I’m glad that everyone was happy with The Chronicles 2011 Top Ten Hondas list. I spent a lot of time deliberating when it came to who would officially be on the list, where they would go, and who would ultimately have the number one spot. If you missed it, feel free to scroll down to check it out or click on the attached links below. Today we will be taking a look at the rest of the pack. These guys were the ones that were also in contention for the Top Ten but just failed to make the cut. They were all great builds but the guys that ended up on the list just had what I was looking for top to bottom. I do an “Honors” list every year after the Top Ten is released because I feel that these guys should still have their time in the spotlight. Just because they didn’t make the ten, it doesn’t mean that they should be forgotten, you know? The list isn’t in any particular order, so don’t take the last guy as the bottom guy or whatever, and the first guy to be “number 11” so to speak. I just felt that these Hondas made a big impact in 2011, whether their builds were extensive or just simple, and straight to the point…
If your car isn’t on this list, don’t take it as a bad thing…I try to keep a very thorough view on the entire Honda community, but there are times when I will miss a car or two. I mean, honestly, if I didn’t keep an eye on everyone’s builds, would you think that you would be sitting here and looking at 25 Hondas today? I could be taking a nice little break right now…
Anyways, here is the Top Ten f 2011 just in case you missed it…
Now that you’ve seen the Top Ten, here are the 25 other Hondas that just narrowly missed the list…
In no particular order…
Bisimoto Engineering’s 1004HP 2012 Honda Civic Si….
Why it made the list:
There were a lot of you that probably felt that Bisi’s Civic should have been on the list, and I can see why. The guy just produces stellar builds every single year. I couldn’t really include him this year though because he came in so late in the year. His wagon and CR-Z made the list the year before because the wagon had been around for a majority of 2010 and his CR-Z was just nothing anyone had ever seen before. The Civic, while equally as amazing, only came to being in late October of this year. There are still a couple things that I’m sure Bisi would like to change or fix on the Civic as well so everyone should keep an eye on it in 2012…
Taku Kusugami’s Honda Civic from Japan, representing Tactical Art…
Why it made the list:
Taku-san makes the 25 Honors list because his EK was one of the more recognizable builds of 2011 coming out of Japan. The photos of this EK were posted up everywhere after the Hellaflush Japan event and it became quite the popular internet forum topic. I loved how it resembled some of the best Honda builds here stateside and just has a great universal appeal to it. It’s this car that also helped bring my attention to the Tactical Art guys and why many of you recognize the Tactical Art name today…
Yasutaka Shimomukai’s EG6 from Tactical Art Japan…
Why it made the list:
Yasutaka’s EG is another one of the cool builds that come out of Tactical Art. It was the last of the three that I noticed but Yasutaka is also that guy that I communicate with the most from there. I’ve already stated before that I personally am not a fan of the XXR wheels but the Japanese love the USDM-inspired look. After he saw my post, he asked me about XXR and he even told me that he has a set of Rotiform wheels on order and that will be his new lookin 2012. As a whole package though, i love how his EG looks and above all else, it’s built for track-use. He attends road race events regularly and always takes photos and sends them to me, so expect to see a lot more content from Tactical Art in the future. He makes this list because like many of the guys on the Top Ten list this year, he built his car with style and function in mind. He doesn’t make the cut on the Top Ten because I didn’t really meet them until the later part of 2011…
Atuki Tubouti’s EG6 representing Tactical Art Japan…
Why it made the list:
You can’t talk about the guys from Tactical Art without mentioning Atuki’s EG…It is by far the most wild of their roster and Atuki also happens to be the owner of Tactical Art. His build is also built with function in mind but with style as well. This Civic just has a very menacing feel to it and just like our number one car, Gil Salazar’s ITR, it just has a certain presence about it that can’t be ignored. He narrowly misses the Top Ten list for the same reasons as the other two Tactical Art representatives… To read more about Tactical Art, here is a list of all posts tagged with Tactical Art…
Sportcar Motion’s “Little Red Riding Hood” EG Civic…
Why it made the list:
The Sportcar Motion Civic was probably one of the builds that just narrowly missed the Top Ten list, probably by like a hair…it was that close. The reason it didn’t make it, is because I felt that Loi Song and company just weren’t 100% finished with this build yet. It had a good year overall and made various events, I just think that it’s going to have an even better year in 2012 when it’s turbocharged. It’s rare to see Loi build a Honda that isn’t white, so it immediately stood out when it debuted, but there is so much more potential for this build this year….
Cooper Boudia’s Acura Integra from Olympia, WA…
Why it made the list:
Cooper’s Integra is another popular build that many thought would make the 2011 Top Ten list. Many even believed that it should have been number one. I didn’t necessarily agree but I do feel like it should have been included somewhere in that group. My reasoning behind it not being in the Top Ten, is because it was also another one of those builds that many didn’t see or know about until the later part of the year. Cooper’s Integra is definitely one of the better builds that came out 2011 and it’s also one of those builds that you have to see in person to appreciate. Luckily he drove all the way down from Washington to attend my anniversary meet and I was able to see it indepth. I am a huge fan of Cooper’s Integra and I hope to see more of it in 2012… He has one of the most epic build threads of 2011 as well, much like the next guy on the list… Check out his build thread here…
Eric Dabbert aka JDMcivbomb’s K-swapped, Spoon’d-out Honda Civic…
Why it made the list:
Eric’s Civic is one of those builds that I just wish I got a chance to see much more of in 2011… I didn’t even know about the car itself until Wekfest Chicago and I had no idea he even had a build thread going on the NWP4Life forums. It’s probably one of the most extensive builds I have ever seen and just the way he restored the car from the ground-up puts him in high contention to make the Top Ten of 2011. I’m not a huge fan of Spoon Sports but I can totally appreciate a thorough, highly extensive build thread and that’s why I like his Civic so much. There is just an insane amount of work on this car and you have to really go through every single page of his build thread to really understand how much effort was involved in getting his EG to this point. He probably would have been in the top five very easily if I was able to see his car more at events and what not…great work nonetheless…Read all about it here…
Tuan Chau’s K-supercharged Integra…
Why it made the list:
Simply because Tuan had one of the best Integra builds of the year. What’s even better than that is that this is supposedly his daily driver. He’s built a Civic in the past as well and that car is also a very well-built car. Both the Civic and Integra were featured in Honda Tuning and both were very deserving. I had a chance to see this thing in person when I flew out to Nashville last year for Import Alliance and it looked every bit as good as it did in print. I love what he did with the valve cover and how he matched it with the blue Recaros and the CCW Classics. It’s a good looking car that’s driven often and you’ll see it at plenty of events out on the east coast. It’s very well done and I’m happy to have been able to see it for myself. It narrowly missed the Top Ten list because there were just so many great Integra builds in 2011…Check out Tuan’s features here… His DC2 and his ’93 Civic CX….
Raul Ramirez’s authentic JDM 1994 Honda Civic VTi…
Why it made the list:
Raul Ramirez’s Civic VTi was probably close enough to making the list where it would have been #10 1/2…Seriously, Great build, authentic Japanese Civic VTi, K-swapped, and built with every intention to be road-raced. He participated in Super Street magazine’s FF Battle 3 in 2011 and did very well, finishing in the Top 5. The reason why it didn’t make the list is because the guys that did were just a little more active than he was and they made it out to more events. When it comes to build quality, it’s right up there with the others. Raul knows his stuff…this is like, his 12th Honda or something, haha…Check out his Honda Tuning feature here…
Harvey Flores’ 4-door Acura Integra from Tronics…
Why it made the list:
Harvey’s 4-door Integra is deserving of a nod on this list because it’s a beautiful car. I’ve been keeping an eye on his build for the last couple years and I loved the way his car looked in 2011 with the Mugen front bumper. The guy has a good sense of style and his DB8 reflects that. It’s not over the top and he’s paid close attention to building himself a well-rounded Honda. The engine bay is clean, as is the interior, and the exterior has always looked good. He doesn’t make the cut because it took me like, a fucking hour to just find one good photo of it that I could use, which probably means that I didn’t see him enough at events. I probably snapped like two photos of it in total the entire year. Compared to the other 4-door DBs on the list, he just wasn’t as active. Really love how this thing looks though…
Will Salazar’s 1993 Honda Civic CX…
Why it made the list:
Will’s Civic is one of my favorite Hondas from back in the mid-2000s. It’s crazy to think now that he still has it and he’s continued to evolve the car in 2011. Gil, who not only happens to hold the number one spot in 2011 but is also Will’s brother, kept me up to date with the rebuild from the moment they stripped it down to the first photos of it after it got out of the bodyshop. I’ll always be a fan of this car but a part of me will always prefer how it looked back when it was red. Don’t get me wrong, I love the evolution of this car and how it currently sits but I somehow feel like there is something missing with this car. I don’t know what it is, to be perfectly honest. Despite that, it would have made the Top Ten list if he was a little more active in 2011. He was supposed to be a part of my “GENERATIONS” display at Nisei Showoff this past year too but he just flaked on me…haha, I guess it wasn’t that important to him. Anyways, the Salazar brothers can build the shit out of a Honda and I always look forward to what they have up their sleeves. I also like how down they are to just take their cars out on the track and beat on them…From what I’ve seen, Will is a pretty good driver too… If you want to read more about Will’s Civic, click here….
Chivas Sotelo’s Honda Civic Si….
Why it made the list:
Chivas deserves a mention because he’s been to any and everywhere in 2011. The guy lives in Vegas but you wouldn’t think so because of all the events he’s been to this past year. His car isn’t bad either…It’s wild to think how much he drives this thing considering how low to the ground it is. All those trips from Vegas to Cali and back, you would think his car would look all fucked up but it’s remained in great condition. It’s another build that I’ve been able to see the gradual progression of and it’s a very eye-catching coupe. It doesn’t make the Top Ten of 2011 because the other cars that did make it I just felt were more thorough builds. There are still a couple things I would like to see done on his EM1, but it’s fine the way it is…2012 is looking to be a good year for him, he’s featured in the January 2012 issue of Honda Tuning which is on newstands right now….if you would like to read more about Chivas’ car, go fucking buy a copy of the magazine!…
Gerald “Lowballer” Reyes’ Acura Integra…
Why it made the list:
You can’t really mention Chivas without including Gerald Reyes…these guys are practically attached at the hip. If you saw Chivas Sotelo in 2011, chances are, Gerald’s Integra was parked right next to him. They both hail from Las Vegas, so they usually roll to events together. I am not entirely sure if there is anything done to the bay so that’s why it didn’t make the Top Ten list. It’s a good looking car overall, I just don’t know if it had enough to compete with the other Hondas in 2011. I’m sure it wasn’t his intentions to be competitive in 2011 anyways, because Gerald and his friends just build good looking street cars. There are a lot of people that seem to get his car confused with the other brown DC2 on Work Equips out here in Cali…they aren’t the same car! Anyways, Gerald and Chivas go everywhere together so they might as well be right next to each other on the 2011 Honors list…
RC Chacon’s K-turbo Honda Civic sedan…
Why it made the list:
RC’s Civic makes the 2011 Honors list because it’s really rare to see 4-door Civics done to this caliber these days, and it’s refreshing to see one with a turbocharged K-series. I love how the engine bay looks with all the custom fabricated turbo parts, but I felt like it was a little lacking aeshetically. That’s why it didn’t make the Top Ten in 2011. While it was one of the more anticipated builds in 2011, I just don’t feel like it was ever at a completed state. He did enough events in 2011, I felt, but I wasn’t sure if the car was ever “finished”. Every time I spoke to RC, he would tell me that there was more that he had to do to it…
Michael Mao’s Acura NSX…
Why it made the list:
Michael Mao’s NSX was probably the most “seen” NSX in 2011. He was everywhere…He missed the Top Ten list because it’s another one of those new builds in 2011 that I just wasn’t sure was in a finished state yet. It’s got the aero, wheels, and suspension down, but I think there could be more coming for this NSX. Sure, it’s an NSX, which isn’t as common as Civics and Integras, but in terms of the level of builds that are being produced these days, I have to hold NSXs to the same standards as the rest of the “popular” Hondas…
Bon Senesombath aka BonB’s Honda Civic…
Why it made the list:
BonB’s Civic deserves mention on the 2011 Honors list because his build was probably one of the most anticipated of the year. It took a bit of time for the car to get finished but when it appeared in the hotel parking lot during the summer Import Alliance event, people went absolutely nuts over it. Bon is one of those guys that is one of the more recognized enthusiasts down south. His EG was a hit back when it was still blue and thanks to his many trips out to the west coast, he’s become a household name out in these parts. When people caught wind of his Civic re-build, they had their eyes peeled in anticipation for it’s re-emergence. His car is another one that I’ve had a chance to see in person, both when it was still blue and had a B-series as well as it’s current K-swapped, green stage. It would have been a good choice to be on the Top Ten list but he didn’t make enough appearances in 2011 and there were still some loose ends that needed to be tied-up before I think it’s up there with the others who have the more completed Hondas of ’11…
Abe Cruz’s EK9-inspired Honda Civic…
Why it made the list:
Abe, better known simply as “EK9abe”, was all over the place in 2011. He hit every event possible in the Socal area last year and did a great job of being seen. His Civic is as close to a legit Japanese CTR as it gets here in the U.S. but with his own personal touches. I didn’t really know enough about the build itself to really consider it for the Top Ten, but I will give him credit for good execution. I just feel that his car is just too simple overall…maybe that’s a good thing, but when it comes to a list with such intricate builds, it needs more to stand out from the rest of the pack…
Mike Trevino’s EG9 Civic sedan…
Why it made the list:
Mike’s 4-door makes the honorable mentions list for a second year in a row. He did a consistent job of making appearances at events alongside his crew-mate, Jeremy Duarte, but there weren’t really any changes on the Civic from the previous year. I’m a big fan of this build and I feel that the best is yet to come for this car. Mike has it taken apart right now and it’s going through a re-build, so we should all keep an eye out for it in 2012. Maybe this year, it’ll finally make it over that wall and end up in the Top Ten Hondas of 2012 list…
Sunny Wong’s 2010 Honda Insight EX…
Why it made the list:
Sunny shocked everyone this year when his Insight re-emerged at SEMA 2011. It was nothing anyone had expected from him nor from a Honda Insight. The only time you really see an Insight with an extensive amount of work done to it is over in Japan, so when Sunny debuted his new look, it had Honda and non-Honda enthusiasts stopping to stare at it on the SEMA show floors. The flared body and aggressive sizing of the TE37s just give this Insight an entirely different look and made for a drastic change over his more VIP-themed look from before. I know an Insight will never be built to a level of say, a build like Gil Salazar’s, but it’s about as invested as an Insight build can get. I was almost on the verge of putting it on the list but it just didn’t re-appear until later on in the year. It’s just a wild-looking car…it’s hard to categorize it with the other builds on the list but it’s well thought out enough for people to accept it. This is an instance where taking a chance and thinking outside of the box really pays off…
Ly Say’s Acura TSX…
Why it made the list:
Ly Say’s TSX is in no way shape or form nearly as “built” as the other Hondas on the list, but I think it would be good to consider it just because of how much attention it brings to the TSX crowd. It just has a Euro-R conversion, suspension, and wheels, but damn, it looks good just the way it is! Anytime I came across someone who was staring at his car at all the events he attended, all they could do was compliment him on his taste in mods. While the chances of him hitting the Top Ten list were slim in 2011, I give him credit for having a great looking car and being so active throughout the year…
Bryant Nguyen’s Acura TSX…
Why it made the list:
Much like Ly Say’s TSX, Bryant is right up there in terms of activity and overall style. He also has a very good-looking TSX and he has a bit more done to his car than Ly does. This year was the debut of his new SSR Professor SP3 wheels as well as a new air-ride set-up. Still not as intensive as the other builds on this list, but I commend him on his efforts for bringing a bright, positive spotlight onto the TSX community….
Moe Drennon’s K-swapped EG Civic…
Why it made the list:
PGK Moe had a great 2011…He was featured in Honda Tuning magazine in July and then around that same time, he brought his Civic out to Import Alliance with a brand new K20-swap. The bay looked good as did the rest of the car, but I just can’t figure out why he never got himself another windshield molding. Little stuff like that bothers me, because the details are what it really comes down to, but I’m sure he has his reasons. He and his brother are always busy tinkering with cars so maybe he was just too busy to really finish up the car. It would have been a really good choice to be in the Top Ten list, but again, it just seems sort of incomplete… I guess you can say it was a molding short of making it…haha…Here’s PGK Moe’s HT feature…
Chris Drnek’s EF Civic hatchback…
Why it made the list:
Chris’ EF is one of those really clean Hondas that instantly caught my eye when I was out at Import Alliance. I was just hanging out in the hotel parking lot when I spotted it. I walked up to take a closer look and I immediately became a fan of it. It’s one of those Hondas that has a very timeless-appeal to it. I was correct in my liking of his EF because a couple months later, he also received a feature in Honda Tuning magazine. It just narrowly misses the mark and doesn’t make the Top Ten because both Jay Powers’ and Jordan McCord’s EFs were more comprehensive builds. That’s no knock on Drnek’s EF though because the chassis was practically perfect as it was when it arrived in his possession. There was no reason to repaint or restore the car because he just didn’t have to….If you want to see Drnek’s Honda Tuning Feature, click here…
Jay Borcena’s VIP-styled Acura TL…
Why it made the list:
In a world full of Civics and Integras built to be “track-inspired”, it’s very hard for a VIP-themed Honda to make the list. Unless it has major engine modifications or a customized bay, it’s not going to be built anywhere near the level of the Hondas that comprised of the Top Ten. While it would be great to see something truly different on the list, it’s very difficult to take one of the Top Ten off of the list to make room for a luxury-based build. I have enjoyed the continued progression of Jay’s TL over time though, and I like the fact that he made a presence in 2011 with all the events he attended. It’s one of those Hondas where even non-VIP fans can appreciate it. I’m also very happy to a see a car with aggressive fitment that doesn’t have chewed-up fenders in 2011. It seems like a simple enough concept but people are all about fucking their fenders up these days….
Yellow Factory EG6 Civic…
Why it made the list:
In a time when most Honda enthusiasts are all about race cars and the “Because Racecar” phenomenon, the Yellow Factory Civic arrived at just the right time. When photos surfaced of it early in 2010, people were all over the wild front end of this Civic where in the past, most would have probably laughed at it and complained about how ridiculous it looked. More dedicated road race guys would have appreciated it though, even before time attack and road racing became the “cool” thing to do. If it were in ’09 or 2010, people would be aiming pitchforks at the front bumper because it’s a “ricey bodykit”. Now that people are more concerned with “function”, everyone is a fan of the Yellow Factory EG. In reality, the Yellow Factory-built Honda is a very capable car on the circuit. It ran the Tsukuba Circuit in 1:01.38 and it’s time puts it right up there with the likes of a Z-Tuned R34 Skyline. If you go and pick up the current issue of Import Tuner, you can read all about it. It is worthy of a mention on this list because it fits the era that we are in currently in. Enthusiasts love track cars and the “track-look” so many are looking to this Civic for inspiration. Hondas with aggressive aero like this that can run great times make it cool again for people to rock parts that might have otherwise been reasons to humiliate someone online a couple years before….
Ryan O’Hara’s EP3 Honda Civic…
Why it made the list:
Ryan is not only the only Canadian representative on the Honors list, he also has the only EP3 to make it. I’ll be honest, it’s incredibly difficult to keep track of what is going on in Canada, because there just aren’t enough online media outlets for most of us to see what’s going on up there. Canada has always produced some very good Honda builds and it would be great to see more of them. They have a couple S2000s out there that are just amazing but no one has heard of them before. Ryan’s EP3 makes the list because it’s one of the best EP3 builds I have seen, ever. It was featured in HT a couple years ago and Ryan has continued to work on his Civic. This current look with the Air Walker front bumper and orange SE37Ks is probably his best look yet. There are just a couple photos of it floating around online but being that it’s a rare chassis to build, Ryan’s EP3 is instantly recognizable. There are a couple of other EP3s out that are worthy of a mention, i.e. Cristian Loza’s from Canibeat, but I have to say, this one is my favorite in 2011…
Hmmm….you know what? Fuck it…after some careful consideration at 4:53am, I think I made a mistake by not including his EP3 on the list…
Cristian Canibeat Loza’s EP3 Honda Civic…
Why it made the list:
After some thinking, Cristian’s EP3 is one of those cars that I almost failed to mention. He was very active in 2011 and he is also a part of one of the more popular online automotive websites right now; Canibeat. I wasn’t very fond of the site at first but it’s great to see that it’s developed into it’s own brand over time and isn’t piggybacking off of the ideas of other websites like Fatlace/Hellaflush. It’s also been good to see the continued progress of Cristian Loza’s EP3. I developed a much deeper appreciation of this car after I had the opportunity to check it out for myself while I was in Nashville. I like the fact that it’s “stanced-out” but doesn’t have stupid spaceship camber, and his engine is actually really nice for an EP3 chassis. He’s got a couple Mugen goodies in the bay and another really nifty accessory, a K20Z1 swap… It’s a nice, well-rounded Honda, and I almost feel like an asshole for not mentioning it…
Well, that’s the 25…errr 27 noteworthy Honda builds of 2011 that were in contention for the The Chronicles Top Ten Hondas list. Again, all are great in their own way, it’s just really hard to come up with a final ten without excluding some really nice Hondas. I was honestly surprised by how receptive everyone was of the Top Ten and didn’t complain about how they didn’t see so and so’s car, or some other guy who I have never heard of. That’s always a good thing….This year was probably my favorite Top Ten list because not everyone was a lock to be on and it took more time and consideration to finalize it. If it was really that easy, I wouldn’t have almost another 30 Hondas to mention. At the end of the day, I couldn’t be happier with how it all came together. Thank you for your support and I hope you guys come back to see what The Chronicles has to offer in 2012…
good list
good luck to everyone for 2012