Rude Awakening

It's been 10 years since I've had a Civic, and I thought I would never have one again. However I owned a Miata and an S2K, as well as 2 Camry's. There is a fair amount of redundancy.



So, anyway I decided to get rid of the Miata for another 'fun' car but with a roof, back seat, and AC. Wanted this because with a baby, we can take this, instead of a Camry or the fiance's car.

So traded for this Civic EX. Basically stock, with AC, and for the forseeable future it will remain mostly so. As some may know, I completely transformed a Prelude into a RHD, legit, Volks, ect. All new parts, and or OEM, or used JDM from a business. Did not buy a single thing from any 'bros'. I am NOT going that route here. This will be budget built, and I will be going for as many deals as I can, and there will be cheap/rep stuff, whatever. LOL.

On to the car, it's an EJ8 because I dont like hatches, I'm about that power options life. I think I saved this car from a possibly horrible fate. No offense to previous owner, but it's pretty obvious this car was going to be a brokedick Special. I'm sure that many hard to reverse things were sure to come.

There is ricer dip that must be removed, and a poorly done crown royal shift ****. The hubcaps that came on the car were also dipped. Yes caps. Dipped.

The first thing that I did was install my Enkei J10 wheels. I bought these for my Miata but kept them for the trade. They are a classic fit, none of this hellapoke bullshit, and still are more legit than Rota/XXR ect.



I peeled the pass fender, the other fender, and bumper are not painted. Peeled to see the ease which the ricerdip came off. Not bad.



There is TONS of slop, it's VERY easy to lose gears. Dont think I've had a car with sloppier bushings. The **** I took out of the Miata when we traded, and I will be getting a boot, and bushings.



Okay so the car has a cluster without a tach, which being an EX should. Miles match the title so IDK, but I'll be trying to get a CRV cluster and also installing a steering wheel that was on my Prelude at some point. Teg seats are the only other possibility IF someone local is selling some for crackhead prices.

My Wheel. Will have to figure out wiring for horn.




For the outside, the only things I plan are getting a sedan grille, doing the DIY black housing, and fixing the paint, possibly 99-00 tails, if I find em for cheap.

That's so far. Things can change, I'll be doing other random things, like custom headliner, ect. Updates as they happen.


I also built MY ultimate FWD Honda, from ground up using exactly what I wanted no shortcuts no deals. That is NOT happening here, this isn't being some uber build where I need exact details to plan. Hell if it was a big deal, I'd be starting with a 99-00 silver EJ8 or blue EM1. This is CGP with a type F interior, actually the LAST place I'd want to start if I were doing a real build.







Some fun. These models are about 15 years old. Back when you used to go to the toy store and all the cars toys were imports. My actual S2K isn't as old as my model S2K.












And the S2K...gettin read for IA.




One thing I also learned. Miata >>>>>>>>>> Civic. If I didn't get an S2K there'd be NO WAY I'd have traded one for a Civic.

Rude Awakening

Got a couple things done for the 4th.

99-00 tails, which werent part of the plan but found at junk yard.

Cluster with tach. I swapped out speedos so I could keep my mileage

I installed that wheel I had.

Made a custom headliner. I will do the visors soon, and possibly the armrest.







Interior just needs a stock shiftboot and possibly Teg seats.

Lasty K

iTrader: (3)

tyte subscribed

Rude Awakening

Did visors and arm rest. I have another stock armrest that I'm going with. Its too much to have any of the fabric below the roof area.



I also got my sedan grille, removed the ricerdip and have done the DIY black lights. Car should be looking okay. I'll get pics of that tomorrow as its raining now.

This 'build' takes me back.

Rude Awakening

This is the 3rd EK I've had and the 3rd time I've done the DIY blackouts, first time I've had a problem. I will need to reseal once weather stops being shitty. But overall car looks 10 times better than when I got it. I'd bet the Miata is wearing a coat of this white dip, and the wheels probably the same olive green the hubcaps and grille that came on this car was.

Rude Awakening

So, replaced the dumb *** incorrectly done crown royal shift boot. Wanted a Accord/Prelude style ****/boot with the ring.

Decided to make a trip to the junkyard, and found a great 98 Accord manual, and then happened to see a 89 Legend manual. Grabbed the boot from the Accord, and the **** from the Legend (has chrome numbers)

Thought boot was going to be like any old Civic, but for the Accord its stapled on, and shaped way different. Had to remove each staple, and bend the Civic box/frame to 'shorten' it, pull the boot on, and bend the Civic box back. Super tight fit.



Oh, I had also noticed that the shifter was wrapped in electrical tape, prob from the dumb **** the guy had in, wasnt even a shift **** IIRC. Didnt know this because he did the **** swap.



******* shortcut city.




It's unfortunate that the BB's got a hold of this, but as I said, in the nick of time. I can only imagine what would have been next. Cut springs? Pulled off exhaust?



And...

Rude Awakening

Oh, S2K ready for IA, AP2 front and lip on. Done.

slowDB7

Cant wait to see what else the last owner messed with

Starting to look better tho

Brice.Hayden

iTrader: (15)

S2000 with RPF1s. How original.

Rude Awakening

The more I get into the more I'm sure we will find. LOL. Worst part is I bet he got it completely bone stock, and it's not like the car was actually modded. I really SHOULDNT be having to reverse anything.

I already did original. I'm over it. Thanks for your input.

$amGD3

sweet rota GT3's bruh!

ShinsenTuner

iTrader: (1)

Weird looking headlights on the S. Did you just remove the orange blinkers and left it?

Rude Awakening

Basically. Turn sigs are LED as well.

Suzuka doesnt wear amber well. Thats why clear sidemarkers, headlights. I also wouldnt do AP2 tails either.

On the other hand IMO a yellow S2K would NEED the amber pieces.

ShinsenTuner

iTrader: (1)

I agree with you on that. Suzuka on bronze ain't too bad tho... SBC looks good too.

ChadB

The s2 looks good. Need a hardtop bud.

Rude Awakening

Thanks but I could never get down with the hardtop for the S2K or MX5.

Rude Awakening

Its been awhile. Been trying to get 16's in a trade but nobody is in reasonable distance with x7+40. Everyone has 15x8+20 or 0 trash.

But I did pick these up today, will be swapping rails to stock.

There is zero to do to the interior.



I think I will have the wheels on the car refinished to be gold/bronze without a lip. Maybe that will make them look bigger, keeps me from having to buy brand new wheels for this thing.

Rude Awakening

Seats in with inner rail swap. Interior perfect as far as I'm concerned.

Loganej8

Hey Rude, what steering wheel is that? GLWB

Rude Awakening

07 Accord coupe.

Basically 03-07 coupe. An earlier wheel (03-05)is going to have the big black "H" badge. An EX model has buttons on both side spokes. So later non EX wheel is best plus no leather which fits Civic better.

Rude Awakening

Well, went to have some paint mixed in cans and got some other things. So I have painted the front end sans hood and rear license plate surround. There is also a little spot on the C pillar of paint missing/rust which you can see in the first pic after the 99-00 tail swap. I also fixed that. The pass fender also had blems which I also fixed. There was no paint on the driver fender.

Basically I have been doing the work on this car at my girls house because I have a slanted driveway and this car does not like it. I did have to get creative with the masking with what she had. LOL.





This part was so faded it looked like HX/DX part






Everything totaled around $100. Paint prime clear masking tape sand paper.

Going to order 96-98 Type R style lip, and try to find a Si badge from a Canada EJ8. I didnt do the hood because of the rust. That meant a LOT of sanding. Easier to get another hood hopefully in CGP. If not even any painted hood would be easier to deal with than my current one.

Then it's on to lowering. This car needs shocks, so I'll be looking for a set of used good shocks with lowering springs. Dont want this slammed like the S2K just springs.

ShinsenTuner

iTrader: (1)

Doesn't look bad for spray paint.

Rude Awakening

Thanks. It's actual automotive paint, code matched. Also automotive clear. That helps a bit compared to grabbing whatever stock duplicolor or krylon color and their clear like most budget builds.

Rude Awakening

Also wheel suggestions anyone?

Get 16's?

Refinish these Enkei J10 one solid (lighter) color to make them look bigger?

Get EM1 wheels?

I really hate the idea of OEM wheels, but for some reason Si wheels dont look small for 15's on a EK.

$amGD3

GROCE


plz dont

si-r lip isn't even that expensive doe