Steve Kwan's '96 Civic CX
Most find build inspiration from others by analyzing different projects for their strengths and their weaknesses. Seattle, Washington's Steve Kwan found his inspiration and set the latest standard for the next-generation Honda enthusiast with his sage metallic, K-stuffed EJ6. Like many before him, Steve was inspired by "OGs" from back in the day.
Growing up in Seattle in the early '90s, Steve grew fond of Hondas rolling around on sweet rims pancaked to the ground. Later, he gazed south toward California for ideas by searching numerous Honda forums and developing a taste for all things sporting the H badge. "The OGs led the way for me," he says.
Steve chose the hatchback platform because of its good looks and endless options. "After seeing so many cool hatchbacks, I've always wanted to build one," he says. He traded his '00 Civic Si for a friend's ITR-powered CX hatchback in 2006. After a year he decided to toss in CTR pistons and rods coupled with Skunk2 Stage 2 cams. The new setup lasted only six months before oil began burning, followed by a brief stint of depression.
After working 10-hour shifts, four days a week as a Honda technician, Steve would drive home in his TL, walk past the garage, and go upstairs to his room. His aging Civic sat behind the garage door. He couldn't muster up the strength to work on a Honda, which was all he did...every day...and the thought of the rebuilt ITR engine that took a dump so quickly wasn't one he liked thinking about. Ultimately, he sold it off and contemplated abandoning the project altogether. A year and a half passed when the Honda gods had enough of his agony and sent a bolt of lightning in the form of Steve's close friend, "Toto."
It was sometime during the summer of 2007 when Toto took Steve for a ride in his K-powered hatchback. That fateful drive would change Steve's righteous path forever. "The ride felt like instant power with just basic bolt-ons," he says. Steve found a K20A Type R engine nearby and, after a quick phone call to Toto, they were on their way. "On the way home I thought of all of the parts I needed and talked with Toto about what I would need to make it run," he says. Steve had the car sprayed Lexus IS Desert Sage Metallic inside and out before installing the engine. After one month, and with the help of friends, he cruised the streets of the Gateway to Alaska in a K-equipped hatchback.
"It was a sunny Sunday. I test-drove it by myself. I went down the street and came back up because it was open-header and I didn't want to get in trouble roaming around my house. It felt great because the car hadn't been driven for a year and a half. I was relieved...it felt like a brand-new car," he reminisces.
Steve had a great paintjob and an awesome engine, but he didn't stop there. His newfound motivation took him further than he'd originally imagined. He managed to source the rarest of rare parts mostly because of his close network of friends who happen to source parts from Japan on a regular basis. Among the unique items that prop his EJ6 on a pedestal are CTR manual rear door panels, a Mugen gauge cluster, and a $600 CTR column light. What does a column light do exactly? For six bills, it must do something incredible. Or not. Other than the cash-disappearing magic trick, it lights up the cabin near the ignition--as you'd expect. But these are the features and details that separate Steve's captivating Civic from the rest.
The Civic's come a long way. Steve's determination and friends acted as the driving force behind the eye-catching, brain-stimulating build. "Ever since Toto and I have known each other, our hobbies have been working on cars. You deal with so many people so often that they just become your friend because you share the same interests and expensive hobby," he says.
It's no surprise that Steve's already changed things up. He's since added some extra bling to the engine bay in the form of a polished intake and intake manifold. He also switched out the silver powdercoated Mugen MF10s for a fresh set of magnesium blue Volk CE28N rims.
It's Steve's perseverance that makes his green hatch stand out amongst the crowd. "Save up and buy the right parts. Don't do it the ghetto way," he says. Duly noted.