Classic CRX with Porsche Paint is Mighty Fine
Starting a family usually means parting with your project car, but that wasn't the case with the owners of this Honda CRX.
Family Car
Unlike many of the flashy builds we read about on a regular basis, this Honda CRX wasn't exactly a 6-month project. The story behind this build is intertwined with the story of the Mertens family. The term family vehicle has a different meaning for Peter, his wife, and children.
Photos: Fast Car
Hard to Let Go
Peter Mertens' introduction into the world of Honda came courtesy of none other than his own wife. And this CRX belonged to her before it became a project car. Although both Mr. and Mrs. Mertens had already been driving more modern cars at the time the build started, the reason why Peter undertook the project was that they couldn't bring themselves to give up their beloved Honda.
>>Join the conversation about this restomod CRX right here in the S2Ki forum.
Focusing on the Engine Bay
Peter started to imagine the ideal direction for the build. And he decided the focal point needed to be the engine bay. He got to work cleaning it up and making it look as smooth as possible. Inspired by Peter's vision, a friend of the family, Dries, who had been experimenting with carbon fiber, offered to help cover the entire engine bay in actual carbon fiber.
>>Join the conversation about this restomod CRX right here in the S2Ki forum.
Covered in Real Carbon
It wasn't easy to pull off, but they managed it, after weeks of hard work. But the project was interrupted when Peter's wife went into labor 6 weeks early! As you can imagine, the project was sidelined from that moment, until a while after the birth of their child. And by the time Peter was ready to get back to it, it had been sitting in the sun, and the carbon fiber had turned to a bright translucent green color.
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Interruptions
Turns out, the epoxy they used for the carbon fiber wasn't UV protectant. But Peter gathered the motivation to start all over again, with the help of Dries. And they did it right this time. And with the engine bay complete, Peter turned his attention to the rest of the body. A long list of chassis upgrades were employed, as well as several custom pieces for the body kit. The tasteful touches go hand-in-hand with the classic design of the CRX while adding a kick of aggressiveness.
>>Join the conversation about this restomod CRX right here in the S2Ki forum.
Part of the Family
“It’s taken about six years to get the car to this point,” says Peter, “due to various setbacks, or simply a lack of time, and sometimes just no longer wanting to continue! But if you really want something, you will always find the courage to start over again and bring it to a successful conclusion.” Peter says. The Mertens family's CRX is as capable as it is nice to look at. And the best part about it is that it is the result of Peter's own handy work.
>>Join the conversation about this restomod CRX right here in the S2Ki forum.