• Before it makes its SEMA debut, the Turn 14 Distribution FL5 Civic Type R will be fitted with high-quality upgrades from its line card.
• Our esteemed partner list includes ARP, ClutchMasters, DBA, LiquiMoly, Mahle, Turbosmart, and more.
• DBA 4000 and 5000 Series T3 rotors, Fifteen52 Apex RSR wheels, Yokohama AD09 tires, and an eye-catching livery helped make this Turn 14 Distribution FL5 unique ahead of its transport pick-up.
• Every upgrade from start to finish was executed by R/T Tuning in Montgomeryville, PA.

The Turn 14 Distribution FL5 Civic Type R has come a long way in a very short time. Since we made the car’s announcement just over a week ago and secured R/T Tuning’s expert services for the build, it’s been a non-stop train ride to make sure we got everything done. By the fifth day, we’d touched virtually every area that needed massaging. We chose to start up front for our first round of mods—a ClutchMasters clutch and master cylinder and a new CSF high-performance radiator—and complemented those with Eibach and HKS upgrades underneath the car. Then we installed a Turbosmart uprated blow-off valve, LIQUI MOLY lubricants, an Antigravity lithium-ion battery, and a three-piece body kit from EVS Tuning.

All of that concentrated, arduous work left only a few major areas to address: brakes, wheels, and tires.

FRICTION MATERIAL

Disc Brakes Australia (DBA) was the chosen brake manufacturer for the Turn 14 Distribution FL5, but not in the way you’re primed to think. Modern braking systems have come a long way over the last decade; while it was commonplace to expect full-fledged big brake kits at SEMA, it’s become more permissible to see aftermarket rotor and pad replacements have their time in the sun. That’s where DBA came in for our Type R. We opted for 2-piece 5000 Series T3 rotors (DBA53700BLKS) up front and solid 4000 Series T3 stoppers (DBA43701S) in back.

The 4000 Series T3 disc brake rotors are a direct replacement single-piece brake rotor for performance-minded drivers. You can’t see it, but under the rotor surface is DBA’s “Kangaroo Paw” ventilation that uses a series of 144 diamond and teardrop patterned pillars. This technological breakthrough achieves up to a 30% increase in surface area and a 20% improvement in cooling efficiency (compared to a straight vane design). “T3” is DBA’s tri-directional slot pattern that minimizes noise while improving response and pedal feel. The pattern doesn’t just look cool; it increases the number of exit points for brake pad material and gases to escape through, which means more effective braking performance.

The 5000 Series rotors are built on the 4000’s foundation. Since the Type R’s factory rotors are already two-piece, it made sense to carry that forward. High carbon cast-iron rings are paired with aerospace-grade aluminum hats (T6061-T6) to help deliver weight savings, improved heat dissipation, and reliable performance. These 5000 Series components are available as complete assemblies (as you see them here), and also as ring replacements for ongoing use.

NEW BOOTS

Fifteen52 and Yokohama are the dynamic duo we tagged in to help make the Turn 14 Distribution FL5 Civic Type R look the part. The former is a brand that aims to inject motorsport design language into robust street wheels. It’s carved out a loyal following within the automotive aftermarket for nearly 30 years now and is looking to leave a mark on the burgeoning truck market next.

To us, the Apex RSR wheel felt the most motorsport-appropriate for the FL5. The company’s latest interpretation of the ever-popular mesh design is flow-formed, making it resilient, but also (crucially) affordable. Each spoke is scalloped for reduced weight and maximum rigidity. True to its motorsport derivation, there are two different face profiles—one offers maximum brake caliper clearance, and the other prioritizes lip size—while variable depth lug bowls further reduce weight. This set had been custom powder-coated in a subtle bronze finish, which plays nicely against Championship White’s creamier tones.

The Yokohama AD09 may sound familiar to enthusiasts; it’s the latest iteration of the outgoing AD08—new casing, compound, and tread pattern—and represents the manufacturer’s newest street-legal but track-capable enthusiast tire. Capabilities aside, it’s a great-looking tire with really square shoulders. They do a great job of echoing the Apex RSR’s sporting character.

R/T ALIGNED

R/T Tuning does everything well. But if we were pressed to pick one of R/T Tuning’s standout services, it’d be its alignments. They have an “R/T Aligned” decal proudly plastered against its wall in the shop for a reason, and once the Turn 14 Distribution FL5 Civic Type R was on the ground for the first time, it rolled straight over to the alignment rack for some of R/T’s magic.

Seeing the car on the ground was something we’d all been waiting for, and it was worth the grueling anticipation; the car looked fantastic, and every mod from our generous list of sponsors contributed immensely to the final product.

UNMISTAKABLY T14

Although we’d modified the Turn 14 Distribution FL5 Civic Type R uniquely already, there was only one way to guarantee it’d set itself apart: a bespoke T14 livery. For that, we called our friends at Taylor’d Wraps to make sure our artwork would be installed perfectly.

The design took inspiration from Jon Sibal’s handiwork on the #93 Pit+Paddock Civic Type R TCR—geometric blocks of black and red, with some bits of Turn 14 Distribution blue for good measure.

Keen eyes will also notice that we changed our mind on the Fifteen52 wheel finish. Instead of the custom powder coat treatment, we thought it best to show up to SEMA with something that you could get off the shelf: Frosted Graphite. Admittedly, from the four available, choosing an alternative finish was tough—they are all great in their own way, but we felt the Frosted Graphite was the most appropriate for the project and still showed off some of the Apex RSR’s features well. The very gunmetal-like finish played nicely with the livery and eliminated an extraneous color from the car’s palette.

We took the car back to T14 HQ after that and patiently waited for transport with almost no time to spare. Would we recommend trying to execute a SEMA-worthy build in less than a week? Not to our worst enemy. Did we pull it off successfully? In large part because of R/T Tuning’s handiwork and our partners’ flexibility to get every component to the shop in time, absolutely. For anyone who will be at SEMA this year, we are so excited to show this to you inside Turn 14 Distribution’s Central Hall booth—#21303. The days are rapidly approaching, so make sure you stop by, say hello, and meet the Turn 14 Distribution FL5 Civic Type R.

Thank you so much to Fifteen52, Antigravity Batteries, ClutchMasters, CSF, DBA, Eibach, EVS Tuning, Fuelab, HKS, LiquiMoly, Mahle, Turbosmart, Yokohama, R/T Tuning, and all of our hard-working staff at T14 HQ for making this project possible.

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