Purists might have reservations regarding Honda’s take on creating a bigger, wider and heftier track car when the Civic Type R, codenamed FD2R, was unveiled in 2007. After all, the strengths of a Type R primarily lies in the manner in which it delivers a high revving experience housed in a light, agile and nippy package, best represented by its EK9 and EP3 predecessors.

Getting behind the wheel of Honda’s fist Civic Type R in four-door guise presents oneself with a focused road legal weapon that can also double as a practical mode of transport. These are precisely the reasons why Isaac, the owner of this FD2R, stepped away from years of Subaru ownership right into the joy of owning a Honda with a red badge slapped proudly on its chest.

“Prior to my current car, I used to drive a Subaru TS with six pot brakes, and a Subaru Legacy EJ20 SOHC NA engine with a RWD swap. When the time was right to upgrade, I decided that I wanted a stronger base platform along with other stringent requirements. Being a musician, the car needs a boot that is sizeable enough to fit my bass guitar and other equipment. I was planning to start a family at the time too, so it needs to have four doors. And the nature of my job revolves around doing sales calls, so it must be reliable. And being a driving enthusiast, the vehicle needs to come with a stick shift along with as little electronic aids as possible!”

Isaac’s love for the open road might come at the expense of other practical factors, but the FD2R seemed to fit his bill perfectly, ticking all the right boxes. He traded in his previous car for the Civic Type R back in 2011 and never looked back since. One look at the aesthetics and you will be convinced that his project is far from simple. But Isaac had a clear direction on what he wants out of his Honda. He emphasised that it needed to be comfortable for his family, and agile enough on days that render all attention to driving enjoyment.

While most drivers of the FD2R fettle with excessive engine mods, Isaac believes that the current output is more than sufficient, but some measures were taken to combat issues of heat soak that can be apparent in the local climate. The stock airbox was shielded with thermal insulation, and the OEM intake snorkel was replaced with a fiberglass cold air intake funnel, which feeds air to the engine via a Hurricane panel filter. A Hondata intake manifold spacer was also added to further eradicate the effects of heat soak, and a Process West engine oil cooler was transferred from his previous ride to handle cooling duties whenever he heads up North for track work.

The exhaust manifold and catalytic converter remains unfettled, but Isaac opts for the Kakimoto Regu06&R catback system along with a Hondata Flashpro treatment to bring out the best of the K20A motor. The FD2R has a reputation for being extremely harsh out of the box, and it comes as no surprise that Isaac needs to refie his suspension settings to accommodate family needs. AST Sportline II coilovers were installed to cope with harsh road conditions without compromising on regular circuit work.

The long-travel suspension supplies the FD2R with more compliance when travelling on rutted surfaces. Isaac was also keen to share with REV the inner working of his undercarriage in an attempt to satisfy both driver and occupants. “I swapped the OEM anti-roll bars for stiffer Whiteline ones to reduce body roll, without running ridiculous spring rates that will certainly hinder comfort levels. AST adjustable top mounts and SPC camber bolts handle the geometry up front, while Buddy Club rear camber arms do the job at the tail end. The latter in particular was chosen over other makes because they allow the OEM headlight levelers to be mounted without modification. And to round of upgrades beneath the skin, a Cusco front strut brace was lodged to tighten up the front end.”

We reckon that more enhancements were made to achieve the stance of Isaac’s current ride, and he starts of by swopping out the OEM seven-spoke rims with either the Enkei Sport RC-T4 wheels in 17×8.5j +48mm or Advanti’s Nebullar N993 flow-formed wheels in 18×8.0j +45mm specification. These rims are held in place via forged lug nuts by Enkei Racing, with custom-machined 5mm spacers to widen the stance. To improve the mid range punch that other turbocharged variants might have in abundance, a shorter fial drive was selected. This gives Isaac a more urgent pull to the higher regions of the rev range, unleashing the manic VTEC rush whenever the red indicator sweeps clockwise.

Some might opine that the FD2R lacks the outright pace out of the box to challenge rivals on B roads, but Isaac’s ride is testament to the fact that numbers are not a true reflction of outright brutality on tarmac. With scalpel sharp handling coupled with an engine that revs willingly to the heavens, the FD2R could very well be a classic in the making!

Engine
Hondata Flashpro
Hondata intake manifold gasket
Hurricane drop in filter
Stock airbox with heat reflective insulation
Fibreglass cold air intake
Process West oil cooler
Silicon radiator hoses
Kakimoto Regu06&R catback exhaust
Pivot voltage stabiliser and grounding cables

Undercarriage
AST Sportline 2 coilovers
AST front camber plates
Cusco front strut brace
Ultra Racing fender braces
SPC front camber bolts
Buddy Club adjustable rear camber arms
Whiteline sway bars
Kaaz 1.5 way LSD
Martini Racing transmission fluid
H-Drive 5.84 final drive
Advanti Nebullar N993 Wheels
5mm hub centric spacers
Buddy Club forged chromoly lug juts
Mintex C-Tech pads
Project Mu Teflon brake lines
Martini Racing GS610 brake fluid

Exterior
Mugen-style front lip
Carbon fibre front grille trim
Roof wrap by JDM Tuner Stickers

Interior
Recaro Young Sport baby seat
Pioneer AVH-P4350 DVD head unit
Focal Solid 4 channel amplifier
MTX monoblock subwoofer amplifier
Alpine F1 2-way speakers
8″ subwoofer with custom enclosure
ARK Design multi function gauge
Razo leather shift knob
Carbon fibre head unit hood