The Si is back! That was the headline to read in many magazines during the Fall issues of a few publications I was obsessed with back in ’98. The Civic Si, the car that sparked a revolution with many of us here and all over the world, popped back up on the scene in 99, sporting what we all dreamed of in the engine bay! 1.6L, 160 hp, a short geared transmission, and 8000 rpm of revving pleasure. All thes features made sure that this car would be known throughout the tuner industry. Not only did it have the engine, but everything about this car was set apart. The colors, Flamenco Black Pearl, Milano Red (which I have sitting in my driveway right now undergoing some mods 🙂 ), and the ever so known and popular Electron Blue Pearl. The Interior, the cluster, the floor mats.everything was special.
When David Glen laid eyes on the Si, also known as the EM1 for chassis code’s sake, he was hooked immediately. And since he has owned his Si since 99, we will call him an OG!
Looking at the car, you cannot help but notice the all black approach, so we will start with the wheels! Looking at this, and the rest of the car, you can tell that no expense was spared to make David’s vision of his perfect car come together. The first thing that jumps out from the car is the wheel and brake combo. In classic form, David went with the Spoon SW-388 wheels made by Desmond. To bring out the baller status, the 16″ was sourced from a car in Canada. These 16’s sport the Spoon Sports logo sticker, not a common piece you see on these rare wheels. To be even more of an outstanding setup, David grabbed up a set of Spoon Brake calipers for his EM1. Everyone knows the brakes, which are commonly used for everything from the show car to the race setup. Wanting the ultimate in feel for his Si, David applied these pristine Spoon wheels with a set of Falken Azenis 615’s for his daily driving rollers.
The body of the car is damn near stock. I was shocked to learn that this car still had the stock paint job! Yes, stock paint job and by looking at the pics, it’s hard to believe. David scooped up some JDM goodies for the outside of the ride like some parts from the Civic Type R. The mirrors, headlamps, fenders, side markers, and accessory window visors give this Si a look apart from the rest with just common mods. David has 2 front bumpers. The Backyard Special, which wasn’t on in this photo shoot, and his stock bumper accompanied by a Carbon VIS lip. I liked this lip a lot because of the way it mounts. Instead of mounting from the top like many cheap copies, it mounts from the bottom, which is more like a stock lip. Yes, in the pictures that is a stupid hurts band aid. The lip has damage. Many people will try and hide it, but we drive our cars folks! This is the type of cars we want to bring to you, REAL CARS that are REALLY driven. The carbon doesn’t stop at the lip though. David had to have the trunk lid as well. All of us coupe owners went nuts when that trunk lid dropped. It was like the finishing touch to everyone’s carbon goodies on the outside of their ride, especially if your car wasn’t black!
The interior is probably what made me and many others actually want the Si the most. The seats, the cluster especially, the dash setup on the 99-00 civic which was different from the 96-98, and the amber lighting made it stand out so much. David agreed with me, although looking at David’s car it looks like he ditched pretty much everything besides the cluster! No backseat at all, it’s all gone! In place is just a carbon kevlar fuel pump cover. Classy eh? Well David really went all out with the CTR parts on the interior. How hot is that Spoon steering wheel? Red stitching makes it stand out like crazy in the interior. The red Recaros, stock in the Civic Type R, were used along with the Type R door panels, coin pocket, shift boot, floor mats, armrest delete, and even the freaking carpet was used. Everything from the interior of the CTR is normally sought after as the parts are rare. The stock Si cluster still remains, and from being a Si owner, I was proud to see that still intact.
Engine – how could one even leave this thing alone. The bay of the Si is a tuner’s heaven. The motor alone is a great swap, being an extremely popular one for Hondas over the years, but this one has been blown using a Jackson Racing Supercharger among many other parts stuffed in there. Jackson Racing was one of the 1st companies to go all out on the newer Si making a host of mods including a supercharger, upgraded pulleys for more boost, ECU setups, fuel pumps and even complete packages for customers who wanted the full experience. These kits claimed to be perfect for the daily driver, and 50 state smog legal. Jackson Racing didn’t disappoint, as these kids were heavily sold throughout the years and made for a very torque full setup in the Civic. No need to swap when you can make more power with the kit. And at the time of its release, the GSR and Type R motor swaps were still in the $3500+ range making this kit very sellable. If you look down in the pics, you can see the Full Race traction bars to put more rubber to the ground and reduce wheel hop. Hondas are very known for their traction issues. David has done a minor tuck in his engine bay deleting unused wires, hiding more wires, relocating his battery, and getting rid of his AC and power steering.
All in all, the car that David has put together is just one of many in the line of such a rare car. Sadly, these cars are now becoming the victims of thieves. Just like its big brother, the Integra Type R, greed and the parts that these cars come stock with make them a target. David’s Si is under constant lock and key. Currently he has been shipped overseas, but don’t worry, the Si still gets its dose of petrol. David’s mom takes the car out regularly, and is even known to redline through the gears. Seems David’s mom used to be into cars herself and even used to race. She took the Si out while David was in Afghanistan, and now that he’s in Asia, looks like she gets to pilot the EM1 again!
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