Ultimate Street Car Challenge 02: 2001 Integra Type R

Despite the fact that 90 percent of our readers own a front-wheel-drive vehicle, this year, like last, only one wrong-wheel driver was voted into the contest. And this year, like last, it's a yellow Acura Integra Type R.

Deric Massie of Mason, Ohio, purportedly dumped $80,000 into his 2001 Type R. With the help of BASZ Racing, Deric completely ripped the car apart with only 672 miles on the clock and rebuilt it with car show supremacy high on his list of requirements. But unlike many carpet queens, this Hot Import Nights and NOPI winner sees hard street use three to four times per week and its big hybrid pushes serious psi. Reliability items like a Fluidyne radiator and GReddy oil cooler help keep the B18C5 cool.

The formula for big B-series power is no secret, and BASZ Racing threw hard parts in all the right places. Ditching many of the stock internals, BASZ had RSMotorworks bore the block for 84mm forged 9.0:1 compression dished JE pistons, up from the stock 81mm, and fitted with Darton sleeves. Forged Manley connecting rods, better up to the task of huge boost and high rpm, replaced the stock units. Using a stock headgasket as a fuse, ARP stud kits tie the well-modified head to the block.

BASZ also ported and polished the stock C5 head before cutting a five-angle valve job into the seats. Stock-sized Ferrea valves keep a tight seal with the help of Skunk2 valve springs and retainers. Proving the efficacy of Honda R&D, stock cams are used in conjunction with AEM cam gears. A stronger ProDrive oil pump gear was fitted to the stock oil pump, and is used in conjunction with a Moroso oil pan to ensure adequate engine lubrication.

A DRAG III exhaust manifold and downpipe are used with a custom T3/T04 63-trim turbo. Air is smashed through DRAG intercooler piping and into a JG Edelbrock intake manifold. After the oxygen molecules are removed, the hot mess exits into a 2.5-inch downpipe and through a 3-inch GReddy Power Extreme exhaust and a TIAL divorced wastegate.

RC Engineering 550cc injectors mounted in an AEM fuel rail, a big SX pump, and -6 fuel lines move a whole lot of race gas, which Deric runs exclusively. Interestingly, for such a high-horsepower engine, an eclectic mix of chipped Skunk2 OBDI factory ECU tricked by a HKS FCON, A'PEXi VAFC and AVCR control spark and fuel delivery. BASZ selected a MSD Digital 6 Plus ignition and SS coil to ensure adequate spark.

Underneath, Comptech coil-overs using Koni dampers replace the stock units, lowering the car slightly, but not messing with the effective stock suspension geometry. For show and street, Deric runs 13.5-inch AEM two-piece rotors front and rear, but Type R will be wearing the stock brakes during the USCC because of wheel and race tire clearance issues. Normally, the Acura rides on 18-inch forged Volk SE37As with Yokohama Parada tires, but will run the stock 16-inch rims in order to run stickies.

An ACT Xtreem Stage 3 clutch using a four-puck disc, just this side of streetable, is paired to a Fidanza aluminum flywheel. It'll be interesting to see how stock axles, gears and limited slip hold up to severe USCC pounding.

For a successful show car, the Type R's aesthetic modifications are effective and restrained. We especially like the divorced wastegate dumping out the side of the front bumper.

The car arrived with matching MOMO seats and harnesses, but our safety inspector disliked the custom mounting job on both. Short on time and 2,200 miles from home, Massie threw himself at the mercy of his competition. Luckily Scott Gladstone, President of Sparco USA, was competing in his WRX. After raiding the warehouse late at night, the Type R returned on race day with all-new Sparco hardware mounted solidly enough to please our safety geek. A Defi-link system keeps tabs on boost, EGTs, fuel and oil pressure, and oil temperature, and can play back recent ground-pounding in real time via the control box. Neat stuff.

The Type R's high bling factor will ensure high points in the show portion of the USCC, but will these be enough to advance in front of some very heady competition? We'll see.