It was just another late night routine; going through the classifieds on Mudah.my, looking through cars and used parts that often times are beyond my financial reach, but like most of us, I do it nonetheless because it’s fun and it keeps me amused.
Mostly because every now and then, I’d stumble upon something that’s totally cool and extremely unusual – whether it’s a rare performance part for my 26 year old car or a tastefully built JDM or classic car – and last night was one of those nights.
As I refined the searched section for all Honda vehicles equipped or modified with a K20A Type R engine, this very perculiar, completely unexpected set of wheels from Johor surfaced in search results.
It’s was a second generation Honda CR-V from the early to mid-2000s modified to house the engine from an EP3 Honda Civic Type R, a model specifically for the Japanese and European market, that’s rarely seen in Malaysia. How cool is that??
What also caught my attention was where the manual gear lever was positioned. Just like the EP3, it’s positioned below the infotainment system in the CR-V, albeit slightly lower than the original car, which should completely change the operational dynamics of an SUV whose gear lever was originally by the steering column.
Aside from fitting in a high-revving engine and a close-ratio 6-speed gearbox, upgrades include a racing clutch, open pod air filter and an aftermarket exhaust. Still, that should be plenty enough for an SUV whose original output was only around 150 hp and 190 Nm. The EP3 Civic Type R’s K20A pushes out around 200 hp and 196 Nm, with a much higher redline.
Best described by the owner, who has placed a RM32,000 price tag on the one-of-a-kind SUV; “It’s best suited for the speed demons who’ve started a family and for the “pranggg boys” who have become family men”.
Gotta love the classifieds – you just never know what you’d find.
Source: Mudah.my
