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I have been posting a lot of separate threads and figured I should bundle it into a build thread. So here we go! I am new to HT and to Honda's as well. I have owned mostly older american cars but the occasional odd ball e30, 04 imprezza, and fr-s. I have been wanting to pick up a cheap beater that could serve as a track car so if anything happens to it, it is not the end of the world. I started looking at e36's but the upfront cost was really high so started looking at civics and integra's. I picked up this 01 GS on 8/26 out in San Antonio about 2.5 hours away. It was at a local smaller deal with 131k. It seemed pretty clean and $2400 later I was the happy owner of a Integra!
On my way home the plotting was already starting. Im still not sure if I will go full stripped down but for now I will keep the creature comforts and make it still fun drive not on the track. So far here is my list of things to do
-Start general maintenance (tune up, belts, hoses, water pupmp)
-Change the stupid taillights
-Install a radio (PO yanked the radio, nothing fancy but I would like some tunes while driving it to the tracks)
-Convert to interior leds
-Rebuild the suspension
-Upgrade the tires (has 3 older direzza 101 and a kelly no name)
-New intake to replace the pos ebay one
Next a little bonus goodies. Picked up a new radio and door speakers. Sadly I am noticing a common theme of the PO being an idiot. When I pulled out the center console there was not a single screw holding it in place (oem screws ordered). Also when I pulled the door card off the genius had cut the original wires to install his crossover that he put in the door covered with sound deadener then filled with polyfill from a pillow...Thankfully I fixed the wires and installed new speakers.
Congrats on the new build, for the most part it looks like a good clean shell minus the hack job on the stereo. Hopefully all the ball joints and bushing are in decent shape to get you on the track.
Congrats on the new build, for the most part it looks like a good clean shell minus the hack job on the stereo. Hopefully all the ball joints and bushing are in decent shape to get you on the track.
Thank you! They are not horrible but going with hardrace everywhere I can. Ordered most of the front end parts just waiting on them to ship. Debating if I want to go ITR rear so am holding off for now
As for keeping the creature comforts on the interior, can always start by stripping out most of the rear. Saves weight but at the same time, unless you look backwards it won't feel like you're driving a stripped car lol.
I pulled the rear out of my CRX for other reasons, and still have never put it back in. I think I'll just end up doing a fresh black paint job in there and leaving it be.
As for keeping the creature comforts on the interior, can always start by stripping out most of the rear. Saves weight but at the same time, unless you look backwards it won't feel like you're driving a stripped car lol.
I pulled the rear out of my CRX for other reasons, and still have never put it back in. I think I'll just end up doing a fresh black paint job in there and leaving it be.
Thanks. That is a great point. I will start there and I also have to strip some dynamat out of the spare wheeelwell too.
A little slow on the updates. I was planning on a SCCA Track Night event up in Cresson (almost 3 hours away). The morning of the event the clutch safety switch decided to grenade itself. Once I figured out the issue it was too late to make it to the event. I might permanently wire up a start switch at the battery and starer solenoid to prevent that from ever happening. Now onto a nice upgrade I ditched the boy racer taillights and picked up some ITR lights on ebay. The car already looks so much cleaner.
Used new Detroit Muscle Technologies gaskets. Also made sure to clean behind the lights as I figure when will be the next time they are off. Sadly will probably yank them out soon to replace the plastic clips for the bumper. I noticed 2 on the right where missing and the one was loose, figured why there is some bumper gap on the right. I am also 99% sure it got whacked in the rear and they put the stupid lights on because it was cheaper than oem. You can see a little metal damage on the bottom of the right taillight opening. Should I just use some touch up paint to cover the metal where it is bare?
Been doing work on the car but not updating here. Will try and get better. I did the brakes a few weeks ago and what a nightmare. I live in Texas so I thought it wouldnt be too bad but I broke 2 impact bits and didnt even move the rotor screw! Took out a die grinder and just removed the screw heads. So here some pics!
Hawk hp street 5.0 pads, Centrix high carbon plain rotors, russel speed bleeders, and motul fluid. I was shicked how nasty the brke bleeders where!
Got around to rebuilding the front suspension (still waiting on a few parts for the rear). Sadly I forgot to take a lot of pictures so I will post what I have.
What I replaced:
- Hardrace front lca (complete arms not bushing)
- Hardrace front uca (complete arms not bushing)
- Hardrace compliance busging
- New front wheel bearings
- Hardrace lower ball joint
- Hardrace tie rods
- New OEM hardware (even though its a Texas car I wanted to be safe)
Thankfully I had the wheel bearings and ball joints done by the shop while I worked on replacing the rest. Its amazing the difference in how it rides. I cannot wait to do the rear and get new coilovers. Eyeballing the skunk2 for right now. I still need to order new front swaybar rubber and endlinks as I will be keeping the stick front bar. Is the rubber bushings the same for a GS and GSR? I see on hardrace they say only for GSR. I am pretty sure the GS & GSR have the same suspension.
Nice build so far man. Doing it right. How do you like the Hawk HPS 5.0 pads? Thinking about picking up a DC4 and running 5.0s in the front and just standard OE replacement pads in the rear as well as 205/50 Federal RS-RRs up front with stock size all-seasons out back to have a super budget autocross/track setup. Never ran staggered pads and tire compunds, but I'm thinking it could work. Some fresh DOT4 brake/clutch fluid, oil change, transmission fluid change, and a radiator flush, and I think I would just run it like that. Stock everything else. No point in trying to extract power out of the LS B18.
Great start to the build. Doing it right. How do you like the 5.0s? Thinking about picking up a DC4 and running 5.0s up front and OEM-replacement pads in the back. Same with tires: 205/50 Federal RS-RRs up front and stock size all-seasons out back. Never ran staggered front and rear tire and brake pad compounds, but I think it could work. After an oil change, transmission fluid change, brake and clutch fluid change, and a radiator flush, I would just try to get as much seat time as possible. No point in trying to extract power out of the LS B18 at this point.
Nice build so far man. Doing it right. How do you like the Hawk HPS 5.0 pads? Thinking about picking up a DC4 and running 5.0s in the front and just standard OE replacement pads in the rear as well as 205/50 Federal RS-RRs up front with stock size all-seasons out back to have a super budget autocross/track setup. Never ran staggered pads and tire compunds, but I'm thinking it could work. Some fresh DOT4 brake/clutch fluid, oil change, transmission fluid change, and a radiator flush, and I think I would just run it like that. Stock everything else. No point in trying to extract power out of the LS B18.
I like them so far. I have maybe 100 miles on them so far so haven’t got to really test them. I have hawks 5.0 pads front & rear with federal 595 rs-r 205/45. The combo of them is cheap enough I would do all 4 corners. Yeah I’m doing the same stock setup only adding a radiator and new suspension as it’s all shot.
I finally got to take the integra out on the track. This past weekend I went out to Harris Hill for their fall HPDE event. That car did great! I do need a better rear swaybar and struts. There was some body roll for sure but not horrible. I wish I took more pictures. In my group there was a 69 chevelle with ls1 swap, 2 miata's, gti, and a focus rs. As you can tell I was was under on hp with my stock LS motor. At the end of the day I felt I really improved. Here is a youtube of the last run.
the bushings will def help, I like the feel of mine. I did a full bushing replacement but went with fuja1. They no longer do bushings so hardrace is the only company now.
Nice Find! the DC2 is a great chassis for the track with the right setup. Since your down on HP I would strip the interior to shave a lil weight!, I think that short ram intake will work fine especially since your on the track but if you wanna move the power band up slightly try a cold air intake. Also the LS has long gears try a GSR its slightly shorter or even a B16/ITR trans they have shorter gears. Also a LSD will deff help inside the trans.
09-10-2018, 08:52 AM
DC4 Track/Fun Build
