2009 SEMA Show: World's fastest Honda Civic circa 1976

Way back in 1974, long before there was an Acura NSX, Honda S2000, or even a Civic Si, there was Honda performance pioneer Bob Boileau, otherwise know as “Honda Bob.”
 
Bob campaigned this Honda Civic on race circuits years before anybody started thinking of Hondas as performance cars. Bob and his Civic earned the title of World’s Fastest Civic in 1976, when he was clocked at 146 mph at Alabama’s Talladega Superspeedway. Bob went on to win six Sports Car Club of America GT5 championships between 1985 and 1990.

What makes all those championships even more notable is that Bob earned them back in the days when performance parts for the Civic were virtually unavailable. But he arguably helped set the stage for years of tuners and Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA) show exhibitors to come.
 
This year the tiny, unrestored Civic earned a place in the back of the Honda booth at SEMA, duct-taped fenders and all.
 
Hats off, Honda Bob.
 
—Jim Travers

Also see from the 2009 SEMA show:
Better than expected, future looks greener
Tire testing and the transformation of the tire industry
Our favorite modified Chevrolet Camaros
New iPhone apps for auto diagnostics
All shades of green project cars
Surfrider Toyota Camry hybrid CNG
Kustomizing the Toyota Prius
Hot rodders turning green
Auto aftermarket prepares for show time in Las Vegas

Comments

[Babette]

Honda Bob was a great guy and is missed every day.