Type R Club of America

Free they said.

it will be scrapped they said

wait.... my affinities I said

come get it they said

schweeeet I said, takes me back to when my wife and I bought ours I said

looking back, I shouldn't have said....

for sale I'll say

it'll never sell

mod til we break the bank or spirits we will

mistakes were made, they were

but, here for a good time not a long time we are

on with the bloody show....

...awkward bookmark, it is.

Intro- Backstory
It was 1999, I was a junior in HS and Honda had just released the "all new dual overhead cam civic coupe." I remember when my brother and I would see them on the road we'd talk about what colors we'd get, we'd drool over these things. I've always been into reds and blacks, as I've aged I find them just as enthralling as I did then.

FFWD to June of 2000; I was graduated, dead set on purchasing a fast car. Growing up all I wanted to do was race. If it had and engine and wheels, I wanted to be its pilot (nothings changed)! I road quads and motorcycles as fast as they would carry me with no P.E. - My parents wanted no part of it. Solo, I set out going from job to job trying to make my dream a reality.

In hindsight, I really lucked up back then, I had landed a post office distribution/warehouse gig. At 19 living home w/my parents, I was afforded the opportunity to save (when I wasn't out spending it all) and purchase my dream car. It didn't take long either, after working serious OT, 6mo. on the new job, w/ a co-signer (my wife now), we drove away w/ a Red EM1 in Nov. of 2001. The kicker, neither of us knew how to drive stick. I stalled on the way home and we laughed our asses off that night.

Looking back, I wish someone would have schooled me on the value of the dollar, credit, and investments

#schoolofhardknocks





My co-signer, my first hump trophy, & me.


Just food for thought when buying an EK 96-00. Signs that the car has been in a front end collision?
- Front end gaps; often overlooked by the repair shop


"jdm" was just catching on big at the time. Although, bodykits, sound systems, and mini truckin' were still a very relevant thing.




when BNIB ek9 HL's were $250

I love hearing these stories.

I'm 45, so I remember the 2000s very well. Such a great time to be into cars and modifying them. It's part of the reason why I only buy 80's, 90's, and 00's cars. They might not have all the new technology or be fast, but they have an experience that can never be replicated for someone growing up during that time.

I was more into Preludes and Accords back then but I always loved Integras and Civics.

I owned a '99 EBP Si that I bought for $1000. A tree fell on it. Lol!!! It was bent into the shape of a 'U'. Lol!! Stripped it to help a friend build a replica EK CTR.

AndyD wrote: ↑Sat Mar 25, 2023 9:21 am I love hearing these stories.

I'm 45, so I remember the 2000s very well. Such a great time to be into cars and modifying them. It's part of the reason why I only buy 80's, 90's, and 00's cars. They might not have all the new technology or be fast, but they have an experience that can never be replicated for someone growing up during that time.

I was more into Preludes and Accords back then but I always loved Integras and Civics.

I owned a '99 EBP Si that I bought for $1000. A tree fell on it. Lol!!! It was bent into the shape of a 'U'. Lol!! Stripped it to help a friend build a replica EK CTR.

Hey Mr. Andy! been a while sir.

Preludes were surely underrated, seems like you knew! After a best motoring vtech battle I'm surprised they didn't take over America by storm. What a trip on that EM1, by the sounds of it, all in all it found a good home.

have any old pics of what you use to drive?

https://youtu.be/uSXPXcpJ8uI

https://youtu.be/lqeTNWQWFos

man when the moon and stars align...what are the odds my theme for things to come is "left for dead."

what a rare gem... the 4WS

The folly
I can’t recall the year it happened but it was the snowball to “the folly.” The old tired b16, gave way. I knew it was on its way out after a Whitfield aka rage dyne day and it only made 116whp and virtually no tq. I was filled with ideas and wanted to build “a magazine car.” MOB works was so far back logged, I had to do something. It was around 2005 when I found a shop “SW” aka Stang Werks in Ontario, CA. As they’d do repairs to my Wifes accord (an accident magnet) we developed a good relationship. Lured in but the quality of work, we planned the civics comeback.

Things were going great, the car was coming along beautifully, then one day I received a phone call from Azusa PD. They were tracking down owners of vehicles at the facility. What a was left with wasn’t half bad, but it wasn’t what we agreed upon. On top of all that, a lot of jdm bling I to be painted and install disappeared. No matter how much I loved this car, I would never find the motivation to see it through. I couldn’t, the paint, the paint issues, the pieces missing, it was a lot to process and I knew of no other shops to finish the work. There was so much potential because what parts that were painted, were beautiful.

Regrettably, I sold the car 11yrs ago.
https://youtube.com/shorts/HE-4vwZsm78?feature=share

So much for the rotisserie color change

Damn!! Now that is definitely...Left for Dead!!!

AndyD wrote: ↑Sun Mar 26, 2023 9:44 am Damn!! Now that is definitely...Left for Dead!!!

hahaha right...or so it seemed.

If I had the "confidence and skill" I have today then I would have never let it go. I would have reverted it back to the OG color and put it back to stock for the most part.


Amid the gray
Once you’ve owned an EM1 it’s hard not to appreciate them. If you’re anything like me, you’ve been there/here. Accepting, rejecting, settling for that “one.” And as you navigate through life and those choices it really begins to highlight who you are as a car buyer. Will you buy a polished turd? Or will you polish the turd yourself? I’m the turd polisher. I only infer to them as turds because it’s a sinking ship; rarely ever do you recoup what you’ve invested. But, that’s far from the point when you just enjoy creating/building - Manifesting your vision(s) of that phase.

One day your buddy posts on his IG that he has an EM1 for sale…It’s black too!!! but you’re stuck at work, anxious as you multi task and negotiate, waiting for the work day to end. Somewhere in there you neglect a huge factor, how do you break it to the wife? It was now 10PM at night, everything aligned just right, a black EM1 becomes your chariot home (circa ’20).







Like a wildfire your love burns hot and bright….word gets out, a friend of a friend offers to buy your em1, then comes the sale.

Poverty spec - “Left for Dead”
IG group chats are the worst. I resisted the urge to reply to a homies post for nearly a month. “It red, anyone want a “free” EM1 shell.” One day for whatever reason I decided to poke the bear, I scanned the chat to make sure none of the homies laid claim to it verbally, I wanted to avoid stepping on toes. Coast was clear and I poked the bear. Some 50wks later I’d come to learn it wasn’t so free after all. It’s almost first start up time, let’s get this thing registered…SOBUMFL!!!! We now have a silent saying in the group, stay away from those “Arty Deals.”

Upon receiving these pics, I said cool, I'll take it.
cliffs: dumb blind despair