To quote the legendary author Stephen King – “Sooner or later, everything old is new again.” So it’s 2026. NOPI is back with a full event/tour schedule. Underglow is a mod again. Headunits with dolphins are pulling a premium. And there are Facebook pages popping-up left-&-right celebrating the “golden era” of the import tuning scene. The scene is healing, and glimmers of hope are finally starting to seep through the cracks. Survivors like this ZC-swapped 1990 Honda Civic hatch are coming back to the spotlight.
Pennsylvania native, Eric Britton…
Is the owner of the period-correct perfection you see before you. And he never lost sight of the vibe or vision. He bought this 1990 Honda Civic DX hatchback all the way back in 1996… during his senior year of high school. And now, at the ripe young age of 48, he’s owned this fine slice of tuner-nostalgia for 30 years… and counting. This 1990 EF Civic hatch is proof that some things simply never go out of style.
What’s special about a Civic?
There was nothing special about this Honda Civic when it first entered Eric’s hands. It was a commuter-spec automatic DX trim with 30k-miles. A far cry from the spicier, more sought-after Si model. Like many of us, Eric was inspired by the 90s west coast Honda scene, as he would often see examples of the west coast’s finest builds showcased in various tuner mags at the local grocery store. These magazines, along with a Mugen CRX catalog he’d later get his hands on, got the gears spinning in his head. And ultimately – they led Eric to do his part… and help put the east coast Honda/tuner scene on the map. Now mind you…
This build started before ‘The Fast and the Furious’ hit the big screens…
Which went-on to catapult/popularize the import scene in a big way. Prior to F&F, there weren’t too many import-centric shops in the US – at least on the east coast. And buying parts from websites at this time was basically unheard of. So if you didn’t have a NOPI close by, aftermarket parts would often take months to arrive. And you basically just had monthly magazines (and car shows/mall meet-ups) to see what was trending. No clicking around on websites, no Instagram, no forums or Facebook groups, etc. But alas, this was the late-90s, so the whole “instant gratification culture” was still decades away. Back then, builds were creative, resourceful, and unique… things that are often lost entirely in today’s car culture. But following The Fast and the Furious boom, the scene peaked, parts became more popularized & readily available. And thus – Eric’s trusty little Civic began to truly take shape.
At the heart of this 1990 EF Honda Civic Hatchback…
Sits a 1.6L JDM ZC swap, of which Eric believes to be “maybe one of the first ZC swaps on the east coast”. Adding oomph to the already peppy ZC powerplant is a period-correct GReddy turbo-kit, featuring a TD04-15G turbo, a Blitz BOV and a Zdyne Gold ECU. There’s also an upsized Fluidyne aluminum radiator and a custom-fabbed FMIC & stainless exhaust. Obviously – Eric was quick to ditch the factory auto-tragic transmission for a 5-speed. And he also added a Razo shift knob and pedal kit for added style and “shifting precision”… which he’s still sporting today.
The aesthetics…
Eric’s EF Civic features a Wings West RS body kit & mid-wing… along with a JDM SiR roof spoiler. It’s got keyless door handles w/ door poppers, Vision mirrors, OEM rainguards, retrofitted Prelude foglights, a JDM ZC hood, and shaved emblems/wipers for an undeniably timeless look. Open up one of the keyless door handles, and you’ll find a pair of Recaro Speed front seats, an Integra Type-R rear seat, an Integra center console, Euro CRX window cranks, and a Momo Tuner steering wheel. Everything here has a purpose, and it makes for an excellent “OEM+” fit & finish.
The EF Honda Civic wears a variety of aftermarket underpinnings…
Making this lightweight hatch feel more like a backroad brawler… and less like the mundane commuter it was originally created to be. For suspension, Eric went with the tried & true combo of the 90s/2000s era: Ground Control coilovers paired with KYB AGX shocks. Seriously – if you were around the tuner scene during the late-90’s/early-2000’s, you remember this setup having a stranglehold over everyone (and rightfully so). Further tightening up the ride is a pair of Neuspeed strut bars front & rear, Function 7 LCA’s, a Suspension Techniques rear sway bar, and Energy Suspension polyurethane bushings all around. There’s also an Integra rear disc-brake conversion (popular in the day), paired with slotted rotors front & rear. All of this sits atop beautifully-spec’d 16”x7” Work CR01 wheels, wrapped in Nitto Neo Gen rubber.
Eric assured me that in his 30+ years of owning this Civic…
It’s lived quite an exciting life. The car has seen endless car shows up & down the east coast. Along with tracks & event sites like Maple Grove Raceway, Englishtown, Atco Raceway, and Carlisle… just to name a few. He’s put the Civic through its paces on a few occasions at local autocross & drag racing events. He even used to hold an annual EF Civic/CRX meet for many years. Eric has maintained his interest & combatted boredom with this Honda Civic for 3 full decades now. And over the years, the car has now somehow become a throwback – representing the glory days of late-90s/early-2000s import scene.
So what will the next 30 years look like for the tuner scene?
Only time will tell, but I hope that cars & people like this will continue to inspire. And I hope this new “late-90s/early-2000s style resurgence” will continue to pick up steam! Not just in the aesthetics, but in the attitude & expression that fueled it all. So to all the OG’s like Eric out there – still doing the damn thing – I tip my hat to you. Godspeed ladies & gents.
Article by Josh Guillot @osshwa
Photos by Justin Jermacans @media_driven
1990 Honda Civic DX hatchback (EF)
Engine
JDM 1.6L ZC engine swap
Manual transmission swap
GReddy turbo-kit
Blitz blow off valve
Custom FMIC piping & cat-back exhaust
Fluidyne aluminum radiator
Zdyne Gold ECU
Exterior
Wings West RS bodykit & middling
Vision mirrors
JDM Civic SiR roof spoiler & ZC hood
OEM window rainguards
Prelude fogs
Keyless door handles with door poppers
Shaved emblems/wipers
Interior
Recaro Speed front seats
Integra Type-R rear seat
Integra center console
EDM CRX window cranks
Razo shift knob & pedals
Momo Tuner steering wheel
Wheels / Suspension / Brakes
16”x7” Work CR01’s
Nitto Neo Gen tires
Ground Control coilover sleeves
KYB AGX shocks
Function 7 LCA’s
Neuspeed front & rear strut bars
Suspension Techniques rear sway bar (known today as ST Suspension)
Energy Suspension polyurethane bushings
Integra rear-disc brake conversion
Slotted rotors (front & rear)
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