Type-R Fan
Civic Hatchback 1996
Owner: Romeo Palacio
Photographer: Tracy Stocker
Source of Feature Article by Dan Frio: Honda Tuning Magazine
With a Web browser, some choice bookmarks and a wide-open credit card, you could build an EK9-vintage Civic Type R copy in months. Respect, then, to the early hunters who did it with just a few choice phone numbers and a trusted handshake. Patience. Perseverance. The long haul. You could use any of these terms to describe Romeo Palacios' approach to building his '96 hatch, a near dead-on JDM Type R conversion. He didn't do it overnight with a fat wallet, but rather over years of planning, tweaking, refining, making contacts, sourcing parts. Palacios has old school attitude, largely because he is old school. A native Los Angeleno, Palacio moved to Chicago 13 years ago for work. What he thought would maybe be a one-year deal has turned into an extended stay.
Engine
Hasport mounts secure a K20 engine swap with TODA valvetrain. Breathing aids include a custom intake with HKS filter, a DC5 Type R intake manifold with R-Crew high-volume intake adapter, and a throttle body also from a DC5 Type R. Exhaust is pumped out through an R-Crew race header, high-flow cat and a Skunk2 cat-back exhaust. A PWR radiator handles cooling duties.
A Walbro pump delivers fuel through braided steel lines to an AEM fuel rail and RC 550 cc injectors. NGK Iridium plugs light the fire while Hondata K-Pro engine management orchestrates the mapping. An otherwise stock transmission is lightly modified with an Exedy carbon clutch and lightened flywheel, Quaife limited-slip and Hasport axles good up to 400hp.
Evidence
Palacios says he's making 230hp at the wheels, good for a personal best of 12.5 in the quarter.
Exterior
JDM Civic Type R touches all around, with EK9 Type R rear spoiler, front lip, side skirts, rear lip, side markers, head and tail lamps, and Raybrig fogs.
Interior
More EK9 inspiration includes Momo steering wheel, gauge cluster, carpet, center console and shift boot. Takata 340R harnesses cinch driver and passenger into the red Recaros, while a DC5 shifter and Skunk2 shift knob make it easier to slice through the gears.
Stance and Rubber
The EK rides on TEIN Flex coilovers combined with a Prothane bushing kit and Skunk2 camber kit. The chassis is fortified with a Password JDM three-point strut tower bar in the engine bay, a Skunk2 bar between the rear struts, Skunk2 lower tie bar on the rear crossmember and a Cusco six-point rollcage inside.
Work Emotion wheels sized 17x7.5 fill the hole in Falken Azenis rubber, sized 205/40/17. When Palacios converted to a five-lug hub setup from a DC2 Type R, he swapped in a full DC2-R braking system as well: rotors, calipers, pads, lines, master cylinder and prop valve.
I.C.E
Palacios went the JDM mile on the audio side as well, sourcing Japan-market factory Gathers radio, tape deck and six-disc changer, with Gathers speakers front and rear.
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