Have you ever put away a jacket for the winter season and when you come back to it in the spring you find a $10 bill hidden in the pocket? If you have, you’ll understand this post and probably even understand the use of our recently retired watermark. You see, these photos are from last May and finding them was like finding that sweet ten spot in my summer jacket.
You’ve probably noticed that the site has been slow lately. Hell, you might even think we went away. But no, we’re here. I would like to say we’re bidding our time, but truthfully I haven’t shot a car since October. Instead, I’ve retreated indoors and mostly tried to stay warm. There was a time when DODO would post everyday regardless of we had something of value to say or not. Now we only try to direct you to our site if it’s worth your time. I’m not sure which strategy is better, or if I’m supposed to be saying these things.
So in keeping with the spirit of ‘things worth sharing,’ here is Arif Jina’s 1996 Honda Civic. I don’t usually do features on Civics, as it’s not really in my wheel house. I did, however, make an exception for Arif and his Honda that he’s affectionately named Hollie. Why the exception? As I always say, the car community is only as good as the people behind it and Arif is legit a good guy. I’ve only hung out with him twice, but the courtesy he’s extended to me and others has been phenomenal. Eric Zapata of Hotboyz added: “Definitely one of the nicest dudes in the game. His car has literally been built up from the ground, a one-off EK. The attention to detail is unreal.”
The other important thing to say about Arif is he’s no ‘Johnny-come-lately.’ He’s been in the Calgary car scene since 1999. He’s earned his stripes as a mod on the Beyond forum and has deep roots in the community. I’ve even heard the term O.G. thrown around when describing Arif, but like any cool car guy his ability to be humble outweighs his accolades.
Hollie isn’t his first endeavor, but he fell in love with the EK chassis after helping a friend build one. Arif’s owned plenty of cars that each came with their own alliteration, such as Tiffany Talon, Sarah Supra and Michellle MR2. But it would seem that Arif is currently in a long-term relationship with Hollie. That’s not to say it’s all been sunshine and lolly-pops; Arif did at one point have to replace 1/4 panels and fenders. Some people might have walked away, but not Arif. He stayed committed.
There’s a lot to be said about this Civic, and probably more than I could ever articulate. One glance at the long list of modifications and you can easily see how this post could become several posts. However, I consciously chose to focus on the guy behind the mod list instead of the list itself. Arif Jina is a testament to the car community. A lot of people show up to be part-timers in the scene, but for people like Arif it becomes a part of their life. He isn’t here to be e-famous or to win your follow on Instagram; he stays comitted for the real life friends and experiences. That’s perhaps the most surprising thing about Arif: even after all these years, he hasn’t become jaded by the scene. He remains upbeat and positive each and every car season.
Hollie’s (1996 Honda Civic EK) mod list
Exterior:
VIS Carbon Hood
Sparco Hood Pins
VIS Carbon Hatch
Civic Type R Doors
OEM Civic Type R Rear Lip
Spoon S2000 Rear Diffuser modded to fit EK
Championship White Paint Spoon Mirrors
OEM Civic Type R Spoiler on Adjustable Wing Brackets
JDM SiR Civic Foglights
S2000 Side Markers
Mugen “Style” Front Lip
OEM Civic Type R Thin Side Moldings
Civic Type R Grille
DiNoc CF Wrapped Roof Panel
Drivetrain:
JDM DOHC F20B
Uberdata Engine Management
Mugen Header
AEM Short Ram
JDM H22 Transmission
Exedy Stage 2 Clutch
Apex’i Grounding Kit/Voltage Stabilizer
Apex’i N1 Catback Exhaust
Suspension:
Tein Super Street Coilovers
Spoon Front Strut Brace
EM Racing Rear Strut Brace
EM Racing Trunk Brace
Megan Racing C-Pillar Brace
ASR Rear Subframe Brace
ASR 24mm Rear Swaybar
SiR Front Swaybar
Cusco 6pt Rollcage
Megan Racing Front H Brace
Interior:
Recaro Profi XL Driver’s seat on Bride Rail
JDM Integra Type R Passenger Seat on OEM Rail Civic
Type R Door Panels (including power windows and locks)
JDM Integra Type R Cluster Civic
Type R Radio Block Off Plate
JDM SiR Cupholders
JDM Integra Type R Shift Boot
Civic Type R Parking Brake Console
Greddy Counterweight Shiftknob
Sparco Pedals
Sparco 215 Steering Wheel
NRG Short Steering Wheel Hub
NRG Quick Release
Wink Mirror (supplied by DODOLogic Jason haha)
Alpine Headunit Alpine
Type R Speakers
Wheels, Tires and Brakes:
Volk TE37 (16×7 +42)
Rays Lugnuts
Toyo R1R 205/45-16
Rear Disc Brake Conversion
Power Slot Rotors Front and Rear
Project Mu Front Pads
Hawk HPS Rear Pads
Castrol SRF Brake Fluid
Arif Jina Is a hardcore E-mack