Irony number two: Arvie's pal Kenny, who operates his shop SoKwik out of the very yard that these photos were taken in, did the yeoman's share of the labor in putting things back together once Arvie's pal Yugi-san painted it all up. (Yugi-san also painted it there in the yard, with Arvie's former car nearby, its spirit overseeing the proceedings.) It also made dress-up items like the hidden wiring loom that much easier to execute.
This adherence to period Mugen-wear had its price: for example, bigger brakes were out of the question. "I put Brembo rotors on," Arvie says, "but limiting myself to certain wheels from that year, I couldn't go bigger."
Inside is unlike virtually any other DA Integra you've ever sat in: A complete JDM Integra XSi interior-down to the front and rear seats with headrests, door panel material, double-din stereo, seat belts, gauge cluster and floor mats-has been installed. Even the bronze-tinted Japan-spec glass has made its way onto this former rolling shell. Everything, save for moving the steering wheel to the other side of the cabin, has been co-opted into Arvie's Integra. The only parts that aren't factory JDM are-you guessed it-Mugen: the shift knob and sport steering wheel, primarily. "I'm only missing the decal with the pinstripe," Arvie laments.
Under the hood? A '90 VTEC, still displacing 1.6 liters but bumped up to 12:1 compression and running 100-octane fuel. A painted valve cover, and the lack of arm-thick wiring looms snaking about the engine compartment, is the most obvious of the underhood enhancements. The rear suspension has received the bulk of the attention underneath, with JDM lower rear control arms and a ball-joint rear shock setup instead of the forked piece.
Recently enhanced with the vigor and quality of a newly-built machine, there are many years still ahead, and many miles to traverse, before Arvie's JDMesque DA Integra shuffles off this mortal coil and joins its predecessor in its final resting place.
Fast Facts
'91 Integra
Owner Arvie Gimeno
Hometown Pomona, CA
Daily Grind mugen collector
under the hood Honda B16; 12:1 compression, Comp camps, Eagle rods, Wiseco pistons and rings, Civic Type R crank, ported and polished head, built by Kenny at SoKwik, hidden wiring loom, custom Island key bolts, painted and shaved valve cover
Driveline 1992 YS1 5-speed manual transaxle with limited-slip differential; ACT clutchROLLERS Mugen MR5 wheels; 15-inch Kumho tires
Stoppers stock with custom-bent stainless lines, Brembo rotors and Mugen pads
Stiff Stuff Tein basic struts and shocks; Spoon front tower brace; Miracle-X rear brace, Energy Suspension bushings, JDM DA6 rear lower control arms; total 3-inch drop
Outside complete Mugen body kit with rear wing; JDM window visors, one-piece headlights and foglights
Inside complete JDM conversion including front and rear seats, door panel materials, seatbelts, gauge cluster, double-DIN audio system, arm rests, sun visors and floor mats; Aeroduo carbon-Kevlar drivers' seat; Gathers head unit, CD player and speakers with DVD entertainment unit
Props Rocketjay; Mom and Dad; Kenny at SoKwik; Yugi-san; "DPK" JP; Rudy; David, Jimmy, Carlos, Gump and Alex; Jason; Roy; Ronald at Aeroduo; Danny at DigiHorizon; JDM Marc; Dajay, Big Mike and the Fresh Drive Homies; Drew "Spek1;" Ernie Euy and GG
Www advancedclutch.com; compcams.com; dunloptires.com; mugen-power.com; pistons-online.com