When Acura first released the third-generation Integra, I thought the car had the ugliest front endwe called the headlights cat eyes. They were just too round and oddball-looking. I thought all owners of this fine automobile were doomed for eternity, until I saw the Japanese version of the Integra Type R (you gotta love the one-piece projector lights)suddenly, things werent so bad after all. But then people started getting creative, and, well, everything started going downhill. Headlights from a Civic? Side skirts from an MR2? Come on now. You start to avoid these cars after a while. But this one herethis ones different in all the right ways.
Different can be good depending on how its executed. In Dennis Huangs case, he mixed things up rather than messed them up. It probably took a few tries, but he ended up choosing an S15 Silvia headlight conversion. Headlights that normally shouldnt be on any other car than a Nissan look somewhat decent in this case, but it doesnt stop there. JT Autobody, the shop responsible for this automotive Picasso, added its Evolution II body kit, switched the taillights to Prelude units, crafted the sides to resemble an NSX, and sprayed the result with super-white paint and a purple pearl for good measure. Crazy? Yes. Necessary? Maybe not, but its like visual sexual chocolate. It looks so fine, dont you agree? (OK, so Ive been watching Coming to America latelycable TV sucks.)
This car isnt just a show winner. If you take a minute to pry your eyes away from the body mods, youll notice that it also has decent power. Come on, you can do it, just look! The 1.8L LS motor has been built with key power components, the biggest being a Drag Gen 3 turbo kit, and comes with all the bells and whistles: a Turbonetics wastegate, a Spearco intercooler, and a GReddy blowoff valve.
Even though a turbo kit is a worthy addition to almost any Honda (simply because these cars were never equipped with one), the turbo alone doesnt function nearly as well as it does with the addition of a few more bolt-on parts to increase power. MP Motorsports, the prime hangout and main go-to shop for all of the parts you see, also added an AEM fuel rail and a JT Evolution exhaust and did up a custom intake manifold for smoother and increased airflow into the cylinder head. And in instances where Dennis might need just a few extra horses on tap, theres the nitrous-oxide kit from Nitrous Express. Add an ACT clutch that grabs harder than a Super Street staffers hand at a nudie bar, and you have a happy camper with an insatiable taste for speed. Or lap dances, for that matter.
Big shinning wheels do nicely, like these 18-inch Racing Hart Evo C2s complemented with Nitto NT450 industrial-strength rubber. The entire braking system was upgraded, incorporating AEMs big-brake technology. The Integra chassis is brought closer to the earth with Skunk2 coilovers, and the front shock-tower points are kept tight with an AC Autotechnik strut brace. The interior of this car is nothing less than outrageous. Its red, very red, and attracts more oohs and aahs than a bad George Foreman infomercial. Up and down, left and right, everything has either been restitched, replaced, or reupholstered with the color red: The dashboard, center console, door panels, and carpet have all fallen victim. The seats are standard Sparcos, as is the steering wheel. All monitoring gauges come from Autometer, and theres a fine shift knob from GReddy. The stereo system in Dennis Integra is primoan Alpine head unit boasts a TV screen and plays music and video delights at any given moment. The speakers are from Boston Acoustic, while the amps (check out the custom install) are from Crossfire. If you have a chance to install something like this setup in your car, we highly recommend it. It is very choice.
What else is there to be said about Dennis car? Maybe just a few more words. I like the headlights; they arent played out (yet). The engine kicks; hopefully well see a timeslip from him in the future. Massive choons on standby? I can hear them already. Now my mind is all mixed up.