can post it down here as a reaction! Thank you. And of course special thanks to Justin for this interview!
