When it comes to building fast Hondas, Jacky Tse at Jtune Engineering is no stranger. When it comes to driving said Honda extremely fast, Jtune’s go-to wheel man, Colin Abah, is hard to beat. The duo has proved to be a potent combination in previous years, and when they announced they were going to contest Pro Open instead of Street with their Civic Type R — thanks to a technical error of having no LVVTA certification — nobody was worried for them. At the outset, Colin managed to pedal the Honda Civic Type R to an impressive 1:18; however, with the addition of a full-slick tyre, the time dropped as low as 1:16.
So, how does a naturally aspirated Honda go so fast? The answer lies under the bonnet; Jacky ripped out the K20A engine and dropped in the much larger K24A engine. A K20A head was retained and fitted with aggressive SVM cams, a Skunk2 intake manifold, Injector Dynamics ID1000s, a full titanium exhaust system, and an AEM Infinity ECU. The result is 185kW at the wheels, with oodles of torque and instantaneous throttle response. Mated to the K-series is a five-speed Quaife sequential with a straight-cut gearset, which helps Colin keep the Honda on song during competition.
Handling and rigidity have been tackled through various modifications in several vital areas. Buddy Club coilovers take care of ride height and damper, and Cusco sway bars take care of body roll. Up front, Jacky opted for a set of Endless six-pot calipers with 355mm discs, and N55 brake pads — a combination that has proven itself thus far. To make the most of the handling upgrades, the FD2 runs a set of 18×9-inch Wedsport TC105 wheels, wrapped in 225/40R18 Hankook F200 tyres. Although full slicks won’t be allowed next year, the team was keen to see just how fast they could push the Civic on its first outing.
008 Honda Civic Type R (FD2)
Engine
- Model: K24A, 2400cc, four-cylinder
- Block: Factory, JTune 1K oil pump
- Head: K20A head, SVM cams, Buddy Club springs and retainers
- Intake: Skunk2 intake manifold, 74mm throttle body
- Fuel: Injector Dynamics ID1000’s, AEM fuel pump
- Ignition: D1Spec ignition booster,
- Exhaust: Jtune 4-2-1 extractors, 70mm Jtune titanium exhaust system
- Cooling: Factory
- ECU: AEM Infinity 6, custom adapter by Boomslang
Driveline
- Gearbox: Five-speed Quaife sequential gearbox, straight-cut gearset
- Clutch: Exedy carbon single-plate
- Flywheel: Lightened
- Diff: Quaife LSD
Support
- Struts: Buddy Club three-way adjustable coilovers
- Brakes: Endless six-pot front calipers, 355mm discs, N55 brake pads
- Other: Cusco sway bars front and rear
Shoes
- Wheels: 18×9-inch Wedsport TC105
- Tyres: 225/40R18 Hankook F200
Exterior
- Paint: Factory
- Enhancements: J’s Racing carbon fibre front lip, front vent, rear spoiler, and Bospeed rear undertray
Interior
- Seats: ASM Recaro
- Steering wheel: J’s Racing
Performance
- Power: 185kW (248hp) at the wheels
- Hampton Downs: 1:16
Driver profile
- Driver/owner: Colin Abah / Jacky Tse
- Age: 30
- Location: Auckland
- Build time: 1 year
- Length of ownership: 1 year
- Thanks: Team at Jtune, Mike at Prosport Auto, Simon at Hyper, Phil at Exedy Avery, Beaurepaires, Jason at NZKW, Chris at Motul, AEM USA, Sean at K-Tuned USA, Boomslang
This article originally appeared in NZ Performance Car Issue No. 228. You can pick up a print copy or a digital copy of the magazine below:
