Working on his car helps him destress

THE Honda Civic won fans in the 1990s because of its dynamic design, performance and fuel efficiency.

Chatsworth resident Tyron Laurent Naidoo has always been passionate about cars and he says working on them helps him destress.

Like many petrolheads, Naidoo enjoys taking cars apart and putting them back together.

His 1997 Civic 160i was repainted white and given the benefit of Mugen Type “R” spoilers and a side skirtings kit.

Naidoo says his Civic is a “bagged hatch” – he recently fitted the vehicle with an airbag-based airlift suspension system. The suspension effectively allows the driver to raise or lower the vehicle’s ride height by inflating or deflating the suspension airbags via an air pump control mechanism.

Roadholding on this Civic is impressive, partly because of the candy-apple red Rotiform studless 15inch mags and 165/45/15 rubbers.

The interior has customised Land Rover-inspired, patterned Oxblood leather seats, with a matching boot setup.

The sound system features a JVC MP3 player, MTX 6x9s, 6-inch mids, a 15-inch MTX subwoofer and amplifier.

The car has featured in Speed and Sound and Max My Ride magazines. It has also won several competitions in the lowest car category in Durban. WHAT WAS CHANGED The engine bay was repainted, polished and powder-coated, while the wiring, fuse box and battery were moved to the boot as part of his custom job. The car’s already capable B16A V-Tec engine received a minimalist enhancement with the addition of a 50mm back-to-front stainless steel performance exhaust system. A special airlift suspension and killer sound system complete the upgrade. SERVICE PROVIDERS USED Air Springs Supply. Low-Down Customs. BST Electronics. Vintage Car Customs. HOW MUCH IT COST The upgrade cost about R50 000, which Naidoo feels was well worthwhile.