Swindon-EK9 - '02 JDM EP3


Kipper

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 27, 2008
Messages
2,163
Well folks, I haven't mustered up a build thread for quite some time now, Since my '99 JDM DC2 in 2013/2014 infact. After the DC2, Some real world decisions were made and I wanted a car easier to live with day to day and importantly some guilt free ownership so I bought a one owner 2008 Alabaster Silver FN2. Some more real world decision making meant I needed to raise some cash for a new house deposit, So I made a deal a PX deal with my mum for her 2006 EP3 Premier edition. I had a lot of fun in the EP3, Did about 6-7 trackdays in it, a sprint day and the spec list became quite long despite the unassuming exterior.

But unfortunately a single commute to work meant it ended up like this, 6years in the family... RIP

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A couple of shots of it being used:

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So after getting insurance sorted, I needed another car, I did try to set myself a £500 budget to buy a Honda daily, but my insurance policy only covered 'high performance' cars, So after a trip from Newcastle-London-Brighton, I ended up with this overpriced 16 year old Honda Civic.

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But what a charming car it is, Imported June 2017, 69k miles, Grade 4.

5mins after picking it up:

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First impressions, K20A pulls well vs. A2, It drives like a new car and the Mugen suspension feels busy on UK roads.

Oh and it has a Japanese Pioneer reverse camera!

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So after collecting it, I was back to using the bus for work until the snow cleared:

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First wash, The point of ownership where you notice all the little imperfections, The car wasn't particularly well cared for body wise, But I'll try fix that.

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Voyeur shot:

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I miss the sound of my old CAI, But I don't wanna risk it again on the K20A, So this filter will tide me over until I get a nice box sorted.

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It's actually got a genuine Mugen oil cap :nice:

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I just had to get a CAT1 alarm installed, An excuse for a photo?

"Here mate, Your cambers on backwards" - It's on the list.
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From my last car I have a few bits, Clockwise motion baffle, BNIB Recaro PP, BC Coilovers F10/R16 which I may change the springs on for something a touch softer and an EP3 gearbox with carbon synchros and Wavetrac diff which I am not 100% what I want to do with yet, The JDM 4-6th really liven these cars up.
 
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Lovely car!
Are you from Swindon? Just wondered because of the title.
 
Shame to see the old ep3 in such state, new ep3 Looks lovely though! .. I had a white jdm one also about 6-7 years ago, came in from Japan grade 4b with defi gauges and a few mugen goodies.
Point to point it was a quick little car, gearing definitely makes it alot eager than an a2, it actually felt quicker and nimbler than the dc5 that replaced it a year later.
Would love to buy my old one back but I have seemed to have lost track of it.
 
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Lovely car!
Are you from Swindon? Just wondered because of the title.

Cheers,
And nah, From Northern Ireland originally, just that’s where this Type R was built!
 
Shame to see the old ep3 in such state. New ep3 Looks lovely though! . I had a white jdm one also about 6-7 years ago. Came in from Japan grade 4b with defi gauges and a few mugen goodies. Point to point it was a quick little car, Gearing definitely makes it alot eager than an a2. It actually Felt more quicker and nimble than the dc5 that replaced it a year later. Would love to buy my old one back but I have seemed to have lost track of it.

Thanks man, Yeh I know, was a sad time in my life! :(, ah that’s cool, even rarer back then I can imagine. The gearing does and there’s definitely less of a VTEC kick in the k20a, but does pull hard throughout the range. Sounds like you had enjoyed yours :nice: I was willing to buy a nicely specced UK car again, but even with a top whack budget for a UK car, there was little around that suited. The JDM car seemed like reasonable VFM compared to most UK cars I had considered lol.
 
Welcome back to the fold of build threads :woot: haha

Took me a few seconds to clock the writing on the ticket "Vtec & connections" :clap:
Underside of that EP looks properly clean as well! Going to get it undersealed at all?
Have to agree about the gearbox ratios, the UK cars would have been so much better with them.
 
Welcome back to the fold of build threads :woot: haha

Took me a few seconds to clock the writing on the ticket "Vtec & connections" :clap:
Underside of that EP looks properly clean as well! Going to get it undersealed at all?
Have to agree about the gearbox ratios, the UK cars would have been so much better with them.

Haha, I thought that was a sign! Had it on the ramp and it's as a fresh import should, Have a trip to the Nurburgring planned in April
so the part shop is on. I will get it undersealed soon indeed, It's a daily driver so would be silly not to, Although it does look good naked :(.

It definitely feels faster stock than my UK did with CAI and J's B-Pipe, Higher redline is nice too :nice:
 
Really like the JDM EP3, pretty rare car on our roads and def more rare than a DC5 which makes it more special imo

Lovely and clean underneath and with a polish it should be a great car all round!!
 
Good looking JDM EP3!

If you remember, bought your MF10's and still haven't put them on the car. Oops..
 
Only just noticed your thread now Kris, seen a couple of your photos but nice to see a build thread, ill keep an eye on it, looks a lovely car!

Hopefully see it out and about in person when this weather picks up
 
So not a lot has happened since I last posted but collating some parts to get it up to scratch dynamically and I'll even order some detailing stuff I think, Treat the old thing, Hard to believe EP3's are reaching 17 years old now!

Fresh perch, Went through a rigmarole searching for the correct seat, Ended up with this on the proviso I won't be able to use a harness because I am too tall, Which I accept as realistically I won't be racing this thing.

Pole position FIA, I have a buddyclub rail for this.
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Clockwise sump baffle and some Motul 5w40 xcess, I tried this a few times on my B-series cars and I just found it seemed to disappear faster on track compared to Castrol 0w40 FST which I settled on. I'll give it another bash on this, £33 Delivered with some free gloves is hard to beat too. I usually set myself a £30 budget for oil and aim to change it more often.

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I can't have a 180kmh limter on it for the Nuburgring in April so I bought this, The car has never been converted to MPH so I thought I'd try keep it orginal :nice:.

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These are some mats I got as an xmas present which were destined for the Cosmic grey car, The plan is to use them in this car to preserve the red JDM mats as there in good shape and are hard to come by these days.

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Subframe collars saved me a headache on my last car with geo, I couldn't feel that the car drove any different with them in but they definitely helped to keep the geo in check when using the curbs on track.

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Gave it a check over on the ramp whilst up stripping the grey car, All's well :nice: Undersealing is high on the agenda!

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Borrowed a friends Honda technician jacket and checked that my LCA was tight...

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On her deathbed :(:(

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Found some pics of the car in Japan too,

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Car is booked in for a pre-ring MOT now and some bits are to be installed with a local chap who is a great mechanic :nice:



Finally some videos of the last car being used :drive:


 
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Good looking JDM EP3!

If you remember, bought your MF10's and still haven't put them on the car. Oops..

Thanks man, And yes I remember! At least the value of those wheels haven't dropped in todays Market!
 
Only just noticed your thread now Kris, seen a couple of your photos but nice to see a build thread, ill keep an eye on it, looks a lovely car!

Hopefully see it out and about in person when this weather picks up

Cheers man, Yeh It's been a while for me! And I'm sure you will, My heart still occasionally pines for another 90's chassis, But having one car the EP3 makes a lot of sense for me.
 
Really like the JDM EP3, pretty rare car on our roads and def more rare than a DC5 which makes it more special imo

Lovely and clean underneath and with a polish it should be a great car all round!!

Cheers Stephen, Yeah I guess the price of them vs. a normal EP3 has always been a factor and the fact that there in DC5 territory. It needs a good t-cut lol, But I'll get there with it.
 
Cheers Stephen, Yeah I guess the price of them vs. a normal EP3 has always been a factor and the fact that there in DC5 territory. It needs a good t-cut lol, But I'll get there with it.


I've owned a DC5 and a UK EP3, apart from the better gear ratios the DC5 didn't impress me any more than the EP3 as a drivers car and the EP3 should be handier to use every day when parking and jumping in and out of the car. The shifter position on the EP3 is also better imo

So I assume that your car is a fresh import? It looks like new underneath! Where did you buy the car?
 
I've owned a DC5 and a UK EP3, apart from the better gear ratios the DC5 didn't impress me any more than the EP3 as a drivers car and the EP3 should be handier to use every day when parking and jumping in and out of the car. The shifter position on the EP3 is also better imo

So I assume that your car is a fresh import? It looks like new underneath! Where did you buy the car?

Interesting :nice:, The EP3 does feel lively and playful, When I first threw my UK car in to a roundabout, bone stock, I remember saying to myself that this is the easiest car to get some lift off oversteer I've ever driven lol, I do like the MPV gear stick too!

It was arrived in June 17' by lakeside imports at the very bottom of England, Lad who I bought it off wanted to go travelling so I took the car off his hands for him :nice:, 4B grade with auction sheet and all, Think it's done about 5k miles here.
 
Another update feat. detailing world and Nurburgring prep.

Traced a faint grinding noise on startup to the idler pulley bearing, Replaced both tensioner pulley and idler bearings referencing OEM part numbers and using the correct brands for £4.80 delivered, I like a good bargain :nice:

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DIY Press

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Pulleys degreased, cleaned and fresh bearings in

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Will get a belt to go on too.

Nice part haul from Rival Motorsports, Highly recommend these guys!

Rival front discs to try
PBS front pads
Front camber bolts
Hardrace rear camber arms
Brake stopper
RBF660
New plates :nice:

The brake stoppers are definite upgrade for these cars, Have noticed more of a benefit in terms of pedal feel using one of these in the past compared to braided lines, Unfortunately budget doesn't allow a cusco one this time round.

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Hooked up my iPhone to the HU and for the first time in my life I have handsfree after removing 'No.1 Gangster' from Japan

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Her magnolia sister, My friends car.

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Washed, De-tarred and polished the thing, Took 5hrs... Feels much better now, Much cleaner bodywork work than I had thought.

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Haven't slicked tyres in years!

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More Nur prep. realising it's a fair task getting a standard car 6wks before the trip, Glad I had use of a friends hands and their unit :nice:.

Fitted PBS front pads, Ended up buying a set for the rear too, So PBS pads all round. Best pads at the price point IMO.

Discs came off with no drama's, Usually have bother with those retaining screws!

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Camber makers, Went for Hardrace rear arms for being steel, having reputable bushes and being a reasonable price. I have coated them with some ACF-50 to help keep corrosion at bay, A downfall with the steel hardrace stuff from past experiences. Just matched the length of the OEM arms for the time being.

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Installed the camber bolts on the front, I just maxed them out using my inclinometer and matched both sides as best I could, -1.5 degrees approxmately.

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The front camber caused some toe in which would be getting rectified at a later date.

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Tegiwa brake stopper installed, I put a Cusco one on my DC2 and really liked it, But can't justify one of those at the mo with the weak £, Worth it's weight in gold and definitely feel more of a difference under my foot vs. braided hoses from past experiences at least.

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Fitted my Spoon Sump plug and J's racing gearbox bung along with some MTF3 this time round, The car was incredibly notchy when cold when I collected it, The previous owner informed he had the gear oil done along with the new clutch, I knew it wouldn't have been MTF3. We drained this pungent bright red fluid out and replaced it. You would think I had the synchros renewed, Much better now.

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The car was in dire need of some new plates so got some proper sized ones and some flat stainless M6x20's to mount them with.

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Pictured with some Zerofighter555 dealer plates Daisuke gave us when we visited him during our Japan trip a couple of years ago.

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To be continued...
 
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My favourite mod so far, The Recaro with the Buddyclub rail. Being 6ft1 I always felt too tall for the OEM seats but the Recaro has made my life better.

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I've noticed that the JDM cars have witness marks on about everything, Additional quality assurance I'm guessing for the JDM market.

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I had some BNIB UKDM mats left over from my last car, Which I didn't get a chance to use so I thought I'd preserve the plush red JDM mats.

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Nice and low :nice:

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Visited BTG, Newcastle for my Ring geo, Great service from these guys and have got really familiar with the Honda Stream chassis'.

Went for 0,08 toe in rear and some more rear camber than usual to give some stability at higher speeds. On the Nordschleife I'd much rather have understeer than oversteer.

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Busted out my electrical stuff for some Autobahn tuning, Speed limit defencer, Car works okay just haven't tested it on a private road yet.

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And finally did some more polishing and bought myself a new lid. White with a red interior :nice:

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Had a run with my friends in the cars and ended up with a few similar models, Can't remember an EP3 being the rare one?

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Just some tyres to switchover for the trip, Get my A048's on some spare wheels. 9 days to go!
 
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