Project EF Civic Racecar: Dusting off the Cobwebs

Tom looks super cool standing against the Civic and getting ready for his first laps on course
A few weeks later Tom and I returned to this car’s old stomping grounds: Bader Field in Atlantic City, NJ. Lots of SJR members recognized the car and were happy to see it back in action. We did two full days and were finally able to get some laps on the car.
I take my first lap at Bader Field to see how good the Civic is
So, how was it? Was it worth the money and the headache? Yes, absolutely. This thing is fun! It has all the traits of a well setup FWD racecar. It has great rotation off throttle. It has a ton of grip. Get the engine over 3000 RPM and the D15 pulls hard (it actually may not be that fast but the 90 or so horsepower it’s making is a lot more than the 70 the Cappuccino makes!). The tiny brakes are strong enough to lock the wheels. (photo credit Andrew Vassallo)
More laps in the rowdy lil Honda. The second day had much nicer weather for racing.
I struggled to adapt to the Civic. I hit a lot of cones on the right side of the car. Keep in mind I’m used to sitting on the right in a car that is a full 12 inches narrower than the Civic. This is also the first well setup FWD car I’ve ever driven and I am still recalibrating my senses to keep it under control. The last FWD car I autocrossed was a Mazdaspeed3 with dead shocks and even deader tires that understeered no matter what you did with it. (photo credit Rick Decker)

Tom thrived.  I struggled with the balance and size and hit a lot of cones (I think this is the only time someone has complained that an EF Civic is so big).  Apparently a clapped out Civic has a lot in common with a Fiat 124 Abarth when it comes to autocrossing.  Who knew?  I embarrassed myself but still fell in love with the Civic.  Getting that first taste of Honda glory has made me thirsty for more.  We’ve done a total of three autocrosses this year and each time I got faster and more confident in the car.  Unfortunately some tech failures have precluded track days for 2024, but we have a long to-do list for the offseason and we’re already ordering parts.  We’re really excited to get this car prepped for a long season of autocrossing, track days, and more.  Stay tuned for more!

Sources

Energy Suspension 

Toyo Tires 

Felpro Gaskets

Filler Neck Supply 

More EF Civic Racecar

Part 1: Redheaded Stepchild

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2 comments

  2. Glad you’re enjoying! There will be a lot more actual racecar content coming soon. I’ve driven the car, I love it, and now it’s time to give it the TLC it really deserves. I’ve got a big pile of parts that are starting to go in and you’ll be reading about that early next year. Thanks for reading.

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