gobutai

Hello guys and gals... I have been meaning to put this build thread together, and now I finally have some time. This is way overdue...

Project Nicholas is a build that I am currently undergoing to honor my late grandfather / lolo Nicholas Bolido. He recently passed away on 03/19/09, and my siblings and I are doing different things to honor his memory. This is my way...

I found this car in Craigslist Austin in early April 2009. Mr. John B. was kind enough to give me a great deal on the car, and so, I purchased it to begin this journey!

1996 Acura Integra RS with 117,xxx miles

Reason I chose this chassis: lighweight, double wishbone suspension and no sunroof

gobutai

GOAL - Time Attack / Daily Driver

My first out / event is the local HPDE / TT at Cameron County Airport with RGVPCA.
The best time with a completely stock 1996 Integra RS on this 1.8 mile course was 1.59.xxx
Porsche territory 1:29:xxx and below, 2007 STI territory 1:30:xxx, Best Time 1:21:410 - I got a long way to go.

The first thing I decided to tackle on this project is the suspension. I had some Prelude SH parts lying around and some of my brothers GSR parts lying around my parents storage room. So without spending any money, I checked to see if some of these parts could be installed on Project Nicholas.

What I came up with: oem Prelude SH springs up front on oem GSR shocks and Eibach Prelude SH springs on the rear with oem GSR shocks. If you notice the pics, there isn't much of a difference with spring length, and that's why I decided to install them. This seemed to have helped with a somewhat stiffer spring rates.

gobutai

I also decide to add some strut tower bars, and I pm'd passwordjdm here on 04/23/2009 and told them what I was up to. Passwordjdm gave me a great price and ordered what's pictured below. Great price + excellent customer service + quick shipment + excellent packin = PWJDM.

On May 9th, I dropped the 1:59:xxx run to 1:55:188.

gobutai

rgvpca.org's stomping grounds and in a way my home course
Cameron County Airport Track

Never mind the greens and reds; this is one the porsche club members gps runs. I just wanted to give you guys a sample of the track I'm testing/growing/learning on...

gobutai

As of 05/09/09, the suspension side of things is waaayyy far from being over. Look at the pics below...

This is when my endless reading on suspension, koni/gc vs. everyone else, talking to AMR, suspension theory "discussions here," coilover vs. springs, blah blah, etc. etc. began.

I think my wife still hates me for all the endless nights and days of reading stuff, lol...

gobutai

Then sh** happens and things wear, bend or break when your pushing your car...

Advice to everyone - do not BUY Autozone axles. They did not hold up and drove home with a bad vibration - like Jim Carey on Ace Ventura 2. Apparently a) they did not have enough grease packed b) metallurgy is not up to par c) overall-ok of daily driving, but not pushing the limit...

Advice # 2 - DO BUY Raxles = good customer service, great product, no vibration, held up so far...

gobutai

Talk about breaking / shredding something. Here's the link to my other thread a while back. Import lesson learned: do not overlook the little things

https://honda-tech.com/forums/acura-integra-6/belt-problem-accessory-vs-timing-2593330/

gobutai

I know I have a lot of catching up to do with this post, but that's all the time I have for now. But here's some teaser pics... and let's just say THMotorsports helped me out on this one...

jdragon1974

what kind of axels did you go with.. because i have been going through vatozone..lol

gobutai

Raxles - check 'em out at raxles.com - Initialy, they cost more, but they'll definitely save you money in the long run.

gobutai

So being on three wheels on some of the hairpin is not that fun. One of the pca instructors actually told me that he got scared that we were going to flip, lol... This is coming from one of the crazier drivers / instructors in this venue.

On 07/14/2009, Eddie from THMotorsports hooked it up. THMotorsports had an excellent and friendly customer service, excellent and quick shipping and overall great experience with these guys...
Oh by the way I am not sponsored by any of the shops being mentioned, everything is coming out of my pocket , that's why it is a slow but surely going process. But wanted to share with you all which shops are pulling through and which ones may drop the ball...

After all the researching and what not, I decided to go with the tried and true koni/gc setup. I know there's a lot of debate on this, but I figured if it's good enough on SCCA National Level, it will be good enough for me. I also liked the fact they can be rebuilt and I can get other spring rates with GC in the long run...

gobutai

Right when I was going to install these bad boys, I noticed that my bushings were not that great anymore. I didn't feel like doing a double-job, and decided to wait until I got everything else needed.

So urethane vs. hard rubber??? Again, more reading... I ultimately ended up getting myself some Hardrace Bushing Kit. I felt like this was appropriate for my project - daily driver / road racer.

After calling and pm'ing different shops, Dohcgarage was the nicest and most knowledgeable one. He didn't push a product; instead gave me pro's and con's. Dohcgarage helped me to make my own informed decision. On 09/02/09, I went on ebay and ordered from Dohcgarage. I had the bushings within 3-4 days; damn your fast, what do you drive, lol...

gobutai

Ohh yeah, if you have not noticed, I picked up one of these things from race_basics while I was on ebay. Don't know too much about the seller, but he had it here as promised.

I didn't feel like doing the flat-screwdriver and hammer thing; after all these are my hard earned dollars in a shi**y economy.

The tooth part was ground a tiny bit; I think 2mm or something like that to fit GC's coilover grooves.

gobutai

Finally got a couple of days off; so I'm already to wrench on Project Nicholas... One problem, I don't have a press for the hardrace bushing kit. Buy a press or have someone do it?

This is were Prestige Performance came in. For all the locals in the RGV (Rio Grande Valley) / South Texas, these guys are great = friendly, knowledgeable, great work and fair prices. They are located on corner of Mccoll and Pecan in Mcallen, TX - caddy corner of the Post Office. Ask for Jaime, tell him Allan sent you, lol...

I decided with this route since I did not have room to store a shop press, and I'm gonna be moving soon (still gonna be a Texan though). Well that and they pressed them for basically the price of the 12 Ton Press; can't beat it...

gobutai

SUSPENSION OVERHAUL - Ready, set aaannnnnddd go!

Wished I had a lift; damn I'm getting old...

gobutai

Creative use of wire hangers, dog leash etc...

gobutai

Do me a favor! If you're going to wrench on your on ride, have a haynes manual, factory manual or at least the internet. I mean think about it, your suspension/wheels/tires etc. are the ones that connect you and your car to the ground. Don't screw this up

gobutai

Now we are all ready and good to go...

1) Keep things tidy - don't want to loose shi* and pay for another one
2) Labeling - label stuff; your noggin' ain't that great after a couple hours of work
3) Zip-lock bags - not just for sandwiches.
4) Camera - for build threads (like this first one I am making) and for reference, saved our
butts during bushing press

5) Things I forgot but will pass on my knowledge:
a) gloves - I had hell of a time trying to clean my hands and nails
b) gojo / hand cleaner - 10 year old grease and what not is not gonna come off with
Palmolive despite the rumors

Look at the first pic, just got started and already installed something backwards, lol...

gobutai

Tidiness continued...

Nuts and bolts labeled and filed away!

gobutai

Can't believe that hammer trick / technique worked. Just a couple of firm taps on the old bushing from the inside out, and it came right out. Putting the new hardrace RTA bushing was a different story though. Maybe I needed to borrow a larger hammer. Sledge hammer anyone???

gobutai

I could not find a sledge hammer... Prestige Performance to the rescue!

Man even soaking those bushings overnight with WD40 and the 20-Ton Press, 13 year old bushings a PITA!

These things sounded like they were going to break with the loud popping each time load was put onto it. Thank god I left this one for the pro's...

gobutai

Out they go...

gobutai

The new tenants - Hardrace Bushings yeeaahhhh!

2 Rear LCA's done, 1 Front LCA done; how many more to go? Get 'er done...

gobutai

Well you get point... Hardrace Bushings are PITA to install, but well worth it.

Now let's put some of the new toys together.

Disregard the dust cover attempt - FAIL. Looks cool and all, but once compressed and rebounded back, doesn't retain original shape or configuration. I saw this on a miata forum. They are made of bicycle inner tubes; maybe the ones I bought were too small... Or maybe I mounted at the wrong spot, but either way didn't work like I wanted to.

gobutai

500 lb/in - Front Koni Yellow + Ground Control Coilover

Hhmmm, torn steering boots, looks like a suggestion of things to come! ITR power steering delete swap with rerouted lines and breather???

I think I got lazy here or tired, ran out of pics for the front install, lol...