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1997 Honda Civic Sedan Build: Supercharged JDM Power

Gilberto Villanueva’s 1997 Honda Civic Sedan build shows how passion and JDM tuning can turn a family car into a 426hp supercharged street legend.

Mr2mivin

1997 Honda Civic Sedan

TL;DR

Gilberto Villanueva built a 1997 Honda Civic Sedan from stock to 426hp with a supercharger and nitrous.
This car has been through three engine swaps, all built by Gilberto himself.
It’s a one-of-a-kind JDM-inspired build, featuring Skunk2 parts, Volk wheels, and a Jackson Racing supercharger.

Build owner/storyteller: Gilberto Villanueva

1997 Honda Civic Sedan

Instagram: @alpha_gilbertv

Photographer: Marvin Recinos

Instagram: @mr2mivin

Performance Stats: 316 hp 245 tq on the charger and 426hp and 362tq on the bottle.

Growing Up Racing: From Scooters to Street Cars

I started racing when I was just 13, beginning with motor scooters. There’s even a 2004 article where my crew, “the scooter squad,” was interviewed. We were known for playing cat-and-mouse with the police—this was long before today’s mini-bike scene.

My dad tried to keep me focused on music. He made me take accordion lessons, but at 14, I sold the accordion for $500 and bought my first car—a 1984 Mazda RX‑7. I still remember rolling into my first street race in Rancho Cucamonga with that RX‑7. Soon after, I picked up a 1990 Honda Accord Coupe. That’s when I got my first big speeding ticket—120 mph on the 710 freeway near the Firestone exit. The officer couldn’t believe I was only 15 with just a learner’s permit.

I’ve owned a lot of cars since then. I could write a book about street racing, builds, and a few police encounters. My friends joke that I’m the real-life Toretto.

1997 Honda Civic Sedan Build on the streets of the USA

The Fast & Furious Effect

Like many enthusiasts, the first Fast & Furious movie hit me hard. By 16, I was building my first turbo car—a 1996 Civic Coupe single-cam. That’s when I met Wiggums, who led a street racing crew called Honda Pro. He taught me the basics.

In high school, I took AutoTech. Huge shout-out to my teacher, Mr. Isenhart—if it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have graduated. He had a street racing history himself and plenty of connections, so being in his class came with perks.

Finding the 1997 Civic Sedan

In 2015, just before my daughter was born, I bought this 1997 Honda Civic Sedan for $1,300. It was completely stock, running a non‑VTEC single-cam engine. Money was tight, so my plan was to keep it as a family car. But I couldn’t shake my passion for cars.

Over the years, I added parts when I could. The real transformation began in 2018 after some big life changes. I left my ex, fought for child custody, and finally had the freedom to dive into building the car I wanted. This Civic has now gone through three motor swaps. It’s the longest I’ve ever kept a car, and I’ll never sell it. Today, I own seven cars, but this one remains my favorite.

Why This Civic Is One-of-One

This 1997 Civic Sedan is unique. Every problem, every challenge—it’s all been fixed and improved. It drives like a dream, thanks to the quick response from the supercharger and the precise handling from the suspension and brakes.

1997 Honda Civic Sedan Build Vtec engine

Honda Civic Sedan Build List

Engine and Supercharger Setup

B18B1 bottom end, fully sleeved
Crower rods, CP 11.5:1 pistons
Knife-edged and balanced LS crank
GSR head, ported and polished
Skunk2 flat intake and exhaust valves
Skunk2 dual springs with titanium retainers
Skunk2 Pro 1 camshafts with TODA Racing cam gears
Jackson Racing Supercharger
LHT-modified intake manifold with heat exchanger
LHT 3.7 Griptec pulleys (supercharger and alternator)
ATI dampener crank pulley
Full titanium Blox Racing header and 3-inch exhaust
Jun Auto valve cover and oil cap
NOS nitrous system with purge valve

1997 Honda Civic Sedan Build alloy wheels

Suspension, Brakes, and Wheels

Skunk2 Pro C coilovers
Skunk2 spherical arms and bushings (front and rear)
ASR/AP Racing front calipers and rotors
Goodridge stainless braided brake lines
16×7.5 +40 Volk CE28 bronze wheels
Toyo R888 tires

Interior and Gauges

Recaro SR2 Tomcat front seats, rear seats matched in yellow Tomcat fabric
Black dash and full interior plastics from EDM SIR sedan
EDM Type‑R Accord steering wheel (gold Honda emblem)
SI cluster with 11k rpm 1st-gen Omni gauge
Innovate 4-in-1 gauge (AFR, E85 content, fuel temp, fuel pressure)
AEM digital boost and oil pressure gauges (vent pods)

Transmission and Shifter Setup

GSR transmission with MFactory 4.7 final drive
MFactory LSD and Synchrotec carbon synchros
Type‑R shift linkage with Spoon shifter bushings
Hybrid Racing adjustable short shifter

Exterior and Styling

SIR front and rear bumpers with VTi-S lips
EDM thin door moldings
Domani corner taillights
Mugen rear wing

1997 Honda Civic Sedan Build interior

Who Built It?

Every part of this build was done by me. I started out just swapping motors, but now I can build engines from the ground up. This Civic taught me everything I know.

Honda Civic Sedan Future Plans

I’m currently building a fresh B15C5 bottom end, which is being sleeved at Arlington Machine. The goal is to prepare the car for circuit racing—better suspension tuning, stronger power delivery, and a fresh engine.

Dream Car and Shout Outs

My dream car has always been the FD RX‑7. Two years ago, I got my hands on a RHD 1993 Mazda RX‑7 in Yellow Mica Pearl. It was a fully built car with a 99-spec front and rear conversion and a Mazdaspeed wing. It was imported from the UK by a navy serviceman, and I was the first to title it in the US. I later traded it for a 2018 Civic Type R to focus on my builds.

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