One of the best things about the sport compact culture is its widespread awareness throughout the country. Luis Martinez is based out of Pennsylvania and proves that not just the big states – such as California, Florida, Texas and New York – house all of the nation’s hottest cars. His S14 is a combination of hard work and dedication, intricately planning each modification to set itself apart from the crowd. Building the car to stand out in Pennsylvania wasn’t as much of a daunting task as it was for Martinez to stand out from the nation. Luckily for Martinez, he also teamed up with the right people to convert his S14 into one to look out for.
Martinez first decided on the S14 since there weren’t a ton of them around in his area. He’s always wanted to be different but also wanted to stay true to one of his passions – a true clean JDM-inspired style. Knowing that the S14 is one of the most respected vehicles in the JDM industry, Martinez knew he had a winner when he picked up his project in 2007. One of the first things he had decided was to not follow the traditional path of tossing the stock KA out the engine bay. Liking that the KA setup is not only different, but Martinez knew if built right the KA is practically bullet proof with a turbo setup. Pumping out 578 horses and 386 ft-lbs of torque, we are happy to agree with Martinez that his KA has plenty of power to back up his statement.
At the core of the build is a KA24DE that’s been bored and honed .020 over. The bottom end was reinforced with a set of JE 9:1 compression pistons, Eagle rods and none other than ARP’s hardware. The head also received an overhaul with Supertech’s valves, bearings and keepers. After a port and polish job on the head, the entire long block was reassembled and the turbo kit found its way home. A Garrett T3/T4 turbo bolted onto a Rev Hard manifold handles the pressure being built while the rest of the turbo kit goods include a GReddy Type-S blow off valve and PWR front mount intercooler. Additional fueling has been handled thanks to RC’s 750cc injectors, PHAT KAT fuel rail and an Aeromotive fuel pressure regulator. On the hot side of things is a Projectsilvia 3-inch downpipe leading out to a Vibrant 3-inch catback exhaust system. AEM comes in with their electronics – EMS, air temp sensor and 3.5 bar map sensor. The transmission handles all of the additional power with a SPEC stage 4 clutch and lightened flywheel.
The exterior is really set off by the unique paint scheme that Martinez chose. When this car was originally painted, BASF’s flat paint was just being introduced into the sport compact industry. Being the first flat red car done for BASF on the east coast, Martinez’s S14 was definitely making a statement. A flat black finish contrasts the red on the top of the car, satisfying Martinez’s love for his two favorite colors. The rest of the stock body was swapped out for Extreme Dimensions’ front and rear bumper and side skirts.
Custom styling continues into the interior of the car with Recaro’s Pole Position seats and plenty of MOMO goods including shift knob, pedals and steering wheel. A series of Autometer gauges also aid Martinez in tuning and ensuring his car is always in proper form. Lastly suspension duties are handled with a set of TEIN Drift spec coilovers, front and rear strut bar and strengthening the chassis is an Autopower roll cage. Located on each corner of the car is Enkei’s RPF1 wheel following a similar color scheme to the exterior of the car. A staggered set with 19×8.5-inch in the front and 19×9.5-inch in the rear is wrapped with BFGoodrich rubber.
Martinez informed us that he’s pretty much done with this S14 project. He’s more than thrilled with the results and how much horsepower is being pumped out for such a small engine. Word on the street is he’s getting ready to build a couple of new projects this year; a right hand drive RSX and a JDM-themed Civic hatchback. We’ll be keeping our eyes out and hopefully be one of the first to bring it out!
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