What qualifies one's ride as JDM? Everyone has a different perception. For some, it means obtaining that rarified, overseas-only doodad that only they will ever know exists underneath their hood. For others, only by boxing up a right-hand-drive sled and having it shipped straight to their doorstep may true JDM-ness be realized. Southern California resident Ryan Ordinario's '90 Civic Si falls somewhere in between the two, but damn near close to the latter.
Ordinario picked up his Si nearly five years ago with the sole intent of creating his own version of a JDM masterpiece. Aside from the whole left-hand-drive thing, little else indicates this Civic wasn't born and bred in Honda's homeland.
Smitten by the show car scene, Ordinario saw to it that the Civic undergo a complete JDM transformation. The overseas '88-to-'91 Civic SiR was emulated, and anything and everything SiR was quickly sourced. The front clip was swapped out with its foreign brethren's muscled-up hood, fenders and bumper. SiR-only headlights, marker lights and turn signals further distinguish this Civic from the pack. The hatchback conveys JDM from any angle, from the Vision side mirrors to the unique rear bumper to the taillights adorned with the Special Edition garnishes that make Ordinario smile every time he looks at them. As for the inside, open the door, plant yourself into any one of the SiR seats and you immediately know this hatchback emanates JDM.