1996accordlx

fine.






Last I left off I had just sent everything off for refinishing.

Had the faces and inner barrels done in Mirror silver. Very close to the OG color but with some flake, and a gloss clear top coat for that extra depth.



Then I got the center cap dishes back from chrome, and did a quick mock up.


Then off to Threepiece.us they went for final assembly (I also ordered all new chrome hardware, nuts, and valvestems). Got them back, and couldn't have been happier.




Bought some brand new rubber.



Then got everything all fitted and nice.




Drove on them for about a week, then took em off because 1) they are too nice to daily and 2) I hated the front rubbing all the time.


Then last week I sold them But for a good reason.....




Had an H22A4 basically drop into my lap. Something I've wanted for a few years now. Using the money from the Type Cs to pay for pretty much most of the swap and all the goodies I want. Already started collecting parts too.....first off was the ECU. With this swap, I want to be able to BAR the swap, so I was very limited on what ECU I needed to run. I lucked out and found a P13-A12 from a '96 Lude which is exactly what I need. Goal is the pass smog one more time this fall with the stock drivetrain, then swap in January. That way I have plenty of time to work out any bugs or problems that may arise while prepping the car for the BAR exam.


Snagged an FGK header for dirt cheap too. Has some minor denting in the downpipe, but nothing serious. Still doing research, but I may have the downpipe modified with a 2.5" collector, up from the current 2.36" (60mm) one. Then get a 2.5in high flow cat and redo the exhaust to match. I'm also keeping the stock Prelude header and cat, and will have it fitted to my stock Accord exhaust so I can pass inspections with zero issues.




While doing the motor swap, I have a lot of other stuff I plan on doing too....first and foremost the 5-speed to match the engine. Have most of the needed parts for the conversion....H trans will be getting a few needed parts, I already have a JTC Customs short shifter, and will be getting solid shifter bushings, S2K CMC conversion, etc. Also gonna snag some Innovative engine mounts, Koyo rad, and some other misc parts for the swap. I'll be cleaning up the bay as well, deleting a few things here and there, redoing the wiring nicely, etc. Won't be tucking anything really though, as I want the bay to appear close to stock for inspection purposes.

I'll also lastly be completing my brakes. I've had the RL calipers for 3 years now, but will finally do the rear 5 lug conversion I need to match the front, Will be rebuilding the calipers, new rotors, then get SS braided brake lines all around, and install a DA 40/40 prop valve to get the brake bias dialed in.



Once everything is all said and done, I should be able to finally take the car to the track, which I've been wanting to do for years, but the fear of shredding my auto trans has kept me from doing thus far. So stay tuned, I'll try and post updates as the swap begins.

jim chuck

Very nice! I've always loved those accord coupes. So, is your dad gonna claim ownership and swoop it back up once you get it where he likes it, lol?

1996accordlx

Thanks man. He wants nothing to do with the car now lol. He hates on the occasion he has to drive it.

Squidette

this is so dope! in for progress

1996accordlx

Small update. Since I sold the Type Cs, and recently got a down payment from a friend on the Tracer Type Cs, it was time to find another set of wheels, and I wanted something light, that could be trackable....ended up getting my 5th set of 5Zigens. Bought them from the original owner, and they were in near mind condition. Specs were 17x9 +35, and 17x8 +25. I planned on reverse staggering them.




While they were still sitting in my garage, I threw em up for sale for ***** 'n giggles, ended up trading them for some Volks. Threw $150 on top and got me a set of 17x9 +23 and 17x8.5 +40 CE28Ns. Probably the best come-up I've had. I've always wanted a set of TE37s, and while the CEs were never my favorite model, after mounting a pair on the car, I changed my mind. I love how they look on the car.


these are the 17x8.5 +40s. They clear my bbk with a few mm to spare.


I will be reverse staggering them.....the 17x9 +23s have brake clearance for days. They are a little on the aggressive side though for the car.



Plus the 245/45s they came with are a little big. Gonna try and see if I can cram 255/40s up front. I may order some Stage21 fenders from Japan....they are the only company that makes widened fenders for the CD Accord chassis. They are 10mm wider, which just may be enough to clear the wheels/tires. Will also raise the car a bit if needed.


Will probably be keeping these wheels for a while....if anything I may try and trade the x9 +23s if I can someone with a x9 +40 bronze pair they want to trade. If not, then I'll make them work. Getting a set of Volks for about $700 out of pocket makes them worth keeping lol.

1996accordlx

Last I updated, I had just grabbed the Volks. Ditched the econo Koyo's that came on the Volks for some new rubber. Ended up grabbing some 235/40/17 Federal RS-RRs. For the price, they really can't be beat.



Mounted them up to the 17x8.5s. Jesus they are wide. Measured and they are actually wider than my 245/40 Continentals.



FInally got around to the rear disc/5-lug install. A few parts that I installed:
Goodridge SS brake lines
Centric Premium High Carbon rotors
ARP extended studs
Timken rear hubs/bearings (not pictured)
Stoptech Street brake pads (not pictured)


Sideshot with all 4 Volks



With all 4 Volks mounted however, I did have one issue to face.....one pair of the wheels being 17x9 +23 with a very fat 235/40 tire was going to be a bit of pain to fit. Since I didn't want to run hella camber in the rear, and I'm a functional guy at heart, I decided to reverse stagger them. That meant massaging the fronts to fit the aggressive specs. Also a perfect time to install these:




Fender wise, the ultimate goal is to buy and install a pair of Stage21 10mm widened fenders. In the meantime though, I spent $5 at Lowe's on some washers and bolts and "spaced" out the fenders a bit to help fit the wheels.



Its not pretty, but it got the job done, and I have zero rubbing, which was the goal.




got a free CF hood. Fitment is ok, and it latches good. Will probably get some Aerocatch hood pins though just in case.



Newer, better condition Rays valve stems.


And a brand new set of spare caps, for when the others start to fade.



I also just ordered a set of these lug nuts. I've used Muteki lug nuts for the last 4+ years with no issues, but for the Volks, I wanted something nice. This particular set caught my eye because being 2-piece, you can crank and torque the base chromoly lug nut without having to be super **** about scratching, then install the color Duraluminum "cap" afterwards. This also can prevent against fading if you leave the caps off. Also, it means you need 3 different keys to remove them, which is a pretty good deterrent for thieves.




I've had an EK9 Type R steering wheel sitting in my room for a year now. Ended up selling, and copped this great condition AP2 S2000 steering wheel (with an AP1 airbag) for $150. About $100 cheaper than they normally go for now. Just got it installed, and have it all wired up and running correctly....airbag and horn were a direct fit, and the cruise just needed to have the wires cut and re-sautered to fit the S2000 setup. This thing makes a huge difference in driving feel, and looks like it should have come in the car to begin with.



And lastly, Buddy Club had their annual garage sale over the weekend. Since they're local, I dropped by and ended up buying myself a seat LOL. Got it close to half price. Surprisingly I actually fit in it, which is the main reason for buying. Just need some Planted Technologies brackets and I can mount it in the car.

Honda_Cribb_GS-R

man loving the new wheel and brake setup! Nice score on the seat to!

Brice.Hayden

iTrader: (15)

Bronze CE28s definitely top the list of best wheels ever

1996accordlx

Thanks man!

I gotta agree. For the longest time I wanted either white Regamasters, or bronze TE37s.....but now that I have these on the car, they look better than I could have ever expected. They are the first set of wheels in a while I have no desire to sell/trade.

1996accordlx

New year, more updates.



Snagged a complete USDM intake manifold, since the one that came with the motor was missing a good amount of crap. Since I plan on BAR'ing the car, it was easier to just spend a bit extra for a complete piece than try and hunt for all the little bits.



And with it being my birthday a few days ago, I decided to splurge on a new Transmission.....grabbed an M2B4 from a Prelude Type S. Will be dropping it off at Synchrotech for inspection and rebuild in the next week or so.



Also picked up these AEM Tru-power pulleys for basically free. With brand new belts. Not sure if I'm gonna run them or not.



and also some 100% complete OEM clear fog lights




And lastly an exhaust update. Just sold my Magnaflow catback today that I built 2 years ago. While I loved it, it was just a temporary exhaust. Sounded great.

Going to be welding up an OEM Prelude midpipe I have, along with this OG Stromung exhaust I acquired .Should be a lot quieter for DD duties. Plus, it will look great.


Oh, and I also bought a 5th Gen Prelude Thermal R&D catback for $75. I have wanted this exhaust for 5 years now. The Accord catback has been discontinued for like 10 years, and hardly anyone had one. However they were much more popular for Preludes. Gonna store this one until my swap and throw it on when I put on the FGK header. I did some measuring and the Prelude exhaust is almost identical to the Accords. the 90 degree bends are the exact same, just the piping after the cat and before the muffler varies in length. Super easy mod.



Stay tuned for more!

Sfljdmej2

Glad you've kept the build going for so many years keep it up man

1996accordlx

Thanks man. Been a long journey for sure, but it's totally worth it. Learned so much over the years.




Small update. Sold my Magnaflow exhaust. Selling my DC header this weekend too, and putting the stock manifoldback on. Lots of little stuff falling into place in preparation for the swap.


Picked up a really nice Stromung axleback, and got it welded up with a Prelude midpipe (they have matching 2in piping). I wanted something quieter with this setup, and I'm VERY happy with how it sounds. Plus, it fits much better, and with how the tips sit looks like it belongs there.


Much quieter, more refined sound. Very similar to a Remus I'd say.

Redrabbit89

Hi everyone sorry to thread steal but i need help, i was looking around my engine bay on my 97 accord automatic and saw this connector wires were cut off...i have no idea what its purpose is for...ive been looking online for hours now and cant find anything. Help is very much appreciated thank you

1996accordlx

Try making your own thread in the Accord Technical forum. Not here, on a build thread.

Redrabbit89

Sorry, i am new to this site, I figured out how to make a thread after having asked here for help, thank you though.

1996accordlx

So i did a thing.

Picked up some Type S cams, valve springs, and titanium retainers. Traded my Buddy club seat for them and got a good chunk of cash on top too. Even got the original paperwork for them.







Still unsure if they'll be installed right away, but either way they'll stick around and get thrown in at some point.

1996accordlx

Got my Koyo radiator yesterday








And I also ended up sending my FGK header, and Thermal R&D muffler to get polished, along with a friend's Mugen F22 header. Needless to say, they came out VERY nice.

RMOracer34

Those polished parts look real nice! I would be afraid to touch them. Lol.

OG Wagon

Great build. One of the best. Keep it up!

1996accordlx

First step to an interior revamp that will soon happen.

CL1 Euro R Recaro seats. Found them on eBay for a great price. Seller was local, paid them a visit, offered cash, and got them even cheaper. Overall great condition with just a few blemishes on the passenger (jdm driver) seat. But for what I paid, not an issue at all. The selling point was how comfortable they are, I fit great, and they have the leg extensions too, which is nice.

1996accordlx

Last I left off I had just got my Recaro seats.


Planted Technology bases for both sides.


Simple install, seats are extremely comfortable. Already done a few long drives and have zero complaints about them.


Got a few rolling shots. Car is ugly, but I don't care anymore lol.




Picked up a new downpipe for the FGK header. No dents! Just needs a polishing now to match.





New daily wheels, didn't wanna wear out the Volks and Federal tires. Racing Hart set #3.



______________________________________


Started up on swap stuff. Yanked the head off


ARP headstuds


Ferrea valve guides, new Greddy timing belt, and Greddy balancer belt.



The head will be sent to Alaniz Racing Heads by the end of the month, and will be getting a full rebuild, utilizing the parts above along with my Type S cams, and Supertech valvetrain.

Competition Valve Job + Valve Guide Install......
• Disassemble head
• Jet wash remove oil
• Remove carbon from ports and chambers
• Inspect all parts for wear
• Install and size valve guides
• Competition Valve Job
• Regrind valves if applicable
• Lap valves
• Resurface head up to .010”
• Free Hi Temp valve seals
• Reassemble head
• ALANIZ Stamp on head surface


Stay tuned!

RMOracer34

After work to the head. It's going to run nice!