GTcarz - Automotive forums for cars & trucks. - 1987 Honda Civic SI

At 20, Most Civics Are Facing A Future Of Decreased Utility And Eventually Getting Put Out To Pasture. Not Mark Jackson's; His Third-Gen. Has Been Given Another Lease On Life, Readied To Tackle The Tight, Cone-Lined Twisties Of The Autocross.

Mark Jackson's 1987 Civic SI

Propulsion

The revised block features cylinders that have been over-bored 0.020 of an inch by Jackson's go-to machine shop, Replika Maschinen Inc. Jackson further modded the bottom end with a Moroso 5-quart oil pan, custom 10.5:1 compression Arias pistons, custom Pauter rods, and a cryogenically treated and balanced crankshaft. Up top in the head casting, Replika went ahead and tuned the intake and exhaust ports on a flow bench. The 3-valve per cylinder valvetrain was then rebuilt with Ferrea valves, OE S2000 valve springs, titanium retainers, a custom Crower camshaft, and an AEM cam sprocket.

The ignition system has been improved with an MSD Blaster box, and fueling with the implementation of a fuel cell and Mallory pump. Weber 40mm sidedraft carbs have been port matched to the intake manifold, an intake that has been stealthily rigged with an NOS 300-shot wet nitrous setup. Burnt mix exits out a DC Sports header connected to a custom exhaust.

The power handshake from engine to 5-speed gearbox is accomplished with a custom 3-piece Clutch Net flywheel and single-plate clutch. The diff is locked down with a Phantom Grip, and Jackson can pick the right gear via a DC shifter.

Stance

Tokico Illumina 5-way adjustable shocks soak up the road, as the Civic rides on a set of Suspension Techniques springs. To tighten up the chassis some, Jackson fabbed and installed the custom cage and bolted on a DC Sports forward strut tower brace. Body roll is mitigated with ST front and rear anti-sway bars.

Resistance

The forward rotors and rear drums native to the Si have been booted for the entire brake setup from an '89 Integra, which features front and rear discs. Steel-braided lines deliver fluid to all four wheelwells, and fluid pressure is currently controlled with a Tilton master cylinder mounted inside under the dash (the stock cylinder and brake booster have been eliminated). Each caliper is outfitted with Axxis Metal Master pads.

Rims & rubber

Nitto NT450 205/40/16 rubber, wrapped around Advanti Racing 16-inch wheels, makes the contact patch.

Fashion:
Outside

The Si's original red has been supplanted with House of Kolor Canary Yellow, marking the body's sole outward cosmetic upgrade.

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Whenever Mark Jackson talks Hondas, there is one particular story he likes to recall about an encounter he had many years ago in one of his first Civics with a Corvette. It was 1984, and Jackson was tailing one of the famed American muscle cars in a '79 two-door sedan on a stretch of highway in his hometown of Fremont, Calif. At the time, the Civic was far from stock, boasting a swapped 1,800cc Prelude mill that was punched out another 0.5mm, matching 5-speed gearbox, body drop, gutted interior and primer finish.

"She wasn't much to look at," admits Jackson, "but boy, was she quick."

According to Jackson, the Civic matched the 'Vette's pace for several miles as the two cars accelerated, although, how fast they were going is anybody's guess. Apparently, Civic speedos of the time only went up to 100mph, and Jackson says the needle was buried for at least 5 miles. As both cars exited the freeway, Jackson still remembers the look of astonishment the 'Vette owner had as he realized the kind of car he couldn't shake. The event marked the beginnings of Jackson's interest in building performance Hondas.

He has since wrenched on the make for over 25 years, and currently owns and runs a thriving Honda/Acura service facility in Santa Cruz. With the business to take care of, Jackson rarely has time to tinker with any personal builds, but he does have his indulgences, like this third-gen. Civic. Affectionately called "Old Yeller," Jackson purchased the Si hatchback new in 1987, which came with a carbureted single-cam, 1.5-liter powerplant under the hood stamped EW4. Today, the compact has just a tick less than 64,000 original miles on it.