Car Feature>> Phil’s Time Attack Civic Hatch

My friend Derrick down in Pheonix wrote to me a couple months ago and said I had to feature this car here on SpeedHunters, and I have to admit, at first I was a bit skeptical, I’m not a huge FF fan, but I am a big fan of hardcore track biased cars, especially ones with a good personal story attached to them, and this is definitely one of those.

The car started out as a JDM street car, a CX model, which had what, 70hp stock? Phil Robles, the owner of the car had been a race fan for a long time, spending a lot of time spectating and photographing lots of racing in the region. He was convinced by some of his son’s friends who were instructors with NASA to join in the fun, and it sounds like it didn’t take long for Phil to catch the bug, something I can attest to (it took me only one track day).

As the car stands now it doesn’t see the street much, except for commuting to various events around Arizona and New Mexico. Running Tein RE coilovers with 14k/10k springs I can understand why. The car is also running JDM ITR swaybars front and rear, Skunk2 Pro front UCA’s, Vision rear camber adjusters, a Spoon front strut bar, Miracle X-Bar in the back, and an Autopower 6 point cage to keep things stiff.

Interior went through a mild weight loss diet, and the stock seats were replaced with Recaro SPG’s mounted on some Buddy Club seat rails to keep Phil nice and low to the ground. Takata harnesses keep him in, and a Mugen 350mm wheel with a Works Bell QR hub take the steering inputs. You’ll also notice the shifter has been raised up with a Circuit Hero extender which is a really nice addition for super quick shifts.

I love how the Miracle X-Brace looks in the back of the hatch, would be cool to see a full welded-in cage at some point.

Stopping duty uses an Integra MC with a Cusco MC brace to push all that fluid to the purdy Spoon calipers through stainless braided lines by Goodridge. To keep rotating mass low there are some Fastbrakes 2 pc front rotors being grabbed by Carbotech XP-10 pads.

Propelling this small japanese creature is a JDM Integra GS-R longblock, with a Top Fuel intake duct sucking in air, with a Vision 4-1 header helping it exhale through the Spoon N1 muffler. The GS-R engine is mated to a GS-R tranny with a swapped 5th gear from the ITR. JDM ITR 4.785 gears help keep those ratios nice and close and keep the car spinning through its rev-happy powerband. A Spoon 1.5 way LSD helps get the power to the ground to the Nitto NT-01’s mounted on lightweight 15″ 949 wheels, 9″ in the front, 8″ out back.

Phil’s office away from his office.

Aero is taken care of with a slough of J’s racing parts, including the front lip spoiler, canards, and rear wing. Some Vision side mirrors help clean up the airflow on the sides of the car as well.

I’d like to congratulate Phil on his first place in TT B class and overall class winder of the UMS Time Attack series with this car. Sounds like he has some big plans for the car for the future which include swapping in a K-20R engine which will put him into the Unlimited class with a lot of competition!

Watch for Phil in the South West Time Attack competitions this year.

Thanks to Geri Amani with Redlign Autosports for the pictures and information.

– Carl Jarrett

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1

sick build.

2

Absolutely love it, respect for the build up!

3

Awsome car :) fast and beautiful! You can't go wrong here

4

Great story and nice build. Best of luck to Phil!!

5

"Small Japanese creature" Haha! Love it!

6

Great EG6 !

Since the car doesn't see the street much.....a welded cage is far superior than few braces and a bolt on roll cage. Ditch the bolt-in cage and weld in a 6 point roll cage. (I don't know how serious is Phil about going fast....).

Those canards don't do much as far as downforce goes, if anything I may say.

Ditch the 949 wheel and pick up some Enkei RPF-1. (they're 4 lbs lighter).

Fog-lights have to go.....and put some cooling ducts for the brakes.

Mud-flaps have to go as well.

As well as the Recaro passenger seat.

Door panels in the trash bin.

Password JDM makes those kick ass carbon covers for the headlights as well as air ducts for the driver's side....a must considering he's running a B Series.....

http://passwordjdm.com/PasswordJDM-Dry-Carbon-Fiber-Carbon-Kevlar-Composite-Exterior-Accessories-C428.aspx

Great car nontheless.

7

Wow... ice write up..is this like the first Civc Hatch article on SH??

8

I guess I'm still holding on to my JDM roots...The Weld in cage is in the works for this year and yes the B series will b replaced with K power!!

9

older dudes building race cars even if they're honda's get my respect. They've been a car nut almost a generation longer than I have. And I'm jealous.

10

Hey Phil its a sweet car man! Good luck! and GREAT WORK!

11

"The car started out as a JDM street car, a CX model"???????????????????????

Japanese Domestic Market cars have the steering wheel on the right side, not the left side. This car has the steering wheel on the left side and was not a Japanese Domestic Market car, unless there was some expensive and elaborate firewall and dash replacement that SH did not feel was important or impressive enough to mention.

12

6ULs, droool.

13

6ULs, droool.

14

6ULs, droool.

15

6ULs, droool.

16

very nice we need to get some more FF coverage on here!

17

@ Othello, I think he means "JDM", as in a style of build. We all know JDM is RHD.



Anyway, Phil, much respect for getting the spotlight on SH. Love the front fenders and wide 15x9 wheels.



@ Alex, sure you may make some points there, but considering the man took first in 2 different competitions, apparently not all that you mention is required. Oh, and do Enkei's come in 15x9? That's probably why he went with the 949 wheels.



Can't wait to see how the Kpower does in the Unlimited class Phil!



18

I too noticed that Othello,



So how was (is?) this ever a JDM civic?.... ..... or Carl, are you saying it started as a JDM (style) car??

19

Props Phil. Drove the car at my local track and the car was a blast to drive.

20

Started out as a JDM car?? Could left that little tid bit out of the description, haha. Don't remember seeing too many LHD Civics over here in Japan. Other than that, it's a pretty impressive lil grocery getter.

21

Fantastic car! Digging the checkered Vans too. ;)

22

Phis, what's the offset on those 949 racing wheels in the front? and did you have to do any modification to the fender wells to get them to fit? very very sick eg :thumbsup:

23

this build does have the personality of the driver like SH wrote. its mainly bolton and hard to find parts so this really shows that phil is in tune with his car to pull off the wins. no need for big time sponsors or heavy fabrication! CONGRATS MAN! and good luck this year!

24

Loving the build!

A P1 Spec Splitter would complete the Aero.

25

@ Alex: Why dont you buy your own eg and mod it like that? You sound like you wanna do an entire revamp on Phils car.

26

Phil, there is nothing wrong with the B18.....sure the K20 has more torque...power wise, both engines are very capable of making good power. (I've seen a fully built Endyn B18C5 making 280 hp N/A with high comp pistons and all the 9 yard).

http://www.theoldone.com/facility/index.htm

@ hechtspeed:...sure, those mods are not a must.....but I've been racing Honda's for a while; I know what's work and what doesn't. As far as Enkei RPF-1 not coming in 15X9.....I know they don't. But Phil is running 225/45/15 up front....a 15X7 would work just fine. (Enkei just released the PF01 which are suppose to be lighter and stronger than the RPF-1, and they do come in 15X9).

Anyway, it's a great car.

27

Cool Alex, I wanna check out this new PF01 wheel, sounds cool! Love racing Hondas as well.

28

Love EG6's!!

29

Finaly some nice track rice...Good job

30

Hey Cousin...Hot Ride and Keep Up The Good Work!

31

more road race honda's!

32

Thanks everyone for the nice comments...You have to understand that the car is a work in progress and these are the current choices I've make...The 949 6 ULs (15x9 +36 F, 15X8 +36 R with 5MM spacers) are a great wheel for the price which is the reason I didn't go with a more expensive wheel, I have three sets that I take to the track, 2 with NT-01's and 1 set with Hoosiers so you do the math...I also still have three sets of street wheels for the car in the garage...



Check back with me periodically for the complete transformation to a Time Trial/ Time Attack track car!!!

33

congrat phil.. i remember when you pass me by and im like waooo that lil beast is fast..great handling too.. hope to see ya next year in ASR

34

Loving that engine bay very good.

35

Phil keep up the great job.

Do you have a website where you update your progress?

36

Not a big fan of Hondas at all, but a very clean build.

37

225s do not need a 7" wheel Alex... they will put down over an inch more rubber to the ground on a 15x9.

38

i am interested into why Alex is hating on this car? I am sure that he is well aware that Phil's cage is safety approved and a few welds make it a full weld in. I wonder how much more tire is on the ground from a 7 inch wheel vs a 9 inch wheel? ..hmmm.......oh and nice paint on some of them parts too uncle Phil! :)

39

mos def a fave EG! totally digging all the JDM goodies....but personally i'd go K power but the Innteg engine works

40

I like it. What power does it have at the moment?

41

Hi Phil!

Great spoon brakes. it is twin block caliper? ;)

42

I love those 6UL wheels from 949racing.

43

this is one of the best EG's i have seen in my years it cools very well cleaned and it has everything a real car should have nice work its beauty

44

Wallpaper of any of the pics? that would be sweet!!!

45

Nice to see the write up Phil, great pics too. Will see you tomorrow at PIR - too bad I couldn't drive today :(

46

I'm not normally a fan of FF Hondas stateside, mostly due to how they're fashioned and the fact that they are not normally used.... Besides shows and what not.



But I must say, I actually really do LOVE Hondas that are built right and used on the Circuit and Canyons.



This one here, is FANTASTIC!



Can't wait to get out to the SouthWest and do it up!



Great car man!!!



- Daren

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