As I approach the end of my 30s, I keep getting reminders that an inevitable transformation is happening. I’m rapidly becoming “out-of-touch”. Whether it’s the latest sounds pop-culture attempts to pass off as music, or the abhorrent look-alike aesthetic of most new cars these days… more than ever I find myself reminiscing on the early 2000s. So far George Carlin hasn’t appeared in front of my local Circle K with a phone booth time machine to transport me back. But man – those times were one of a kind! And this EG Civic hatch represents that turn-of-the-millennium time period when life was becoming more digital… yet somehow remained very analog.

Technology of that vintage offered more value…

There seemed to be more genuine excitement & performance to enjoy… but it wasn’t all-encompassing. Phones hadn’t gotten smart yet, and they weren’t tracking your every move from your pocket. And the perceived and (likely) real threat of AI was still a just a thriller novel on a Barnes & Noble bookshelf. Those were solid times. Times we’ll never see again. That’s why it’s so unique when you find yourself on a run-of-the-mill drive, and suddenly your eye catches a foreign yet familiar shape from an earlier era approaching. You back off the accelerator to buy your eyes more time as its undeniable, low-slung egg shape passes you by. Your neck cranes as the characteristic exhaust note of a 90s Honda Civic involuntarily transports you back to the energy of a better time.

That’s the superpower of the EG Civic on your screen right now…

And if any of what you just read resonates, you’ve got Dustin Perry to thank for that. This 90s Honda hatch exhibits the very same transportable quality of that Bill & Ted phone booth time machine. And Dustin, an Atlanta native, hails from the same period just described.

Having been a fan of the big “H” since practically forever…

Dustin’s built several Hondas over the years. Recent examples include an EK Civic, Acura TSX, and an AP1 S2000. Those are only the current rides in the stable however, as Dustin’s total car-count adds up to an astounding 78 cars… the vast majority bearing the Honda logo. But intros aside…

The story of how this EG Civic made it into Dustin’s garage…

Is not one you would necessarily expect. So, cue the time machine Rufus! We’re heading back to the days of NOPI Nats & Hot Import Nights. Ok maybe just a little after that… circa 2010. Dustin, the died-in-wool Honda enthusiast that he is, happened upon an EG at a show that stopped him in his tracks. He recounts…

“I fanboyed super hard! The Civic was K-swapped, wore some Volk Racing wheels, and had striking green paint.”

Dustin specifically recalls snapping a photo of that EG before carrying on with the show.

Fast-forward 6 years later (to 2016)…

Dustin had just started a new job at a hot rod shop. Coincidentally, his first day on the job, the shop’s painter pulls-in driving none other than the exact same EG hatch with immaculate green paint! Blown away, the two struck up a conversation & friendship. Dustin learned that he and the guys from D&D Kustom built the car back in 2008. And he was surprised to discover it had been a local car all that time.

2 years later (2018 at this point)…

The car’s owner contacted Dustin. Having hit rocky times, he was selling the EG, and wanted to give Dustin a crack at it. The engine had blown, and he thought Dustin could potentially bring the car back to glory. But with things not being where he would have liked financially, Dustin sadly had to pass. This car was shaping up to be the one that got away…

Fast-forward another couple years…

Amongst the backdrop of the pandemic, Dustin gets a hot-tip that the elusive green EG was still around. To his surprise, the car had changed hands to the previous owner’s best friend, remaining local. Cash in hand this time (um, err, thanks stimulus program!!!), Dustin made contact & expressed interest. The new owner confirmed he still had the car and agreed to let Dustin come by.

Expecting to find at least a blown engine in the EG Civic…

Dustin arrived at the car’s location, only to find the Civic hatch had suffered additional hardships. Sitting outside over the last 4-years (half under a tarp) hadn’t been kind. The interior had spawned substantial mold & mildew. The cylinder head was off, displaying a dropped valve. Axles were broken, other various components were pulled apart, and pieces had gone missing. Despite the obvious work ahead of him…

Dustin was determined to reverse the effects that time & chance had brought upon the beloved EG hatch…

He insisted the car be sold to him. However, the owner wasn’t ready, and turned down the offer. It was December of 2021 at that point. And all Dustin could really say was…

“OK. Just think about it. I’m just down the road if you change your mind.”

Time went on and he never heard back. But that all changed in March of 2022.

Fate favoring the bold…

Dustin decided to reach out again, trying to get the owner to part with the EG Civic. He explained his serendipitous history with the car… and that he wanted to bring it back to life & restore it to former glory. In other words, he promised to give it a good home. He also raised his offer, and the wheels starts turning.

Unbeknownst to Dustin…

The owner of the EG called-up a mutual friend of theirs, Tom Hornsby, who’s a well-known Honda guru in the ATL area. He asked what Tom thought about the idea of selling the car to Dustin. Tom, whose words carry considerable weight, ended up recommending the sale. The owner also reached out to the original builder of the car, who ALSO felt good about letting it go to Dustin. And with that, all minds & consciences were clear, and Dustin finally owned the EG!

Dustin acquired the EG Civic hatch that Spring of 2022…

It was just before Import Alliance was coming to town. Not one to shy away from a project, Dustin sourced an engine for the car ASAP and gathered up all necessary parts to get the car running that same week! He and some close friends did all the wrenching over Thursday and Friday. The blown K20A2 engine was swapped for a Z3 variant. And Dustin ultimately drove the car to Import Alliance! Photos below are of the Civic as purchased.

What’s unique about Dustin & this EG…

Is the amount of time spent trying to buy the car. In essence, the pieces were subtly falling into place for a dozen years. But once it finally happened… an immense amount of work took place in just a short amount of time to get it back to glory. There’s a lesson in there somewhere: Focus on sowing good seeds; and know that the rains might not come on your schedule, but have faith that they will come. Dustin continues to make improvements to the EG hatch along the way.

“It had red Konig wheels, red control arms, a red valve cover, and a red subframe brace at the time. I changed all that stuff around to make it fit my style.”

Dustin installed his favorite exhaust for a k-swapped Civic…

An HKS Hi-Power. He replaced the rear control arms & subframe brace, and swapped the wheels to black Enkei RPF1s with fresh Hankook tires (specs below). Dustin also coated the valve cover himself & installed a slew go OG Skunk2 Racing components.

It’s a process…

Dustin spent several months sourcing OEM parts that had vanished during the car’s disarray. We all know the drill here – tracking down hard-to-find, 30-year-old car parts is tedious. But it’s encouraging to see Dustin’s lifelong affinity for Hondas get passed down to his children & become a family interest. That EK and TSX mentioned earlier?? Yeah – those belong to his son and daughter! They recently finished building-out both cars, admittedly taking a considerable portion of the funds that would have gone toward the next phase of the EG. But that’s ok – because Dustin wouldn’t have it any other way…

“This past Spring, we were able to take all the cars to Import Alliance… together. It’s super-cool to be able to do this as a family now.”

It’s never truly done…

The car is never truly finished. He’ll always be tweaking it. But for Dustin, this is a forever car… so there’s no deadline looming over him. No need to rush the process. All in due time. We look forward to seeing this EG continue to turn up at events. Because we know that with its unmistakeable presence, Dustin’s close by.