‘Give a man a body kit and he will look cool for a day. Give him a sheet of raw carbon fiber and he will look cool for a lifetime. ‘
Masato Nitta Lives through this philosophy and he has built a carbon cap in one piece for his EK9 Honda Civic Type R to prove it. Although this ancient Japanese proverb people uses in the context of humanity; Everyone can live according to this philosophy.
During my most recent trip to the south to the Kansai region in Japan, I was planning to see the local Civic Scene in Nara, in particular a coordination store called Real Company. Unfortunately, the day before the shoot a crew of road workers on the street outside the store fell, so that we limit access, so we have to try it another time.
Because I didn’t want to return home with just one position, I started to report my local contacts, asking if anyone knew an interesting car that I could shoot right away. My good friend Park-San came to the rescue. He works at Tommykaira, has two Civics and knows just about every modified Honda in the Kansai region who knows it is worth it.
After a few “Sorry, I can’t make it” Messages from different owners, Masato-San contacted me to say that he would defy the snowstorm and drive across the mountains from Nara to Mie Prefecture and my location near Suzuka Circuit. I was already frozen at the time and the long drive home did not look nice at all, so I warmed up in my rental car with the stove full and waited until Masato-San arrived.
Over the years I have shot a few civics, from Pandem-ordered cars to sedans with a hatch, but nothing goes beyond one Kanjo -racer-Pec ef, EG or EC with a good Livrei.
Real Company has not built Masato-San’s citizen, but they are good friends. Nara is just a stone’s throw from Osaka and the legendary Kanjo -Lus, where for decades Civics fiercely raced, apart and too smart and the police are getting rid of it. But we come again in the rich history of that subculture we look at the Build of Masato-San for now …
The Livrei is of course inspired by Scuderia Alphatauri F1, who switched to the use of Honda engines in 2018 (as Toro Rosso) even though it is an Italian team. Honda, as a motorcycle supplier, is synonymous with F1, so having an exterior with an F1 theme is very cool.
However, the party piece is the brilliant front of the carbon fiber. Instead of replacing the fenders, bonnet and bumper with ready-made parts, Masato-San went off the do-it-yourself route and made a carbon cap in his home garage.
First Masato-San prepared the surface, sealed the panel hiates before he lays down fiber optic to make a mold. That fungus was then used to make the piece of one carbon fiber. It doesn’t have to hinge; It is light enough for Masato-San to simply lift and place next to the car. I am sure that a normal person would drive crazy, but when a ‘racing car is life’, it probably never gets old.
Under the carbon cap is the original 1.6L DOHC VTEC B16B of the EK9, which is now on stiffer Cusco engine confirmations and benefits from the racing Tsuchinoko room in a J and a Rom-coordinated ECU.
The interior is Pure Civic Street Fighter Spec, a roll-cage with six points that acts as a chassis amplifier and each ounce of unnecessary weight. That means no air conditioning, no cup holders and certainly not an audio system.
The back is reinforced with a tube frame under the floor pan, all welded by Masato-San. A towing cable is proudly exhibited, not as a recognition of an inevitable demolition, but as a will of willingness to erase the highway in the event of accidents. It is, “If something ever happens, I am willing to escape from the police even if my motorcycle is blown up.” Live according to the code, split by the code.
Buddyclub P1 Racing Wheels show on all four corners, wrapped in Dunlop Direzza V01 ZIII 190/600R15 Semi-Slicks that are specifically manufactured for the Japanese Zeta Kit Car One-Make Race series.
Improved stop capacity comes from a set of NSX -Voorremrandrem. Honda parts are even more LEGO-like than Subaru parts, it seems.
I wish I had more time with Masato-San and his Civic, but I had to leave him at 10 p.m. with a four-hour drive home in front of me. Perhaps one day I will ride a wheel Kleine Honda like this around a circuit or the Kanjo loop itself, but I was quite happy that I was home in a toasted rental car at this ice-cold occasion.
Toby Thyer
Instagram _Tobinsta_
Tobythyer.co.uk
