With the end of the year right around the corner, I figured now would be a good time to give an exclusive in depth look at where SHG's very own DC5 race car is being built at. Some sort of factory you may call it, but 'round these parts here, it just goes by the name SoHonda Garage.
Prior to entering the actual garage workspace, one must first step into an adjacent storage room used for safekeeping a plethora of spare parts and other inventory. Here anything can be found, from a set of Buddy Club Evo dampers...
...to freshly painted DC5 bodyparts awaiting their turn back in.
Storage bins keep hardware and compact parts orderly kept until needed.
Other interesting bits can be spotted as well such as the press fit Clockwise Motion billet oil pan baffle. It requires no welding and upon assembly simply snugs up against the windage tray.
Other interesting bits can be spotted as well such as the press fit Clockwise Motion billet oil pan baffle. It requires no welding and upon assembly simply snugs up against the windage tray.
In the same shelf rests a SHG rocker cover, an effective solution that we offer for those with elevated levels of crankcase pressure to vent gases via the welded -10an bung.
On the other side of the room there are EP3 Civic Type R bumpers to complete Evan's exterior once Spring time comes around. It's worth mentioning that the Milano Red rear bumper is up for grabs if there are any interested parties.
The fifteen52 Tarmacs wrapped on Direzza Z1s are also up for grabs for only $1,100. Given that the wheels aren't even a year old and come with nice tires, it's safe to say they're being slept on!
Any other day they would have been kept but when a dreamy set of wheels popped up on the marketplace, the time was then or never.
Not Volks CE28s, but rather Advan RGs in 17x8.5 and 17x7.5! +37 and +30 respectively.
The decor around here is ever changing as parts find their way back onto usage, while others like this retired Kosei K1 wheel sit out of commission.
There is cool stuff everywhere, in this box was a carbon fiber R/C chassis that's already seen a full range of modifications from corrected suspension arm geometry to lengthened tie rods for increased steering angle. Evan is definitely mental when it comes to his cars, miniature or not.
Before even stepping in the garage you are kindly greeted by the DC5's K20A2 sitting in the corner which has just gone through a complete OEM reassembly. Surprisingly, the only new parts are piston rings, water pump, head bolts and gaskets.
Due to SCCA's Improved Touring R class rules, the engine must remain largely unmodified thus Honda's infamous reliability will surely give the DC5 the upper hand in the unforgiving racing environment.
Aside from all the shiny stainless steel and cadmium plated hardware, the rocker cover is also treated with a Buddy Club oil cap and before making its way back into the engine bay also have a SHG dipstick retainer.
...but there is a lot more to this SoHonda Garage than a motor on a stand. Spread everywhere is all sorts of SHG memorabilia and neat artifacts such as a framed portrait of Evan's old fully built Civic EH2 from the golden years. To put the icing on the cake, Spoon Certified Performance paperwork hangs on the wall inches aside it.
On a wall shelf rests an assortment of coilover components, 1/10th scale DC5 R/C, carbon fiber intake elbow and delrin bushings.
A hand rendering done by Theresa of the EP3 from a few years ago serves as a reminder of just how far it's come.
Organization is always important and when space is limited, even more so. Honda boxes from previous parts orders through AutoFair Honda find a new purpose instead of being recycled.
Spoon Sports and Buddy Club boxes surely aren't to be tossed out either!
Several service manuals are available on demand with the reach of an arm. A must for all procedures involving any sort of assembly work.
Miscellaneous bits of hardware are stored in plastic drawers in a classified by type fashion.
Here, the message is quite clear...SoHonda only!
See what I mean?
No matter where you go, the theme of organization is clearly present. Even on top of the toolbox, the seemingly disorganized and busy surface is in a way well sorted and functional.
SHG + AFH = dassit!
On the self built wooden workbench rests the latest project, TIG welded spherical bearing cups in OEM DC5 rear lower control arms.
Rear camber arm mounts further strengthened by the same quality welds were also there in company.
It so happens that SHG_Riley was there hanging out with us and sporting the newly launched allthingsproper. hoodie. Be sure to get in touch with them to get your own.
As for the main attraction, the DC5 occupies most of the space inside the one car garage. The cage and bodywork have been completed but there is still the wiring to be finished along with installing all of the suspension and running gear to name a few.
While the engine bay resembles the OEM spec, almost everything has been either refreshed, removed or modified. Class rules also dictate a ban on ABS systems and because that was a standard option on the DC5, bespoke brake lines were created using OEM tubing.
Carbon fiber blocks offs, heat reflective tape, replated OEM hardware and reloomed wire harnesses are all subtle touches that revamp the overall appearance without deviating from the rule book.
The A/C system has of course been removed but the heater core retained for defogging purposes. Not that they're allowed to be deleted anyways.
At last, we have the multi point roll cage. This was Evan's first attempt and given the outcome, an astonishing feat given his limited welding experience at the time.
The entire design and fabrication was done by him at Flatout Motorsports with safety as the number one priority. While there is no estimated time of the build's completion, with things now back in full swing a 2014 completion is certainly possible.
If you would like to see more about the build, be sure to visit the build thread at Honda-Tech and ClubRSX. With that said, I hope you enjoyed the tour de la garage! - Claudio.
