1997 Honda Civic – I Get Knocked Down, But I Get Up Again

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Each and every year we give you guys a Honda-dedicated issue to pay homage to the manufacturer that helped paved how for what we largely consider today as being the import scene . Our detractors will claim that every Super Street is actually a Honda Issue but that’s not true. In Hondas, fact and Acuras make up a very small portion of whatever we cover on the larger scale, and we’re very understanding regarding your desire for variety and make an honest effort to honor that. It’s usually a lot of fun because a lot of us started out as Honda owners; a couple of us still are, even though as it pertains time to create a Honda issue. It’s important to remember where we came from so being able to work towards our annual Honda Problem is equally important to us.

Earlier times couple of years have brought out a very diverse crowd of Hondas. From all points across the country and across the Pacific in Japan, our scope is wide and we’re always in search of great Honda builds, irrespective of where they come from. For this year’s edition, we set off to a region that most wouldn’t expect us to look: the Pacific Northwest. Not mainly because they don’t produce dope builds–in fact, it’s quite the contrary. Blame it on crap weather and lack of events for not bringing these cars to light.

01 1997 honda civic 00 spec civic front endmission to the Northwest was to capture two Hondas that are significant to us; one of them being the circuit-inspired Integra Type R the thing is on the cover and the other this utterly timeless creation by Portland resident, Yoon Saechao. We felt that his ’97 Honda Civic was perfectly suited for this year’s Honda Issue because it would be regarded as a quality build no matter what time frame you reference.

And, so, this is where Yoon’s story actually begins: I’ve always wanted a red ’99-00 Civic hatchback, he says. They were crazy expensive back after i was younger so I settled for this ’97 hatchback. 3 months into owning it, I did little things like lower it and installed front/rear lips. I didn’t do anything crazy because I found myself just beginning to learn how to work towards cars at that time. I eventually got the hang of wrenching on my own and chose to do a B16A swap.

Things were going smoothly just for this Civic project until one early morning flipped his world upside down. I used to be getting ready for work once i hear a knock on my door. I opened the doorway to see who it was and was greeted by a police officer. He asked generally if i owned a Honda Civic and I replied that I did. He told me that it had been stolen but was recovered and sitting at a local tow yard. My fiancée and I were in utter shock but were relieved because we hadn’t put the B16 in the vehicle yet. I needed planned to setup it that same week but luckily I didn’t.

1997 Honda Civic – I Get Knocked Downn

I called the tow yard and they told me to create a set of wheels with me because the car had been completely stripped. I was expecting the worst but decided to go check it out anyway. Upon arrival, I saw that it was far from stripped; all that was missing were the radio and some miscellaneous things. It had been still fully operational and so i drove it home that same day. In every honesty, I feel the tow yard was trying to keep my car and totally lied by saying that it was completely stripped so that I wouldn’t come for this. Good thing I went. Yoon was discouraged from concentrating on his Civic after that. Possessing a car obtained from you by thieves quickly changes anyone’s perspective. Handling shady towing companies afterwards only adds to the agony. He credits his fiancée, Cindy, for helping him cope and pushing him to continue on with his project. Thankfully she did because her positive words of encouragement were what ultimately pushed him to create what you see here on these pages today.

Non-Honda people will state that this Civic is nothing special, the casual Honda owners will state that this car looks just like theirs, and also the hardcore Honda aficionados will adore everything regarding this. The key to your everlasting Honda creation is simplicity, rather than in terms of leaving the car with only Japanese OEM parts either–product execution and selection are vital. Later sold it when he acquired an OEM ’00 Civic front end, even though yoon’s Civic has experienced a multitude of changes to its appearance; he started out with Japanese-specific EK4 Civic SiR bumpers. He never did receive the ’99-00 Civic he wanted, so the next best thing was the conversion. Currently, this hatchback features a variety of OEM JDM Civic Type R body parts along with an authentic Mugen Type-SS front lip. The Mugen piece was pretty trashed when he bought it used. He spent the time to restore it to a like-new condition before paint-matching it to all of those other Roma Red body. A Voltex rear spoiler was installed to add more aggressiveness towards the body while Vision side mirrors replace the bulbous stock pieces and streamline the rest of the car.

I Become Up Agai, although 11 1997 honda civic mugen type SS front lip Photo 4/12

If you would like talk simplicity, the less is more approach is just as evident inside of the Civic. All sound-deadening material was removed and the entire cabin area re-sprayed in red. Whatever resembled a plastic interior panel was eliminated combined with the headliner and seats to produce room for the six-point Kirk Racing rollcage. Spoon Sports products made their way inside in the form of a controls and Duracon shift knob. A pair of plush Recaro SRD seats keep Yoon firmly in the driver’s seat where he lives his dreams of someday possessing a ’99-00 Civic vicariously via a 2000 EM1 Civic Si instrument cluster.

Ask any Honda enthusiast what is essential in any prominent Honda build and they will surely tell you that everything comes down to what rests underneath the hood. Not simply is the motor setup significant, the execution of the bay itself can be just as crucial. The B18C5 presently in Yoon’s Civic is his third engine swap in six years; the initial was the B16A that luckily wasn’t stolen and also the second a far more stoutly B20. His ITR swap is the most potent in the three, assembled from the ground-with upgraded valvetrain components, a ported/polished cylinder head and honed block. The unique runner design from the Bisimoto V3 header pulls double-duty in Yoon’s bay with the addition of power and complementing a clean-tucked engine bay. If you find even an electrical harness by any means, whereas the brake lines and 40/40 proportioning valve have been relocated under the dashboard, leaving the firewall completely bare, a Rywire engine harness leaves many wondering.

I Have Up Agai, even though 03 1997 honda civic spoon sports gen 2 steering wheel Photo 5/12

It was built entirely from his garage at home. That is certainly perhaps the greatest aspect of Yoon Saechao’s Civic build. It’s a throwback to the days when all custom vehicles were created with character in a garage, with help from friends and not assembled by a shop. The front end installs, multiple engine swaps, stripping from the interior, installation of new parts, and even paint were all done at his house. The drive that he needed to accomplish his goal of finishing this is from Cindy and his family. They kept me going by reminding me that all the time and money I invested was worthwhile, even though yoon reveals, I almost sold this car and even thought about parting it all out at times. I probably wouldn’t have made it this far.” when it wasn’t for them”