NZXTInerTia

So I picked up an 89 Civic hatchback in the DX model on Thursday for my girlfriend. Came ghetto as can be with random stereo wire, three ground clamps, and a misfire for miles. BUT! As seen in my CD7 build thread it will someday be to my standards and good enough (at least to my classification of which) for my girl.

When I bought it it had a nasty misfire, sweet "Rust spec" hood, low idle, jumpy tranny, extremely ghetto rigged stereo (idiot must have thought the climate control wiring was for the stereo and snipped ALL of those wire, then DUCK taped them together), it was also very dirty on the inside. I also managed (after we got it home that night) a DUCK TAPED upper ball joint, nice to know I could have died that night.. But, we learn from stupidity. It was in a shady part of town so I didn't have much time to check it over, the car had a valid and current title so it wasn't stolen or anything.

Planning on fixing the rust, maybe lowering it slightly, repaint, bay tuck/clean, exhaust. It will be in NO WAY a performance vehicle, just a clean, nice looking, well operating vehicle with some customization. I can't have a total rust bucket sitting in my garage making the Accord look bad

Anyways here are some pictures.

Night we bought it. NickGMN's lude all lit up by the Hyundai.



The following morning. Canadian as can be by the VIN!







After class that day, a little more in depth inspection and a FULL interior clean top to bottom. Took out the seat and the entire console.







Later in the day after a few stops at the auto parts store and the Honda dealership I picked up three quarts of 5w30 Genuine/filter and ATF Genuine. Along with a valve cover gasket set, dizzy cap/rotor, NGK plugs, air filter, new UBJ, and a few other things. It now RUNS correctly and starts like a charm. Also replaced five or so lightbulbs (including matching sylivania highs/lows) and six or so fuses. I need to fix the massive exhaust leak and the gas tank is also leaking from the rear section.. Ugh. but I'm not giving up hope this early. Input is appreciated!

NZXTInerTia

Started on the hood tonight. With work and school I have limited time to do anything, why not.

Used 80 grit to break up most of the rust, then 120 grit to smooth out the bare metal. Primed twice and will throw another coat on after school before work tomorrow. Looking decent. I'll be doing the hatch, roof (Multiple dents), bumpers, and the trim as well.

Getting there.



Rust free!



After second coat of primer (still drying).

NZXTInerTia

Not much to show, touched up the bumpers and finished painting the hood. I accidentally grabbed the wrong can and sprayed primer on a 1"-6" area so I'll have to wet sand that out and touch it up. Best rattle can job I've ever done by far, but its all in the prep work. I also found out I have a nasty gas tank leak... Guess that will get pulled once the exhaust is off.. I also bought a new LH UCA to replace the ghetto one that was on it.

I also picked up new bulbs to replace the numerous blown ones I have, then I can properly install the corner lights. Still looking for a LH front fender though, if anyone has one laying around.

Hood and front bumper:

NZXTInerTia

Went and cleaned up one of the wheels to see how it would look painted, turned out alright. Better than the rusty/dirty wheel that was their before. I will be buying a set of newer Honda hubcaps to update the look a little bit. I also added the front badge on the hood and repainted both bumpers. Finally got bulbs as well, but the high mount brake light isn't illuminated when the lights or on or the brake depressed. The bulb was black and blown for certain, so I never even thought of checking the fuse. Next is the trim, mirrors, and the other three wheels.

Girlfriend takes her drivers test as soon as the tank leak is fixed! Excited for sure, then the Accord is going on the dyno on Friday.

NZXTInerTia

Well nothing much new. I will be installing a custom 2.5" short ram intake to replace the large OEM air box assembly. Like I said, this is no way a power build. I'm just looking for a clean bay for my girlfriend. Somewhat want it to be as clean as the Accord, as stupid as that sounds. Someday I want to do a MPFI injector setup on a tuned ECU with a 5spd conversion when the auto goes out. Maybe just do a D16 VTEC swap to make things easier.

Last night I painted the valve cover cherry red, along with the IAB "PGM-FI" cover just to eliminate the chipping paint. I also pressure washed the bay with what simple green I had left, although I still need to get more and REALLY clean it. The bay has zero rust so that should clean up well. Tonight I'll throw in that custom intake.

As a side note, driving about 1/16 of a mile the windshield decided to crack on the drivers side near the VIN. Guess its time to fix the roof and replace the windshield.. Glad I didn't stick any decals on it (like the Honda one on the Accord).

nepsGD3

the build looks good

NZXTInerTia

Thanks! Slowly but surely, hardest part will be tackling the rust. Especially on the bottom of the car.

Got my intake tube made up. Used a scrap 12" x 2.5" section (cut down to 6.5") of stainless steel from my turbo back exhaust that I just made for the Accord. I also upgraded to a larger 3" air filter for my turbo so I had this 2.5" dryflow sitting in my garage. Coupler, two hose clamps, 3/8" barb, primer, and acrylic paint and I have myself a nifty little compact intake! I also have a black coupler from my AEM short ram that I'll be installing once I find it among the mess that is a freshly built turbo car and a freshly tuned-up civic. Not to mention with work and finals taking up all my time everything is messy. Definitely need to get that battery in the hatch now, it looks so out of place. Luckily its a small one.

Just rerouted the coolant tube up, no kinks! Blue coupler sticks out like a sore thumb though..

NZXTInerTia

Well nothing really new. I finally replaced the spark plug wire and the fuel filter, that STILL didn't solve my misfire on cylinder 3. I'm starting to think from the amount it smokes (burning oil) cylinder 3 either has damage or is just completely worn out. Either way one day it will need a new engine/5spd. I also ordered an OEM radio pigtail and a DIN/Honda conversion harness for the radio. Then I will be buying coaxial pioneer speakers for the doors and making a custom radio holder out of sheet aluminum. I'll post more pictures when I get everything wired up!

Then I'll be buying a complete tank and new OEM straps. Then I'll start setting up the exhaust.

NZXTInerTia

Here are some pictures of the stereo, I still have to make an adapter plate to go from the factory mounts to the single DIN setup. Then I picked up the factory pigtail and a conversion harness. I have to get a new soldering iron because mine finally died, once the pigtail gets soldered in I will be picking up some Pioneer coax speakers.

Now I just need to get a really heavy duty degreaser to clean this endless junk off.

NZXTInerTia

Decided to clean up the factory intake and reinstall that. I'll also be picking up a new PGM-FI badge to cover the "V-TAK yo!" doodle. This will in no way be a performance build, more of a restoration. Although one thing I will be doing for sure is removing the felt on the firewall and relocating the battery to the hatch, I hate those two aspects of this car (and my Accord as well). Once I order a new gas tank and potentially have the windshield replaced I will start fabbing up panels to fix the majority of the rust (mostly due to the fact that the car will be licensed and driveable. Now I just need to pick up some oven cleaner to get the really stuck on crud out of the bay.

NZXTInerTia

Alright so I finally managed to pick up a new soldering iron and get the factory pigtail soldered in place. I will also FINALLY be picking up a replacement gas tank soon. Other than that I will be buying a wirefeed somehwhere within the next few weeks and will go nuts on repairing the large amounts of rust. I've been fairly busy with the Accord getting it ready for the tune, and with a lack of money towards this repair/build/restoration I am at a stand still. Next time I post I will have the absolutely ridiculous wiring for the climate control soldered, shrinked, taped, and tucked back to its factory location. Hopefully the new tank will be included with those pictures.

Pigtail with heat-shrink:


Soldered up, minus the electronic antenna wire.


Taped up, probably longer than factory. But it turned out alright:


Adapter harness:


Currently it sits shoved in the radio compartment, now I need to either make or purchase a DIN adapter tray. The Accord has one, not sure about this year. I wasn't able to find anything.


Starting to look decent! Hopefully I will get some decent seats in this someday. Definitely needs a replacement lower rear seat.

91 EF DX

For the radio to fit right you need this. Its the stock plate that went around the radio and is screwed to the metal part of the dash.

NZXTInerTia

Managed to completely remove the tank tonight. It is rusted a good amount and it leaked water when I drowned it out; for safety reasons obviously. I'll be cleaning up the sending unit, fuel pump hanger, and anything else that may be rusted. New tank, new two-way valve (the one installed broke :/), new straps and she'll be completely drive-capable!

NZXTInerTia

So good news! My girlfriend gave the the go-ahead to use paypal bill me later to purchase her tank, straps, and battery relocation cables/terminals. Every two weeks is payday on her end, so give it awhile and I'll get my money back. Its definitely a handy service when it comes to paying for things in increments, as all credit not to be abused. I'll stop by the junk yard and get a two-way valve one of these days, then she'll be able to take her license test.

NZXTInerTia

Progress! Managed to get the battery finally relocated to the rear, for certain I like how this one turned out far better than the Accord. Tomorrow I'll have to pick up two butt-connectors from the auto parts store to tap into the factory ground/starter/fusebox. I'll also be picking up a half-size battery box that will get solid mounted to keep it solid. Never really noticed the size difference between battery clamps before, so my nice gold plated terminals only worked on the negative side. Trying to keep this as professional looking as possible so once the body work is done and it has a reputable engine in it the rest of my work won't drag it down. Hopefully the tank will be here within the next few days.

Half-size battery:


Full-size battery:


The opening I made for the strut tower cap, I couldn't find my radius file so it looks extremely sloppy.


Routing underneath the seat.


Then ran it alongside the chassis underneath the carpet. I managed to find a PERFECT grommet (I assume for a factory option that wasn't included) that I ran the cables through.


Cables.


Cables with grommet drilled and re-installed (to prevent chafing).

NZXTInerTia

Tank is in, battery is completely relocated and everything runs great! I wrote up a $200.00 brake tuneup that will be next on the list. I also decided that I will be swapping a DOHC ZC or a B16a into it once I can afford the motor swap to replace the damaged D15 motor..


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqRD...ature=youtu.be



I was quite irritated from rust falling in my eyes, bugs, spider webs, and the pure inconvenience that is vehicle gas tanks.. So mind the picture.




She's getting there!

nabs.no.abs

Why did you run the battery ground cable all the way from the rear to the factory spot up front instead of just grounding to a new point back there?

91 EF DX

^What he said. You ground should be short as possible.

NZXTInerTia

I plan on running an additional grounds in the rear along with the two in the front once I relocate my friends Prelude's battery (which we will have plenty extra cable after), I just ran out of 4g and this needed to get done as soon as possible. I've done plenty of these relocations on Accords, SRT4's, Eclipse GSX's, Lancer's, etc. so I have a fairly good idea of what I'm doing, I just plain ran out of cable.

NZXTInerTia

Well this build thread was just cut short. Car was stolen tonight somewhere between 5:00 and 9:30 in broad daylight in front of the Coon Rapids Micheals craft store MN. Any information will be rewarded.

91 EF DX

Man that sucks

lucky luciano24

cane some one help me with taking out the carpet and replacing it? ive searched and cant find anyting

Empsi

Damn man, I just read this thread and was being impressed by all the **** you did when suddenly I read your last post. I'm sorry that happened man; that really sucks. My 94 civic was jacked too man.