Terry Suvonnarith's '01 Integra GSR
Peer pressure. It's something we're warned about from the earliest stages of life. Whether it's parents, guidance counselors, or anti-everything campaigns, the idea of avoiding outside influence is pounded into our heads throughout the majority of our scholastic careers. We're trained to ignore that little devil on our shoulder and do our best to steer clear of the various traps that pepper our daily lives. This is, of course, for our own protection, but at times it's that very pressure that can actually have a positive effect in the long run. Terry Suvonnarith of Seattle, WA, was plagued by thoughts of giving up on his long-term GSR project, but eventually found that the pressure was far too intense to deny.
In late 2001, Honda introduced the RSX under the Acura banner as a replacement for the ultra-successful Integra chassis. Boasting more power than its predecessor, Terry had thoughts of purchasing the next generation sport coupe. He recalls, "The RSX was just coming out. After looking at the RSX and the Integra, I ended up going with this car because I got a killer deal on it that I just couldn't pass up. Plus, it was silver, and I already knew I'd be installing a JDM front-end on it!" With the seductive "new car smell" occupying its cabin, Terry headed home with his new love and began brainstorming his next move.
In the midst of making minor changes to the GS-R, tragedy struck in the form of serious body damage. While backing out of his driveway during one of Seattle's cold spells, a layer of ice on his driveway managed to push the Integra right into the side of another car. The nauseating metal-on-metal sound sent chills down Terry's spine, and for a moment, hopelessness set in. However, that feeling was quickly swept away once the refined JDM front end and fresh re-spray made their way to the chassis. To add even more character to the makeover, the body shop shaved the factory emblems, added keyless door handles, and color matched an ultra-rare Feel's front lip. To separate himself from the usual 15- and 16-inch wheel crowd, a set of 18-inch Racing Hart C2s made their way under the arches. If you've ever thought to yourself that anything larger than 17-inch rollers would look silly on an Integra, Terry's masterpiece most likely shattered that idea into a million pieces.