There’s a reason this EK hatch is in our magazine and it’s not because of a lime green rollcage. Justin Semon has spent the last year building his Civic to run with the wolves. Not squandering money on rare or flashy parts, he’s developed an all-around car tailored for the track. And while many Honda owners only take their rides to get-togethers, Mr. Semon isn’t wasting his time being a hard parker. Last year, he tracked his car at Road Atlanta and plans to do more of the same in ’12.
The road to building this project wasn’t the easiest one though. Raised up in the ATL, Justin started learning about the scene from mags like us and Honda Tuning. “I got into cars during the sixth grade,” he started. “My first modified car was a ’96 Civic hatch followed by a K-swapped Integra. But I got out of the scene for a few years because I had to move out of my mom’s house and grow up.”
Messing with cars was after all a hobby, so Justin started thinking about his future and finding a career to support his wife and child. He was forced to sell his Integra, but luckily he didn’t stray too far from the car world. After working at Goodyear Tire and Acura, he landed a job as a full-time tech at the local Lexus dealership.
-
Naturally-aspirated JDM B18C puts down 218whp on E85.
-
-
It wasn’t long till Justin hopped back on the saddle. “My little brother offered this bone-stock Civic hatch to me,” he told us. “I wanted to pick up where I left off with the Integra and do everything right from the ground up. I wanted to do track days again and use it instead of let it sit in the garage.”
Justin started with the chassis, lowering the hatch with BC Racing coils using stiffer spring rates. A collection of new control arms, sway bars and strut braces, as well as a sick Kirk Racing rollcage ensured the chassis would feel solid with minimal body flex. A few other tricks were added such as the rear toe and camber adjusters to dial in the suspension.
New brakes followed and they needed to be strong enough to withstand Justin’s ragers at the track. Up front, he upgraded to larger 11.8" Wilwood rotors with four-piston calipers while the rears received EP3 rotors and RSX calipers. “The brakes and suspension are probably [my] favorite parts of the car,” he noted. “Everything’s been changed and the handling feels fantastic. A lot of cars overlook these things. They can only go fast in a straight line. I like a well-rounded car that can handle and brake well.”
-
-
-
Wouldn’t be a track car without some good brakes thanks to Wilwood.
For wheels, Justin didn’t want to spend too much coin because he knew they would be vulnerable to damage. So he settled on some Team Dynamic wheels—a spec Miata wheel. “The way the wheel is designed, it allows for a pretty big caliper and rotor setup while still being 15s. They’re also cheap and easy to come by,” he explained.
And what would a weekend track car be without the proper tires. Toyo R888s were mounted up—some of the best street legal rubbers money can buy.