More Doors For More Furore

I was searching online for words which rhyme with ‘doors’ for this spotlight’s title and eventually stumbled upon ‘furore’, which means ‘an outbreak of public anger’.

It got me thinking about the last time a car made me angry. I couldn’t think of one, which maybe has something to do with old age and a curious increase in sensibilities.

2021 Showa Racing DB8 Spotlight for Speedhunters by Paddy McGrath-19

Browsing the world wide web and page after page of social media, you would be forgiven for thinking that to be a car enthusiast in 2021, you need to be angry about something. Not angry about things that actually matter in the world – there’s no shortage of those – but angry about how other people enjoy their cars.

It’s utterly ridiculous.

2021 Showa Racing DB8 Spotlight for Speedhunters by Paddy McGrath-20

I’ve opened this story in this way because someone, somewhere no doubt will be angry. Despite the fact that any reasonable person will think ‘that was a good idea, I would have done that too’. I would take a wild guess that those who feel the rage building will no doubt never be in a position to own a genuine DB8 Honda Integra Type R, and will be muttering incoherent nonsense about ‘originality’ and ‘future values’.

Cars are to be driven, not admired in a collection.

2021 Showa Racing DB8 Spotlight for Speedhunters by Paddy McGrath-1

My first reaction to seeing this silver DB8 in the paddock at the recent Showa Racing Honda vs. Toyota track day was wow. Whatever about DC2 Integra Type Rs being a rare sight these days, its four-door sibling is rarer again.

2021 Showa Racing DB8 Spotlight for Speedhunters by Paddy McGrath-2

A quick search online doesn’t reveal a huge amount about the DB8’s production run. It’s estimated that around 5,000 were produced exclusively for the Japanese market and that they were approximately ¥40,000 (approximately US$365) more expensive than their two-door equivalent out of the showroom.

Early-morning encounter aside, I thought that was my dealings with this DB8 done for the day. But not for the first time in my life (or even just on this day), I was wrong.

2021 Showa Racing DB8 Spotlight for Speedhunters by Paddy McGrath-3

It was only when shooting trackside, and watching the silver sedan lead a K-swapped Exige around for a few laps while making distinctively not B-series noises, that I knew I needed to take an even closer look. Luckily, I did find it again in the show and shine paddock.

2021 Showa Racing DB8 Spotlight for Speedhunters by Paddy McGrath-7

If you were parked in the show and shine, and are wondering why I didn’t take any pictures of your car, it’s probably because I was obsessing over this. Also, there was another DB8 parked a few spots down, because of course there was.

2021 Showa Racing DB8 Spotlight for Speedhunters by Paddy McGrath-8

This was the one I was interested in though, and not just because I spotted the trio of Defi gauges on top of the dashboard, including one measuring boost pressure. Although it was a pretty good incentive to find the owner, let’s be honest.

2021 Showa Racing DB8 Spotlight for Speedhunters by Paddy McGrath-15

Enter Glenn, to fill us in on his four-door 1996 Integra Type R, complete with a Rotrex-supercharged K20A swap.

2021 Showa Racing DB8 Spotlight for Speedhunters by Paddy McGrath-14

“The B series wasn’t fast enough,” was Glenn’s simple enough justification for things. With a history of fast Hondas behind him, who was I to argue?

Using a low-mileage JDM K20A from a DC5 Integra Type R, a Rotrex C38-91 was added along with a Skunk2 Ultra intake, Skunk2 74mm throttle body and Skunk2 header flowing into a custom 76mm exhaust system. Fuelling is taken care of with a K-Tuned rail, Sard Type-RJ regulator and Injector Dynamics ID1000 injectors.

Management is controlled by a Hondata K-Pro III, with current output rated at approximately 422hp and 350Nm.

2021 Showa Racing DB8 Spotlight for Speedhunters by Paddy McGrath-17

On the transmission side, there’s a rebuilt JDM Y2M3 6-speed manual gearbox (as commonly found in the DC5 Type R) with an Exedy Racing clutch, Fidanza flywheel and a billet K-Tuned shifter mechanism.

With the shifter, the Defi gauges and the blue DC5 Recaros, the interior is distinctively OEM+ with a focus on street driving more than anything else.

In the wheel department, 16-inch RAYS Volk Racing SE37s are wrapped with 205/45R16 tyres. Behind the bronze wheels sit a complete DC5 Brembo-based brake setup with EBC Yellowstuff pads, Hel braided brake lines, Motul RF660 fluid and a ’98-spec Integra Type R brake master cylinder.

2021 Showa Racing DB8 Spotlight for Speedhunters by Paddy McGrath-25

Suspension tuning consists of Yellow Speed Racing coilovers along with a mixture of Hardrace and Ultra Racing arms, bushes and anti-roll bars.

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It was just last month that a low-mileage EK9 Civic Type R sold for over US$75,000 at auction. As much as I love cars like the EK9, those sort of prices are taking them out of the hands of the people who they were built for.

I don’t think the concept of buying a car as an investment has ever crossed Glenn’s mind, and the world is a better place for it. Maybe the only ones who will be angry are the speculators jealous of him enjoying his ‘investment’?

Paddy McGrath
Instagram: pmcgphotos
Twitter: pmcgphotos
paddy@speedhunters.com

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1

When I bought my GS-R in 1996, I was tempted to get the 4-door version. The only caveat at the time was that after-market parts (mostly exhausts) were harder to come by for the sedan. Silly to think about it, and no regrets on my beloved coupe, but how cool would it have been to have the 4-door? You just never see them anymore.

2

Kinda seems like you were making a story about anger to fit with a rhyming word.. can’t imagine many people reading this being actually angry about this? I think it’s great! Use it, abuse it, upgrade it, and let other people see a modern classic - if this work means it’s gets out of the garage im all for it. Love it when people have enough money to not worry about appreciation value I’d love to be able to do that!

One other thing, the original price is way off, 40k yen in 1995 would have been 400ish USD back then, and interest hasn’t changed things THAT much. The original price was 2,268,000 something like 20k USD which is about 36k USD in today’s money.

Author3

It's around $365 based on current exchange rates, no idea where the extra zero came from.

4

Read the whole thing once again :)

5

Love it. I use to race a 4 door. Never had any passengers, just me and a bunch of empty space LOL

6

Wow, I didn't even know these beauties existed. Awesome coverage and photos Paddy like always!

7

Generally speaking, people shun 4-door Integra because it is heavier, and the less stiffer chassis.
However, 4-door is much more rare in the market.

8

"Cars are to be driven, not admired in a collection."

CAN I GET A HALLELUJAH, AMEN!

Seriously, let the non-enthusiast collectors worry about value in 40 years. Go enjoy your machine today. And if it ends up on it's roof in someone's living room, well, "Better to burn out than fade away!"

9

Have owned my 98spec DB8 for 14 years now, and hopefully many more to come

10

I always loved the Integra 2-Door but the Integra 4-Door is just really neat especially the Type R
Can't wait to see the new Integra brought back by Acura!

11

Love this!

12

four doors for more wh*res lmao

13
@ultimateracingtips

You basically shoot your own logic in the foot when you say:

"angry about how other people enjoy their cars. It’s utterly ridiculous."

Followed by:

"Cars are to be driven, not admired in a collection."

You seem to have this sense that no one can do wrong to a car provided they enjoy it--total bulls***!!

Ok...lets say I want to go race my car on the track and I subscribe to this notion that as long as I enjoy it no one can "hate" on it. So I slam my car to the floor, run 10 degrees of negative camber and use bushings that are locking up the suspension from moving freely...because hey, I enjoy it!

The first turn I go into I understeer like a pig and slam into a wall. Fantastic. Unfortunately Paddy, the whole respect all builds nonsense that you and others push in the industry is a stupid way to look at cars. There are 100% right ways and wrong ways to do things in this industry and you seem to be more inline with this idea that as long as someone enjoys it it must be right. This is really a stupid mindset when talking about cars which are engineering exercises.

I'm going to stop typing now because this is actually so dumb it hurts my brain lol. I think you write articles like this because you actually have so little technical knowledge / experience it's the only angle you can work in the industry.

Author14

"this is actually so dumb it hurts my brain"

Well, there's something we both agree on anyways.

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