How do I get my car into the magazine? is probably the most often-asked question to us Super Street editor folks (Second only to "Is Howard's hair real?") It's probably the toughest question to answer because, contrary to the impression disseminated via the Emp's highly sophisticated propaganda machine (i.e. Holeshot) that it's as simple as breathing, getting your car into the mag requires the owner to go through a rather rigorous process, including a talent contest and swimsuit competition.
Then again, sometimes we come across a car that's just so blatantly cool and dope and utterly bitchin' in every regard that we are willing to bypass the swimsuit competition. Such was the case with this '88 CRX. Good thing, too, because I don't think any of the staff was too eager to see owner Jay Yuson in a Body Glove two-piece.
We spotted Jay's CRX at this year's Import Auto Salon. Despite its placement in the middle of a crowded hall full of other standout show and race cars, it's not very hard to walk past a chop-top CRX without scratching your head, backtracking, and figuring out what made you do those loony things in the first place. That's pretty much an accurate description of what I did, though in much quicker fashion, of course.
The CRX itself is not a recent project for Jay. He has been racing it in all-motor classes for the past four years. It is a full-on naturally aspirated fire-breathing dragster, but prior to this season, its appearance remained as dull as tap water; it was factory white with stock body lines. Going from Point A to Point B was its sole purpose, but that got old quickly. Last winter, Jay put it under the knife.
Now, the roof sits sharply lower and the body has been reworked in a spectrum of green, outlined by a streak of neon yellow all of which give the old car new life. Suddenly, the CRX loses all hints of something designed and built during the Reagan Administration. It is now something much more appropriate for its time.
But focusing solely on the car's looks means overlooking the Number One reason why this car is so special. Remember, this car was visible in the SoCal import racing scene long before the glamour mods. To date, it is one of the fastest all-motor cars in the country. At an IDRC event earlier this year, it scored its best time to date with an 11.70 run at 113 mph and that was with a blown head gasket and an ever dropping compression ratio. Still, that time puts the car firmly in the ranks of Jeremy Lookofsky's 2.2L CRX and the Skunkworks car, which some say has been stroked to 2.0L. The difference here is that Yuson's CRX has a surprisingly puny 1.6 liters of displacement in his SOHC engine. A clear disadvantage, but something Jay has no intention of changing. "Sticking with a 1.6L has its drama," he says. "Trying to get that little motor to make horsepower is a challenging task, but it's a challenge I like and accept. Not to mention that the end result, after the hard work, sweat, headaches, and money, is totally worth it."
And if you think that's guts, Jay ran the CRX with (and qualified in) a field of turbo cars at the NIRA Import Spring Nationals/West in Arizona early in the season. "There was no Pro All-Motor class [at the event]," he says with no residual bitterness at all. "And even though we qualified for the [Pro Import FWD class], we were still at a great disadvantage. Although this made my team skeptical, we thought that maybe if the motor was running right, we would have been able to give the turbo/nitrous cars a run for their money."
The reason Jay's CRX matches up so competitively with race cars pushing more air has everything to do with the setup under the hood. The 1.6L SOHC engine has been bored .80 mm over stock, and balanced and blueprinted. The internals have seen big-time enhancements in the form of Acura B18A1 connecting rods, a Gude Gorilla camshaft, and Honda 14:1 compression pistons and rings. The head has been ported and polished and given a racing valve grind. Airflow gets a smoother quicker ride with the addition of a TWM intake manifold, a Gude header, and a Dynomax Race 2.5-inch exhaust. And ignition has been bolstered by an MSD 6AL unit, Nology Hot Wires, and NGK plugs. Nothing has been overlooked. Even the stock oil and water pumps have been replaced with a Honda '95 VTEC D16Z oil pump and an electric water pump.
While that may seem like an eclectic setup indeed, it looks like one the strangest aspect of the CRX lies in its fuel delivery system. At a time when the top racers are all turning to DFI and MoTec, Jay eschews even electronic fuel injection. Instead, he runs with an old-school setup of a single Weber DC0E 45mm carburetor. "They're simple," he says.
"Carburetors don't need engine management systems, MAP sensors, H2O systems. Everything is manually tuned. Another reason, though seemingly superficial, is that the NHRA Pro Stock cars all use carbs, and those cars are the ultimate all-motor cars."
There's no question that Jay is doing things his own way. However, he keeps things more conventional with his suspension setup. He keeps the rear of the car completely stiff with a custom shock from All Motorsports. In front, he uses Tokico adjustable shocks and VIS Race coilover springs. Inside, you'll also find a full All Motorsports mild steel rollcage.
Complementing this drag suspension configuration are Bogart race wheels and M&H slicks and skinnies, though the car is pictured here with Volk Racing wheels and Yokohama tires for purely vain concerns.
Other than the rollcage, you won't find much else inside the cabin. This is a full race interior, which means essentially nothing but sheets of aluminum and only the things needed to power, brake, shift, and steer the car. His items of choice: a MOMO steering wheel and shift knob (connected to a B&M short shift kit), Lonza pedals, and Auto Meter gauges (to monitor EGT, fuel pressure, oil pressure, and water temperature).
The all-motor mentality has always been an eccentric one in the world of drag racing. There is a certain amount of pride and personal challenge. "Racing in the All-Motor class is a special thing," Jay says. In an all-motor ride, you have to be precise in everything you do. You have to be efficient and effective.
"Also, an all-motor class is vital for the whole import market industry. Not everyone out there can afford a turbo or DFI set up. Comparable to the NIRA Pro Stock class, an all-motor class will keep the street competition and everyday consumer alive. Plus,it's fun."