Photos appear courtesy of Angel Morales of The Turtle Garage, Joey Lee of The Chronicles, Misael Munguia of Nemos-Garage, And Jonathan Monteith.
Every project car has its bumps in the road. Those moments where you utter endless profanities at your car because something broke on you or didn’t work out the way you wanted it to. But in the end, you find a way to fix the errors that have occurred so you can enjoy your passion pit once again. But what if those errors are so substantial that you are left at a crossroads, questioning if you should mend what has been broken or if you should keep going?
This is exactly where Jonathan “TeddyJon” Monteith found himself after totaling his first 1992 Honda Civic CX Hatchback. A little bit of spirited driving on a rainy night wound up ending with the car sliding down an embankment, deeming it a total loss. But not only did it leave Jon with a totaled Civic, it left him with a big decision to make: Where do you go from here? Part out and cut your losses? Start over with a new project car altogether? Become a normal Joe Schmoe with a normal car and leave the modified scene altogether? A decision needed to be made, and the one Jon made was none of the above.
(Jonathan Monteith's original 1992 CX hatchback after the fateful accident that totaled the car and signaled the rebuild)
Instead of quitting on his beloved CX Hatch, Jon decided a full rebuild was in order. He believed he could recreate his beloved hatch even better than before, and he set out to do just that. After hunting for awhile, Jon came across a 92 CX Hatch that had low miles on the chassis, all original, straight panels and purchased it instantaneously. Needless to say, once the shell was acquired, Jons plan for a rebuild fell right into place and the progress snowballed from there.
While the new shell was in paint, Jon began to remove old components and refinish what he could. Renewing the interior with a new coat of interior paint, refreshing the block and trans with a new coat of silver, and restoring the suspension components and other miscellaneous pieces with a coat of gloss black, the components were ready to be thrown on the EG to restore the car back to what it would have been when it was new in 1992. Jon ultimately got everything back together and running, and quickly realized that though he picked the road most choose not to go down, his restoration and rebuild of his beloved EG Civic was the right route and the only choice all along.
(Leaving no part of the restoration untouched, Jon set out to restore the components he had. Renewing his interior with a couple coats of interior paint, as well as respraying all stock suspension and braking components, Jon made sure the car would look just as fresh as it did in 1992)
This rebuild occurred about 3 years ago, starting in April of 2013, and since taking place, the car has seen various looks. From Work RSZ-R wheels to Spoon SW388s, A Chargespeed exterior setup to a Spoon theme, there has been a plethora of nice parts thrown at the hatchback, with each setup and style looking unique and great in its own right. And now for 2016, Jonathan has switched it up again with his EG and offering a new version of it.
(During the early phases of the Chargespeed/J's phase of the build with Chargespeed front lip, Chargespeed front fenders, and a J's rear spoiler at Eibach 2015)
(A cut rear bumper reveals a J's Racing C304 Stainless Steel exhaust system, while making the car look even more aggressive)
Hard to miss on a set of Burning Red Volk TE37 wheels, Jon’s car has transformed from street-able daily/occasional show car, to full blown track car. Seat time has become the #1 priority with TeddyJon’s car, and the look surely matches the intended use. Pieces like PCI side skirts and a J’s Racing 3D GT Wing were equipped for styling and aerodynamics, with J’s Racing 15mm wider front fenders helping fit a bigger tire for optimal grip. The exterior is tied together by even more aerodynamic pieces in the form of a splitter and front canards, while also being complimented by a J’s Racing front lip and rare Vision Type DC mirrors.
(The cockpit of the EG Civic featuring matching Recaro SPG seats, a Fastline shifter, and the bare minimum amount of interior panels necessary. A look behind the seats reveals an Autopower Race rollbar, Takata 4 Point Race harness, and a Miracle X brace setup peeking through in the distance)
The interior maintains an OEM yet mildly aggressive look. A pair of red Recaro SPG bucket seats stand out vibrantly in the gutted cockpit and are easily one of the first things your eyes are attracted to on the car. A more thorough look will lead your eyes to pieces like a Fastline shifter with a Dimes Teardrop knob positioned perfectly within Jon’s reach, as well as Circuit Hero hub holding onto a Personal Neo Grinta in black suede with red stitching. AEM oil pressure and coolant temp. gauges help Jon monitor the overall condition of normal operations while on track, ensuring that his recently acquired B18C5 motor is always running at optimal strength.
And that B18C5 motor is what Jon is most crazy about at this point in his build (And who wouldn’t be crazy about that motor?). One of the survivors from a car that was and still is the victim of endless amounts of theft, his USDM spec Integra Type R engine is rebuilt a bit to help him squeeze every ounce of speed out of the chassis. With such an aggressive motor swap, Jon’s EG not only looks aesthetically pleasing, but also has the power plant to back up its aggressive demeanor. The motor is embellished with a J’s teal valve cover and oil filler cap, allowing even the smallest details to pay homage to the J’s Racing brand Jon’s car is themed after. Other bits and pieces like a rare Gruppe M intake, a J’s Racing strut bar, and a mildly tucked bay tie everything under the hood together.
(The power plant of the EG Civic is the sought after B18C5 motor from the iconic Acura Integra Type R. Though many have fallen victim to thieves, some survivors still remain and are still in high demand due to their amazing power numbers)
While it isn’t always easy to find the motivation to put the work in to get back to the point you were once at with your beloved project, builders like Jonathan show that with a little dedication and perseverance, the end goal of getting back to point A is not unachievable. Jon noted that even though he struggled finding the time or money to get the project back up and running, he is glad he stuck with it as it taught him how to love and appreciate the car in a new light. It made him realize that no obstacle was insurmountable and that no amount of heartbreak can keep you from building your dream car, whatever it may be.
Jonathan would like to give a big thanks to all who have supported him throughout the build. From friends and family to anybody who would compliment the car at a meet or show. He says it gave him the motivation to finish the car to his standards.
Feel free to read more about the rebuild that Jonathan put into his EG through his NWP4Life build thread at: http://forums.nwp4life.com/zerothread?id=42184&page=1
Or follow him on Instagram at @Teddyjon to watch the build progress even further.
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