jacx

I am obviously new here but I wanted other's opinions on whether or not m civic is a real SI. Before i purchased it I checked all the vins and they match, EM1 all around but the car lacked certain SI features. It had an engine swap to a b20b with gsr tranny and short shifter but it has a small ac compressor. The ac compressor for the b series from what I have seen are much larger. The SI badge on back was removed supposedly so as to not advertise that its an SI to minimize attention (thats what last owner said). It does have the SI spoiler but was painted black for some odd reason (it has some chips and the blue shows underneath. The big thing that caught my attention though is that it isnt all disc brakes, the rear are drums. Also the doors are not original to the car. So was i cheated or is everything ok? Ill try and post some pictures.

B_Swapped93

Sounds like someone was trying to make an em1 "trying" how they got ALL em1 vin's i'm not sure pick n pull or stolen....

jacx

TypeRfit

iTrader: (6)

Iirc em1s had disc all around no?

B_Swapped93

Yes just like the GS-R/ITR^^

I'm sorry but that really looks bad...no way that is/was a Si/SiR no ABS you missed that. Are those even the correct mounts ?

jacx

I decided now to get a carfax on the vin, yea i should have checked before but ill see what I find. Also how hard would it be to change all the vins. the engine bay seems like a challenge and the one by windshield doesnt look tampered.

tlarimer

iTrader: (3)

What does the VIN stamped into the firewall say? It may be a EM1 theft recovery shell and they didn't put rear disc brakes back on during the rebuild. Is it a salvaged title?

jacx

engine bay has em1 vin same as all around the car except doors as they are not original. title is clean, does not say salvage or rebuilt

B_Swapped93

I'm going to agree with this^

while it says clean title it will say that if the PO didn't report it afaik im not sure what's going on with that car

tlarimer

iTrader: (3)

Run the carfax, if it's not a theft recovery or salvaged title, someone picked specific parts off it, then sold it.

99 should have VIN stickers on every panel, fenders, trunk, hood, doors. If these parts don't have matching VIN stickers, than it tells you it was put back together, either from theft or accident.

emergencybm

iTrader: (1)

This is a salvage/theft OR someone blew the motor and parted the car out then sold the shell and it was put back together in the bargain bin

emergencybm

iTrader: (1)

hope you no pay SI money

jacx

I got the carfax which says guaranteed no theft, salvage, fire, hail, etc. It had 5 owners, im the 5th. 1st owner had it for 9 years , 2 for 4 years, 3 for 11 months, 4 for 1 month and now me.

B_Swapped93

jacx

What would you guys consider SI money?
4.2 too much?
Also how hard/expensive and how long to convert back to rear discs?

EGxBoostFiend

I knew a guy that wrecked his old Monte Carlo SS, he had liabilty coverage. So he bought a clean base model shell and swapped vin numbers and all the usable parts over. He later sold the car as an SS. Not saying thats what happened in your case, but i know it happens fairly often

jacx

Ill go with that option.

Marvin1985

iTrader: (5)

Owner 3 or 4 bought it. Took motor and brakes. Sold quick for a few extra and ripped you off at $4.2k. Does it have the original tranny?

emergencybm

iTrader: (1)

Thats subjective.
For this car yes.
A few hundred and an afternoon. Not too diffucult.

tlarimer

iTrader: (3)

There's something hinky with the "clean" title of the car then. Unreported damage, vandalism or one of the previous owners stripped parts and sold it to an unknowing buyer as a clean Si, which it is definitely not.

It is what it is at this point. Rear disc conversion typically can be had for under $200 here in So.Cali. It's plug and play, remove old drum, bolt up replacement rear disc, replace e brake cables with EM1 cables

B_Swapped93

You over paid by at least 1.5-2K with the shape it's in with a stock b20b

emergencybm

iTrader: (1)

MY EJ8: accident-old clip+orthia conversion= new face/clean title

jacx

I dont know if tranny is original. I doubt it though. Also i just remembered something that made me second guess its authenticity. I tried to replace rotors and pads with some i bought online but the rotors were much bigger than the ones it had on and I had to get smaller rotors from autozone and return the other ones
Also this car is just so I can drive to the police academy until I graduate and start working after which ill be able to afford a newer everyday car and this one will be a toy to play with and add boost and other goodies

tlarimer

iTrader: (3)

If it's the original trans it will have a green VIN tag riveted on the bell housing right next the where the engine code B20 is.

Sounds like they took the complete brake system and swapped it with a Dx/Lx, which has smaller front discs, 9.5" I believe versus the EM1 10.2" if I remember correctly and rear drum brakes.

jacx

O well thanks everyone for the help. I leave it as is and bring it up to original specs after i graduate. in the meantime as long as it runs fine for the next 6 months i'll be happy.