---

Hot Rodding for the 'Y' Generation        

10 February 1999

Hot Rodding for the 'Y' Generation        

    CHICAGO, Feb. 10 -- Personalizing cars with custom paint and
performance parts began in the Fifties and gelled in the Sixties.  From
T-buckets to '57 Chevies, from ponycars to muscle cars, Americans have always
had favorite vehicles as the foundation for their customs.
    (Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19990210/LAW003 )
    (Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19990210/LAW003-b )
    Today's generation spends time trying to find gold in fuel-efficient,
small cars with potential for performance improvements.  And among a large
field of these vehicles, Honda is the first choice.
    "Our research shows that Hondas are the most popular cars in this scene,"
says Frank Bohanan, technical director of the Specialty Equipment Market
Association (SEMA).  "The car is probably the best platform for performance
upgrades because it's a well-built car to begin with -- when you start with
good material, the outcome is almost guaranteed."
    According to SEMA and aftermarket manufacturers, enthusiasts often spend
$2,500 and up customizing their cars.
    There are three predominant looks found within this trend, according to
John Concialdi of Advanced Engine Management, a company dealing with owners of
compact race cars and street customs.  "There's the drag race look, emulating
race cars for the strip; the touring car mimic, looking a lot like the cars in
the International Touring Car Series; and the newest -- the combat look, with
wild graphics and aggressive bodywork, including wings, air dams and whatever
else they can think of to make the car look like it means business," explains
Concialdi.
    When it comes down to the question of "Why?," 24-year-old Civic owner
Roger Scalise says, "It's a way to express yourself -- to some, this scene is
about art."
    According to SEMA, wheels, tires, and suspension components are the first
custom modifications that owners make to their cars.  The Honda Civic enjoys
wide popularity in this market because of its styling, reputation for
reliability and the wide array of aftermarket products available.
    Oscar Jackson, owner of Jackson Racing in California, has been involved in
Honda performance products for decades.  He raced Honda motorcycles in the
late '60s and early '70s, and today he supercharges Hondas for customers on a
nationwide basis.  Jackson says of the Civic, "It's the '57 Chevy of the
millennium, and the Honda VTEC (Variable Valve-Timing and Lift Electronic
Control) engine is the new small block."