Since the middle of 2016, I started to attend the Malaysia Speed Festival, a grassroots racing league that is held a number of times in a year. The series is not only a platform for many privateer racers use to compete, but it is also a good platform for local performance parts suppliers to market their hardware. One that we frequently hear about is F Tuned Racing Suspension. The guys at F Tuned generally provide both suspension tuning and servicing and also able to make custom coilover suspension for a wide variety of vehicles.
In the MSF Racing Series, a majority of the competitors are currently using coilover racing suspension from F Tuned. But out of all the cars that are carrying their brand, the one we're going to feature is their main competition and demo car which is the Integra Type-R which belongs to the man behind F Tuned Suspension, Wan Ahmad Farouk. The significance this car carries with F Tuned is huge since this was one of the cars Farouk experiment with when developing the first sets of F Tuned coilovers.
Farouk was once an employee in Proton's Chassis Engineering Section who works in the Ride And Handling Unit which was a joint cooperation Proton had with Lotus since the year 1999. Throughout that period of time working at Proton, that was where Farouk learned his expertise on suspension. It later led to the point when some of Farouk's friends asked him to help revalve their coilover suspension. It wasn't until 2010 when Farouk first opened F Tuned Suspension as a back section of RBR Auto Care in Ampang. Now Farouk runs his own shop located in Sri Rampai, Kuala Lumpur.
How the Integra came into the picture was another story all together. In 2008, Farouk had a intention to purchase a JDM performance car at the time. The plan was to get the Nissan S15 Silvia. But due to unforeseen circumstances, he wasn't able to get the S15 that he wanted. Then some time later on, one of his friends from the Mitsubishi Airtrek club bought an Integra Type-R. However, this friend of his wanted to sell it off immediately and he was selling it lower than market price. So due to that, Farouk decided to compromise and bought the Integra off his friend. Within 2 weeks after buying the car, Farouk took the Integra for its first track day.
All was well throughout its life as a street car until late 2012 when tragedy struck. After many track sessions and competition entries, the K20A motor finally gave way. The motor suffered very significant damage on the connecting rod bearings, scratches on the crankshaft and a cracked block. Due to the severity of the damage, the motor was not salvageable. Due to lack of funds, the Integra was left sitting in the garage for a year. Eventually in 2014, Farouk decided to build up the car. So the chassis was sent to Harry Chai to have an FIA spec rollcage installed in the car in preparation for more serious competition.
While work was done to the Integra chassis, Speed Professor helped to build a fresh motor for the Integra. For the bottom end, they decided to drop in a K24A motor sourced from an Accord CL9. The motor was prepped with Wiseco 87.5mm pistons and BC rods. The K20A head on this build was also prepped with Toda cams and valve springs and ported by Nasty Port Flow. Plugged with an Adaptronic engine management system, the motor produced 273 bhp and 26 kg m torque on Dynojet. Currently, the Integra's latest achievement is finishing 2nd in the MSF Round 3 Enduro in 2016. The Integra also holds a lap record of 2:28 made by Syahrizal Jamaludin, the 2nd driver for this Integra.
It was fascinating to know the story behind this track bred Integra Type-R. Despite looking like a full time race car, this Integra still has legal road registration. But of course, it this form, don't expect to see this car running down the highway anytime soon. But it just shows that you never know a car's fate until it happens. But for this Integra, its rebirth turned out to be a great one.
TUNING MENU
Owner: Wan Ahmad Farouk
Model: 2001 Honda Integra Type-R DC5
Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
ENGINE:
2.4L K24A Inline-4,
K24A CL9 Block,
Wiseco 87.5mm Pistons,
Brian Crower BC625+ Rods,
Toda Timing Chain,
ACL Race Bearings,
Custom Baffle Oil Sump,
Balanced Internals,
Spoon Thermostat,
K20A Type R Ported Cylinder Head by Nasty Port Flow,
Toda Type C & Type C2 Camshafts,
Toda Valve Springs,
Skunk2 High Compression Valves,
Drag Cartel Cam Gears,
ARP Head Studs,
Skunk2 Intake,
S90 74mm Throttle Body,
Skunk2 Fuel Rail,
Bosch 044 Fuel Pump,
Works Fuel Regulator,
Fuel Injector Clinic 900cc Injectors,
FD2 Type R Oil Pump,
Hasport Engine Mounts,
Greddy Oil Cooler,
Forge Racing Radiator,
Din Exhaust Full Custom Exhaust System,
Adaptronic ECU,
Millers Nanodrive Oil,
TRANSMISSION:
6-speed manual,
FD2R 5.06 Final Drive,
CC Competition Clutch Kit,
Exedy Ultra Lighten Flywheel,
SUSPENSION, CHASSIS, AND BRAKES:
F Tuned Race Spec Coilovers,
J's Racing Lower Arms,
M&M Tie Rods,
Ultra Racing Custom Anti Roll Bar 27mm (Front) 25mm (Rear),
Hardrace Camber Arm,
F Tuned Top Mount Pillow Ball,
FIA Spec Roll Cage,
Evo 8 MR 4 Pot Front Calipers,
Endless Custom High Grip Pads (Front),
Endless 500 degrees Pads (Rear),
Slotted Rotors,
WHEELS AND TIRES:
Gram Light 57C 17 x 8.5jj Offset +30 (Front),
Volk Racing TE37SL 17 x 7.5jj Offset +40 (Rear),
GT Radial Champiro SX2 235/45/17 (Road Tires),
Yokohama Advan A050 245/40/17 Front, 225/45/17 Rear (Race Tires,
EXTERIOR:
Perspex UV Glass Replacement by Speed Professor,
Speed Professor Front Splitter,
Speed Professor Custom Rear Diffuser,
Paint by Fay Auto Garage,
INTERIOR:
Recaro SPG3 Full Bucket Seat,
F Tuned Custom Race Harness,
Momo Monte Carlo Steering Wheel,
Auto Meter Tachometer,
AEM Air Fuel Ratio Meter,
Custom Racing Switch Panel,
SPECIAL THANKS TO:
F Tuned Racing Suspension,
Speed Professor,
Millers Oil,
Fay Auto Garage,
Din Exhaust,
SHOP LOCATION:
F Tuned Racing Suspension,
22, Jalan Rampai Maju 4,
Taman Sri Rampai,
53300 Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia.
BONUS IMAGES
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