Photography by Vlad Shurigin (@zuumy)
Joey Valenti has always been a bit of a tinkerer of Hondas, but never someone to go into a full-blown build. For him, the passion just wasn't there - that is until he had to put a new motor into his Acura Integra.
Calling up a friend of his, Darryl, to see if he could do the job, Valenti was hit with a surprise answer: yes, but he wouldn't take money. Instead, he'd show Valenti how to swap out his B18, step-by-step, so he could learn the maintenance required. After the satisfaction of doing the job with his own hands, that was all that was needed to light the fire.
Featured in PASMAG #145. Click here to order.
"I can't explain the feeling, but I can say that from that moment on is when my passion for cars really took off," says Valenti. "Everything just started coming naturally to me and I knew I wanted to build something that I could put my all into."
Featured in PASMAG #145. Click here to order.
After parting ways with his Integra via an accident, Valenti's eyes turned to an eighth-generation Civic Si coupe, something he’d had his sights set on for some time to dive into with his own hands. While there weren't many eighth-gen coupes being built, Valenti decided to further distance his on the outside with carbon fiber fenders and a Mugen RR sedan front bumper fabricated to fit the two-door, while a custom hardwood and Bride fabric theme plasters the inside.
Featured in PASMAG #145. Click here to order.
The most challenging part of the build was the tucked and shaved engine bay, according to Valenti. He did the job himself, relocating the ABS system, fuse box, ECU, battery, and extending a bunch of wires, only asking his friend, Jim, for an assist in welding up the engine bay. While being the most challenging, Valenti says the outcome of having one of the few shaved and tucked eighth-gen coupes out there was so worth it.
Featured in PASMAG #145. Click here to order.
And we haven't seen the last iteration of this Civic either. In the words of the man himself: "My car will never be done because I will always have some new idea that will pop into my head." I guess we'll see what's next on Valenti's mind through his Civic coupe.
Featured in PASMAG #145. Click here to order.
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