The car he built as a student became his car

Honda Technical College graduate Mr. Tomohito Kawasaki’s car is a 1975 Honda Civic RS. The car was built to participate in a rally in New Zealand while he was in school, and although he did not have the opportunity to drive it at the time, he later inherited it and now maintains it as its owner. The car was restored to its current state from nearly immobile under the previous owner.

Revived from almost motionless to its current form

“While I was a student, I built two Civics to participate in a historic car rally in New Zealand as a collaborative project with the University of Tokyo. This car was one of them. I wasn’t able to drive it at the time because it had been purchased by a senior colleague. This car was later returned to its original owner, but that owner had to go overseas and was looking for someone in Japan to drive it, so I ended up driving it myself.”

Mr. Tomohito Kawasaki, an alumnus of Honda Technical College Kanto, acquired the 1975 Honda Civic RS in this way. At the time of the project, the car was treated as a sub-car for transplanting various parts to the main car. About five years had passed since the car was returned to the previous owner, and Mr. Kawasaki worked on it from a nearly immobile state to its current form. The specifications were returned to almost stock, but the rear wing, which he had liked since that time, was found and reinstalled at the time of purchase.

“I didn’t have a chance to drive it when I was a student, so it’s the most fun now. I also have another EK9 Civic, but it is much lighter than that, and the acceleration doesn’t seem to be much different. It is nimble no matter where I drive, and it is interesting because it turns 6,000 to 7,000 rpm.”

“Almost none of the parts are in stock, but I can manage to find them on overseas sites from time to time. Speaking of which, I looked it up myself, and the steering wheel seems to be the same as the Lancia Stratos. But for some reason, it has the Suzuki Jimny mascot rhino on the horn button, which is a mystery to me. …… Right now I have Watanabe wheels on it, but I also have Hayashi Streets for summer use. I also have four Campagnolo wheels, but they are made of magnesium, so I can’t use them.”

Maintaining the car and polishing the Solex carb and intake manifold

Mr. Kawasaki is now the owner of the car he worked on as a student. How does he hope to enjoy it in the future?

“I am desperately polishing the Solex carb and intake manifold that originally came with it, as I want to put it back on again. I’ve got my hands full at the moment just maintaining it.”