Honda Civic EK4 B18C swap Time Attack

Welcome to function following form in the purest possible way. This is another great example of grassroots time attacking - a machine that has been finely tuned for the sole purpose of cutting fast lap times around circuits like Mobara and Tsukuba.
I’ve been meaning to check out some of Garage WORK’s cars for a while now, as over the past few years their reputation for building fast Honda Civics has increased exponentially. The wild signature aero that’s applied to every Honda they wave their tuning wand over make these cars instantly recognisable as the work of Iwata-san, the man behind the small specialty shop.
It’s impossible to ignore the wild diffuser, splitter and canard treatment that the C-West bumper has been majorly enhanced with. There’s no real science here, it’s all experimental and very much trial and error. It’s also a fun way to learn about aerodynamics and the the effects that different upgrades have on the handling. Of course, the ultimate goal in this instance is to push the heavy front end down to the ground, allowing the tyres to find their maximum grip.
With the front tyres on a FF car having to do double the work than those on a RWD vehicle, it’s no surprise to see a fatter section tyre being run on the 17-inch RAYS Volk Racing CE28Ns - 245/45R17 Advan A050s to be precise. The rear gets the same sort of medium compound rubber, albeit in 205-section and one inch smaller in diameter. On a lightweight car like this outright braking power isn’t much of a concern, but to ensure a solid pedal and a resistance to fade, Spoon-spec Nissin callipers are used at the front end.
With so much downforce being generated at the front - and with the majority of the weight concentrated there - the need to balance out the rear was very important. That’s why the hatch has been outfitted with a 1500mm GT wing from Techno Pro. More weight-slashing measures include a Monster carbon bonnet and even a carbon filler cover.
The rear bumper has had slits cut into its ends in an attempt to reduce drag, while an adapted rear diffuser - which looks very similar to the ones that RE Amemiya use on their RX-7s - generates further downforce. The car sits low, not for looks, but because the Garage WORK spec Tein adjustable dampers have been set up with the most aggressive geometry possible. All bushes have been replaced with pillow-ball equivalents to rid the linkages of any play, and a titanium strut tower bar has even been fitted for its rigid but light weight properties.
The power in the Civic it’s a DOHC VTEC B-series motor, yes, but not the 1.6L unit that was originally specced for the car. The EK4 was treated to a Integra Type R spec B18C swap - one of the greatest powerplants that Honda has ever created. With 200PS in stock form, it’s just what was needed to add more power without impacting on the car’s balance in any way.
The stock motor runs some basic upgrades to extract a smidgeon more performance, starting off with this M-Works stainless steel exhaust header. These connect up to a titanium exhaust system of the same brand with a straight pipe in between. Nology HotWires ignition leads aid in providing a better conductivity of current from the distributor to the four spark plugs, while a JUN Auto ECU is employed on the engine management side of things to get the best out of the upgrades. The M-Works titanium intake pipe is by far the nicest addition to the engine bay - a hand-fabricated piece boasting an expansion chamber to help boost the volume of air being swallowed by the engine. To limit restrictions a bigger diameter throttle body was also fitted.
#honda #civic #timeattack

[@thecrazykartbyAJ]

Cool photos and description! Thumbs up

[@taycustoms]

What kind of wing is that?

[@chiiavang671]

Type of intake?

[@BillsBuildandRace]

The roll cage in this car would not pass Time Attack scrutineering in my country (Australia), and probably none. It has no diagonal in the main hoop, no bracing between the lower hoop mounting points, and no side bars. The lack of a cross brace between the rear struts is a huge omission, and bolting seat belts to the floor leaves too much slack in the straps in the event of a serious crash - which is why the rules in almost every country require them to be horizontal going to the rear, with up to a 30 degree maximum angle drop. The aero on this car is ineffective. Why would you put vents on rear guards to push air in front of the rear wheels? If it was for brake cooling you'd duct that air to stop extra air build up. The mounting of the rear wing is crazy inadequate. Decent down force would destroy it. The front splitter end plates? Venting them kills any effect they might generate. The rear bumper only adds drag. The driver's door HAS to have a smooth liner on it to prevent driver injuries. Basic! The pod filter sucks hot air from behind the radiator & therefore decreases power. It should be in a ducted box drawing air from a pressure point in front of the radiator. That hose does not fix this, and where it could draw air from the vent in the front bar is blanked off. This is the build of someone more concerned with appearance than a knowledge of basic aero and race car set up. And yes, I DO race a Civic Hatch and have been doing so for fifteen years, winning many, many state titles. I also have built countless Honda race cars for mates. Just so you know I'm not some keyboard dumb ass & know what I'm talking about. This is what we call "a pretend" race car. To describe this car above as "function following form in the purest possible way" is absolutely delusional. Go see Dr. Phil immediately! Hahahaha!

[@lsvej1]

WJP004 it holds the record for fastest FF NA in Japan on Tsckuba circuit.. going against cars 800hp AWD and FR. and still is faster than them. so his aero does work. and they are normal average guys.

[@riceboxsupreme]

I believe this car held a track record at Tsukuba circuit for quite some time and maybe it still does. Despite it's ineffective aero it is quite fast. I question some of the methods they use myself. What I cant wrap my head around is the weight numbers. I have the same chassis engine and transmission and this thing claims to be 500lbs lighter than mine. I think they say its 1700 lbs. It looks like it still has glass and even some extra bracing mine doesn't have. Mine is 2275 without a driver. P.S. I love your videos. The amount of hand crafted fibreglass work you do is incredible.

[@carl8568]

WJP004 A sub 58 second lap around Tsukuba and you call this a pretend race car? You're a funny old bloke.

[@soonerclark]

nooooo