Technical Topics specific to the Hatchback body - NOT where you post pics/build specs of your car.
By ngarover
#350340 So, I was really stupid and bought a bubble off eBay, from a dealer and they shipped it to me... well, long story short, I got hosed. Surprise surprise.

I bought the car with the intention of making it a daily drive on a rather long work commute I have and I'm still working on it.

The car came to be with 3 flat tires, 3 19" bent rims, 2 of them cracked. Inner and outer tie rods completely shot, pass axel broken, both front wheel bearings shot, and the cheapest coil overs and springs all around that a person could imagine, set all the way to the lowest setting (well not so much set as just so loose they at worked there way do to it)

Car has a fart pipe, on a rather new looking muffler, the windshield trim needs to be replaced, the drivers pillar trim is missing, there is body damage and Bondo falling off the rear drivers quarter. Oh and the heater core hoses are missing and it's been bypassed, so I'm assuming it was leaking as well.

So far I have taken care of are replaced the suspension, hubs axel, got the brake functioning again (oh ya I forgot, it had no brakes) Found an original set of 13" rims and bought some new tires. Car seems to run good, no smoke plenty of power, but I the one drive I have done so far, it was hunting overdrive. Not sure about that yet... A/C actually works!

Going to head outside and use the instructions on the form here to pull the dash and take out that heater core to replace it after this post.

Going by the DMV, the car has passed along various owners with little to no milage change, but the car was totally un-drivable, I'm guessing it has been taken on by others and found to just be way to much for them to deal with so it was sold to the next guy etc. Odometer only has 68K on it, and corresponds to DMV and past records as correct.

Anyways, I'm sure to have questions as I continue to rebuild this pile.

I would post some picture of it, but don't see an option to do so.
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By Loaf31
#350344 Sounds like you have a project on your hands! I'd love to see some pictures! :thumb:
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By Loaf31
#350351 It's got some potential to look really good! Good luck with your build! What are you gonna work on next?
By ngarover
#350354
Loaf31 wrote:It's got some potential to look really good! Good luck with your build! What are you gonna work on next?


After the Heater core, I'm going to figure out the issue with the Overdrive hunting. (@55 or so you can feel it go into OD then fall back out and back and forth) Maybe swap in a 5 speed.

Then get rid of the loud muffler... it's not a good sound, was poorly done.

Then going to start doing to Aero mods to the car, rear wheel covers, smooth caps for the wheels, Block off that huge grill in the front, Delete the external side mirrors, make small cowl to let air flow over wipers, delete the factory antennae and install in internal one, give it a smooth undercarriage and possibly boat tail it. When all is to my liking I'll take it over and have a local place fix the body work and paint it.

I believe I should be able to get 55-60 mpg out of it once mods are done. others have done even better but with the VX engine. The car will be used in my daily hour commute all interstate.

That rust around the front tire is from the tires and wheel being stacked up beside the car while I was working on some of the other issues... It should wipe right off, I need to shoot the rims black again to make them look a little better.

This was the whole reason I bought the car in the first place... http://aerocivic.com I'm going to kind of follow his build, just try and make it look a little more professional/finished.
By ngarover
#350373 Dash out.

Have to order the parts I need to continue. Was waiting till I had everything ready to see exactly what I needed.

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Look at all the crap in the blower!

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Pictures of the bondo...

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Can I save this muffler and just put a normal tip on?

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What the inside looks like... decent seats, interior actually looks new...

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Engine

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By Driv-it-hard
#350394 I'm gonna tell you the truth,
The car isn't that bad. You have a complete shell that has little to no rust. The rest of the components can be replaced. Bearing , shocks, and all the other stuff, no worries.

I havn't driven mine in about 11 months now. The car has been in rust repair and been on hold for money , time and paint..

Do it slow and enjoy the build.
Best of luck !
By broken
#350479 Car doesn't really loom all that bad. Body seems straight other then the damage on the drivers side quarter. The muffler needs to change if you wanna make it quieter. The little tip is not making it that much louder IMO. The muffler is
By ngarover
#350482 Co worker offered me a 98 Civic complete for 200 bucks. Has a 5speed manual. Car has 187k on it. Was wondering if that trans could be put into my EG...

The heater core and hoses came in and I have a nice long weekend. Planing on getting it in and the dash all back together.

Then start looking at the overdrive hunting issues.

Bought a cheap head unit for the car, It's an mp3 player only, has SD slot and USB slot on front... Dirt cheap, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004S5 ... UTF8&psc=1 Should work well for me.
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By teal_dx
#350483 Have you tried topping off/replacing the fluid in the auto trans? That could be an easy fix for the overdrive. It's hard to believe it only has 68k miles... it has lives a rough life for sure but glad you got your hands on it before it got any worse.
People say it's clean, but that rear 1/4 panel really concerns me. With the miles being so low, I can't imagine it was rusting out too bad. Must have been hit in that side? If they tried to cover it up with bondo, it makes me wonder what kind of half ass job they did under it.
I hope you left them bad feedback on ebay :x
By ngarover
#350502 Filed a complaint with BBB and FLA attorney general. The dealership is shady at best, real crooks.

At this point I might as well make the best of it though.

Being totally new to Hondas I'm finding the differences rather confusing in some places. I want a 5 speed trans.

From all the searching I'm doing, This is what I'm coming up with so far, please correct me where I'm wrong.

The 93 DX has the D15B7 and Auto. The OEM wheel size is 175/70 R13

This 98 Civic EX has a D16Y8 Vtec. and a 5 Speed.

What should I be looking for/expect in terms of swapping stuff around?
By ngarover
#350503
ngarover wrote:Filed a complaint with BBB and FLA attorney general. The dealership is shady at best, real crooks.

At this point I might as well make the best of it though.

Being totally new to Hondas I'm finding the differences rather confusing in some places. I want a 5 speed trans.

From all the searching I'm doing, This is what I'm coming up with so far, please correct me where I'm wrong.

The 93 DX has the D15B7 and Auto. The OEM wheel size is 175/70 R13

This 98 Civic EX has a D16Y8 Vtec. and a 5 Speed.

What should I be looking for/expect in terms of swapping stuff around?
By ngarover
#350517 OMFG...

heater cores in these cars suck hard.

Got it out, got the new one in, can not for the life of me get the unit back in. I'm close, the outside bolt is about 1/2 inch too low to go out the hole. I'm tempted to just drill the hole out larger, cause there is no way I can rotate the unit enough to give it that final 1/2 inch. I've pulled the A/c out as far as I can without disconnecting the A/c lines.

Is there a trick I'm missing?

I've search and search, spent hours reading everything I can find, and there seems to be no step by step when dealing with the A/C version. The videos I have found, are all parts cars and they pull the entire A/c out... not an option since the A/c actually is the one thing that works in this car.


Just found this link... http://hondatech.info/downloads/Auto/Manuals/Civic/

Back to reading...