compare cars, Hawaii is one of the hardest places to modify
cars, which is why we're always surprised when we come across amazing
rides like the ones in our Wekfest report. Parts are more expensive,
roads are limited and racetracks absent; plus right now, it's the only
state in the US that requires a car to be inspected after aftermarket
parts are installed. Shops have to take photos of each vehicle they work
on and have the mods approved by a local recon station. In addition, a
car can be pulled over at anytime and scrutinized for its modifications,
which is why Brandon Kikuchi is a bit of a rebel. Not only does he own
this 400+whp turbo Civic, he drives it every day to buy groceries, run
errands and even pick up his kids from school. So during our adventure
in Hawaii, we met up with him after Wekfest to snap some extra photos of
his wicked EG build.
Photo 2/6
| 1995 Honda Civic - Hawaiian Punch
Q&A with Brandon Kikuchi
1. What's your background in cars?
1. What's your background in cars?
My first car was a '99 Civic Si, which I
completely "Spooned" out. Then, I had an Acura TL show car, which won
couple of trophies at the Street Car Showoff back in the day.
Regrettably, I only drove it several times a year because I didn't want
to risk damaging it. After selling the TL, I promised myself that I
would thoroughly enjoy my next build, which is why this car is my daily
driver.
2. Can you tell us about the start of this build?
I've always had an admiration for EGs. My
previous EG was totaled while I was at work one day-an electric company
truck hit it on the side of a busy street. My insurance paid me out for
the loss so for about a year after that I was on a mission in search of
the perfect EG. I found this '95 DX that was owned by an older man who
garaged it. Just so happens, his car would get stolen often. He got
tired of it after a while and decided to sell-his loss, my gain! When I
bought the car from him, it was all stock, 44K original miles, no rust,
clean interior and original paint.
3. Why did you go with this theme for the car?
Although I've always been a fan of Spoon Sports,
I'd also regularly keep up with the Kanjo and Japan track scene as
well. The Kanjozoku's intense style always caught my attention and
fueled my inspiration to build something similar and keep it as
authentic as possible. I wanted to incorporate my own "Akira Garage"
style and fuse together a Kanjo-inspired street car. I know some people
hate on it, being that my car is slammed with stretched tires. What they
fail to understand is that my vision isn't to replicate, but rather
just add my own twist to the iconic Kanjo look. The haters can just keep
on hating.
Photo 3/6
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4. Who inspired you the most?
For a long time I've looked up to Kazuhiro
Furakawa of Osaka JDM. He's accomplished the same dreams I've always had
for myself throughout the years: opening up his own shop, building
insane Hondas, manufacturing his own line of parts, racing on the loop
and professionally on the track. I've had the pleasure of meeting
Furakawa-san through mutual friends. For someone of his status, he's
such a humble and genuinely nice guy. I've had the honor of him using my
car in his Osaka JDM ad in a Japanese magazine. His approval has fueled
the drive to continue to work on completing my car to truly reflect
Osaka JDM's style.
5. What's your car mainly used for?
This car is actually my daily driver. It gets me
to and from work on a specific path that I map out to avoid flaws in
the road. Hawaii is infamous for its pothole-damaged roads. Since
there's only the passenger seat, I strapped my son's Recaro in; he loves
the ride just as much as I do. It's in his blood!
Tuning Menu
1995 Honda Civic
1995 Honda Civic
Owner Brandon Kikuchi
Hometown Ewa Beach, HI
Occupation Honda mechanic
Power 419whp
Engine JDM B16 swap; Wiseco 9:1
pistons; Golden Eagle rods and block guard; Type R oil pump and cams;
ARP head and main studs; Skunk2 titanium valve springs and retainers;
Garrett T3/T4 turbo; 440cc injectors; Walbro 250lph fuel pump; HKS
blow-off valve and intercooler; TiAL wastegate; NGK plug wires; Yonaka
radiator; Mishimoto slim fan; Samco hoses; custom engine mounts; Hondata
S300
Drivetrain Synchrotech carbon syncros; ACT clutch; SiR 2 limited-slip differential; B&M short shifter
Photo 4/6
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Footwork & Chassis Ground
Control coilovers with Koni yellow shocks and extended top hats; Spoon
Sports front strut bar; Suspension Techniques drop forks; custom front
upper control arms; ASR subframe brace; Beaks lower tie bar; Skunk2
lower control arms; Megan Racing rear camber kit
Brakes Power Slot cross-drilled and slotted rotors; Goodridge steel braided lines
Wheels & Tires 15x9.5" +13 front, 15x10" +7 rear Work Meister CR01 wheels; 175/50R15 front, 195/45R15 rear Nexen tires
Photo 5/6
| 1995 Honda Civic - Hawaiian Punch
Exterior Osaka JDM "Devil" rear
wing; SiR chin spoiler; JDM mudguards and side markers; Vision
carbon-fiber mirrors and smoked amber corner lenses; HID headlights
Interior SiR cluster, climate
control and clock; Type R steering wheel and shift boot; Cusco six-point
rollcage; X-bar; GSR seats; G Force window net
Thanks You my family for
all the love and support; my brothers at LS Automotive, Lester Cote,
John Davis, and Sean Shiraki; Kazuhiro Furukawa of Osaka JDM; Hoku Kama;
Joey Sabugo; Scotty Nagasawa; Jspirit; Trevor of MKSHiFT; Josh Miyake;
Vidalowca Garage; Larry Villegas
Photo 6/6
| source: http://www.superstreetonline.com
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