Pumping out 1500-HP.
In the Pacific Northwest's verdant landscape, a tale of automotive transformation and resilience unfolds, featuring the "Gringotegra" - a 1994 Honda (Acura) Integra reborn as the world's fastest Integra. Owned by Myles Kerr, this once commonplace model has morphed into a formidable 1,500-horsepower beast, dominating both half-mile racing and the challenging "no-prep" drag racing scene.
Initially, the Integra was a victim of its own popularity, falling prey to theft in 2008 - a common fate for this model during that era. After its recovery, the car bore significant damage to its steering column, leading the insurance company to declare it a total loss. However, Kerr, refusing to give up on his beloved car, reacquired it and embarked on a journey that would take the Integra far beyond its factory specifications.
The transformation began modestly with the addition of a turbo kit, but soon escalated as Kerr pushed the vehicle's capabilities. The Integra's evolution into a high-speed racing icon is marked by its astonishing performance metrics: achieving 195 mph in a quarter-mile with a record time of 7.715 seconds, and an even more staggering 216 mph in the half-mile.
Despite its high-powered status, the Gringotegra retains some of its original elements. It still uses a factory rocker arm and three-lobe cam, idling at 1,100 RPM, and revving to a relatively modest 11,000 RPM in the context of Honda's high-revving engines.
This Integra's story, captured in an episode of "American Tuned" with Rob Dahm, is not just about raw power. It's a narrative of resilience, innovation, and an unyielding passion for tuning. Kerr's Integra, once an ordinary streetcar, now stands as a testament to the possibilities within the world of automotive modification, continually testing and tuning to maintain its legendary status on the track. The Gringotegra, with its "race, break, fix" lifecycle, exemplifies the spirit of automotive enthusiasm and the relentless pursuit of speed.