EK Hatch Wheels and Suspension Parts ordered: How I decided on what to buy

Major Update on the EK Hatch!!!
Wheels are ordered! errr....wheels have arrived!
Instead of Konig Hypergram or Dekagram I went with 949Racing 6UL 15x7 +36mm in Ti02 Titanium Oxide (aka white)!!! After I found this picture of a red EK Hatch DX just like mine with the stock black side molding and side skirt with white Rays Gram Light 57DRs in 15x8 I was hooked. I spent a couple days trying to figure out how I could make those wheels, which are $1200 for a set happen. I was in love with that look (the red with white and that wheel design). I knew I wanted to spend money on quality suspension (which I get into below) and so I needed to find a more affordable white wheel I loved. The Konig Dial In was the first one I looked at but I didn't like the spoke and wheel design. It's cool, just wasn't loving it. I had trouble finding 6UL wheels, 949Racing.com was basically almost sold out in any color.

949Racing 6UL wheels in 15x7 +36mm 10.6lbs have arrived at the Hechtspeed "shop"

I found FlyinMiata.com had 15x7 in white. I texted my wife right then a picture of the red and white EK hatch with the Gram Lights and then a picture of a blue EG hatch with white 15" 6UL and asked if she could photoshop the 6UL onto the red EK. She's so talented!!! Check it out!

Roma Red EK Hatch with white Gram Light 57DR

Blue EG Hatch with Ti02 Titanium white 949Racing 6UL 15"

949Racing 6UL Titanium white (Ti02) photoshop onto a Roma Red EK Hatch DX

I just ordered up suspension parts! I'll put the details below...
As I said in my previous post I have been doing a bunch of research on what coilovers to buy. I narrowed my final 3 down to Buddy Club Sport Spec, K-Tuned K1 and Ksport Kontrol Pro. These were all about $900 for the set. See below for my comparison spreadsheet I put together to help me in my decision:

The Hechtspeed EK Hatch coilover comparison

In my research I tried to boil down the descriptions on the many websites into a couple key metrics so I could compare my options. I wanted to know spring rates, dampening adjustment, twintube or monotube, price and any other key features. The Ksport Kontrol Pro was the cheapest. I found it for $740. But, it has the softest spring rates (not by ton mind you, they were 9.8k / 5k) and the most dampening adjustment (36-way). I don't necessarily consider more "clicks" better. Ksport is a decent company that has been around for probably 10 years. But, nothing stands out here except the price and I was not wanting to make my decision based purely on that.

The second option and the one I was leaning toward the most was the K-Tuned K1. The K1's have 10k/6k spring rates and probably the most YouTube video reviews out of the 3. K1's have 32-way adjustment. As I mentioned in my previous post, the Speed Academy guys did a nice series on the black EK coupe K swapped track/street project and they had good things to say about this one. They ended up swapping to K2's (20k/16k spring rates) I guess because the car ended up more a track car than a street car.

The third option was Buddy Club Sport Specs. Spring rates for the Buddy Clubs are 10k/7k and 20-20-way adjustment. The Buddy Clubs are "Made in Japan" and have the longest history as a company. Initially I found these for $925 on deftmotion.com. I had already chosen Skunk2 UCAs from jhpusa.com and asked jhpusa if they would price match. I was happy to get an email the next morning saying they would price them at $898 for me. If you look on their site now they are priced at $898 for everyone! Your welcome! Go check them out JHPUSA Buddy Club SPORT SPECS

All 3 systems use Monotube shock design. This was one of the final details I found a few days ago. I google searched "monotube vs twintube" after I started noticing some kits with the two different optioons and learned some helpful information. I learned that monotube shocks are better suited for performance driving while twin tube are better for ride quality. The reasons are responsiveness to bumps, fade of the performance of the shock as it performs over time and long term consistency of that performance.

strutmasters.com Monotube vs Twin tube shock article was super helpful

The Strutmasters.com article is short and sweet (unlike my blogs)! CLICK HERE The last comment on mono vs twin tube is it appears some of the cheaper coilovers utilize twin tube as a way to give very lowered cars a more comfortable ride and save on cost. Neither of which are what I'm looking for.

I found a really helpful article from the Speed Academy guys called "Track Alignment Specs: EG/EK Honda Civic & DC2 Integra". Not only does it give some good pointers on setup but helps explain what the Honda unequal length double wishbone suspension is doing when you're pushing your Honda hard in corners.

Speed Academy EG/EK/DC2 Track Alignment article

One of the helpful tidbits was that my hatch does not need a lot of initial static camber because as the unequal length double wishbone suspension compresses, it gains negative camber naturally. Give the article a look and CLICK HERE

So, what did I choose? I went with the Buddy Club Sport Specs from jhpusa.com!!! So excited!!!

Buddy Club Sport Spec coilover kit for 92-00 Civic and 92-97 Del Sol

I think the blue springs and red shock body color scheme is cool!

I went with Skunk2 Pro Series Plus UCAs (Upper Control Arms) for camber adjustability as well as the benefits of having more direct and solid mounts and bushings. I ended up getting the rears from jhpusa.com along with the Buddy Clubs. They were not offering (even though I asked and they said they couldn't) free shipping for the front arms so I ended up finding those on kseriesparts.com for the same price with free shipping. No biggy. The internet now allows me to drop $1271 in a matter of minutes with no hassle.

Skunk2 rear Pro Series Plus camber kit

The Skunk2's have a great racing heritage with the Honda/Acura crowd. The Skunk2 rear control arm is different than all the other 88-00 Civic choices. The difference is in the construction and design of the ends of the arm. All the other designs are a "butt-welded" bushing case to the adjustable middle section at a 90 deg angle. But, these Skunk2's have a beefier and smoother transition. The butt-welded variety just looked weaker and a potential crack point.

The Skunk2 fronts have camber adjustment from the bottom for easier access. Here is the blurb from Skunk2: Each Pro Series Plus Camber Kit includes three-piece, low-deflection, polyurethane bushings that eliminate the pre-load typically associated with rubber bushings, allowing the arms to pivot freely, dramatically improving handling performance. Pro Series Plus Camber Kits also feature Skunk2s all-new, one-piece, forged Pro Series Ball Joints, which feature low-profile top plates for additional clearance between themselves and the shock towers, higher clamping loads for no-slip performance, and a unique design that allows for maximum adjustability. 

So, there you have it. I'm super excited to get all this stuff installed! Can't wait for how the car is going to look and how its going to handle.

Brentrod's 2016 Ford Mustang V6

It's been too long!  I don't know if its the winter dreary weather and staying indoors, combined with the week off of work, but I'm feeling the need to write about cars again.  With there being over a year since the last blog post, there is a lot to cover. I'll keep this post focused on Brentrod's Gray 2016 Mustang V6 6 speed car, which he bought in late 2015.  He bought it from Galpin Ford, one of the largest (maybe THE largest?) Ford dealerships in the world, at least in Southern California.  For Brent (my younger brother) this is his (hold on, gotta use my fingers to count them all up, let's see, there was the 1987 Mustang LX Coupe that received a total Thunderbird Turbo Coupe drivetrain swap, the green SN95 5.0 GT 5 speed, the blue S197 Mustang GT 5 speed, the white SN95 V6 to V8 swap car (posted on the blog before) and now the Gray S550 Base V6 6 speed car), so that makes this his 5th Mustang in 10-ish years.  The longest he's kept a Mustang is maybe 3 years (the white SN?), but this is the "long term" 'Stang, right bro?  heh heh Here's a pic on his way home from Galpin Ford for a pitstop at In-N-Out Burger (gotta break in "Bruce" right).  Brent and I bounced different names back and forth and settled on "Bruce", you know, the Shark from "Finding Nemo".  Yes, we do the Australian accent when we talk like him.  ;) It's because the dark gray color and those shark gills up front, it totally looks like a Great White Shark.  Camaro's are friends, not Food!

Here is, like, the only picture of the car in factory stock form. No, the 'Stang did not stay stock for long. Here's the current list.

Intake:
Custom carbon intake tube with open filter
BBK 73mm throttle body
Ported stock upper and lower intake manifolds
JLT oil separator

Exhaust:
BBK Shorty headers
Stock cats
SR "X" pipe
Custom Hechtspeed quad tip axle back with muffler delete
(This is like the 5th exhaust and is finally where its got the best sound to noise ratio (very subjective obviously)

Tune:
SCT X4 MPT 91PRX tune
(Multiple tunes as the mods have been added over this first year)

Drivetrain:
ACT Billet steel flywheel
ACT HD clutch

Suspension:
Eibach PROKIT lowering springs
BMR poly differential bushing inserts
BMR Cradle lock out brackets
SR Billet spherical links
Steeda Billet shifter bracket
Steeda transmission bushing insert
Custom carbon fiber shift knob
14" 4 piston Brembo Mustang GT swap up front, stock rear V6 brakes

Wheels//Tires:
XXR 521 18x10 ET25mm
Federal SS595 275/40/18
(Black chrome, then flat black, then bronze, then back to black)

Exterior:
Mustang GT front upper and lower grilles with mesh delete
Emblem delete with "Cyclone V6" emblems in red added
Custom Hechtspeed rear diffuser fins (design sold to AmericanMuscle who is now producing them in injected molded plastic)
Custom Hechtspeed fiberglass rear spoiler (Revision B since Revision A was sold)

Powerwise, the once stock ouput of 305hp/280tq is now estimated to be about 350hp/330tq.  Which puts it in the S197 3V 4.6L V8 with intake and exhaust territory, very respectable. MPG is a non-GT like 32 on the highway.  In town with "normal" driving, he's getting a more V8-like 20MPG, LOL.

Here's the first "Stage" that Brent arrived at.  Starting on the tail end of Brucie, you can see the quad tip exhaust with the emblem delete and the revision A of the Hechtspeed spoiler.  This was a carbon fiber version, which was later sold (to fund more mods, duh, or was it RC airplanes...). The stance is from the Eibach springs with stock dampers. The wheel color here was painted black and shows the yellow calipers nicely.  

This picture shows a comparison of Bruce Version 2.0 vs 2.5. In the lower picture, you can see the brakes have been changed to "Ford Blue" with the wheels painted in a Japanese style bronze with the trunk being wingless. This is the 2nd set of tires on this wheel setup.  Race car flavor was added with the "FEDERAL" letters being painted white.  Looks great in both looks, eh?

In the summer Brent and Pappy took there 'Stangs to Famoso (Bakersfield, CA), along with some Tehachapi area hot rodders (white Trans Am and Red WRX in the background). Pap's green SN95 has been in the family since 1997.  "Sally" is a legend in the Hechtspeed shop.  With the stock block, stock heads (ported), stock cam with a ton of supporting mods and slicks it went a best of 12.85@106mph at Famoso (that's with about 255whp (dyno proven)).  To date, this is the fastest 1/4 mile run of any Hecht.  I like this photo a lot because it shows our family doing what we love together.  It's family history!
Back to Brucie...Brent's fastest time on the worn crappy 285's was a 13.6 @ 103 with a 2.15sec 60ft time. The DA (density altitude) was 3000ft, which is crappy for the strips actual elevation.  With that mph the car has a 12 sec run in it if it had some drag race specific tweaks and tires. But, drag racing is not what Brent has built this car for.

 Here's a rear shot of the current look (as of this week), red "Cyclone" emblem (this is the name given to the naturally aspirated 305hp V6 in the Ford family, quad exhaust with custom diffuser fins on the black painted lower bumper and custom rear spoiler.  #becauseracecar

 Bruce Version 3.0 has gone back to black painted wheels, blue calipers and the revision B rear spoiler.  Which do you like better?

 Glamour shot in Tehachapi's December low light from yesterday.  You can see the rear fins better here and that purdy gray color.

Brent took me for a Golden Hills Touge Run when it was at about Version 2.5 (cheap 285/35/18 tires, not the Federals) this last summer and man, does it stick. Brent really knows these cars and is able to push them hard. Mustangs, while, known as "Muscle Cars" are really not much like there originals.  With the S550's independent rear suspension and modern brakes, suspension and powertrains they perform like legitimate sports cars. For the money, the Mustang is still the best bang for the buck, with plenty of chassis and aftermarket to make it whatever you want.  This is what Brent has made (so far) and its a rad machine. I got to drive Brucie before heading back to Utah and it was a blast. I didn't push it nearly like Brent, but was more interested in getting a feel for it.  It is very direct, has really nice steering and shifter feel and almost too touchy brake feel.  Of course, I'm comparing it to what I've been driving, which is the Honda Fit and a 15 year old BMW (more on that later, heh). Nice work bro!  Can't wait to see where you take it from here.

Hechspeed Rides

So, it's been too long since we've updated the blog.  We had a family get together in Utah and I snapped a picture of Brent's 2004 WRX Wagon, Ben's 2010 Forester and Nick's e90 335i.

Just a quick update with Brent's cars, he finally sold off his 1994 Fobra Mustang and took a parting good-bye photo next to it.  It was a really cool machine.  It was a V6 base car with roll up windows originally.  A previous owner swapped in a 5.0 pushrod motor and then Brent took it over from there doing a bunch of suspension upgrades, bolt on motor stuff, removing some weight and adding some 18x10 wheels and 255/275 tires.  It was a killer touge machine for sure.  It will be missed.

Of course, Brent wasn't going to let the funds from the Stang go untouched and promptly bought a 16GXT turbo, big top mount intercooler from Mishimoto, STi pink injectors and the off the shelf tune from Cobb into his AccessPort.  He recently picked up some STi fog light covers and Grimmspeed WRB Blue paint.  Looks great.  Next up are the side skirts to get some WRB love as well.
Some early morning before work action...

The Rotas were recently revised with some World Rally Gold paint as well. he he

Tactical Art of Japan EG6 track Civic hatchback

OK, so I get excited about a lot of different kinds of cars.  You guys know me by now.  But, I have a special place in my car of hearts (hey, that would be a cool name for a car blog haha) for the Honda Civic.  Around 2000 when I picked up that first "Super Street" mag at the grocery store in Provo, I was surfing the internet and forums for info, photos and mods.  There were many late nights spent dreaming about how I'd build a civic.

For most in the modified car scene, the Civic is like the starter car.  It's the beginners tuner.  Parts are cheap, they're economical to purchase, insure and own.  They're not fast though.  Most people consider then "chick" cars.  They're kinda "cute" and stuff.  But, most enthusiasts move on to faster, more expensive cars.  Heck, I did the same thing.  After my first Civic, I got the Mustang.  But then I got another Civic.  haha Then I stepped up to a 2002 WRX.  I loved that car.  It was fast, it handled really well, I even took it to the track.  But, the miles were building and the CEL of doom.  So, its been 2 months now that I sold it.  And I'm back in a Honda.

Going back in time to my first Civic.  My '95 Civic EX coupe had 105,000 miles or so, was green, not a typical color. I named it Jackie Chan. You know, cause he's small, lightweight, fast, has quick moves.  Kinda like a Civic.  haha I owned it for 3.5 years. After the first year, I installed Eibach Sportline lowering springs and KYB AGX adjustable struts/shocks.  I put in a short shifter, short ram intake, fuel pressure regulator.  Once we moved to California, the stock catalytic converter failed and so I replaced it with a high flow cat and while welding that in at pops house, I bought a $40 Autozone oval muffler. By this time, it was very well setup.  It was kinda stiff, but I liked it like that.  It felt like a go-kart.  It sounded good too.  It had that intake growl and a nice low exhaust note.  I guess it had about 140-145hp.  Stock was 125hp.  I still wish I had that car back.  I traded it straight across for a '94 Mustang GT 5.0 and 5 speed. A great car in its own right.  But, here I am about 10 years later and driving a small lightweight Honda again.  Imagine what it could have been if I kept it.  I think by now, it would have been modified with a track style, similar to this Tactical Art.  Obviously I don't have the fab skills of these guys.  But I would have wanted a B series swap, wide wheels and tires, some minor aero improvements and time on the track. 


Somehow that brings me to the point of this blog I wanted to write today.  This EG6 Civic Hatchback (1992-1995) from Tactical Art.  This company has been on Speedhunters.com and other well known Japanese car blogs.  I found these photos and an informative writeup from stickydiljoe.com.  This car is inspiring!  

Here are the links to the stories and photos and even a 3 minute track video.

http://stickydiljoe.com/2013/12/11/exclusive-content-the-tactical-art-eg6-circuit-at-central-circuit-for-more-testing/

http://stickydiljoe.com/2013/12/16/exclusive-content-the-final-photos-of-the-tactical-art-eg6-at-nakayama-circuit/?relatedposts_exclude=5567

This car is the epitome of why I love the civil, lowly Honda Civic.  It has SO much potential. It can be the slowest car on the road to the most fun car on the track.  It's tunable.  I've thought a lot about why I like the Civic so much.  Most of the people I know who like cars do NOT like the Civic.  They're reaction to it is like "Meh, its nice." I don't think most people get the Civic.  The Civic makes so much sense to me.  It can be the commuter car that knocks down 35mpg on the way to work and then can take that curvy freeway onramp hard and feel the G's.  Since the Civic is a slow car speed-wise, you can drive it hard and not put yourself in jail as easy as most modified cars.  As many say, its more enjoyable to drive a slow car hard than to drive a fast car hard.  This is so true for many of the popular cars out there, cars like the Civic, the AE86 Corolla GT-S, Miata, Golf GTI and the like

So, what is it about this EG6 chassis Civic hatchback? I love the color of this thing.  I like the unpainted carbon fiber doors.  The whole thing is pretty minimalist actually.  It has no crazy aerodynamics.  It has a rear spoiler, front splitter.  It does have a pretty trick front fender mods to both fit wider wheels and tires and to let the air flow more smoothly around the front wheel and fender area.  Then there's the cut down rear bumper. And that's it for the exterior.

Gutted interior with race seat and steering wheel. The dash has been removed and replaced by a fabricated dash out of fiberglass. Basically there's a very "homebuilt" theme to it.  A Do-it-yourself feel about it but with excellent fabrication skills.  The white wheels provide a nice contrast with the dark body color.  But, honestly I think they could have gone with any color wheels, black or white, silver or bronze.  Personally having owned white wheels on my Subaru, I've always been a fan of the white wheels.

What I noticed from the 3 minute track video is how responsive the engine is.  It revs like a street bike.  From reading the stickydiljoe blogs, it has a B18C with ITB's from an AE86 4AGE engine.  I dig the dual plumbing of fresh air from the carbon headlight inlets and aircraft grade intake hoses.  Reminds me of the 427 Cammer motor from the Fairlane Thunderbolts that drag raced in the 60's.

I'm not sure what this car weighs, but it can't be much.  I'm guessing probably 2000lbs or even a hair less and probably 225-250hp if I had to make a guess.

I did this blog also to keep this record in my blog so I can come back to it and find the links because this car is cool to me.  It will provide me inspiration in the future for sure.  Cheers!

Here's a quick update.  A top view of the car.  Carbon roof, custom dash, engine bay with dual ducting to the ITBs.  I read more and found out its a B18C block with a B16 head.