Chris Fowler is a normal Honda guy. He's owned, by his count, about 12 of them in the last decade or so, including three EGs and two EKs current in his stable. He's also owned a '96 GS-R, a '91 Integra and an EF hatch.
Just your average Honda head, then."Right out of high school, I got an '89 hatch," he says, recalling his first attempts taking wrench to automobile. "I didn't know much about cars, but my friend and I went to the library and photocopied a Chilton's manual, then went home and cut my springs. That was my first experience working on Honda."
A not altogether unsuccessful attempt, either. Fowler says that for a while there, he was in high demand for his spring surgery techniques. Fast forward a few years and we find Fowler making his daily rounds in a Nissan 240. He's an equal opportunity enthusiast, but ultimately knows where it all comes home. A guy who runs a local Nissan shop asks Fowler if he's interested in a Honda engine that's been sitting around the shop for awhile.
Fowler gives the JDM Integra Type R motor a quick once over, exchanges a few bills and takes it home, where it ends up replacing the B16A that previously powered the fine '98 CX hatch. He leaves the engine alone for awhile, simply just mates it to the B16A's transmission, which has been upgraded with ACT clutch, pressure plate and flywheel. Then about six months before we set eyes on the EK in May at Tuner Bash After Dark in Seattle, Fowler says the real work began.
First he pulled the B18C and sent it packing to a Tacoma shop that has since closed doors. There it underwent a mild rebuild with Endyn pistons, Wiseco rings and Eagle rods in the bottom end, Jun springs, titanium retainers and Stage 3 cam up top.
"I've put together so many cars now that I just wanted to make it something that would keep me content for a long time," Fowler says of his build-up plan. "For reliability, I went with the all-motor setup."
With the motor pulled and under transformation, Fowler went to work on the suspension, adding Section eight-way adjustable coil-overs. Never heard of Section? The guys at popular Seattle shop Intec Racing explain it's a Japanese company that makes suspension parts for both Silk Road and Spoon Sports (of which Intec is a distributor for both). By good fortune (or canny design), Fowler's roommate works at Intec, affording Fowler the inside scoop on the gear that works and produces results for other enthusiasts.
Complementing the coilover setup are Skunk2 camber kits, Spoon strut tower bars, Civic Si sway bars and Omni Power lower control arms.