word up yo! vintage civic love.
09-20-2007, 03:33 AM
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09-20-2007, 09:31 AM
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Re: word up yo! vintage civic love. (E-AT_me)
I have both a 1st Gen CRX Si and the latest version of the Si, a '07 Civic Si sedan (FA5). I can see the progression of the Si line siting in my driveway and I ahve a perspective on how the Si has evolved over the last 20+ years.
The FA5 is mostly stock and frankly does not need a lot of improvement. Vtec, Traction Control, OEM LSD and the Ace body structure all combine to create the car I have always hoped for. At age 51, I have been waiting for this type of car since I started driving 35 years ago.
My '87 CRX Si can be considered the Version 1.1 of the Si. The '85 CRX Si was the very first Si offered in the USDM and Honda made some slight changes in the 1986 year that got carried intact to the '87 model year.
While the latest Si is damned near perfect out of the box, the orginal Si needs a few "improvements." Structurally, the old Si's body rigidity leaves a lot to be desired. Strut tower braces can only hjelp so much, a full roll cage maybe the only way to get the body rigid enough to meet current standards. Traction control was only a distant dream back in the '80s Hondas, while my old car now features a CSP-worthy susepnsion and DOT R-spec tires on 13x6 wheels, the newer car can match or excede the old car, even on street tires with the traction control and OEM LSD that comes standard on the Si.
Maybe the only spot where the old car has the advantage over the new car is in throttle response. The new car's throttle by wire is not a big problem; some off throttle issues have been mentioned by new Si owners, but I find I have become used to "throttle lag" which is similar to feeling like old-fashioned turbo lag.
Rather, the on throttle responce of the old car is crisper than the new car. This is a combination of the new car's Vtec which takes some pretty high engine rpms before it engages, and that the old car is half a ton lighter. Oh, and did I mention that I rebuilt the stock EW engine to make 33% more power than stock? The power to weight ratio of both cars is fairly similar, but the old car does get moving quickly.
The other advantage that the old car has is the trasnmission. While the new car's trasnmission features 6 forward speeds and a LSD, the old car's 5 speed with a Mugen LSD that I have added shifts more smoothly. I am a bit of a traditionalst, the gear ratios of the 5 speed seem to be more user friendly that the newer 6 speed and the newer trasnmission still features throws longer than I would like AFTER the installation of a short shift kit.
But in balance, the new car is far superior in every comfort and performance measure. I love my old Honda and race the snot out of it on the track, but for a daily driver the new car can not be beat.
Scott
The FA5 is mostly stock and frankly does not need a lot of improvement. Vtec, Traction Control, OEM LSD and the Ace body structure all combine to create the car I have always hoped for. At age 51, I have been waiting for this type of car since I started driving 35 years ago.
My '87 CRX Si can be considered the Version 1.1 of the Si. The '85 CRX Si was the very first Si offered in the USDM and Honda made some slight changes in the 1986 year that got carried intact to the '87 model year.
While the latest Si is damned near perfect out of the box, the orginal Si needs a few "improvements." Structurally, the old Si's body rigidity leaves a lot to be desired. Strut tower braces can only hjelp so much, a full roll cage maybe the only way to get the body rigid enough to meet current standards. Traction control was only a distant dream back in the '80s Hondas, while my old car now features a CSP-worthy susepnsion and DOT R-spec tires on 13x6 wheels, the newer car can match or excede the old car, even on street tires with the traction control and OEM LSD that comes standard on the Si.
Maybe the only spot where the old car has the advantage over the new car is in throttle response. The new car's throttle by wire is not a big problem; some off throttle issues have been mentioned by new Si owners, but I find I have become used to "throttle lag" which is similar to feeling like old-fashioned turbo lag.
Rather, the on throttle responce of the old car is crisper than the new car. This is a combination of the new car's Vtec which takes some pretty high engine rpms before it engages, and that the old car is half a ton lighter. Oh, and did I mention that I rebuilt the stock EW engine to make 33% more power than stock? The power to weight ratio of both cars is fairly similar, but the old car does get moving quickly.
The other advantage that the old car has is the trasnmission. While the new car's trasnmission features 6 forward speeds and a LSD, the old car's 5 speed with a Mugen LSD that I have added shifts more smoothly. I am a bit of a traditionalst, the gear ratios of the 5 speed seem to be more user friendly that the newer 6 speed and the newer trasnmission still features throws longer than I would like AFTER the installation of a short shift kit.
But in balance, the new car is far superior in every comfort and performance measure. I love my old Honda and race the snot out of it on the track, but for a daily driver the new car can not be beat.
Scott
09-21-2007, 11:52 AM
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Re: word up yo! vintage civic love. (86si)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 86si »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">wow really cool write up. is that your car eat-me?</TD></TR></TABLE>
yes it is mine
no typo, it is "rice" and "racial" together.
look for "Civics Lesson" in features.
yes it is mine
no typo, it is "rice" and "racial" together.
look for "Civics Lesson" in features.
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