The Next Level of Performance

The import scene is by far the hottest car culture in the nation, especially in Southern California. Props in this scene come from taking the latest pocket rocket to the next level. Practically every square inch of Brian Yoshino's 2002 Honda Civic Si screams high performance. From the 19" Konig alloys and carbon fiber hood, to the Turbonetics turbo and healthy shot of Nitrous, this ride is a far cry from the box stock Civic that rolled off the lot. What better way to complement the extensive performance upgrades than with Polk Audio's Momo line of high performance speakers? The Momo name is practically synonymous with high performance, so for Brian it was the obvious choice. He turned to Steve Platt of PlaTTinum Audio Designs in Torrance, CA to construct an audio system that would accentuate the high performance theme exhibited by nearly every other component of the car.

Mobile Entertainment Up front, the Civic's factory double-DIN radio location is now home to an Alpine CVA-1003 source unit that features a fully motorized 6.5" monitor mated to a Vizualogic DVD player. The two DIN-sized units were flush-mounted and topped with a custom-made ABS trim panel. For rear seat entertainment, the video signal is also fed to an Accele 8-inch fold down monitor mounted behind the sunroof, while an additional Accele 6-inch monitor mounted in a custom pod in the rear hatch lid entertains the show goers.

Floating Amplification

Steve chose not to add any additional crossovers or signal processors, so the audio signal is fed from the source unit via custom-built Scosche RCA's to the two Xtant amplifiers that power the entire system. The built-in crossovers in the Xtant 4.4 four-channel that powers the front and rear stage and the Xtant 6.1 mono amplifier that drives the subs ensure that all drivers play only what notes they should. Each amplifier is mounted on its own pedestal on either side of the cargo area, suspended above the subwoofer enclosure and dual Nitrous bottles. The pedestals, fabricated from 3/4-inch clear acrylic and steel tubing, create the illusion of floating amplifiers in the Civic's cargo area, which is now consumed by audio equipment and go-fast goodies.

Caged Components

The Xtant-boosted music signal is carried by Scosche 16-gauge speaker cable to all three sets of Polk Momo MM6 components, which make up both the front and rear stages. Up front, the door pockets were shaved and a pair of Polk Momo 6.5" midbass drivers were secured to each factory panel using MDF baffles. The panels were smoothed and reupholstered in black and red suede by Stitchcraft Interiors in Huntington Beach, CA. To complete the front stage, the Polk Momo tweeters were molded into the sail panels at the top of each door. Handmade 1/2-inch brushed aluminum "cages" protect the mids from unwanted foot traffic. The rear panels were given the same treatment to accommodate the single set of components. Both the 6.5" midbass driver and the tweeter were flushed into MDF baffles in the former rear armrest/speaker location. Like the front doors, handmade 1/2-inch brushed aluminum cages were added to the panels, which were also reupholstered in black suede

Mo' Bass

The Polk Momo theme is carried throughout the installation with the same red and yellow accent colors splashed on various components. While some of the accents are more subtle, such as the yellow octagons that highlight the chrome amplifier shrouds, there is nothing subtle about the ultra-bright red subwoofer enclosure that was molded into the spare tire well. A pair of Polk Momo MM104 10" subwoofers, fed by 12-gauge Scosche speaker cable, have plenty of breathing room in the custom-built MDF/fiberglass enclosure, which is the product of countless hours of sanding and painting. To add the finishing touch, trick looking Polk grilles were installed over the subs, while a trim panel wrapped in black suede fits snugly around the enclosure to create the trunk floor. The finished cargo area is set aglow by hyper white neon tubes and strobes, which were strategically mounted beneath each amplifier. Exactly seven days of expert installation and attention to detail was all it took to create this amazing audio system. The Polk Momo color theme used throughout the interior highlights the custom installation and complements the rest of the vehicle. Brian has most certainly set the bar high with his Civic by taking all of the elements to the next level.

Driver Profile

The import scene is by far the hottest car culture in the nation, especially in Southern California. Props in this scene come from taking the latest pocket rocket to the next level. Practically every square inch of Brian Yoshino's 2002 Honda Civic Si screams high performance. From the 19" Konig alloys and carbon fiber hood, to the Turbonetics turbo and healthy shot of Nitrous, this ride is a far cry from the box stock Civic that rolled off the lot. What better way to complement the extensive performance upgrades than with Polk Audio's Momo line of high performance speakers? The Momo name is practically synonymous with high performance, so for Brian it was the obvious choice. He turned to Steve Platt of PlaTTinum Audio Designs in Torrance, CA to construct an audio system that would accentuate the high performance theme exhibited by nearly every other component of the car.

Rear Stage: On either side of the red suede rear seat, the rear panels received similar treatment as the front doors. A single Polk Momo MM6 component set was fitted in each of the side panels in the area formerly occupied by the rear armrest and factory speaker. Like with the front doors, an MDF baffle was grafted to the panels using fiberglass and body filler, and the completed panel wrapped in black suede. The flush-mounted midbass and tweeter are also protected by a similar 1/2-inch aluminum "cage."

AmpRack: Flanking the subwoofer enclosure are the system's two Xtant amplifiers, mounted on separate pedestals. This proved to be the only mounting option to fit two amps, two subs and two Nitrous bottles in the back of the Civic. Each of the pedestals was constructed of 3/4-inch acrylic and steel tubing, with hyper white neon and strobes mounted beneath. A four-channel Xtant 4.4 powers all three sets of components that make up the front and rear stages, while an Xtant 6.1 mono amplifier drives the two subs. Total system power is rated at 1000 watts at 2 ohms. The crossovers built in to the amplifiers were used, rather than adding additional external processors. A yellow sheet of vinyl was applied to each amplifier beneath the chrome shrouds to highlight the Xtant hexagons and add to with the Momo color theme.

Subwoofer Enclosure: Two Polk Momo MM104 10" subwoofers were mounted in a hand-built fiberglass/MDF enclosure, which was molded into the spare tire well. The equation goes something like this: Two 10" Polk subs + 600 watts of Xtant Power + hatchback = Plenty of bass. The highly polished sub enclosure was painted bright red to complement the Momo color theme, and set of trick Polk grilles were installed to protect drivers. The finishing touch is a custom trim panel upholstered in black suede that fits snugly around the enclosure to create the trunk floor.

TECH BOX
Wheels: 19x7.5 Konig Helium Bronze Alloys
Tires: 225/35/ZR19 Falken FK451
Suspension: Tanabe Sustec Pro Coil-Overs with 210 Series Helper Springs, D3 Designs Front And RearStrut Tower Brace
Performance: Turbonetics T3 Turbocharger, CDB Fabrication Stainless Steel Header, Spearco Front-Mount Intercooler, Turbo XS Blow Off Valve, Injen Short Ram Intake, Nology Hotwires, Silverstone Sparkplugs, Nitrous Express 100-Shot Kit, 3-inch Tanabe Racing Medallion Exhaust, 440cc RC Fuel Injectors, ACT Clutch
Interior: Stitchcraft Custom Suede Interior, Bride Sport Seats
Body: Fiber Images Carbon-Fiber Hood And Body Kit, JDM Civic Type-R Wing, Garage Graphics Custom Vinyl Graphics, CDB Fabrication Custom Projector Headlamps