Honestly, the Y7 is a solid, reliable, and economical motor. However, it was not designed to be a top performer, and no simple bolt on is going to make it anywhere close to fast. Simple bolt ons, like intake, exhaust, and a header, will make it sound much more aggressive, as well as shift the power curve into the upper RPM range, but the performance gain will be minimal, but still noticable. Bolt on modding is great practice for real building, if you ask me. It's where most people start.

However, if you want to build a real racer, there are a couple good options.

1. Turbo kit. This is by far the easiest way to make a rocket out of a Civic. There are a number of kits that are a simple, bolt on affair, my favorite being the Greddy kit, easily found new for around $1000.

2. Motor swap. Honda performance engines are easy to find, the base point being the D16Y8 (125 hp), or single cam VTEC motor available in the EX models. Next up is the B18B (140 hp), the non-VTEC motor available in the LS Acura Integra. The B16A2/3 (160/157 hp) found in the Civic SI/Del Sol, and the B18C/C5 (170-180/195 hp) found in the Integra GS-R/Type R. A plethora of Japanese spec engines are also available, however, these will be more difficult to pass emissions with in such a new American vehicle.

Good luck! Search is your friend, and don't be afraid to ask questions.