Happy Holidays from King Motorsports to all our customers, partners, friends and family!

Our holiday schedule for 2012:

> Dec 24 and 25 - CLOSED
> Dec 31 and Jan 1 - CLOSED

2012 was a big year. A US presidential election, Hurricane Sandy, the 2012 Summer Olympics and continued turmoil in Syria and Egypt. We also faced tragedies domestically in places like Newtown, Aurora and even here in West Town, Wisconsin.

There's no question we love cars, horsepower and motorsports. This holiday season we are especially thankful for the people in our lives that inspire us to stay passionate.

May your holidays be filled with those kinds of people (and may your tires stay on the road)! :)

Bonus pics: Here's our shop this morning after Wisconsin's first sizable snowfall!

After digging out the parking lot and letting some sun in ... :)

Always a treat to receive pictures from our customers. Here is Meor Amir's 2005 JDM DC5R.

This is Meor's build:

2005 JDM DC5 Type-R

Exterior:

Update Dec 2012:

Thanks Meor for the new pics! Beautiful!

There are few Honda enthusiasts who don't have a soft spot in their hearts for the CRX. We found a few rare pics in our photo archives of Mugen's influence on the first-gen CRX in the 1980's.

Here is one of the two Mugen prototype CRX's built for American Honda in 1984. These cars were used as a test bed to develop parts for the American market. Some of you may have never seen CF-48 wheels with the aero discs installed on them. So few aero discs have survived the years.

Test fitting the Mugen exhaust to a brand new CRX Si in 1986 at American Honda in CA. Damn- they were cool....We always loved the way the Mugen kanji badge peeked out from under the bumper!

The Mugen CRX (called the "CR-X" in Japan) demonstrated the huge tuning potential of the Honda platform and from that, a whole generation of Honda tuner enthusiasts were born!

We love the white on white look with the racing red equator line and clean gray door graphics!

When it was introduced in 1984, the CRX turned the automotive world upside down. A small, efficient package that punched far above its weight. The simple addition of a set of Koni shocks and a set of 175/70/13 Yokohama A001R tires would turn any CRX or Civic into a world-class handler with just enough horsepower to surprise the many unsuspecting driver of "marque" cars...

The Mugen body kit accentuates the simple design of the CRX without being over-styled.

The Mugen SCCA GT-4 CRX. This race car was very important step in Mugen history, as it introduced Mugen to the American market. It was designed and built in 1984 by the Special Projects division of American Honda in Gardena, CA.

This team was led by Dix Erickson, Charlie Curnutt and Mugen lead engineer Takashi Uno. The 1.5 EW engine was designed and produced by Mugen and produced 165hp. Design features included a dry sump lubrication and twin 45DCOE Weber carbs on a Mugen intake manifold. The transmission was a close ration 5 speed also designed and built by Mugen.

This car destroyed the GT-4 competition and won several SCCA National Championships between 1985 and 1989.

Yes- Mugen had arrived.....

Here is the exhaust manifold for the GT-4 CRX being made at Mugen. The Mugen technician that built this exhaust manifold also built all the early Honda F1 exhaust manifolds!

Here is a finished Mugen GT-4 exhaust manifold. Amazing craftsmanship!

Here is a very rare picture of the Mugen GT-4 CRX at a pre-race season test session. Notice no decals, numbers or race markings yet- early days in its life as a racer!

Update 8/14/2012: An old friend from American Honda "Special Projects Department" stopped by yesterday and dropped off some really great old articles on the Mugen GT-4 CRX. Check out this one from the 1985 Runoffs edition Sports Car Magazine:

Update 10/19/2012: Below are scans from an article about the SCCA GT-4 RACING PROJECT. The race car was a key promotion for the launch of Mugen performance parts in the US. It was quick, biblically quick ...

Here's the text of the article and specs:

The 1984 American Honda Motor (A.H.M.) and Mugen jointly decided to enter into Sports Car Club of America GT-4 racing using the Honda CRX. The CRX is the car that Honda produced as their second generation sports car. When the CRX started rolling off the production assembly line, A.H.M. and Mugen started making race plans. Mugen took care of engines and drive trains, and A.H.M. took charge of the suspension and body works, which were done by Dix Erickson and the Special Project Team.

In 1984 two prototype engines were made and sent to the United States. The engines were tested in the stock CRX body. Based on those prototype engines, 3 race engines were built by Mugen's Formula-II racing team. The engines were equipped with a dry sump lubrication system. This project was completed within two months. Even though they primarily worked on Formula-II V-6 engines, the team really enjoyed developing this in-line 4 cylinder engine.

Meanwhile, Dix Erickson's team was hard at work, stripping down the CRX and installing the roll cage. They believed in the CRX's potential and left the standard suspension layout on it. They did not use tube frame construction for the same reason. The body was painted in traditionaly Mugen colors.

In May 1985 the car won its very first race at Road Atlanta. After that, gears, exhaust systems, brakes, wheels, and suspensions were continually refined. In 1985 Doug Peterson won the National Championship in GT-4 driving the CRX and 1986 Parker Johnstone won the National Championship in GT-4 driving the Mugen CRX.

"On August 8th, 1985 we went Carlsbad Raceway with Mugen GT-4 car to attend SCCA National race. There we saw several GT-1, 2, 3 cars, and our GT-4 CRX had to race with them. But by Doug's Driving, at the qualifying Mugen CRX beat big cars and got the pole position. During the race it was repeated again, Mugen CRX finished First and became the overall winner."

QUALIFYING RESULTS

POSITION - CLASS - CAR - DRIVER

1 - GT-4 - MUGEN CRX - DOUG PETERSON

2 - GT-2 - FERRARI 308-GTB - HOWARD F. PYNN

3 - GT-1 - CHEV CORVETT - JIM DOUGHTY

4 - GT-3 - DATSUN 200 SX - JOE CARR

5 - GT-4 - DATSUN 510 - DEREK MCKESSON

6 - GT-1 - CHEV CAMARO - DAN CROFT

DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS

NAME: MUGEN XA-1 USR

TYPE OF ENGINE: IN-LINE 4 OHC 12-VALVE

DISPLACEMENT: 1529cc

BORE x STROKE: 75 X 86.5

COMPRESSION RATIO: 12.3 : 1

HORSEPOWER: over 165ps / 7800rpm

TORQUE: 17.0kg-m / 6000rpm

CARBURETION: WEBER SIDE DRAFT 45-DCOE

IGNITION: C.D.I.

WEIGHT: 111kg (with T/M)

GEAR RATIO:

1ST 1.824

2ND 1.474

3RD 1.227

4TH 1.047

5TH 0.920

FINAL:

4.067

4.267

4.429

Update 12/4/2012: We found this super rare photo of the Mugen SCCA GT-4 CRX race engine in our archives! The Mugen engine code for this engine was XA1 USR. 1592cc with a 75mm bore and a 86.5 mm stroke at 12.3:1 compression with dry sump lubrication, this engine made over 165 PS @ 7800 rpm. At first Webber 45 DCOE carbs were used, then switched to Mikuni 44 PHH. The Mugen GT-4 CRX dominated SCCA GT-4 competition for many years......

Right-click the image to see a larger version of this work of art!

How do you start a journey of over 6000 miles? With a single step!

New Mugen parts are shipped to us directly from Tokyo, Japan. This particular shipment includes ten S2000 hardtops and various other body parts (such as for the DC5). There are countless boxes to track, load up, and transport ... many people are involved in thinking through the logistics. The containers are transported by our partners like Vantec World Transport. By the time we ship these Mugen parts to you, they will have traveled thousands of miles over land and sea. 

These pictures come from a shipment scheduled to arrive to our facility in New Berlin, Wisconsin on or about December 26, 2012. It will take about 5 weeks in all for the parts to complete their journey.

Thanks to our friends at Mugen for snapping these pics of the trucks getting loaded up!

Get your orders in soon for these high quality FRP (fiber reinforced polymer) Mugen S2000 hardtops! Once they arrive at our facility in late December they will be ready to ship out ASAP to your door.

We've dug up a few additional pictures of these high quality hardtops, shown here on the Mugen S2000 Prototype. This prototype features a CRFP (carbon fiber reinforced polymer) hardtop, which is identical to the production FRP hardtop -- the only difference is the construction material.

The unpainted Mugen hardtop and hood create a stunning contrast on Spa Yellow!

Mugen's racing heritage really shines in the craftsmanship of their engine building. This Mugen literature proudly states "We at M-TEC have manufactured the engines of too many cars to count." 'Nuff said!

We love the specs of the Mugen MF408S (pictured below):

Engine 90° V8, naturally aspirated
Displacement 4,000cc
Max Power 590+ hp (440 kW) @ 9,500 rpm
Max Torque 383 lbf·ft (519 N·m @ 7,500 rpm
Restrictor Size 33.4 mm x2 or 46.8 mm x1
Ignition Type Direct Injection
ECU System EFI Technology Inc
CDI System EFI Technology Inc
Clutch Type/Size Carbon / 5.5 inch 4-plate
Maintenance Interval >3,000 km (>5,000 km at Le Mans 24h)
Length 559 mm (not including flywheel)
Height 577 mm (not including flywheel)
Width 720 mm
Weight 131 kg
Crank Height 92 mm

In 1973, the first racing project of the newly formed Mugen Co. Ltd. was the MF-318. Based on the Civic EB1 Civic 1200 engine features dry sump lubrication and Keihin 35mm CV carbs to make 135 ps at 8000 rpm. It was very successful race engine in both formula car and sedan racing. The team at Mugen completely remade or modified every aspect of this engine. Boring the engine to 1300cc, the Mugen MF-318 was victorious in its very first race in the Formula FJ 1300 racing series in Japan. It went on to become the dominant engine in this series for many years to come.

Here is a very rare picture of the Mugen FJ 1200 race car. Pictured here in 1973 at the first Mugen HQ.

Here is one of the first Mugen brochures for the S2000 from early in 2000.

Here is the heart of the Mugen-equipped S2000:

Mugen spent considerable time in the wind tunnel developing their body parts for the S2000. The phrase "Form follows function" has never been more true! The Mugen Aero: S2000 SS - Front Splitter for AP2 is still available.

Our favorite Mugen body kit for the S2000 is the "SS Style" body it. The kit was based on the Mugen Speed Star 2200 (SS2200) concept vehicle. Love it!

Bonus images: Here are pictures of the Mugen S2000 prototype parked behind Mugen HQ in early 2000. These prototypes were in constant use endurance testing new parts and doing promo track work for Mugen.

This was part of our original ad campaign for S2000 parts:

King Motorsports went on to build our own Mugen SS2000 in red. King currently still stocks Mugen Aero pieces for the 2000-2003 S2000 and 2004-2009 S2000.

What even better than the Mugen Accord SiR? That would be the Mugen Accord Euro R!

The Honda Accord Type-R (ATR) was produced from 1998 to 2003 using the CH1 Accord chassis and sold in UK/EU markets, the JDM Accord Euro-R uses the CL1 chassis, Using a naturally aspirated 2.2-litre four-cylinder DOHC H22A "Red Top" VTEC motor which produces 220 bhp (220ps) and the EDM was (212ps) @ 7,200 rpm and 164 lb·ft (222 N·m) @ 6,700 rpm. The Type-R Accord model is differentiated by a number of sporting features including, but not limited to: stiffer suspension and chassis, Torsen limited-slip-differential, twin-piston brakes, dual exhaust system, 17-inch alloy wheels, Xenon headlights, Recaro seats and a leather-trimmed Momo steering wheel. As an option, there was a distinctive tall and functional rear spoiler wing that most costumers opted for.

Not so demanded among the crowd presently due to its family four-door configuration, it is the most internationally-awarded basic version of the Type-R's, since it (the Accord) was battling with great success in the 2000 European Super Touring Cup season.

Its successor is the CL7 Accord Euro-R. Produced in 2004–2007, built in Sayama, Japan for the JDM market, it came with a K20AI-VTEC motor:

Displacement: 1998 cc, Compression: 11.5:1, power: 220 bhp (220 PS,162 kW) @ 8000 rpm, torque: 152 ft·lbf (206 N·m) @ 7000 rpm and a redline of 8800 rpm} same as the 02-06 Integra Type R. It has the standard Type R modifications – including Recaro seats, a limited-slip-differential and independent double-wishbone suspension.

Now this is a sports sedan- the Mugen Accord SiR:

The Accord SiR Coupes and then the Accord SiR Wagons were built with the Japan-spec H22A DOHC VTEC powertrains which were shipped from Japan and were installed into the HAM-built Accord SiR models. The 1994–1997 "CD" Accord chassis was designed for the H22A DOHC VTEC powertrain to be installed; because the firewall was curved at the top to allow more space for the tilting backwards of the H22A DOHC VTEC engine near the middle of the firewall. The H22A DOHC VTEC engine was the most powerful inline four-cylinder engine Honda built for the Prelude and the Accord before the 1995 U.S.-spec V6 sedan.

The Accord SiR suspension was improved with stiffer front sway bar (27.2mmXt4.0mm), stiffer rear sway bar (16 mm), stiffer front coil springs and stiffer rear coil springs.

Features for the 94–95 Accord SiR models (sedans and coupes) included the following items: cruise control, automatic climate control (Similar to the first generation Acura CL), Bose stereo system, 7,400 redline tachometer, optional electronic traction control and optional limited slip differential for automatic transmission, optional SRS and airbags, factory installed driving lights, optional factory installed "pop up" navigation radio head unit, sound insulation liner under front hood, black housing front headlights, no side molding was available on the Accord SiR sedan, optional rear sunscreen, optional sunroof and power retractable outside mirrors.

Features for the 96–97 Accord SiR models (sedans, coupes and wagons) included the same as above while adding; optional cruise control, rear window wiper on the sedan, optional leather interior and a colored side molding for the sedan as well.