You don't need to be a Honda aficionado to mull over this 1996 Honda Civic coupe and understand that it's so much more than an engine swap and fancy wheels. Details abound on this EJ build and there isn't a single part of this car that hasn't been cleaned up, replaced, or reworked, all in the name of chasing perfection.

Rather than relying on others and passing the car around from shop to shop to assemble his vision of the ideal restomod, owner Moe Drennon took matters into his own hands and proudly takes credit for building almost every aspect of this project. Having built Hondas in the past with help in various aspects, this one would serve as a turning point. "I wanted to teach myself things I've never done before," Moe states. "I was able to teach myself how to paint a car! I've always wanted to learn how to paint a full car rather than just little miscellaneous things that friends ask for help with. That is the big difference and I decided I wanted to go above and beyond to learn."

Look through Moe's older IG posts and you'll spot another 6th generation Civic from the not-so-distant past in sedan form. Having just finished that car, he felt like something was missing. The hard work was there but he was positive he could do better, and just a week after the sedan was considered complete, he purchased this coupe for just $200.

Now, in all fairness, it wasn't a shining example of a coupe and the price reflected that. He adds, "I drove all the way to Georgia to pick it up. The owner had a forklift and just set it on my trailer - I didn't even have to push it! The body was all original and straight for the most part. Perfect to teach myself body work, primer stages, direct to metal stages, blocking and blocking and blocking - then some more blocking, until I had a straight panel." No interior, no wiring - this was essentially a blank slate and saved Moe the time required to strip the car down while saving money on items he wouldn't be using anyway.

Serving as his first official full paint job, the coupe's finish is outstanding. The paintwork was continued into the cabin and the engine bay, and also covers some choice parts that had to be tracked down. "I wanted to add things I'd always wanted from the early 2000s, like the Mugen Ferio spoiler, Veilside hood, and the antique status plates." Brand new Regamaster Evos were bolted to the 32mm ITR 5-lug conversion and the car's ride hide settled with Riaction coilovers backed by a slew of suspension goods that replace worn bits and spice up the EJ's handling.

Once an H-series guy, Moe has since moved on to Honda's do-it-all K24. Fitted with a K20 oil pump, ARP head studs, and 50-degree VTC, the freshened up 2.4L has no issues with making power beyond 8,000 rpm, especially with its Toda cams and valvetrain on duty. Moe added a titanium intake and Skunk2 manifold on the front, and DTR header on the hot side. He sized up his exhaust system using a K-Teller piping kit and incorporated a Vibrant resonator and Burns Stainless muffler to muzzle some of the exhaust noise.

Rather than sourcing the appropriate fuse boxes and associated wiring, Moe decided to keep things simple and purposeful and opted for Rywire's solid state fuseless PDM system. With 14-channels available to activate the basics, like the fuel pump, starter, headlights, etc., the mass of wiring that you're used to seeing are non-existent. In an environment where amenities aren't on the menu, the simplicity and serviceability of Rywire's PDM keeps things remarkably tidy and install-friendly. When all was said and done, on the dyno a solid 252 whp and 188 lbs-ft. of torque was put down with Hondata's KPro V4 pulling the strings.

Moe disassociated himself with traditional fuses and troublesome wiring but made sure he could capture and display engine vitals. "Everything links together via CAN. It's very cool and easy to data track the vehicle with everything showing up on my AIM MXP dash," Moe adds. Much of that missing interior that was figured into the car's ridiculously low price tag was never replaced. In the rear, a four point roll bar with additional gussets was welded into place prior to Moe's paint work being applied. Up front, the dash and center console are about the only OEM items reintroduced. Bride bucket seats sit in place of less than stellar factory versions with a suede Mugen steering wheel on board. Hybrid Racing's V3 shifter kit and Race Cables have their way with the RSX Type S transmission and those missing door cards aren't missed at all, that space now filled by LRB aluminum panels.

A small $200 investment turned into the lesson of a lifetime for a builder intent on adding to his resume of automotive skills. "All of my friends that I call family I've named on my shoutout list (below) really came through and helped on the build. I was able to produce this vehicle straight out of my garage with my own hard-working hands and knowledge. No shops touched this vehicle besides fab work with the cage, exhaust work, and tuning purposes!"

Engine K24A swap, K20A oil pump, 50 VTC cam gear; ARP head studs; Unit2 baffled oil pan; Hasport EKK2 mounts; Toda high power K20A cams, valvesprings, retainers; Skunk2 Ultra Street intake manifold; DTR K-swap header; STL Fab 3.5-in. titanium intake; K-Teller 3-in. stainless exhaust piping; Burns Stainless Race Muffler; Vibrant Performance ultra-quiet resonator, -16 AN lines; ChaseBays tucked radiator; Injector Dynamics 1050X; AEM 320lph fuel pump; Hybrid Racing fuel rail, -6 AN return; Radium fuel pressure regulator; Hondata KPro V4 management

Drivetrain RSX Type S transmission; KAAZ limited slip; Competition Clutch 6-puck, ultra-light flywheel; Hybrid Racing V3 shifter, Race Cables

Suspension Riaction USA coilovers; ASR 24mm swaybar, subframe brace, D mounts; Truhart bushings, front/rear adjustable arms; ASC Speed Metal 3-pt. shock tower bar; Kirk 4-pt. weld-in rollbar w/additional gusseting

Braking ITR 5-lug 32mm conversion; APG Performance 6-pot calipers, pads, lines

Wheels & Tires 16x8 +35 Desmond Regamaster; 215/45 Falken Azenis RT660

Exterior Taffeta White paint; Exceed Japan front/rear lip; Mugen Ferio rear wing; Veilside hood; MRacing side mirrors; EK9 thin side moldings

Interior Bride Zeta III XL seats; Renegade x Willans 6-pt. harnesses; ASR harness reels; Mugen 3 suede steering wheel; Checkerd Sports hub; FEEL's shift knob; AIM MXP digital dash; back-up camera; LRB door panels; Rywire mil-spec harness; PDM 12 chassis harness, charge harness

Thank You Premium Garage Krew PGKALLDAY! Papaya Motorsports, Hybrid Racing, Riaction USA, Falken Tire, Deft Motion, Rywire Motorsport Electronics, Import Alliance, Exceed Japan, ChaseBays, ShowstoppersUSA, Renegade Motorsports, EBTEC, Smithson Speed And Engineering, Freedom Automotive