Five years ago, Mendoza purchased this sedan with a very specific
plan in mind. He adds, “Initially, I just wanted to install a few
bolt-on parts, drop it, and put on some decent wheels and tires. But
just like every other Honda enthusiast, the mods never really stop once
they start!” Additional upgrades soon made their way to the Civic, and
the natural act of progression continued. However, just like any other
part of the Philippine islands, rain and scattered puddles are a
constant threat. One fateful rain-filled afternoon, Mendoza’s cousin
borrowed the car to head to a local performance shop, and while passing
through a puddle deep enough to submerge the cold-air intake’s filter,
the car completely shut down. He recalls, “I remember it rained really
hard that day, and when the filter took in some water, sure enough, the
motor was blown.” Correcting the carnage caused by Mother Nature’s wrath
would have put quite a strain on Mendoza’s bank account. In fact, at
the end of the day, the monetary total was almost equivalent to that of a
used K-series ITR motor from the legendary DC5. Not one to stand still
and mull things over, the eager builder decided to progress and sourced
the “R” motor after selling off the majority of his car’s earlier
upgrades. With the new motor on its way to the Philippines, Mendoza and a few close friends completely stripped the car down to begin the rebuild process. The chassis was transported to FM Garage, where it was treated to multiple layers of PPG Deltron blue, inside and out. To freshen up the look, a very rare Max Racing front lip, Mugen Type R rear wing, and Spoon aero mirrors were added to the paint booth for a perfect match. Once the fresh paint had cured, a carbon-fiber hood, trunk, and J’s Racing rear diffuser were added for a bit of contrast. Rolling stock was also addressed in the form of 18-inch Volk Racing CE28s with 225/40-18 Advan Neova AD08 tires. Put quite simply, the overall look is deadly. But as we all know, appearance doesn’t mean much without the power to back it up—fortunately Mendoza was already working on the power portion.
FD2 interior, Bride seats, J's Racing steering wheel, and Defi gauges make for a stunning
In stock form, the DC5’s K20 is quite the performer, and Mendoza
was already well aware of its attributes. He turned a blind eye to any
thoughts of a stock motor, and instead, compiled an inventory of go-fast
goods to make his K motor perform even better. With the help of H3
Autoworks, the motor was torn down and reassembled. A Skunk2 throttle
body, cams, valvesprings, and retainers spit fire through a Toda header
and HKS titanium exhaust system at the direction of Hondata’s K-Pro
management system. The combination is good for over 230 whp, and more
than enough to keep Mendoza satisfied when he feels the urge to stab the
gas pedal. Keeping with a balanced theme of performance and appearance,
a color-matched valve cover laced with Circuit Hero’s coil pack cover
was added for visual effect. The interior of Mendoza’s sedan is nothing short of perfection. A complete FD2R interior conversion was performed and highlighted by big-ticket items like a set of Bride Low Max Stradia bucket seats, J’s Racing carbon-fiber/leather steering wheel, and a number of Defi gauges that string elegantly across the car’s dash. Before you point the finger and assume this car is only parked in the garage and taken out for a local car show or perhaps a quick photo shoot, think again. This enthusiast daily drives this car, and yes, he attends car shows, but also puts the car to the test on the track as well. Both circuit and drag racing events have served as playgrounds for Mendoza to put his FD1 to work, with very pleasing results. Killer appearance, a healthy powerplant, daily driving, and track day adventures all rolled into one complete package—that’s how it’s done in Baguio City.
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