Honda Tuning – Generations (Part 1)

The enthusiast apple doesn’t fall far from the tree …

In 1972, at just 18 years of age, Edwin Scott became the proud owner of his very of first car: a '71 Plymouth Road Runner dubbed “Old Blue.” What started out as a daily driver was soon converted to somewhat of a showpiece, regularly attending cruise nights and show-’n-shine events. The build caught the attention of an editor and Edwin's pride and joy would eventually grace the pages of Car Craft magazine. Fast-forward 16 years and in 1988, things changed dramatically for the young builder. He'd taken the skills acquired over the years and put them to good use. Not only had he continued building his own cars, but he also opened his own business, EZ's Hydraulics, which produced some heavy hitters that showed up in magazines, videos, even commercials. Oh, and one other life-changing event that occurred that same year as Edwin began his journey into the entrepreneurial world, he also had a son, Donnie.

Not only had he continued building his own cars, but he also opened his own business, EZ's Hydraulics, which produced some heavy hitters that showed up in magazines, videos, even commercials.

As you might expect, the moment Donnie was old enough to make his way to the garage, he was right next to his father day in and day out, learning trade secrets about fabrication, wiring, and everything in between. As he entered his teen years, Donnie spent his summers working at the local Dodge dealer where his mother was employed. “Even though I wasn't old enough, I got paid. I saved my money and purchased my first Honda—a little '90 CRX from a local junkyard,” Donnie recalls. With the car in his garage, Donnie got right to work and had it running within a few weeks. The funny thing was, he wasn't even old enough to drive yet. In fact, he wasn't old enough to get a driver's permit. He adds, “I had to rely on others taking me into town, usually it was my dad. We hung out with the locals and before long, I wanted to build my first motor with my dad. I was 14 at this time.” That first CRX is still around and Donnie admits that while he wanted a race car, it ended up being more of a show car. With his father getting the itch to build a Honda, the father-and-son team decided they'd get a new shell and get their hands dirty on a true race car.

That first CRX is still around and Donnie admits that while he wanted a race car, it ended up being more of a show car.

Visiting family in Alabama, the Scotts came across a white CRX sitting on jackstands in someone's yard. Approaching the owners about a possible purchase, they were told that the car wasn't for sale. However, just a few weeks later, as Edwin surfed through Craigslist in search of a suitable shell, he came across that same exact car, but this time it was definitely for sale. The car was immediately purchased and without hesitation, the build began. Donnie adds, “The swap started out as a stock H23A ‘blue top' with a few bolt-ons and B16 cable transmission. The first time out [at the track] was June 2012 in Steele, Alabama. We ran an 11.95 at 115 mph.” A great start for the duo but after running into shifting issues, a hydraulic transmission with a Hush Performance hydro conversion kit was installed and consistency began to emerge. A corner balancing session and some additional weight added to the front of the car along with a new Tilton release bearing for smoother shifts produced an 11.58 at 117-mph time-slip.

“The swap started out as a stock H23A ‘blue top' with a few bolt-ons and B16 cable transmission. The first time out [at the track] was June 2012 in Steele, Alabama. We ran an 11.95 at 115 mph.”