A Super GT Fan’s FD2 Honda Civic Type R
Full Circle

It may have taken a year and a bit, but I’m finally making good on a promise made back in a time when traveling to other countries was taken for granted and Japan hosted hundreds of thousands of automotive enthusiasts for Tokyo Auto Salon.

It was during the ‘Meet Me Underground’ gathering in Shibuya during the week of TAS 2020 that I made a pledge to feature a special FD2 Civic Type R. After hashing out a few possible dates that the Honda’s owner, Yohei, and I could meet up to shoot the car, life took an unexpected turn. I’m not just talking about the global pandemic either.

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After enjoying a wet Super GT race at Fuji Speedway, Yohei misjudged the depth of a pothole on his drive home and damaged the front end of his FD2. It took over six months to repair, during which time Covid came along and our meet-up was put on hold.

But as the saying goes – good things come to those who wait.

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The meet in Shibuya might have been the first time Yohei and I met face to face, but a little over a year before that I had received a message on Instagram late one morning. It read: “I saw you running the local roads in my hometown last night. The next time you’re in the area please message me and let’s run together!”

At first I thought the person was mistaken, as I’d been in a pretty remote area deep in the mountains very late at night (read: early morning). Still, I replied back and ever since then Yohei and I have kept in contact about night meets and other local gatherings in his area.

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I’d been keen to feature his FD2 Civic Type R for a while, but Yohei was in the middle of its final evolution asked me to wait until it was ready. Recently, we got to shoot.

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As Yohei has owned his Honda for a little over seven years now, I initially assumed he was a die-hard Honda fan. Truth be told, he found himself the Civic’s owner by chance. “I was looking to buy another R33 Skyline GT-R after I crashed mine in the mountains. I was in a bit of a foul mood and I spotted this purple FD2 Type R for sale. The color spoke to me so I decided to buy it instead,” he told me.

Note: In Japan, the color purple can represent disappointment or depressed feelings, which might be why the color spoke to Yohei’s frustrations.

Aggression & Style
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What you see here now is three quarters of a decade’s worth of Yohei’s evolving vision, determination and patience. I think you’ll agree that it’s been worth the effort.

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A good starting point to break down the transformation would be the M&M Honda Hyper wide-body kit, which adds an extra 70mm of girth bringing the total width to around 1,940mm (for reference, a brand new FK8 Civic Type R is quoted at 1,880mm wide). But I have to begin with the wheels.

As we all know, wheels can make or break a vehicle’s visual impact, but I don’t think Yohei could do any better than the set his Civic wears. You’re looking at RAYS Volk Racing center-lock aluminum motorsport wheels, as previously run on a GT300 Prius.

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As you’d expect from Super GT wheels, they’re aggressively sized at 18×12-inch with a +10 offset all round. Given how center-lock wheels work, Yohei had to make his own tool to both remove and torque his wheels up to spec.

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Big wheels call for big tires, in this case Hankook Z221 Ventus TD semi-slicks – 295-section in the front and 265 in the rear. The wide-body fenders contain them nicely, although Yohei had to create stoppers to the ensure the fronts don’t foul against the suspension.

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Yohei hasn’t skimped on the brakes either, fitting a sizeable 6-pot AP Racing Kai package up front.

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Yohei’s Super GT parts don’t stop at the RAYS wheels; the under panel comes from a Corolla and the side skirts are from another GT300 Prius. The latter pair needed a bit of massaging to fit the FD2, and that involved trimming some very expensive dry carbon.

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I’ve covered the wide-body, but M&M Honda components also extend to the carbon fiber hood, rear diffuser, 1,500mm carbon fiber GT wing and trunk lid.

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Inside the trunk is a surprise that solves a very unique problem. Yohei wanted to fit an exhaust system custom-made by a friend who runs a small shop called Shimura Kougyo. The routing, however, was going to pose a major obstacle and under normal circumstances wouldn’t fit under the Honda unless it was extensively modified. Instead, Yohei decided that the trunk wasn’t really all that necessary for his needs, so he cut most of it out to accomodate the exhaust.

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The Type R-spec K20A engine itself is internally stock, and otherwise quite conservatively tuned given the car’s hardcore exterior. But seeing as though Yohei spends most of his time in the car on mountain passes, he doesn’t need huge power. A GruppeM air filter, Toda Racing throttle body and Koyorad aluminum radiator are the most notable upgrades alongside a FEEL’S (aka Honda Twincam) ECU and the aforementioned exhaust system.

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Likewise, Yohei hasn’t gone off the deep end when it comes to the interior. Many of creature comforts remain, including the air conditioning and radio, but some of the plastic trim, the headliner and back seat have been stripped, and an M&M Honda trunk gusset plate and Bride seats have been added. The short shifter is an adapted Nismo item from Yohei’s old Skyline.

Being 187cm tall (6’1”), Yohei falls well beyond the 95th percentile in Japan, so for optimal driving position – and to make getting in an out not a gymnastic routine – he runs both a Works Bell quick-release and hub spacer.

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It may not have been the car he was originally looking for all those years ago, but Yohei’s FD2 Honda Civic Type R has became the exact car he needed. Now, how does one go about getting their hands on some RAYS Volk Racing magnesium center-lock wheels…

Ron Celestine
Instagram: celestinephotography

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33 comments

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1
Jay Soh Tsu Chung

I'm genuinely curious how did he get his hands on those Super GT parts. And I suppose the exhaust system is a straight pipe now, given there's no muffler?

P.S: any updates on Project Rough, Ron? Hahaha!

2

Asking the real questions.

3
thathellastockusdm3rdgenyaris@instagram

this is why japanese cars are for the wealthy because their designed to be worked on so easily and the parts expensive because it keeps the economy strong, so a vehicle like mine would be something someone would buy for their kid in tokyo, so i would be wealthy in japan because i would be city parking.

4
thathellastockusdm3rdgenyaris@instagram

in japan also its as easy as asking someone if they have something that's considered junk they want to get rid of, its super corroded those wheels so they are considered junk. japan offloads their damaged or marred things because their all about perfection and longevity. it's a shame on the manufacturer to have something damaged.

5
thathellastockusdm3rdgenyaris@instagram

japan has all sorts of neat things on their version of ebay. i use it all the time, its how i find discontinued parts and whatnot. american ebay is too limited, try using .ie .ca or .co.uk because it gives you a global snapshot of whats on ebay vs just the US, the us is basically china so you need to use foreign sites because the mafia and the crime rings of the US and the crime rings of the govt. control and restrict everything so they can exact control. its all about keeping people contained and controlled like cattle. people killed over this here or disappear.

6

My god can this boomer shut up ? Talking nonsense on every article posted

7

Haha as was I and he wouldn't tell me lol.

For the exhaust it passes shaken so I don't think it's exactly a straight pipe but no mufflers

I have a few things with Rough coming! Life getting in the way hahaha

8
Keith Peronilla

I was thinking the same thing about those parts! The wheels are just insane!!

9

The pothole told him once already, I don't think he can afford the second lesson.

10

Facts... A very expensive lesson lol

11

Given this is in Japan, the owner is after an experience, and the parts all "talk" to each other in color and style... I don't hate this one bit. Nice!

...Until a supreme or "type R" sticker gets slapped on the rear and unnecessary, pointless vent gets molded in.

12
Jay Soh Tsu Chung

I don't see any issues with this when it is a genuine Honda Civic Type-R.

13

Ron, you guys often forget (or don't bother) to tell us the year of manufacture of your feature cars. What year is this FD2? Thanks.

14

Haha you know I never really think about the year. I'll try to start incorporating it ^^

2008

15

Thanks!

16
thathellastockusdm3rdgenyaris@instagram

//neat

17

Incredible car. I love everything about it.

18

This is so sick

19

The magnesium center-lock wheels are so sexy.
I'll kick my boyfriend out of the bed, so I can sleep with the wheels.

Great photos as always, Ron.

20

LOOOL welllllll then

And thank you haha !

21
thathellastockusdm3rdgenyaris@instagram

// TBH it kinda looks like a subaru

22

Great photography of an interesting & well-built car.
It's cool to see custom one-offs and owner-fabricated parts (like the wheel hubs, exhaust & GT300-adapted body parts) instead of just mass-produced bits ordered from a website & bolted on.

23

Cheers and agreed. Wayyy more interesting (imo at any rate haha)

24
Madalitso Chilabade

Just Stunning. All I can say.

25

I am so in love with the color of this car

26

Love the FD2! Looks like a driveable car that will turn heads and straighten out the twisties!

27

It def turns heads and eats up the bends! People kept asking what it was lol

28

A very nice build and as many have already stated the wheels are overkill.
All the good points aside(that's too many to list), as personal taste I see the wing not "homogenous" with the car. And is a rollcage ever considered?

30

HY

31

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32

All I can say is that this is a super clean build
Just immaculate

33

I'm not shure if I like the car, but I definetly respect all the work the owner put into the build. Its cool to see those gt300 parts on the car too, he must have and inside man as I doubt the go up on ebay haha.

All in all, really cool build, lots of cool parts, but not shure its my thing

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