Third Time’s a Charm
One man’s journey to make his mark, and the Civic that got him there
By Rodrez

In late 1995, when the first group of sixth-generation Civic hatchbacks swarmed U.S. dealerships, Honda fans recognized its potential immediately. Most embraced the new kid on the block. It seemed as if only moments had passed before the first wave of modified versions began tearing up roads eagerly searching for future upgrades. The warm reception meant two things to Honda enthusiasts: a steady flow of aftermarket support would soon unfold, but with it would come an endless army of hatchback clones.
Campbell, Calif.’s, Viet Duong always had an eye for the Civic family. He’d already owned a ’89 Si, which he’d lightly upgraded, stretching his student budget thin enough to allow for a B16A swap and a set of coilovers. Unsatisfied, he turned his attention toward a friend’s ’90 Si, which had already been heavily upgraded, and a purchase price was agreed upon. However, after owning the car for just a few short months, Viet felt the need for a major change and decided that selling the car to purchase a bone-stock chassis to build upon would better satisfy his need to create, as well as make his mark amongst the crowded Civic world. Three months later, feeling the stress of having no car after countless hours of hunting, the search had finally concluded. A stock black ’99 DX hatchback was spotted and purchased, and the changes began almost immediately. A set of TEIN coilovers and an ITR five-lug conversion made their way onto the chassis before the exterior’s dents and dings had become far too bothersome for its owner to ignore. “I was fed up with the black paint and all the dings on the body, so I decided to send her to paint. I didn’t want a common color for a Honda, and after searching through a ton of colors, I decided on BMW Amethyst gray metallic,” Viet says. Using the paintwork as an excuse to upgrade the Civic’s outward appearance, a list of JDM EK9 body parts were sourced, including a front bumper and lip, front grille, headlights, front fenders with side markers, a rear bumper and lip, and side moldings. A set of ARC splitters add some additional flair to the front end, while a VIS carbon-fiber wing and rear hatch with a FAL window alter the rear’s persona and even shed a few pounds. Vision Type DC carbon-fiber mirrors and HOP window visors carry the aggressive black contrast theme across the Civic’s profile… Pick up a copy of the September, 2008 issue of Honda Tuning for more.