Team Hybrid’s Brian Camacho and His Award Winning Honda Civic Si Represent AEM
- Nov 1, 2013
"I joined Team Hybrid in April 2013 and I debut my newly finished 92 Honda Civic Si May 5th 2013, at the Import Face Off in Las Vegas, and since then a lot has changed for me," confesses Camacho. "My first show with Team Hybrid was an unforgettable experience. They are a very welcoming team and one thing I noticed right away, was their appreciation for the build, regardless what car it was." After his first show Camacho went on to represent Team Hybrid in several California shows on his own dime and his Honda was immediately a huge hit, earning him three first place trophies, six corporate sponsors, and a photo shoot with a "well known magazine." "It's all been a life changing experience," says Camacho. Camacho bought his car as a rolling shell in 2012, but he had been collecting various parts since 2009. "I started by first building a roll cage with my friend, Jesse Hanna," he explains, "We wanted to build a cage with style and something different from what you see in most Hondas. The cage design was inspired by drift style cages, with A and B pillar gussets plates and door gusset plates. I started to go for a full race build, but after few series of events I changed how I wanted to build the car."
Not willing to settle for an easy rebuild Camacho sold some of the parts he'd collected and began searching for parts that better fit his vision. By March of 2013 he had gotten the body ready for paint, finished shaving the engine bay, and got the cage all finished up. "I decided to go with a custom color which I have had in mind for a couple of years, a custom mix of a gold/green pearl, which I call Lemon Quartz Pearl. I painted the car myself and most of the work on the car, except the body work and roll cage, was done by me." Camacho worked inch by inch on his car, after school and on weekends, and within a month he had it running and nearly completed. "Minor details were still in the works," he adds. In May of this year Camacho attended the Eibach Honda Meet in Lake Elsinore, California and it was there that he met AEM's George Hsieh, and began the relationship that now has him representing the company.
"Due to the type of motor I am running, which is a considered a hybrid-swap, because the H22 motor comes from a Honda Prelude, which is connected to an Acura Integra GSR transmission by an adapter plate from QSD, and the chassis is a Honda Civic," details Camacho. "The most compatible AEM intake was made for Acura Integra Type-R; it is a polished Cold Air Intake (part # 21-412P). Another AEM product I am using is from your Electronic Division. The AEM air/fuel wideband. As soon as I installed the intake I immediately felt a difference in performance. I felt an increase in engine response, and also the sound at higher RPM's in V-tec has a nicer sound to it, which I enjoy." Camacho has been modifying cars since he was 17 and he's had to display plenty of perseverance along the way. His first project car, a 92 Honda Civic hatchback, was stolen in 2009 after he had already invested a good deal of time and effort into it. "It was a horrible feeling," he says. "But but then shortly after that is when I started piecing parts together for the motor I am currently using in my car, so things worked out." "My next goal is trying to get into the SEMA Convention in Las Vegas," continues Camacho. "Depending on my schedule, I'd also like to attend the Formula Drift event here in Vegas in October." Camacho will be displaying his Lemon Quartz Pearl Honda in November at the Import Face Off in Las Vegas. "I would like to thank AEM for sponsoring me and letting me represent your company. All of this is amazing, but wouldn't be possible without my team, my sponsors, and all the people that have supported me." Brian Camacho's Awards to date include: 1st Place Best Honda - SpoCom Consumer and Tradeshow at the Anaheim Convention 1st Place Best Civic - Extreme Auto Fest at the Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego 1st Place Best Honda - End of Summer Showcase in Las Vegas (with over 250 cars in attendance) Use the AEM Product Search to find AEM performance products for your vehicle. To find an AEM dealer near you, use Search for AEM Dealer or simply visit AEMintakes.com. |
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