Car Feature>> Josh Maher’s Ek Hatch

You come across some pretty interesting street cars at your local meets. Like this K-powered EK I recently spotted in Queensland, Australia. 

Whilst waiting for Josh to turn up I could tell he wasn't too far away by the echoing sound of VTEC goodness rasping through the mountains. A few minutes later I was faced one on one with this outstanding EK hatch. 

One thing I love about this car is that it's genuinely unique. It doesn't have tight wheel fitment and it isn't touching the ground, as that's not what this Honda is all about.

Purchasing the car in the final year of high school the little Civic has come a long way from being a standard car with fake wheels. Josh soon took his car build more seriously, and his EK became the recipient for an engine conversion and a rework of its suspension setup. 

Opening the door handle, I was met with a very impressive interior. 

Plenty of things have been relocated and changed in here, if you take a look behind the passenger's seat you'll notice this is the new place for the battery…

…While the ECU sits at the passenger's feet. 

Replacing the standard steering wheel is a 350mm Nardi Deep Corn. I swear these are getting more and more popular by the day.

Hybrid Racing shifter box along with a OEM FD2R gear knob.

The front centre console has had all of its guts removed such as the stereo, climate control and power steering. Replacing all these components are custom carbon fibre cards.

The pair of Bride Zeta IIIs go nicely with some Takata harnesses.

You can see why the EK now weighs less than 1000kg. Taking a look in the rear not only a genuine Miracle X bar has been installed, but a Whiteline B-pillar bar all for added rigidity. 

Shooting through the trunk into the front of the cabin the car looks a little more than a street car. I hope to witness this hit the track someday in the near future.

HKS Hypermax Gymkhana coilovers have been fitted both front and rear. The wheel choice are a full set of 949 Racing 6UL 15×8 +38 in matte black.

A set of Bridgestone RE55S semi-slicks in 195/50 help give the car extra grip on the track. Willwood 282mm two-piece front rotors and 4 piston front calipers will help pull this little hatch up in no time.

I have to say the 949 wheels look perfect when wrapped in a chunky layer of semi-slick rubber.

This little car is packed full of aero parts. The rear spoiler your seeing here is an EK9 wing, mounted with adjustable brackets.

Beneath the bonnet is a K20A2 from an '04-model AUDM DC5R, while the engine bay has been resprayed in, 'Battleship Grey'.

A few changes have been made to the K20A2 such as a BDL 70mm throttle body…

…Along with a Gab strut brace.

A Griffin custom radiator has been fitted, along with carbon fibre radiator stays. 

From when the car was purchased to now it's come a long way, but it doesn't stop there. Josh still has some things that aren't crossed off on the to do list such as a weld-in 6-point cage, wider rubber and oil cooler. Regardless, this EK looks like it'll be plenty of fun.

I'd like to thank Josh for his time and patience, I'm so glad I got to shoot this car as something to this quality deserves as much exposure as possible.

-Casey Dhnaram

Honda 2011

Spec List

Exterior

-OEM EK9 front bumper
-OEM EK9 front lip
-OEM EK9 rear bumper
-OEM EK9 rear lip
-OEM EK9 grill
-OEM EK9 wing with Mr. Alex wing lifters
-APR Formula GT3 carbon fibre mirrors
-Tinted windows
-Rear wiper delete

Mechanical

-K20a2 (2004 AUDM DC5R)
-NPR3 transmission (JDM EP3R, 6 speed, OEM LSD)
-Spoon baffled sump
-RBC intake manifold (ported) (karcepts adaptor, hybrid racing thermal gaskets, hondata i/m thermal gasket)
-BDL 70mm throttle body
-ORC 390D clutch
-Hybrid Racing shifter box (OEM FD2R 6speed gear knob)
-Hybrid Racing shifter cables
-Custom fuel lines (black kevlar braided lines, speed flow fittings, EARL Inline fuel filter)
-K Tuned heater box line delete plug
-Aeromotive FPR
-Hybrid Racing fuel rail
-Hybrid Racing braided clutch line
-Karcepts a/c and p/s delete
-OEM mixed drive shafts
-DTM header (S/S, 4-1-1, 2.5" collector)
-Custom 3" stainless steel exhaust, mandrel bends (no mufflers / resonators)
-Walbro 255lph fuel pump
-Hondata K-RO ECU (Tuned@ 101 motor cafe)
-Checkered sports ECU stay
-Full-sized Griffon custom radiator to suit k-swap
-Hybrid Racing k-swap radiator hoses
-Custom polished s/s short ram intake with K tuned silicone coupling
-Battery relocated to behind the passenger seat (custom charge harness)
-Fuse box relocated to under the dash (custom charge harness)
-Freshly re-sprayed engine bay in battleship grey
-Complete headlight harness tuck
-Carbon fibre black off plates
-Carbon fibre radiator stay
-GAB front strut brace
-K-tuned heater hose delete bung

Interior

-2 x Bride ZETA III
-2 x Takata harnesses
-Bride FG driver and passenger seat rail
-Nardi 350mm Deep Corn leather steering wheel
-Genuine Miracle X bar
-Whiteline B-pillar bar
-Carbon fibre blocked off radio, climate control and clock
-Heater boxes removed
-Sound deadening removed

Suspension, Brakes & Wheels

-HKS Hypermax Gymkhana coilovers
-EG6 18mm front sway bar
-949 Racing 6UL 15×8 +38 (matt black)(949 dual valves)
-949 Racing open ended wheel nuts
-Bridgestone RE55S semi-slicks 195×50
-Willwood 282mm 2 piece front rotors
-Willwood 4 piston front callipers
-Willwood s/s braided brake lines
-Hardrace extended roll centre adjusters
-Solid poly rear trailing arm bushes
-Hardrace upper front camber arms
-Hardrace upper rear camber arms
-ARP extended wheel studs
-Function 7 sub frame brace
-Function 7 lower control arms

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Comments



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54 comments

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1

Perfect! Perfect! Perfect!

3

its beautiful, and I love it, and the shoot was just up the road from my home. But man, can't imagine how scared I'd be driving that around just waiting for it to get tickets for the mods.

4

You take my idea of a EK



Beautiful!

5

Absolutely 100% perfect. Wicked little hatch.

6

949racing wheels for the win, i owned a set myself but new 6ULR love them very much, light, strong inexpensive and easy to clean

7

love everything about it love that hatch

8

Fantastic EK. A great example of what a Honda hatch can be. K-Series swaps are always fun to see too!

9

Very impressive build. I would like to see this car on the track. It must be fantastic to drive.

10

Probably the nicest ek iv ever seen

949 wheels are the only wheels for this car

Amazing!!

11

You don't know how much inspiration this is for me! I'm buying my own car at the end of the month, an EK and this is almost exactly what I want to do!! Thanks!

12

AWSOME!!!!!!! perfect job!!!!!

13

This. Is. Perfect.

I want this car or a car like this. NOW. I'm stonked by this. Function over form.

Moar please. Any build threads?

15

prefect and awesome !

16

nice lil machines this!!

17

this is great..! must be so much fun to drive.

18

I love this gutted monster... sounds like sooo much fun :)

19

Wow is all i can say, simple, clean and functional. Not a fan of the K-series but to each their own. Truly a track-ready car. Great post.

20

I LOVE IT, looks like a joy ride.

21

that is sexy! it is well executed and not overly done

22

looks nice! looks like a track car.. and i like the toy machine sticker.. i havent seen that knuckles graphics since i had the board back in 2000

23

haha i love that sticket on the Strut bar thingy!!

24

Such an awesome car Mulls! Great feature.

25

The perfect EK!

26

Last one needs to be a wallpaper.

Wow I forgot they used to make simple good looking cars.

27

Very nice but why gut the interior for a few KG! Its not a race car, i would go crazy driving in a tin can every day.

28

A desktop of either of the two last images would be peachy

29

That's perfect. Hellafunctional!

30

normally i hate, but this thing is super rad.

only thing i'd do is build up the motor more, or turbo it with a small turbo that will stayed spooled on the track

31

proper, it coud go lower tho

32

So sick. Love K swaps and EKs! <3

33

i think this car is just about perfect, it looks like it would put some decent times down on a track, i bet it handles like a dream - classic pocket rocket!

34

very nice. form with function, and not so much harressment from the piggys in blue

awesome work

35

I wanted to hate on this thing, but it looks so well put together and nothing is stupid or unnecessary. Seems to be rare but refreshing to see something that is tuned for real performance.

37

Surprised that the editorial didn't bash on Honda.



I appreciate cars like this but hate how the car scene has gone downhill.



Nowadays, fanboys are into photography, drifting, and making fun of hondas.



Mini coopers and Golfs are front wheel drives but why do people respect them more than hondas? Oh yeah, because they're racist.

38

This is a perfect Civic! No lame trends on it, just a car built by his passionate owner that has poured effort and money in it. It's simple, clean and fast. Plus, the photos are beautiful; very nice background!



The only detail I don't like about this is the intake and filter. Those cone filters let some dust to get into the engine, they aren't very effective as far as I know, and by the looks of it the intake tube may suck warm air from the engine bay instead of cold air from the outside. A new piping could be a good upgrade.



Aside from that detail, I love everything else. Kudos to the owner for his work, and to you Casey for the nice pictures. Any desktops?

39

Nice one mulls!

40

Did anybody mention perfect?

41

With a strut brace like that why didnt he just fit a roll hoop?

42

Should harnesses not installed properly, could be dangerous in a serious collision.

43

Speedhunters can really dig out some awesome civics aye!!! XD

44

Mullens killing it.

45

A great drivers car with great looks as well. You really cant go wrong with the EK9.

46

My friend once said he wanted a Civic over his Focus. Now I see why.

47

Seriously can you be any more shit with how you describe features of the car?

Props to Josh though, good work dude.

49

Dope on every level!

50

Good looking hatch.

Definitely looking forward to seeing the car with wider rubber, rollcage and this car will be a sick track oriented car. 195/50/15 on a 15x8 wheel? Typo amirite? He should be able to fit 225/50/15 unless those are the current specs, which will look tough as hell!



Overall looks like a good build here.

51

hey speedhunters!



just want to say thanks everyone for all the love! few people asked for a build thread, i kinda have one going, you will need to make a log in unfortunately, but if u have any questions etc, please feel free to ask.



http://forum.jdmstyletuning.com/showthread.php?33039-Not-the-first-.....-but-a-first-my-ek-s-story



thanks again casey and speedhunters for the time and effort, i really appreciate everything!!!



52

Awesome car!!! Nice, simple, effective. The cage needs to go in there quick! Awesome pictures also!

53

This is a race car driven on the street not a street car badass civic

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