Engraved EG, the "World's First Fully Hand Engraved Car" project BUILD

[Engraved EG]

Hello Club Civic community,

I want to introduce the Club Civic community to a "one of a kind" EG build that I've been working on over the past 3+ years. The project is called the "Engraved EG". I am the creator / designer / engraving artist of the "Engraved EG". The vehicle is a 1992 Honda Civic Hatchback VX. I have always been into art and cars (Mainly Hondas) since I was a little kid, but for this "one of a kind" car project I wanted to really step out of the box and do something that no one in automotive history has ever done and fully hand engrave on an entire body of a car. Also, I am hand engraving on various aftermarket parts for the car. Once completed, the "Engraved EG" will be the "World's First Fully Hand Engraved Car". I have a big appreciation for those who have done "Sharpie Art" on cars, but I dont like to be like everyone else when It comes to artwork. Separating my art from everyone else's is what makes my hand engravings "one of a kind".

The tools Im using for the "Engraved EG" are DREMEL tools and accessories. I have invested over 5,000+ hand engraving hours into this "one of a kind" EG. Once completed, around 6,000+ engraving hours will have gone into the project. Also, once the body of the car is fully hand engraved I will be taking the process even further. In addition to hand engraving on the body, bumpers, carbon fiber parts, and various car parts.....I will be adding color within the hand engravings to make the engravings "pop". After that, the car will be clear coated to help preserve the engravings and finally a clear bra protection film will be added to protect the entire car from getting rock chips and other damage while driving and transport. Since the "Engraved EG" is a Japanese car, I wanted to add a Japanese theme mixed throughout the hand engraving designs. Some of the Japanese imagery includes; Japanese characters, Kanji, and culture. Around the logos and designs Im adding various freestyle designs to fill in the empty space.

The "Engraved EG" is the largest and most extensive hand engraving project I have ever taken on. My goal with this project is to create multiple WORLD RECORDS and gain 1 MILLION "Engraved EG" fans. A lot of you may think that getting 1 million fans sounds a little crazy for a Honda EG, but isn't hand engraving on an entire EG kinda crazy too??? Please feel free to visit the "Engraved EG" facebook fan page for continuous updates with the project. Help me bring this "one of a kind" EG to an entirely new level. I would love to hear your comments or any ideas you may have. I will also be updating this thread with the cars progress as often as I can.

I couldn't have gotten this far with the "Engraved EG" project without the amazing support from the "Engraved EG" fans. Thank you for the support Club Civic. Please note: the purpose of this thread is to show my love for Hondas, my hand engravings, and all aspects of this "one of a kind" build. Not to promote any of the Logos / Companies that appear on the vehicle. Thank you.

"Engraved EG" facebook fan page

https://www.facebook.com/EngravedEg

Modification List (Currently)

Drivetrain:

- Custom Lightweight Flywheel
- Custom 6 Puck Racing Cluth / Heavy Duty Pressure Plate
- Skunk2 Racing: Dual Bend Short Throw Shifter
- Password JDM: Hardened Shift Linkage Bushing Kit
- GSR Axles

Engine:

- B18C1 Motor with (B16 Pistons)
- B18C1 Transmission
- ITR Valve Cover (FUlly Hand Engraved)
- Password JDM: Dry Carbon Fiber Spark Plug Cover
- Password JDM: Billet Aluminum Theft Proof Oil Cap
- Password JDM: Dry Carbon Fiber PowerChamber Intake (Fully Hand Engraved / Not Installed)
- Password JDM: Dry Carbon Fiber Velocity Stack
- Password JDM: Dry Carbon Fiber Cooling Plate
- Skunk2 Racing: Black Series Pro Series Intake Manifold
- AEM: Dual Chamber Cold Air Intake with Dry Flow Filter (Currently on EG)
- AEM: Pre Filter
- DC Sports: 4 to 1 Polished Headers
- NGK: Spark Plug Wires
- NGK: Iridium IX Spark Plugs
- Password JDM: Fender Washer Kit
- Password JDM: Magnetic Oil and Trans Drain Plugs
- Password JDM: Odyssey Battery Relcator (Fully Hand Engraved / Not Installed)
- 2.25" Exhaust Piping (Magnaflow Muffler and Resinator)

Exterior:

- JDM Headlights
- JDM Tail Lights
- Password JDM: Amber Corners
- Password JDM: JDM Spec Replacement Fenders
- Password JDM: Amber Fender Markers
- Password JDM: Dry Carbon Fiber Fog Light Covers (Not Installed)
- SEIBON Carbon: OEM Carbon Fiber Hood (Fully Hand Engraved)
- SEIBON Carbon: Carbon Fiber Duckbill Rear Spoiler (FUlly Hand Engraved)
- SEIBON Carbon: Carbon Fiber Hatch (Fully Hand Engraved)
- SEIBON Carbon: MG-Style Carbon Fiber Side Skirts (Not Hand Engraved Yet / Installed)
- SEIBON Carbon: SP-Style Carbon Fiber Front Lip (Not Hand Engraved Yet / Not Installed)
- AeroCatch Flush Mount Locking Hood Latches
- Password JDM: Front Tow Hook (Fully Hand Engraved / Not Installed)
- Password JDM: Rear Tow Hook (Fully Hand Engraved / Not Installed)

Interior

- Momo Steering Wheel (320mm)
- Password JDM: 4" Shift Lever Extension (10x1.5mm Thread Pitch)
- Password JDM: Dry Carbon Fiber Fuel Pump Cover (Fully Hand Engraved)
- Skunk2 Racing: Gunmetal Weighted Shift Knob (400 grams)
- Password JDM: Leather Shift Boot with Red Stitching
- Broadway Mirror
- Stock Seats (Currently)

Suspension and Chassis:

- Password JDM: 3 Point Front Strut Tower Bar (Fully Hand Engraved / Not Installed)
- DC Sports: Gunmetal CS2 Front Strut Tower Bar (Not Installed)
- Password JDM: 4 Point Rear Strut Tower Bar (Fully Hand Engraved / Installed)
- BWR (BlackWorks Racing): Billet Aluminum (Black Anodized) Rear Subframe Brace (Not Installed)
- BWR (BlackWorks Racing): Billet Aluminum (Polished) Rear Lower Control Arms (Not Installed)
- BWR (BlackWorks Racing): Billet Aluminum (Polished) Rear Lower Tie Bar (Not Installed)
- Lowering Springs
- Adjustable Shocks

Wheels and Brakes

- 16x7 5Zigen DIV3's +38 Offset (Painted Orange for SEMA Show 2012 / New wheels coming soon....)
- 15x8 Gram Lights 57DR (Track Spec) +35 Offset (Championship White & Sunlight Silver)
- Project Mu: NS400 Brake Pads (Not Installed)
- Stock Rotors (Currently)

Tires:

- Hankook Ventus V2 Concept (205/45/16)

The first few images are some of the most recent photos of the "Engraved EG". I will be sharing images from start to finish (in sequential order) of the "Engraved EG" project to Club Civic and its members. I will also be updating this thread as often as I can. The most recent photos and info will be on the last pages of the thread. Thank you Club Civic. I'm looking forward to seeing the comments and opinions that anyone would like to share.

Some (Current Photos) of the "Engraved EG":

The "Engraved EG" visiting HPD (Honda Performance Development Headquarters (Valencia, CA)

The "Engraved EG" visiting a new Fire Station

The "Engraved EG" at the AE Performance Monthly car meet (Valencia, CA)

AE Performance monthly car meet (Valencia, CA)

Now, let's start from the beginning.........

I picked up this 1992 Honda Civic VX Hatchback back in January 2010. It wasn't in too bad of shape. Had quite a few door dents and dings but nothing major. Im not a big fan of the Aztec green color but I guess I couldn't be that picky, considering all of the work I knew that I had ahead of me for this project. Radiator support was a little tweaked and so was one of the sides of the front bumper support. The EG came with a SOHC VTEC motor, which ran perfectly and the car drove straight and true . The mesh wheels the EG came with weren't bad, but I changed them out the next week. lol.

Front bumper
Some chips in the paint and looks like this bumper may have been red at one time. Headlight brackets were broken and barely hangin on. lol. Same with the corners. Hood needing some adjustments as well.

A little driver side door damage:

Paint chips on the rear bumper and dents on the hatch:

320mm Momo Steering Wheel:
This steering wheel feels great while driving, but it has definitely seen better days. lol. Gonna have to replace it sometime. The steering column plastic casing is also broken.

 

[Engraved EG]

Roughly about 2 weeks after picking up the EG, I decided to call up a friend who owns a Honda / Acura performance shop in Hawaiian Gardens, CA (Import Life Performance) and told him I wanted to go with a B18C1 motor for the "Engraved EG" project. So he started putting together a motor for me and ordered a bunch of brand new Honda / Acura parts.

I then started to do some searching online to see what parts I wanted and needed for the "Engraved EG" project. Here are some of the parts I picked up.......

- Skunk2 Racing: Dual Bend Short Throw Shifter
- Password JDM: Hardened Shift Linkage Bushing Kit
- ITR Valve Cover
- Password JDM: Billet Aluminum Theft Proof Oil Cap
- Password JDM: Dry Carbon Fiber PowerChamber Intake
- Password JDM: Dry Carbon Fiber Velocity Stack
- Password JDM: Dry Carbon Fiber Cooling Plate
- Password JDM: Magnetic Oil and Trans Drain Plugs
- Password JDM: Odyssey Battery Relcator
- JDM Headlights
- JDM Tail Lights
- Password JDM: Amber Corners
- Password JDM: JDM Spec Replacement Fenders
- Password JDM: Amber Fender Markers
- Password JDM: Dry Carbon Fiber Fog Light Covers
- Password JDM: Front Tow Hook (Red Billet Aluminum)
- Password JDM: Rear Tow Hook (Red Billet Aluminum)
- Password JDM: Dry Carbon Fiber Fuel Pump Cover
- Skunk2 Racing: Gunmetal Weighted Shift Knob
- Password JDM: Leather Shift Boot with Red Stitching
- Broadway Mirror
- Password JDM: 3 Point Front Strut Tower Bar (Black)
- Password JDM: 4 Point Rear Strut Tower Bar (Black)

ITR Valve Cover

Password JDM: Billet Aluminum Theft Proof Oil Cap

Password JDM: Dry Carbon Fiber PowerChamber Intake

PowerChamber Air Filter and Hardware

Password JDM: Dry Carbon Fiber Velocity Stack

Password JDM: Dry Carbon Fiber Cooling Plate

Password JDM: Odyssey Battery Relcator

JDM Headlights

JDM Tail Lights

Password JDM: Amber Corners

Password JDM: JDM Spec Replacement Fenders

Password JDM: Dry Carbon Fiber Fog Light Covers

Password JDM: Front Tow Hook (Red Billet Aluminum)

Password JDM: Rear Tow Hook (Red Billet Aluminum)

Password JDM: Dry Carbon Fiber Fuel Pump Cover

Password JDM: 4 Point Rear Strut Tower Bar (Black)

 

[Engraved EG]

Shortly after picking up some of the parts I wanted for the project, I went down to Import Life Performance in Hawaiian Gardens, CA and had my fully rebuilt B18C1 motor and Trans put in. These guys really impressed me with how fast they did the swap. From the time they dropped the old SOHC Vtech motor to completing the entire GSR swap, it took them roughly 3 1/2 hours.

At the shop getting ready to start. Jacob is the red haired guy. Super cool dude. I call him the "Mad Scientist" of Honda / Acura. LOL.

Old motor is out and in record time.

Empty engine bay. Eventually Im gonna be doing a wire tuck and repainting the engine bay.

EG waiting patiently for her newly rebuilt GSR swap. She is getting excited!! LOL.

 

[Engraved EG]

Now that is some skimpy exhaust piping. Gonna have to change that soon.

New motor! Yayy!!

WOW, that gold valve cover is kinda BLAHHHH. Can't wait to put my ITR valve cover on.

Alright guys, it's time to roll her over to her new home.

 

[Engraved EG]

Droppin the motor in.....

Its in!!!!!

Connecting everything up......

Added the radiator hoses...

 

[Engraved EG]

Taking a look at the new custom lightweight flywheel.

Password JDM: Magnetic Oil and Tranny Drain Plugs

 

[buzzbombtom]

this is VERY cool and unique. can you give close ups of the etching work?

 

[Engraved EG]

Current lowering spring and shock setup. Changing this to Coilovers eventually.

Stock brakes setup. Changing this out later as well.

Shift linkage taken apart. Getting ready for my new short throw shifter.

Skunk2 Racing: Dual Bend Short Throw Shifter

Password JDM: Hardened Shift Linkage Bushing Kit.

 

[Engraved EG]

Shift linkage is together, along with the hardened shift linkage bushing kit and Skunk2 Racing dual bend short throw shifter.

Old short throw / shift knob set up.

Shift linkage and new dual bend short throw shifter is in.

Time for the Skunk2 Racing gunmetal weighted shirt knob (400 grams), which is just under 1 lb.

Password JDM: red stitched leather shift boot

Everything is together. Much better than the last setup I had.

 

[Engraved EG]

New GSR axles and boots installed.

Motor swap is complete. Yay!! The next day I headed over to a muffler shop in Valencia and had some new piping installed. Im also going to be changing the exhaust at a later time but this will be good for now. I went with 2 1/4" piping, along with a Magnaflow resinator and Magnaflow muffler. I dont want anything very loud at this point. This is the first time I have had a Magnaflow muffler on any of my cars and it sounds pretty good.


Stock piping and muffler

New piping, resinator, and muffler.

 

[Engraved EG]

Next, I got rid of the mesh wheels that came with the EG and picked up a set of 16x7 +38 offset 5Zigen Div.3 wheels. I think these wheels look much better.

 

[Engraved EG]

Now, its time for the hand engraving to begin on the "Engraved EG", the "World's First Fully Hand Engraved Car" project. Since I did pick up quite a few parts earlier I decided to start engraving some of those parts first.

The first part I hand engraved for the project was the ITR valve cover I had picked up. Total hand engraving time for the valve cover was 150+ hours. Powder coating is not very easy to hand engrave to begin with and plus I was using Diamond tip bits. I went through about 5 diamond tip Dremel bits. What do you guys / gals think?

ITR valve cover (BEFORE)

ITR valve cover (HAND ENGRAVED)

 

[Engraved EG]

Now its time to hand engrave the rear tow hook. Roughly 40+ hand engraving hours went into this piece (both sides total).

Password JDM: Red Anodized Billet Aluminum Rear Tow Hook (BEFORE)

Password JDM: Red Anodized Billet Aluminum Rear Tow Hook (FULLY HAND ENGRAVED / Both Sides).

 

[Engraved EG]

Time to work on the front tow hook. This piece took about the same time to hand engrave as the rear tow hook did. 40+ engraving hours.

Password JDM: Red Anodized Billet Aluminum Front Tow Hook (BEFORE)

Password JDM: Red Anodized Billet Aluminum Front Tow Hook (FULLY HAND ENGRAVED)

 

[Engraved EG]

Now its time to hand engrave the black powder coated 4 Point Rear Strut Tower Bar. This piece took me roughly 150+ hand engraving hours.

Password JDM: 4 Point Rear Strut Tower Bar (BEFORE)

Password JDM: 4 Point Rear Strut Tower Bar (FULLY HAND ENGRAVED)

 

[sohclubkid]

WOW! lots of time and effort! very cool man!

 

[Engraved EG]

WOW! lots of time and effort! very cool man!

Thank you sohclubkid. I appreciate it.

 

[Engraved EG]

Next is the 3 Point Front Strut Tower Bar. I couldn't find any pics before I hand engraved it.

Password JDM: 3 Point Front Strut Tower Bar (FULLY HAND ENGRAVED)

 

[Engraved EG]

The Dry Carbon Fiber Fuel Pump Cover is the next part to be engraved and was a challenge. Very thin material and easy to cut all the way through. Hand engraved the carbon fuel pump cover is just the first step for this piece. Eventually I'm going to give it a wet sand and clear coat to protect the hand engravings as well as giving the engravings a more clean and subtle look.

Password JDM: Dry Carbon Fiber Fuel Pump Cover (BEFORE)

Password JDM: Dry Carbon Fiber Fuel Pump Cover (FULLY HAND ENGRAVED)

A close up to show the depth of the hand engravings.

 

[Osiris19]

This is amazing. I've seen this all over Facebook.

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