Here are a few pics of one of our favorite partnerships and race car builds -- the King Motorsports / Moser Racing ITR's at the 2000 Molson Grand Prix Motorola Cup race in Toronto. Toronto was a racing venue we always looked forward to! The photo above includes Robert Moser, Rich Hays and Joe Moser.
Below are the #63 and #64 Type-R's on a qualifying lap.
Here's a YouTube video shared by Joe Moser, who said: "
If you worked on the Mugen/Honda F1 engine team in the late 90's, you would have had some unique apparel to set you apart. Here are some of the items from the "Honda Collection" you would have been sporting!
First off, your noggin would be snugly tucked into this black ball cap with embroidered logos and sharp white bill trim.
When the boss comes to visit, your tie has the Mugen colors with MUGEN and HONDA typed black-on-black.
And to plant you to the ground, your feet hug the asphalt in these special edition black kicks with white trim and stitching.
And when it's time to drive home in your own Honda, your keys have this special key holder!
Here is a classic from the archives. These humble and concise paragraphs summarize Mugen's origins (and is even written in first-person). The MF-318 was the first true Mugen engine. Designed in 1973 and based on the Civic 1200 block, this engine was extremely successful in both open and closed wheel catagories.
Here is the transcribed text:
MUGEN'S BEGINNINGS
In 1973 Hirotoshi Honda decided to start his own race engine manufacturing company with Masao Kimura. This sparked an interest in racing from a few people in Honda's Research & Development group. Working with Hirotoshi and without pay, we formed Mugen. We all had one thought in mind; to be involved in racing and to manufacture the best race car engines. Our first project was an engine based on a Honda 1200cc Civic engine. We either modified or completely remade everything on the engine, including casting the main bearing caps on the oilpan, in order to add stiffness to the engine, which is required for a Formula race car engine.
The engine was bored out to 1300cc and was entered in the Formula FJ 1300 Racing Series. The engine was very successful, the car won its first race. The success also sparked Honda to return to racing and new Mugen and Honda work side-by-side in many racing projects. Mugen has grown and is involved in manufacturing the highest quality racing and performance parts.
Engine Design Specifications:
Name: Mugen MF-318
Type of Engine: In-line 4 OHC 8-Valve
Displacement: 1273cc
Bore x Stroke: 73 x 76 mm
Compression Ratio: 11.0 : 1
Horsepower: 135 ps/8000rpm
Torque: 12.8kg-m/6500rpm
Carburetion: Keihin CR-35mm Carb
Ignition: From Honda Motorcycle
Here is the promotional card we printed up years ago, describing our #64 King Motorsports / Mugen RSX World Challenge RSX.
Here's the back of the card with driver info and build specs (Right-click to see it full size).
KMS/Mugen RSX World Challenge RSX at Sears Point in 2003- What a great race series this was....
The KMS/Mugen WC RSX used custom fabricated Alcon brake caliper and rotors- front and rear. The chassis was seam welded and suspension pickup points altered for best geometry. Moton triple adjustable shocks controlled wheel motion. Trick from top to bottom!
Here's what our "home" looked like during a typical World Challenge weekend. Oh-do we ever miss setting up that awning :)
Our Mugen built K20 World Challenge race engine on the dyno at Mugen in Japan. While we were running this engine on the dyno, the Mugen JGTC NSX engine was being prepared to run on the dyno cell adjacent to to ours and next to that a Mugen F3000 engine was being run on dyno cell specific to that series. Quite an experience to have all that technology everywhere you look!
After the 1984 SCCA race season we turned our attention to the IMSA Radial Sedan series. This is our RS Prelude pictured at Daytona in 1985. Champion Spark Plug sponsored this series. Champion ran full page ads promoting the series. They featured our car under the heading "World's fastest Prelude" which was very cool. Gotta find that ad........
This is a classic print piece designed and distrubuted by Mugen, circa 1990. This tidy introduction gave the American market a glimpse into Mugen's reach and set the stage for the next decade.
Right-click the image to see a larger version.
** The following was sent in via our Facebook page by YAWSPORT -- thanks guys!! **
1984 Honda CRX built from the ground up for SCCA C-Street Prepared battles.
Mugen header, Mugen Limited Slip, all Mugen suspension bushings and engine mounts. The EW1 Si motor was meticulously blueprinted and balanced by King Motorsports. Other modifications include TWM individual throttle bodies, Electromotive Tech 2 engine management, YAWSPORT adjustable pan hard rod, YAWSPORT adjustable rear sway bar, custom camber/caster plates and 27.5mm front torsion bars, 13x9" Panasport wheels.
Nearly every part of the car was new, refurbished or modified. The entire uni-body was stripped, powder coated white, then all seam filler and undercoating reapplied. It scaled in at well below 1600 lbs with 3/4 tank of gas. It was complimented by many to be the cleanest, most thoroughly prepared autocross CRX's in the country and the car and its drivers accumulated numerous Regional, Divisional and National podium finishes from 1996-2001. This included an open class win at the 1998 SCCA Pro Solo finale and a second place finish in Open and Ladies class at the National Solo Championships in Topeka Kansas. The car is still alive and well with its new owner and the original King-built motor is still running as strong as ever.
Back in April 2001, we made it out to the S2000 (S2K) Days in Asheville NC. The King Motorsports SS2000 and S2200 join the S2K crew for a spirited drive amongst the scenic Blue Ridge mountains. Photos courtesy Juliann Pokorny (Thanks Juliann!!)
What we consider the best shot of the SS2000! From the West Coast beat down tour :)
Commander Brad leads the pack and receives his first Honor Badge of the trip- when a rock flies off a passing car and lands squarely on his hood- OUCH! We pull over to commiserate....
The KMS SS2000 and S2200 pause for photo op in the Blue Ridge mountains.
Here's the OG KMS facility in Sullivan WI. The "Mistress" is being serviced with the GAC ITR on the rack between races. From the looks of the front bumper Bob may have wanted to occupy the same space as the car in front of him..... :)
The SS2000 at Laguna Seca. IIRC the NA SS2000 put all the boosted West Coast S2000's to shame that day. Just sayin......
1998 Road Atlanta ARRC race: SCCA ITA CRX driven by Kevin Bonneau, prepped by King Motorsports.
Getting really aggressive with the curbing became the key to a good lap time after Road Atlanta was reconfigured. Here Pierre Kleinubing demonstrates :)
1998 Victory lap for Kevin Bonneau in the KMS prepped ITA CRX. Back then the ITA fields were quite large and the CRX was the dominant car. Now the fields are smaller, and the CRX is still a front runner! What a great car!
Here is a photo round-up of the race car that started it all- the King Motorsports GT5 Civic 1200! 138hp at 8600rpm. Mugen close-ratio 5-speed. This unstoppable car won virtually every race, including the 1981 SCCA National Championship. Enjoy our archival pics!
The King Motorsports GT5 Civic 1200 at Road America in 1988. Back then our lap record was 2:46. Pretty fast for a little 1200!
Here's a cool vintage shot of the King Motorsports GT5 Civic at Blackhawk Farms Raceway in 1984. Back then there was no chicane between Turn 3 and 4. You really started to get moving before the braking zone in 4 with very little run off. Fun stuff! We held the lap record there for many years; 1:20 was the time to beat!
This is the iconic King Motorsports GT5 Civic on its way to winning the 1983 June Sprints at Road America!
This car would just about touch 8600 rpm in 5t in the dip at the old Road Atlanta which equaled 128 mph. This is really flying in a car with an 86" wheelbase. You knew when got a good run off turn 7 at Road Atlanta because the car would pick up a harmonic vibration that made the entire car buzz over 125 mph, right about at mid point of the dip. Hard on the brakes just before the bridge downshifting to 3rd. and then flat all the way from the bridge to the front straight, hitting 5th. at the start/finish line.
1989 Pocono Double National. Two wins and a new lap record! Crew Chief Randy Preiss takes the KMS Civic through impound.
Road Atlanta 1981 SCCA National Championship. The KMS Civic 1200 on its way to a GT4 championship!
1982 Road Atlanta Runoffs. Pabst Blue Ribbon was one of our sponsors that year. Before the Runoffs the motor home would be loaded with cases of PBR. This came in handy as a "bargaining tool" to get a primo parking spot in the pits. The Atlanta region SCCA loved PBR! :)
Loading up the crew for a victory lap at Road Atlanta at the 1981 SCCA Runoffs.
Racing factoid: King Motorsports built the first U.S. road racing Honda, including fabrication of every performance part.
