Drew Airine's 2006 TSX
Finding that special something you love can be a never-ending quest of crushing disappointment or soaring success. When one finds it, enough is never really enough--the love never dies. For some, that love might be a brand of clothing, for others a steak at their favorite restaurant. But for Drew Airine--AKA "That TSX Guy"--his passion is Accords (the same platform as the TSX, for the noobs). He's never owned anything but, and who knows if he ever will break his Accordiction, but for the time being The TSX Guy is sticking with what he knows best.
It all started back in 2000 when Drew came up on his first Accord--a surprisingly mint, but hand-me-down 1985 version that ended up in his hands thanks to his Aunty. He was stoked, and the Accord felt loved like never before. It was, in Drew's opinion, "the coolest thing ever." It's amazing that a first car can inspire such shock and awe. He had no idea, however, that the coolest thing ever wasn't even close to the cars he would be driving a few years down the road.
Until now, Drew's cars had all been bone stock, the closest thing to aftermarket parts were the air fresheners inevitably dangling from his rearview. This all changed when he laid his eyes on the 2006 arctic blue TSX that would soon be his own. "Lady luck must have been on my side," Drew said, "Because when I was ready to buy, they had the exact model I wanted on the lot. I went in and boom, boom, boom--done deal." If only the rest of life was that simple.
And wouldn't you know? Drew loved the TSX so much that he bought another one--in the same color and year, but automatic--to be his daily driver while he preened and prepped the OG TSX to be the show car of a lifetime. "I get a lot of flak from people who ask me why the hell I would buy the same car in the same color," Drew said. "To them I say, why not? I love the TSX platform, and all my parts, from intakes to exhausts, are interchangeable. I never have to worry about getting a part painted, or having to buy new ones." Makes sense. Let's just hope he doesn't park them next to each other in his two-car garage.
Back to the build of a lifetime, Drew decided that he didn't want a speed/power build. It didn't make sense to him, living on an island with no track, to tweak his engine. Not to mention that he fell in love with nearly every Mugen part he saw. So to hell with power, this car would be the show queen to end all show queens; all he needed now was the cash to do it--or credit. Friendly creditors were more than happy to loan Drew the money--for a price. "Thanks Visa, American Express, and MasterCard," said Drew. Though he may be paying interest for the rest of his life, at least he's got some sick parts to show for it. The sickest part on the TSX is in fact not a beauty piece, but his third-ever-in-the-U.S. Air Runner suspension. "The first 3 sets from Air Runner came to Hawaii," said Drew, "Some dude with a black TSX got the first set, a friend of mine the second, and I have the third." Though show worthy, Drew finds his suspension really comes in handy for steep inclines, or those nasty, body scratching speed bumps.
But what about his daily driver TSX? Does it feel left out, or jealous of the Mugen beauty queen that sucks up most of Drew's cashflow, or is it happy to just be driven? "I hardly ever drive my show car," Drew said, "To this day it only has about 10,000 miles on the clock, so my auto TSX gets a lot of drive time."
With the Hot Import Nights show rapidly approaching during December of 2008, Drew scrambled to source his parts and make sure that everything made it in time to be installed and tuned adequately. "I really wanted to get my car in the HIN show, so I just started buying parts left and right, praying they made it in time," Drew said. Had it not happened, Drew's car never would have placed 3rd in the JDM aftermarket category, and he never would have taken his build a little further with each trip to the shop. "I really learned what it takes to have a stand out show car from HIN," Drew said.
As The TSX Guy continues his identical builds--top secret for the time being, according to Drew--he continues to be inspired by cars around him, whether those owned by Team Revision (his club) or others in mags or around town, one thing is for sure--he's not finished. "I'm thinking about tracking my auto TSX, since I don't think the suspension on my OG is fit for the track, but its up in the air," said Drew. "I do have some new wheels that I've ordered, but that's all I'm saying for now. As for Drew's "top secret" projects, we'll all just have to wait and see. Keep your eyes peeled on the forums or the streets for The TSX Guy. He won't be hard to spot.