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Twenty-five years ago the JACCS Honda Accord was kicking all kinds of ass in the JTCC and JGTC GT300 classes. Over here in the U.S. wheel company Fifteen52 was just finding its way in the market, growing with the import tuner scene. When Honda Performance Development offered to co-develop a new K20C1 crate engine project car with Fifteen52 and Mountune, they jumped at the opportunity, and Project 96 was born. This thing frickin’ rules.
“This year, Fifteen52™ celebrates our 25th anniversary and what better way to mark the occasion than to build a tribute to the pinnacle of 1996 Motorsport. Our version of the JTCC Championship-winning Honda Accord showcases our Super Touring line of wheels that were born in those same race paddocks. We’re excited to work with HPD™ and Mountune USA on this project, using parts from some of the top brands in the industry.” -Jason Sellers, President of Fifteen52
If you’re not familiar with Honda engine codes, the K20C1 is the 2-liter turbocharged inline-four found in the current Civic Type R. With 306 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, that’s somewhere around double what this Accord wagon would have had stock in 1996. Obviously the real racing Accord from the period was a sedan, but everything is cooler with a longroof, obviously. There’s no doubt that this thing rips, and with the wagon back end, it looks cool as shit in the process.
Obviously this is also a marketing vessel for Fifteen52's recent Super Touring wheel, which you can see fitted to the car looking fly as hell. With big turbo power, the car obviously needed a lot of upgrades to handle it, and the wider wheels and sticky tires are only part of the formula. The Accord is also fitted with Civic Type R hubs and brakes, plus Tein coilovers, Hardrace adjustable suspension components, and a full roll cage.
Considering the fifth-gen Accord was quoted as being 2,855 pounds at the curb in the 1990s, and the fact that this one has had its full interior stripped, it probably weighs a little less than stock. A stock current-model CTR weighs in at 3121 pounds, meaning without any engine upgrades or tuning adjustments, Project 96 already has a better power-to-weight than the K20C1-powered car you can buy on the Honda lot right now. With the right suspension tuning and sticky tires, it’s probably a bit quicker around a race track, too!I absolutely love this car, and I wish more projects like this would come to the surface. It looks cool as hell, uses color to evoke the past, and blends modern power with vintage looks to make something better than the sum of its parts. Have you ever seen a wagon this cool? I don’t think I have.
Nice bugeye Estate @rockstar143
Needs some period correct wheels though, those just don't flow, IMO.
Looks pretty clean from that shot.
I swiped it from the dealer as the wholesaler was trying to pick it up...
had a little encouragement from my car buddy's to sort it out and after
reading up how robust the M112 platform with this one only having 146K
miles I figured I HAD to give it a whirl. I'm a BIG fan of wagons, as you know.
I never considered the W210 but after some reading, turns out the estates are
pretty rare and can be made to be pretty cool...also on the cusp of being a classic
to a Merc enthusiast (right after the W124). This thing ain't even leaking oil, believe it or not.
Needed a battery, which my buddy tossed in...some paint work which is being handled by a close
friend for next to nothing, 2 rear window regulators which they sell on Amazon cheap...hood and
hatch struts, again Amazon cheap. Picked up a set of oem roof bars for the 14' kayak, researching
springs...
and @00TL-P3.2 you nailed it...I was strongly prompted by Majofo
The craziest part is those are my peelers off the S4/S5 right? Dude, same lug pattern and
same center bore as the Audis...I got buy these Monos up in Orlando and get home...fitment is
ANNOYING because they came off an S class...so I'm on the hunt learning about bolt to lug
conversions and spacers and which tires to run
It'll look dope when I'm done and it's soooo smooth to drive around town.
Monoblocs FTMFW
The W210 isn't my favorite (maybe 2nd least favorite E after the super angular pre-facelift W212)
The wagons are pretty uncommon, though. Yours have the rear-facing 3rd row jumpseat?
Dude, other than the E55 I've never really been a fan either.
BUT, the more I look at it and picture it lowered with the right wheels...
the more I can see that it can be cool.
Never even considered Merc but it turns out they actually have the oldest
patent for the internal combustion engine making them the oldest car manuf.
There are a lot of weird quirks from vacuum driven door lock actuators to the
single wiper that wipes funny as shit to the massive amount of hidden cup holders.
Just an odd little car and the more I look at it the more I realize that it was the last of
their traditional design and there's a following for it.
Yes sir, 7 seater if you include the rear USABLE jump seats (I can even sit back there, tight though).
and you know why? A wagon is supposed to fly under the radar and go unnoticed by the po-po. This thing screams look at me, I'm a screamer. Way too many of the wagons in this thread fit that category of nice, cool but unwanted.
and you know why? A wagon is supposed to fly under the radar and go unnoticed by the po-po. This thing screams look at me, I'm a screamer. Way too many of the wagons in this thread fit that category of nice, cool but unwanted.
I think though, nothing about the RS6 Avant says it is subtle...so, for that, Abt just amps it up which, in the Audi's case, is not a bad thing.
If you did that to an E63 Estate, I would agree with you, Chef. But, I get what you mean.