Isn't it funny how things don't always end up as planned? From college graduates landing a lucrative career, completely opposite from their degree to the once happy couple who marry, and in less than a year separate and end it in a bitter divorce. Kenny Vinces of Patterson, N.J., played a role in a similar type of situation, but with a more positive outcome. This self-professed car freak took his '92 Honda Civic and transformed an otherwise subtle daily driver into a mind-boggling $60,000 street warrior.
With gas prices on the rise, owning a fuel-efficient vehicle is smart in today's overpriced economy. For Vinces, owning a vehicle that posts 30 mpg and a 116-hp powerplant became a story of frustration as occasional stoplight confrontations ended in a foreseeable loss.
Priding himself, Vinces decided to upgrade the Civic's powerplant with a Frankenstein combination of a JDM B20 block and '95 USDM GS-R head, all in preparation for forced induction. The B20's internals were discarded in favor of a more boost-friendly combination of Eagle H-beam rods and Wiseco 8.5:1 slugs. While the crank remains in factory spec, an AEM underdrive pulley set, including a lightened crank pulley, aids in reducing rotational mass. The GS-R head was sent to Hassan of Sardis Speed Shop, located in Guttenburg, N.J., where the head received their special porting, three-angle valve job and upgraded valve springs modification.
The factory intake manifold was replaced with a JG Edelbrock unit, while Precision Engineering 850cc injectors, an AEM fuel pressure regulator and Holley 255-lph fuel pump ensure sufficient fuel is delivered at all times. The factory camshafts are fine-tuned using a set of Hayame adjustable sprockets. In charge of pressurizing the motor is a Masterpower T-70 turbo, mated to a custom designed Spearco intercooler, fabricated and installed by Sardis Speed Shop. Custom inlet and outlet pipes were also specially fabricated by Sardis. Adding flair to the custom turbo kit, the TiAL 35 mm wastegate's external dump tube was cleverly designed to exit out the side of the front bumper. With the downpipe heat-wrapped for thermal efficiency, spent exhaust is exited out the tailpipe though an A'PEXi N1 exhaust.