Justin Fox
03-09-10, 11:14 AM
VTECMACHINE's DC2R
Photography by Kevin Yiu (http://kevin-yiu.com)
JDMST: Notorious for being banned off JDMST more than any other member in JDMST's history we decided to feature and interview VTECMACHINE to find out what makes him JDMST's most loved forum clown.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4082/4952275703_a3a3b2225e_o.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4089/4952868586_1e7e38a1c6_o.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4152/4952274507_b2f8bebf03_o.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4105/4952866478_4a22eb0995_o.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4108/4952866150_0e22b40968_o.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4144/4952867748_05d55c0282_o.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4086/4952868264_fda3da2d43_o.jpg
JF: I remember first meeting you at IS Motor Racing many years ago. Your car had a Bel Garage sticker on it and you were wearing a bright red Ferrari cap. It looked like you were very much at home on Indy's couch upstairs.
VTECMACHINE: Haha, yeah I've always been a big Ferrari fan. I used to go to Bel Garage back in the days when Ben Cheong ran the place. I was introduced to the BEL Garage guys when I was 16 years old through a friend's brother who also had a DC2R (which was my dream car since they first came out in 1999). I went to a few trackdays with them too when Circuit Club first started out.
When Ben and Eric left BEL I was forced to find a new workshop. I found JDMST, started the VTEC in reverse thread to get my self "known" (I guess that worked, because people still bring that up today!) and the people on JDMST forums pointed me to Indy's workshop.
JF: Your car was pretty mild back then if I remember right, but it ended up being track inspired. Did you always want to go track with it?
VTECMACHINE: The car was a present to me from my Father... well a bribe to get into a good course at Uni! (I actually wanted a EK4!). I showed my dad the DC2R and he loved it. I also showed him an S15 but he said I wasn't allowed to touch the car (which I promised I wouldn't do). The DC2R was definitely a better car out the box in any case as I've always considered forced induction cheating.
With in a week I had Spoon socks, Spoon Air filter and a Buddy Club Spec III exhaust.
JF: You've been sensible and straight up with your car modifications and over the years you seem to have always gotten more and more into your car, not to mention walking the talk with a lot of track time, but you're the most often banned user in JDMST's history! What's the go with all the clowning around VTEC /ricer jokes on the forum?
VTECMACHINE: Yes I've been a clown from day one! The VTEC in reverse thing was purely a thing to get myself known. People that know me know I'm not such a bad guy. In real life I get along with everyone. Old school JDMST was a way of life. I was so keen that I'd get up in the morning and get straight on JDMST to ask people questions and share new things I had learned with playing my car.
Within the last few years JDMST has got bigger... much bigger... and the VTEC Honda hate has become worse so I've approached it in a way where it's all just fun and games. Some people don't like that (some get offended) but I don't mean anything serious by it.
JF: Do you really think the VTEC hate has gotten worse? All I see is people like JDMyard, BYP and Dr Honda making cars that are smashing it out there.
VTECMACHINE: On the forum you get people that are too scared to speak their mind - and just agree with everyone and say "that's AWESOME". At track days, especially where there are a lot of Honda's you get a bit of jealousy where a car with half the power is faster, front wheel drive as well.
In the end of the day I don't take people's comments very seriously.
JF: I've never seen any real Honda bashing over say EVO bashing (everyone with an EVO is fast, too easy to drive etc?).
VTECMACHINE: Everyone can bash Evo's all they want because everyone knows they are fast (including the owners). No one can get offended. Honda guys are pretty passionate about their scene, and as horrid as it is, if they get bashed - they do tend to whinge a lot more.
JF: Shifty. When Shifty hopped on JDMST you were there to welcome the fella.
VTECMACHINE: Hahahaha. Yeah, that was bad and immature. He was a nice guy on the forum. Typical P-plater in his Silver EG Civic sedan. He talked a lot about his Dad and his MX5 and got flamed a lot then he got his Type R and changed his name.
I have so much respect for people that are fast at the circuit but you have to go about it the right way. He just talked himself up and talked everyone else down then history happened.
JF: The track whore phase is one which a lot of us have gone through. Why do you think it is that despite all the blood sweat and tears in getting your car close to perfect in set-up you want to sell or give up?
VTECMACHINE: It's as simple as goals. I was 16, went to track with the BEL Garage on my L's (I wasn't driving). I saw times people were getting in DC2R's with Toda built motors. At the time, a 1.13 was a good time for a pretty well sorted DC2R on the old track. I then said to myself I'm going to build a street driven car that will crack 1.10's but with a fully built "race" engine. I cracked a 1.13.6 on my 3rd outing on the old track. Resurfacing helped and the times fell. A 1.10.73 with a stock motor and stock gears is good enough for me.
I guess we give up when we don't want to spend $10,000 on a Honda to make it 2-3 seconds faster.
JF: So what next Rix?
VTECMACHINE: There is no other car I really want like I wanted the DC2R. The next car will be turbo (even though I don't like Turbo's). I was considering a MKV GTI, but after hammering a MKVI GTI in DSG form I have changed my mind. I decided to take a break, buy something fun, reliable, Japanese, but normal at least for a few years then I'll be back in a AP2 guaranteed.
JF: Any last words?
VTECMACHINE: Yes! Actually a few things!!
I've been a huge supporter of safe driving. In the time I've been on JDMST there have been 3 deaths that I can recall. 2 that were OPH. Please everyone... be careful out there. I've learned a lot from Trackdays. Yes you have fun and all, but it really does teach you a lot about driving and your car. Just keep that in mind.
Also I just want to say thank you to all the people that have supported me. Dad for getting me the car, Samantha for putting up with all my car shit, Ben Cheong from Touge Tune who has sorted out everything for me and built me a reliable fun and fast street car. Indy @ ISMR has been great as well. HUGE thanks to Leo @ JDM Concept, Gold Nads and Zi @ JDM Yard, Taki @ Perfect Run - for all the parts, plus my other random Japanese Suppliers I've made friends with through out the years. My good mates (you know who you are). Thanks all.
Photography by Kevin Yiu (http://kevin-yiu.com)
JDMST: Notorious for being banned off JDMST more than any other member in JDMST's history we decided to feature and interview VTECMACHINE to find out what makes him JDMST's most loved forum clown.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4082/4952275703_a3a3b2225e_o.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4089/4952868586_1e7e38a1c6_o.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4152/4952274507_b2f8bebf03_o.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4105/4952866478_4a22eb0995_o.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4108/4952866150_0e22b40968_o.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4144/4952867748_05d55c0282_o.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4086/4952868264_fda3da2d43_o.jpg
JF: I remember first meeting you at IS Motor Racing many years ago. Your car had a Bel Garage sticker on it and you were wearing a bright red Ferrari cap. It looked like you were very much at home on Indy's couch upstairs.
VTECMACHINE: Haha, yeah I've always been a big Ferrari fan. I used to go to Bel Garage back in the days when Ben Cheong ran the place. I was introduced to the BEL Garage guys when I was 16 years old through a friend's brother who also had a DC2R (which was my dream car since they first came out in 1999). I went to a few trackdays with them too when Circuit Club first started out.
When Ben and Eric left BEL I was forced to find a new workshop. I found JDMST, started the VTEC in reverse thread to get my self "known" (I guess that worked, because people still bring that up today!) and the people on JDMST forums pointed me to Indy's workshop.
JF: Your car was pretty mild back then if I remember right, but it ended up being track inspired. Did you always want to go track with it?
VTECMACHINE: The car was a present to me from my Father... well a bribe to get into a good course at Uni! (I actually wanted a EK4!). I showed my dad the DC2R and he loved it. I also showed him an S15 but he said I wasn't allowed to touch the car (which I promised I wouldn't do). The DC2R was definitely a better car out the box in any case as I've always considered forced induction cheating.
With in a week I had Spoon socks, Spoon Air filter and a Buddy Club Spec III exhaust.
JF: You've been sensible and straight up with your car modifications and over the years you seem to have always gotten more and more into your car, not to mention walking the talk with a lot of track time, but you're the most often banned user in JDMST's history! What's the go with all the clowning around VTEC /ricer jokes on the forum?
VTECMACHINE: Yes I've been a clown from day one! The VTEC in reverse thing was purely a thing to get myself known. People that know me know I'm not such a bad guy. In real life I get along with everyone. Old school JDMST was a way of life. I was so keen that I'd get up in the morning and get straight on JDMST to ask people questions and share new things I had learned with playing my car.
Within the last few years JDMST has got bigger... much bigger... and the VTEC Honda hate has become worse so I've approached it in a way where it's all just fun and games. Some people don't like that (some get offended) but I don't mean anything serious by it.
JF: Do you really think the VTEC hate has gotten worse? All I see is people like JDMyard, BYP and Dr Honda making cars that are smashing it out there.
VTECMACHINE: On the forum you get people that are too scared to speak their mind - and just agree with everyone and say "that's AWESOME". At track days, especially where there are a lot of Honda's you get a bit of jealousy where a car with half the power is faster, front wheel drive as well.
In the end of the day I don't take people's comments very seriously.
JF: I've never seen any real Honda bashing over say EVO bashing (everyone with an EVO is fast, too easy to drive etc?).
VTECMACHINE: Everyone can bash Evo's all they want because everyone knows they are fast (including the owners). No one can get offended. Honda guys are pretty passionate about their scene, and as horrid as it is, if they get bashed - they do tend to whinge a lot more.
JF: Shifty. When Shifty hopped on JDMST you were there to welcome the fella.
VTECMACHINE: Hahahaha. Yeah, that was bad and immature. He was a nice guy on the forum. Typical P-plater in his Silver EG Civic sedan. He talked a lot about his Dad and his MX5 and got flamed a lot then he got his Type R and changed his name.
I have so much respect for people that are fast at the circuit but you have to go about it the right way. He just talked himself up and talked everyone else down then history happened.
JF: The track whore phase is one which a lot of us have gone through. Why do you think it is that despite all the blood sweat and tears in getting your car close to perfect in set-up you want to sell or give up?
VTECMACHINE: It's as simple as goals. I was 16, went to track with the BEL Garage on my L's (I wasn't driving). I saw times people were getting in DC2R's with Toda built motors. At the time, a 1.13 was a good time for a pretty well sorted DC2R on the old track. I then said to myself I'm going to build a street driven car that will crack 1.10's but with a fully built "race" engine. I cracked a 1.13.6 on my 3rd outing on the old track. Resurfacing helped and the times fell. A 1.10.73 with a stock motor and stock gears is good enough for me.
I guess we give up when we don't want to spend $10,000 on a Honda to make it 2-3 seconds faster.
JF: So what next Rix?
VTECMACHINE: There is no other car I really want like I wanted the DC2R. The next car will be turbo (even though I don't like Turbo's). I was considering a MKV GTI, but after hammering a MKVI GTI in DSG form I have changed my mind. I decided to take a break, buy something fun, reliable, Japanese, but normal at least for a few years then I'll be back in a AP2 guaranteed.
JF: Any last words?
VTECMACHINE: Yes! Actually a few things!!
I've been a huge supporter of safe driving. In the time I've been on JDMST there have been 3 deaths that I can recall. 2 that were OPH. Please everyone... be careful out there. I've learned a lot from Trackdays. Yes you have fun and all, but it really does teach you a lot about driving and your car. Just keep that in mind.
Also I just want to say thank you to all the people that have supported me. Dad for getting me the car, Samantha for putting up with all my car shit, Ben Cheong from Touge Tune who has sorted out everything for me and built me a reliable fun and fast street car. Indy @ ISMR has been great as well. HUGE thanks to Leo @ JDM Concept, Gold Nads and Zi @ JDM Yard, Taki @ Perfect Run - for all the parts, plus my other random Japanese Suppliers I've made friends with through out the years. My good mates (you know who you are). Thanks all.