History
Ever since I can remember I've been into cars. Up 'till I was about 15, I always loved muscle cars like 'Cudas and Chevelles, then my parents starting buying Hondas and I began seeing magazines with Hondas being modified. This is when I really got crazy about cars. When I turned 16 I began to think about what car would be the perfect platform to build on. Of course I came to the conclusion that it was the '88-'91 CRX. It was light, very cool looking, had a great suspension, had tons of room for a nice stereo, and had tons of potential for making it fast and look even better. The summer before my second year of university I was finally able to buy a CRX. The only problem was that there was only one for sale within about 500kms and it had a bit of rust and it was a DX. The guy wanted $3200CDN. After my first drive in the car I knew I had to have it, so the next day, after forking over $3000 I was the proud new owner of a white 1988 CRX DX. When I bought the 'rex it had 197000kms and now, about 3 years later it has 290000kms, needless to say, I drive it a lot. Only once has my 'rex ever let me down. During a 2000km road trip to Ottawa, ON it died at 2:30am. The wire to the fuel pump corroded and became unattached, but that was fixed in a few hours.
Now
Plans have changed as they usually do. Instead of fixing all the rust on the 88, I bought a 90 si shell from the great guys at Civic Pride. The shell is from a southern state so there is no rust to be found on it. The shell was not easy to get. The guy that owns Civic Pride has had it for 3 years and has been ask before to sell it. I ask one the the workers there about it and he thought the guy would sell it for $1500CDN. But when he later asked the guy he refused to sell it. So I told this to another worker there and he was really suprised so he said he'd talk to him also. Sure enough I got a phone call 2 days later. The 2nd employee convinced him to sell it. As of now, the sound deadening material is almost all stripped out. I've sold my 17" Kosei wheels and I've stripped the interior of the 88. My Si-R frontend arrived damaged. Every corner on the hood was bent very badly and the fenders both looked like they were walk on. The damage is due to UPS screwing up. It arrived in my city in 2 days but they sent it back to the shipper, stating that the reciever refused the items. So then they lost track of it and by the time it got to me a month had passed. Since it was in shipping so long it was bound to get messed up. Right now UPS is inspecting the items and the packaging to determine if they'll cover the damages. Everything was insured.
Later
By next season though it should have a nice coat of Audi Cactus green pearl and an Si-R front end, but most importantly NO RUST. I should also have my '90 teg rear discs on. I'm also planning on putting 16" Rota slipstreams in flat black or bronze with 215/40r16 Kumho 712. I'm also trying to decide what suspension setup to go with. I really want the Tein Flex coilovers for the EK civic but they retail for about $1480 US. But I'm also thinking about just getting some Koni yellows and a cheap set of coilovers that have 350lbs and 450lbs and I'd use the 450 out back to help rotation.
Ideas
In the not very near future I also plan on building a turbo kit. I'd like to use a T3 turbo from a Ford Thunderbird or Mustang SVO for the heart of the kit. I'd also like to use the HKS SSBOV, and Starion Intercooler. I'm also thinking about using a Hondata since I know the guys that run a shop close by that sell and tune them. I just recently found a really cool site on the making of an exhaust manifold which can be found here. They talk about using 1 1/4 schedule 40 NSP weld els for constructing the tubing. Apparently its used in industrial plumbing and gas fittings and is very strong and inexpensive. These come in 45 and 90 degree bends too.
Mods
Engine: B16A Tranny: Y1 Chipped PR3 ecu with 8600rpm rev limit, 5000rpm vtec Xover, no speedlimiter and "optimized fuel and ignition curves" Vibrant Intake Custom 21/4 bent t304 stainless steel exhaust using an OBX B5 muffler and vibrant performance resonator with no cat. Eibach Anti-Roll Kit 14"x6" VW wheels with 185/60R14 Dunlop SP sport A2
Tips
What I wish I knew then.
