Wheels and Wings: Jace the Flying Ace’s 2000 Civic Si

Beyond the Badge

If you ask a car enthusiast to choose their favorite car from their collection, you shouldn’t be surprised when they name the least obvious choice. Often, the narrative behind a vehicle outweighs the badge it wears, and what makes a car objectively great isn’t always what makes it genuinely special. If you asked me to choose my favorite car I’ve owned, I’d need a moment to think, but when I asked Jason Evart, otherwise known as “Jace the Flying Ace” this exact question, he almost cut me off to instantly declare that his 2000 Honda Civic Si was undoubtedly his favorite. Since Jace is what I would describe as “a car guy’s favourite car guy” I wasn't surprised by this answer as you might expect, considering that the Si embodies the analog driving experience and bare-bones appeal that passionate enthusiasts understand universally. However, as an owner of a number of cars, including an E28 BMW M5, and W124 Mercedes 300D, it’s fair to say that Jace’s EM1 Civic Si had some pretty stiff competition. As the story unfolded, I began to grasp why this Electron Blue Pearl Si was so important to Jace, and when I got behind the wheel, the visceral excitement I felt put an ear-to-ear smile on my face.

different Strokes for Different folks

I often ask people what their childhood dream car was, and receive a variety of answers, none incorrect. Some people remember the Viper or Coutach poster above their headboard, while others recall a torn out page from Import Tuner pinned to their bedroom door. I’m sure Jace had a long list of dream cars, but at 19 years old, the Civic Si caught his attention. When you take a look at Jace’s 2000 Honda Civic Si, its near perfect condition would suggest that he is the original owner, but that honor goes to his older brother, who purchased it from Cush Honda as a gift to himself after graduating from University of California Los Angeles. During the time his brother owned it, there were several break-ins, but, by some stroke of luck, it was never successfully stolen. As a young man going to school and working (and probably buying copious amounts of pizza and beer), buying a car on your own is not easy, but Jace managed to fill up his piggy bank, and eventually purchased the Si from his brother in his early 20s. Not long after buying it from his brother, Jace filled a box truck, loaded his Civic onto a trailer, and traveled across the country to attend University of North Dakota, where his Si was no longer a theft target, and he could practically leave it running while grabbing a six pack. Even in those years, the Civic nested cozily in the garage of his college apartment, and since then, it has never lived outside. 

Frozen in time

After putting himself through college and earning a degree in aviation, Jace has acquired a handful of cars in the years since, but none of them have managed to directly replace his cherished Civic which he’ll tell you appeals to him just as much as it did when he purchased it. You might assume it has ultra low miles based on its remarkably pristine appearance, but at just north of 114,000 miles on the clock, that couldn't be further from the case. It would be reasonable to expect some door dings or a gently worn arm rest at the very least, but the condition of this particular Si is almost as if it is frozen in time at the San Diego dealership where it was originally sold. Jace pointed out a tiny scratch below the trunk badge, saying it was popular for people to steal Si badges in the early 2000s, but instead of hurting the appearance, it only adds to the lore. Keeping it in such pristine condition is no small feat, but since Jace acquired it from his brother in 2004, he’s never been reluctant to call multiple dealerships to find genuine parts and accessories, or hesitated to perform preventative maintenance to ensure his beloved Civic receives the best care. After all, the purchase of it was a dream come true, so why let it go to waste? Everything has a price, but don’t waste your breath asking Jace if he’ll sell it to you, it’s probably the only car in his collection he’d never let go of; not because it’s his favourite to look at, but because it might just be his favourite to drive.

unassuming yet impressive

On paper, a 2000 Civic Si might not sound particularly rare or prohibitive, until you remember that most were fitted with questionable go-fast bits and driven into the ground, or stolen and chopped up. Since Jace managed to dodge the stereotype and meticulously documented his ownership, you could argue that his SI is one of the most honest examples. As a result, the experience behind the wheel is remarkably pure in the absence of Ebay coilovers and lopped-off mufflers. I hate to admit it, but before driving an Si model for the first time, I had low expectations, but if I could describe the experience in a single word, it would be IMPRESSIVE. Torque steer is a commonly mentioned side effect, but at 160 horsepower, it doesn't exactly fight to rip the steering wheel out of your hands. At face value, an EM1 Si is inherently underwhelming, but after winding it out and banging gears, it leaves very little to be desired. Needless to say, it isn’t a race car, but it isn’t pretending to be either, and after putting it through its paces, it leaves you feeling like it could be. Isn’t that the whole appeal? It has the civility of an economy car from stoplight to stoplight as you would expect, but after cresting a hill at 7,500 RPMs and feeling like I was about to launch into the air, I couldn't help but think, “damn, that little four banger really wakes up.” 

More Than Just a Car

In the end, Jace’s 2000 Honda Civic Si stands as more than just a well-preserved piece of automotive history; it’s a symbol of passion, perseverance, and the fulfillment of a childhood dream. So there you have it, the story of a man and his 2000 Honda Civic Si, free of any Walmart LEDs or Spoon engine jokes. Maybe you finally have the means to buy that Viper from the poster you had in your childhood bedroom, but that doesn’t mean you can’t appreciate the first car that sparked your enthusiasm. If you managed to get your hands on your attainable dream car and still have it decades later, then like Jace, you love it for the right reasons. Additionally, if you also own a Civic from Honda’s golden era, then you understand the appeal without me telling you. Cheers to your Jace! In most cases I’d say “drive it until the wheels fall off,” but I’m confident you’ll find some new old stock hub assemblies before that happens.