There isn't a set formula on how to build a car worthy of a feature in a magazine. Execution usually reigns supreme over trends and subjective style choices. That being said, it still isn't very often that a car with no exterior modifications whatsoever fills the pages of a major publication. At first glance, Eloy Way's '93 DX hatch looks like your little sister's ride to school in the morning. The only aftermarket part apparent to the naked eye is the set of 16x7 Mugen M7's that it rolls on. Even the M7's design is classic enough that they could be easily mistaken for stock from a distance. The interior has also been carefully planned to fit right in with the modest aesthetic theme of the car. The only changes in this street fighter's cockpit are a pair of ITR Recaro seats and a Momo steering wheel. After seeing the rest of the car, most would be shocked to see what lurks under the hatch's hood.
When the hood latch pops, you'll instantly see red. We're talking about a red valve cover of course, the trademark of the venerable DC5 Integra Type R's K20A powerplant. A custom header and intake made by the boys at Smoothlinez coupled with a full Toda top end and the essential Hondata K-Pro produces 237 hp and 158 lb-ft of torque at the wheels. So far, the power has been good for a 12.20 run on the strip at Pomona.
This car is a combination of mostly OEM parts with a couple of aftermarket goodies here and there. Stock exterior, OEM interior and a relatively stock motor don't usually add up to a 12-second magazine feature car. Next time you're in South El Monte, Calif., don't let Eloy and his EG catch you off guard at a stoplight. You'll likely be in for a major disappointment.
Honda Tuning: When did you buy your EG? What were your intentions for the car initially?
Eloy Way: We got the car 'cause it was cheap. We picked it up for $1500 back in '97 for a commuter. The car was a mess; the body was destroyed. We drove it around for a couple years stock. That didn't last too long.
Ht: What changed your mind about the car's purpose?
Ew: After driving it stock for a while, we eventually realized how slow a virgin DX is and decided to start putting bolt-ons on it. That also has its limits. Eventually, we just stripped down the car and started the build.
Ht: You've been saying "we" a lot. Whom are you referring to?
Ew: I'm talking about the guys at my shop Smoothlinez: Tony, Rick, and me.
Ht: So you went straight from the D15 to the K20?
Ew: At one point, we put a GSR motor in it, but that wasn't enough either, so the K went in about a week later. Back in 2001, the K-series had just come out, there weren't many swaps out there yet. We even had to wait for the Hasport mount kit to be made before we could install the motor.
Ht: Speaking of the motor, where did you guys track that down way back then?K's were hard to come by in their early days, especially a Type R.
Ew: We have contacts overseas. We imported the motor directly. One of the guys who works here [has a] girlfriend who works in logistics in Japan or something like that. Whatever - we got it.