Honda Challenge: Civic 2.0

[Kaan]

+2,300 miles later... we have the new Honda Challenge car. Apparently i have a coupe problem. 

Why the 8th Gen? Its K native, they can be had fairly cheaply, parts are everywhere... and in the grand scheme of things, they are the best handling FWD honda outside the golden era or the expensive +10th gen. 

Why did I drive 2,300 miles?!?! This car was purchased 2 years ago as a certified preowned car with a stack of all dealer service. It was built to compete nationally in STX (?) but because of the vid, it never really got used too much. what does STX get me?!?! Redshift Motorsports BC double adjustable coils, all the other minor suspension bits, OSG diff, hondata flash pro, hybrid intake, alpha header, custom exhaust, a spare transmission... 225hp on the dyno... cheaper than I could get a local street car. 

whats left to race? A trip to pipermotorsports (i'm done gambling with cages), TL-S brakes/Master cylinder, 8 more RPF1s (17x8 +45), send my oil pan off (new one) to TracTuff for a baffle, a new final drive (maybe some gear stacks), remount my 9 lives wing, build a splitter, PCI seat mount, NRG hub.... bolt in my old fire suppression, seat, etc. Its going to be a wild off season... 

I need to dial the car in to 200hp, 2725lbs... and go back out and have fun.

[Senor_Taylor]

I'm really digging seeing these newer civics coming into Honda Challenge. Being out there with Maeng feels like I'm racing against some pro driver!

[Kaan]

I'm really digging seeing these newer civics coming into Honda Challenge. Being out there with Maeng feels like I'm racing against some pro driver!

Brian apparently needs a pro motor and/or a pro transmission gear stack

[NTIman]

I'm really digging seeing these newer civics coming into Honda Challenge. Being out there with Maeng feels like I'm racing against some pro driver!

Brian apparently needs a pro motor and/or a pro transmission gear stack

Kaan and I had several conversations earlier this year, before the season started, and maybe even during parts of last season on where he should go in the future as far as race cars. We both kind of knew the Civic was on its last legs even if we had hoped it would last another season or two. 

Those conversations all ended in the same conclusion. A new car was going to be needed to be competitive, and the Golden Era Hondas are 20+ years old. We talked about how E30s and Miatas have skyrocketed in price (and probably plummeted in quality) sin the last 15 years. I also saw the 4-cylinder class at Winchester Speedway get obliterated and cease to exist as Fox Body Mustangs became harder to get. 

We both agreed it was a good idea not to get caught with our pants down so to speak and the 8th gen seemed like the best option. Parts availability and cost are two of the most important things in racing. 

The old car taught us a lot and it's sad to see it go along with a couple years of notes and experience with the chassis, but it'll be a benefit in the long run to become familiar with the newer chassis as eventually more and more people will have to consider adopting the platform in the future.

[Kaan]

Sylvia and I got some work in this weekend on the car... in between watching the nephews...

everything from the steering wheel back has been removed.... loaded in my freshly serviced truck (thanks Jason!) and tossed at the dump. Actaully... not everything. There are SEVERAL braces i removed from the car but kept to possibly add back to the car (its not ballast i swear) if it is needed (weight or structurally). I also have an astonishing amount of wires laying on the floor of the car waiting for ... well something.

this weekend i need to dry ice the car, remove the factory radio/heater core, pull the dash and remount with 2ish bolts... lay out the area for the battery relocation... and figure out the kill switch wiring. I'm also trying to find someone to pull all the glass... i might get into the AC system too.

i'm waiting on my seat mount, TL-S calipers, carbon fiber sunroof plug, oil pan/baffle (its shipped to TracTuff already), my "crazy" final drive... and my 5k CFM wall mounted fan for the garage