So i pretty much got into the whole honda scene to save my g/f from mad yellings from her rents when they helped her get a new car cuz her 89 ef hatch dx auto caused her problem after problem.

That aside, here's what i did:

Picked up annother clean title (legit clean title, unlike my parts car) 89 hatch shell.

here's a couple pix:

The donor car:





It was in some sort of front end collision where it was shoved underneith w/e was in front of it... the core support on the drivers side is all bent down and is chewed up, adn the rad support is bend, and the front rack and pinion (i think that's what it's called) has been shoved back. basicaly a whole new front clip would be needed. not worth it imo for an automatic.

so here's where this shell come in handy that i picked up for 200 on cl:







the guy i bought it from daily'd it for a year, then swapped all the stuff on it over to annother shell w an aftermarket sunroof (as apposed to a sunroom, lol).

I'm just starting on this project, as it's my first project..

Things i've done so far:

*pulled all rear interior from the dx, and most the front (minus drivers seat, dash, and passenger door pannel)
*removed the headliner from the DX and swapped it into the shell
*installed upper window trim, visors, rvm, oh **** handles, dome light, and upper door trim
*removed w/o braking the climate controll that does not have the ac button from the shell
*attached the rear hatch from the DX to the shell, and am in the process of figuring out how to run the window washer tube, being that my shell is a base model and has no holes for the rear window washer spray, but is wired for it.
*am working on fabbing up custom holes so i can properly and safely attach my mid 90's prelude bucket seats to the floor
*installed the red "CIVIC" piece on the hatch
*stripped the parts car of all parts
*purchased all the stuff i still need, including a swap
*purchased hella parts

Parts i've purchased so far:

*a dash clock
*amber corners
*an SI gauge cluster w just under 106xxx on the clock
*a passenger side manual mirror
*a newish dome light cover (the one i snagged from the junk yard dissapeared )
*a newish "aftermarket" full size radiator from u-pull it (it was a steal!)
*"JDM" rear speaker mounts for 6.5" speakers
*a blue good condition privacy cover
*total top end gasket kit
*some misc. rear plastic light covers
*awsome "eagle" brand 5 spoke 13's... they look pretty good actualy
*green underglow kit (DON'T HATE)
*pass. side manual mirror plastic trim piece
*rear disk conversion
*all parts for a mini swap minus harness and ecu
*the final pieces to complete my interior (a tail light cover, shift boot, stuff like that)
*mud flaps, all 4
* two mint visors from a sedan w the passenger side mirror
*d16z6 intake mani w everything i need (including a chopped harness... so it has injectors, all the plugs, all the vaccume lines, and the fuel stuff too)


Things I have yet to get:

*clutch Kit
*a new front bumper for and 88/89 civic hatch/crx (mine has seen better days, and has a chunk half taken out of it)
*blue fenders, as apposed to orange (or if sanded, a blue and a white fender)
*JDM ef9 front end
*coilover sleeves and misc lowering/handling suspension parts
*new carpet

Stuff that needs to still be done:

*Install amp wiring kit and run new speaker wires to front and rear speakers
*finish installing interior pieces onto the shell
*wiring harnesses and an ecu sourced/fixed/installed
*the shell registered in oregon and in my name
*the front end put together
*some shopping cart dents poped/bondo'd and painted.

I have a TON of work yet to do, but i'm motivated to do this and NEED an economical car to cruise around in.

for exhaust i'm just going to stick with the stock exhaust, since my g/f had a new axle back setup installed in late january.

My goals for this build are to learn new stuff as always, while creating a car that is safe, yet comfortable and has all the luxuries of the various models. I'm going to be keeping the AC, but since my shell has a muanual steering rack, i'm staying with manual steering.

hopefully it will be driveable by september, even if it lookes like a makeup box. i'm going to stick with the OEM blue as much as i can, although for now i'm going to go "Panda" (black hatch, black roof, and black or cf hood). motor wise i'm sticking with a single cam, i'm aiming for gas mileage, not tickets. my friend travis has an eg with a stockish (intake and exhaust only) d15 in it, and it is WAY fast for a 1.5l (compared to the mini van i drive now any ways) later down the road I will up grade the exhaust some something stock looking, but probly with like, 2" piping, but with a resonator so it sounds good but not loud, to keep the cops away. for rims, i'll eventualy go with some rolled fenders with deep dish 15's, cuz i like the look of the deep dish. but those come after paint and body work

July 5 '08:

installed my 4g amp wiring kit, and ran 3 sets of RCA's to the back on the other side of the car. got one of the rear plastics (pass. rear) installed.

Sept. 2nd '08:

Lots happened since the last update. got a new house, got the parts car home, tore it apart madly, now i'm just putsin about while slowly pulling the d15 out of it. as soon as it's out the parts car will be sold. recently bought a d16z6 long block w hydro trans, which turned out to need a full re build. fluke chance of luck i was able to pick up the rear disk conversion w ebrake cables and everything from a 92 integra, a d16a6 and the matching 5spd tranny and shift linkage from a 90 si hatch (and this engine ISN'T messed up, and will be my swap), and am just about ready to start installing it all into the shell. it's taken a lot longer than i thought it would've, but it's ok, it is a learning experience.

Modified by DCRB at 3:08 AM 7/3/2008


Modified by DCRB at 9:32 AM 7/3/2008


Modified by DCRB at 12:29 AM 7/7/2008


Modified by DCRB at 11:48 PM 9/2/2008

 

Ok update!! It would seem that lately i've been doing every thing in "halfs"... ie, i got the drivers side wire tuck done but not the passenger side, pretty much finished the rear interior, but not the front, and have started the disk conversion on the drivers side. also, i was able to successfully remove the MINT door seal and window seal from the batter'd door on my hatch and install it on the spare drivers door. which is cool cuz i saved my self about 80 bux by not having to buy a new one from honda, and i wasn't feeling both replacing a window regulator AND doing body work on a door. I did recently purchase a slightly cut si engine harness. it's all good tho, beacuse i'm using obd1 engine parts. pretty much once i get the rear disk swap done i'm putting my new drivers door on and then will actualy be pushing it out of my garage and fliping it around and finishing the disk swap and interior misc. and then will be tackling my engine/tranny. any ways here's a bunch of pix to drool over.

vtec head:


Parts run:



exhaust test fit:


headlights installed:


wire tuck/fender shot:



Dash installed:


rear interior almost done, couple more things to do:


rear disk swap in progress. going to slap some coil overs on there for looks since i've already got it disconnected from the lca:

 

looks good..what all you get from the junkyard?

 

HAHA! yeah he did, I helped him get that Z6. too bad the guy who had it first lied about why the motor sucked. Hey ryan, its pj . Make sure that you clean the bay out so you can paint it. GOT IT!? I just spent and hour painting mine and there are spots where i didnt see dirt and now I can...pisses me off

 

Hey ryan, try to get this thread updated more man. I know how far you are, but no one else does. and please.....if you dont I will....get rid of the underglow......I will pay you to get rid of it! oh, and you stil owe me for that si cluster and shift **** lol junk yard run this monday. you coming?

 

ok ok p j i'll update it, just for you tho. .

so things are pretty slow going, but i AM making progress. recently i was able to get it rolling on all four wheels and push it out of my garage and flip it around so it's nose is facing my garage door. I have 95% of my interior installed, just need to install the coat hanger thingy on the drivers rear area, bolt in the drivers seat and put back together and install the passenger seat. i put a "system" in it (no subs, don't know if i'll throw them in or now, but i have some nice speakers front and rear installed and an amp and they beat and have GOOD sound). i need to finish my rear disc swap, and then it will be on all 4's again. i have 3/4 coil overs installed, my passenger side power mirror installed but not hooked up (you guys seeing a trend yet?? LOL)

i found an 89 hatch @upull it and tried to buy it from them, but they didn't have the title for it any more, so i stripped it in 3 hours w my girl so i can put that orange car back together. i mean everything. fenders, bumper, hatch, a door, door panels, front and rear seats, hood, hinges, glass, rear panels, dash, steering wheel, headlights, bumper lights, fans, a strut, etc. total came to about 5 wheel burros and 500 bux for all those parts, but it was worth it. i'll post pix of my stuff later.

 

haha yeah, and I got the parts i needed off that hatch too foo! hey ill drop that radiator and cluster off soon. I gotta get a place to either cove the car up again, or get the hood of soon. my friend wants that HUGE AS HECK tarp back lol. And i need your help next month, ill be wiring up the whole sound system, wanna help? give you 10 bucks OR buy lunch

 

hey ryan, put up pics! lol im bored and need to see some

 

only lame pix of specific interior shots, but if you wanna see em here they are:


dash pic w my sedan steering wheel (which is pimpin)


Passenger side door:


Drivers side/steering wheel shot:


Power mirror switch, also pulled from a sedan:


Passenger side mirror:


RIP Grandma, you will be missed:

 

Bought some oem honda side markers tonight:


and just for you p j, here's a rear a shot of my rear interior:


I suppose i should note that my rear lca's aren't stock.... wink wink


Old shot w my old fenders, that one is going back on my orange "parts" car


Note: yes, i'm running front and rear components. for those who want to run the rear speaker pods i would suggest two things: one, DON'T use oversized 6.5's in the rear. you will end up destroying them in the prosess.

two, cut out the bottom of the speaker pod area, and find a hatch cover. i say this because with the hatch cover and rear seats it turns your trunk space into some what of a box, which makes for some GOOD bass. i would know. i'm hoping to get my wire tuck done tomorrow, and if/when i do i'll post pix w my new fenders installed, as well as my rear disc swap finished.

any one know which civics came with 15/16ths master cylinders? i need one, and the one off the teg i grabbed won't work.

 

gay that the MC wont work from the teggy. I say try to snag one from an ek, that may work. and fudge you for getting jdm fender lights lol. oh, and I think im goin to keep the teg cluster as a spare and just keep my si one. kinda like mine a lot still.

 

hey im going to be buying my solid bucket seats next month. wanna go 50/50 so you can get one of them? its only 110 per seat. free shipping....lmk asap.

 

it's all good i picked up a mc from an ex @ teh j/y the other day. along w a bunch of mpfi swap stuffs

 

lol the onlythings left for my mpfi swap now at the wires, and then making the IACV fit on right.

 

lol yeah. i still gotta get a stupid engine bay harness... oh well.

these came in the mail the other day:


One pair of OEM stanly side markers, along w instructions and sticky sided templates for cutting my fenders. will be installing some time sooner or later. lol

also picked up a pair of ex knuckles from the j/y today, along w good condition calipers and brand new pads and roters for them, but to be safe i'ma have the pads scuffed up and the rotors re-surfaced. this killed like two birds w one stone. i no longer need to buy new ball joints, i no longer need new wheel bearings (the ex ones are smooth as butter! and no play) and i get an added bonus of more stopping power.

while it's still HUGE, the list of parts i still need is indeed shrinking.

I still need to get a water pump for an a6 block,

timing belt/hg kit for my z6 head (i'm thinking the one layer graphite gasket? not like i'm going turbo),

ss brake lines

an alternator and starter and alt. belt,

an obd0-1 conversion harness,

a p28 ecu,

fluids (oil, coolant, filter, trans fluid, all honda stuff of course)

dizzy/plugs/wires,

a thermostat (oem honda one ftw!)

axles (autozone will do)

a new front sway bar since mine when missing, and if i can find one a rear sway bar from an si as well,

motor mounts,

headers and a cat,

title swapped/registered/ tagged in my name

a clutch

head studs

a battery, aaaaaaand

hatch struts.

maybe new rings, bearings and a fresh hone if it's not all within specs.

also, i need to replace all my bushings eventualy, as they're starting to look cracked and wont last forever.

will post pix of the whip when i get some stuff installed, right now i keep getting parts but am not actualy working on putting stuff together (every time i go out to the garage my g/f demands that i go do something w her instead, as she claims to be jelous of the honda... even though we live together... pffffffff)

 

hey can i trade you something for that EX dizzy you got today?? im keeping the car ODB0 and running turboedit on her....PLEASE RYAN! oh and F*** you for getting the side markers lol

 

dude, they were 20 bux plus 10 bux shipping on ebay from newzeland. lolz.

sorry, i need the dizzy for my dx for the mpfi swap. i'll keep an eye out @ damascus tomorrow tho for one for ya k?

 

I cAn HaS tEh SpEaKuRz? lolz, a pair of kenwood 6x9's, and two pairs of polk audio 6.5's... i found all three pairs in an accord and the ex i got my big brakes off of.

also i finaly got the manifold from the ex for my dx... now all i need is a ps9 ecu... and to swap the harnesses to mpfi

 

when you asked i had gotten a d16a6 short block, it's mated si trans w shifter and linkage, da integra rear disc swap, and some misc. interior pieces.

since then i have gotten 98% full gray/black dx cloth interior (missing a speaker cover, window cranks, the rear speaker brackets and the hatch cover), a6 dizzy, intake manifold, tb, da and a6 injectors, 15/16ths mc, two 40/40 prop valves, ex knuckles w new pads and calipers, new fenders, hood, hatch, doors, bumper, bumper filler, headlights, bumper lights, a TON of bolts, misc. speakers, mudflaps, wipers, visors, and probably other stuff. i'ma start putting stuff back together this weekend, so i can find out what all i still need to get.

mostly down to engine work. next payday i'm buying an engine stand, and will be pulling my motor out of the closet and tearing into it to check clearances.

 

ypu suck lol if you find one jack it for me and ill trade you for it...or it can be my christmas present eh eh?

 

bah no such luck w the dizzy's, damascus has like, NO hondas there (ok they do, just mostly accords.)

but i DID manage to pick up:
front and rear sway bars from an si,

a cluster cover from a 90-91 civic hatch that's blue so it matches my dash,

a strait front cross member for my orange dx, working hatch struts (that's a bonus!),

another black speaker grill for my dx,

a grip of random bolts,

and an oem radio mounting bracket, so i don't have to use the ghetto-fied one that came w my interior swap.

i'm doing some research on how to swap from an 88/89 to a 90/91 style cluster setup. might go install some ish on my car tonight, might not, it's pretty cold, and i'm pretty tired... maybe i'll wake up CRAZY early and work on it then...

 

hey, theres nothing wrong with stock LCA's

looks great so far man.

 

thanks for trading the dizzy for htose fogs and cluster last night ryan. your really helping me out.; now i just need to finish the tuck, mpfi conversion, throw the engine together and bang im rollin. when do you wanna start working on the mpfi conversion? oh and im picking up prelude forgs today and trading them for the seats and armrest. my buddy has a **** load of ef and DA parts ill see if i can get you anything

 

3 things...
1. nice *****, going all out on a build like that!
2. where the f*ck are you getting the funds for this??
3. listen to your friend apekd and pleeeeeeeeease dont screw it up with the underglow!!

good luck!

 

HAHAHAHAHAH! told you to just sell it to the mexicans down the street man! hey ill be by tonight with that book and the tail lights got it?


oh and anyone on here wanting to buy and sell something with DCRB, trust him...and if he doesnt go through, ill beat him up lol jus kidding ryan