Sick Civic

Building the Ultimate Honda Civic

Benny Saenz had a simple goal. To make a lot of money. No, that's not Benny, that's me. Benny's goal was to spend some money on his car. This longtime automotive enthusiast from Orlando, Florida wanted to build an award-winning import show car. Why does anybody want to do that, you might ask. Well, why does anyone do anything? Because it's fun to build things and certain chicks dig it. Benny knew from the start that his brand-new 1999 Honda Civic hatchback would present a type of challenge, thanks to the car’s popularity on the show circuit. It would have to be extreme if he were to accomplish his goal. One look at the car in the photos, however, will convince you that this car guy was serious about winning.



One of his first goals was to prove the merits of the Honda D16 motor. Certain that it was a powerhouse with the right upgrades, Benny was determined to transform his economical four-cylinder into something that would terrorize the local V-8s. Starting with the basics, the 1600 CC block was bored to 1660 and fitted with Wiseco pistons, Eagle rods, and forged crank. The head was ported and polished and a Crower cam added to increase valve duration. An Edelbrock turbo kit pressurized the system and came complete with intake and exhaust manifolds, blow off valve, and intercooler. A Walbro fuel pump keeps the engine fed while the Fal fan and Fluidyne radiator keep it cool. The trunk-mounted nitrous bottle just adds to the fun. The teams involved in the build up include Delirium Motorsports, Gato Performance, Jo-Tec Performance, and Columbia Tuning. How well this group works together is obvious when you check the dyno numbers. The tiny four-cylinder now cranks out an awesome 380 horsepower! A reinforced 1995 SI five-speed transmission with Exedy Stage II clutch gets the power to the ground while the Big Brake kit from Wilwood guarantees quick stopping power, using 12 inch disks and two-piston calipers. The combination of 18 inch Spyder rims and Toyo tires guarantee both traction and handling.



Once Benny had graced the car with some cojones, you might say, he concentrated on giving it muscular definition. The lines of the Civic were modified with a Japan Products body kit, updating the front, rear, and side skirts along with a scoop molded to the hood and a rear wing from AIT. PIIA projection headlights, custom taillights, and Lambo doors add to the show car look. Sprayed by LA Customs, the color changing, Xotic Colours paint is a five-pigmented formula that shifts from red to gold, giving the car two distinct personalities depending on where you stand. On the hood, the airbrushed dragon was inspired by one of Benny’s tattoos and the rear bumper carries the Dragon’s tail, both painted by Benny’s talented friend, Javier. Custom graphics were added to both side mirrors.





It takes a lot to build a show car. Even after all that work, you're only halfway done. Inside it's even more difficult to wow judges and fellow enthusiasts, interior work is often the most difficult, depending on the level of complexity of course. And complex is what Benny went with. It's a work of audiovisual art really. But before we get to the A/V we have to applaud Benny's decision to go with the plush MOMO bucket seats wrapped in gray suede and fitted with four point seat belts. A MOMO steering wheel and pedals continue the theme. After that it's all about the custom fabrication. There's a lot of great fiberglass work in the car, from the front cabin to the doors to the rear.



The new dash combines a Type R gauge cluster in front of the driver with additional gauges on the passenger side, along with a built-in PlayStation 2 (dude, where's your PS3?! Of course we're joking) where the passenger airbag used to be. The center stack holds the Panasonic CN-NVD905U Strada navigation system that also provides AM/FM, CD, and DVD playback, along with iPod and Bluetooth connectivity. The head unit runs through the pair of Crossfire amps mounted on top of the huge rear seat enclosure. The Crossfire VR2000D (2000W at 2 ohms) energizes the three 10" Hertz Audio sub woofers in the rear hatch while the second Crossfire VR404 (400W X 4 at 2 ohms) powers the front stage, consisting oaf pair of 5.5" Hertz coaxials in the doors as well as Orion components in the rear hatch.



The Strada also sends the video signal to all nine monitors in the car, beginning with the pair of 10.2" TFT LCD sun visors and the rearview mirror. Both Lambo doors have 5" monitors and, in the rear hatch, a motorized panel unfolds to reveal three additional Fahrenheit screens.



Tsunami crossovers, wiring, and fuses ensure solid protection and connectivity while the 150 amp alternator and Optima Yellow Top battery keep everything powered up. The all-encompassing enclosure that replaces the rear seat also houses the mechanical components for the car’s Easy Street air suspension system, accommodating the huge 50-gallon reserve tank and twin compressors. (Thanks to Scion-Pro for the installation.) All the fiberglass enclosures inside share the same color shifting paint as the exterior.



Security was the final step and a Viper alarm system along with LoJack protect the car and its contents. The credit for the interior goes to 1 Off Rides and the sound system was built by William Fonseca of Hertz Energy Systems.



While you might think that nothing else can be done to this car, future plans include a larger turbo for the motor, (with an eventual goal of 500 hp!) and a wide body kit to transform the exterior. For now, however, we believe that Benny has certainly accomplished his original goal!

Photography by Joe Greeves