garf

Hello new friends!

So I picked up a bone stock em1 civic with 143k one it (148k currently). It will be my new track car for Road Atlanta and Atlanta Motorsports Park the next few seasons. So far my plan of action is below. This will start after I sort out some ticking issues (best guess is the LMA's).

Brakes - Brembo blank rotors, Hawk hps pads, dot4 brake fluid
Tires/wheels - 15x7 Kosei k1 racing, 195/50/15 Hankook Rs4's
Suspension - Eibach pro kit spring and shock
Seat - Corbeau Forza seat

Here's the question. Depending on cost to get the engine sorted. I may have to choose between suspension or seat. my current oem seat works for daily but I've never used anything this flat on track before. What is the better move for the first two track days? I'll have both by the end of the season regardless.

Also, any tips or suggestions are of course welcome. Pic of my car (any my old track car next to it) below for attention.

KoRn_vIRuZ

I'd go suspension first and seat second. You may also want something a little bit more aggressive than Eibach Pro-kit for the track.

It would actually be good to track it once stock, so you can feel the improvement.

garf

Any suggestions for some more aggressive around that price? And yea I considered staying on stock suspension for the first run, but I know the suspension is original and I'm sure it could use replacing soon any ways. I've run Road Atlanta before in my mustang and am a bit worried about old front shocks coming into turn 10a. Plan is to run on a cheaper/softer suspension while I get the rest of the car sorted. Then get a proper track set up in a year or so. I will have plenty to learn even with soft springs and shocks.

S2k@9K

iTrader: (3)

You can do the ol' Ground Control/Koni Yellow setup and choose your rates. An Integra seat will have a little more bolster and sit lower than the Em1 seat and you can probably source a set locally for less than $100, in the meantime. Also, can go with a little meatier 205/50/15 tire setup without issue.

garf

I've looked into GC/Koni's and they're $1,100 which is almost double what I'm looking to spend unfortunately. Also, RS4's only come in 195 or 225 no 205's. plus I'd like a harder sidewall if possible. But great call on the integra seat. Didn't think about that.

S2k@9K

iTrader: (3)

You should be able to come out cheaper on the GC/Koni setup. I think I ended up putting together a set for around $700, after some shopping around. I would also suggest going on stock suspension first as well, unless your shocks are blown. You will find some issues on your runs and know what needs to be upgraded. Chances are you're going to need to replace some bushings once you start digging into it. The Integra seats are much better, but, I still slide around a bit and have to adjust @ 130 lbs.

S2k@9K

iTrader: (3)

You will also be fine to use your stock rotors/pads to start off (assuming they are in good conditon) and upgrading the fluid. I've been using brembo blanks, stock pads and ATE type 200 brake fluid and haven't had any brake issues thus far.

sjg88

Progressive makes a slightly cheaper kit

https://www.progressauto.com/product.../productID/779

Id go with a stock setup for the time being though

KoRn_vIRuZ

A good thing about a Koni or Bilstein + GC setup is that you can buy the shocks first, use them with the stock springs for a while, and then later buy the GC coilover kit.
Saves you from spending money twice.

One thing you can save on is the wheels. You can use the stock wheels for now and direct the money towards suspension.

Car looks super clean by the way. I am jelly.

killerpenguin21

ive got a second set of GC collars sitting around. they were for my integra, but if theyd fit your shocks make me an offer if youd like.

iwannarace

Here's you economic set up
Brakes - current rotors, or cheapest blanks you can get, Hawk hp+ pads (or more aggressive), High temp brake fluid
Tires/wheels - current rims, 195/50/15 Hankook Rs4's
Suspension - used GC/Koni (as firm as you're willing to go),
Seat - stock seat.

Upgrade the seat when you can also afford a roll bar and harness and maybe a HANs device.

mx621

i went through the same thing last year while assembling my track/hpde only integra.

napa blank rotors/napa gold new front calipers/hawk dtc 60 pads, generic metallic rear pads
progress cs2 550/650lb coilovers, progress 22mm sway bar ( sway bar is worth about 1.5 seconds )
kosie k1's 15x7, toyo r888r 205/50/15.

6 track days, 33 sessions in 2017. rotors are heat checked/surface cracked really good, pads are done, tires at the wear bars.
extremely happy with the cars handling/braking most of my track days were above 80 deg, two over 90 deg.. zero brake fade. but im also running a turd b20 non vtec.
im an average intermediate level driver, nothing special. car handles great, no front end push, but rotates when provoked. ive hit the curbing pretty hard and the coilovers do not upset the car. i had the GC/koni setup on my last integra wanted to try something diff.

here are a few vids from last year to give you a reference. the longer vid i battle/run with a few porshe's/bmw's

garf

I don't actually know the brakes condition as far as miles go (though they look decent from a visual standpoint). I already have 2 cans of ATE type 200 left over from my mustang :D so its getting changed for free! The big reason for the brake upgrade is simple. I've had brake fade at RA before and its terrifying. I know it's like this for basically all tracks but it feels like everywhere you need brakes there is where the walls are a bit to close either in from of you or beside lol

garf

Used GC's is a great idea! and I would love to use the stock wheels for my track tires but (again with the excuses I know) this is my daily until the end of summer and I'll need something to commute to work on. the K1's are $125 a wheel which is crazy cheap from where I'm coming from (spent $900 on some 19x10's for the mustang). Hawk hp+ is also great choice. I've never gone full "race" pads because of the noise, but it would be a good option!

garf

I drove from the bottom of Tennessee to Ohio (6 hr one way) and back in one day to get it lol Had been looking for over a year for a civic that wasn't dogged.

Cory man

I agree with this plan. I, too just picked up a stock EM1 and will be using it for mostly the same purpose, track day events and auto-x. I had to start with a seat swap since I didnt fit in the car with a helmet on with the stock seats. Del Sol seats are the lowest option but Integra seats are more plentiful. Swapping seat rails is all thats needed so its a bolt on affair. My setup will be Koni's on lowest perch with stock springs, summer tires and a big rear swaybar and brace. Good luck in your "build".

iwannarace

This. My set up is very similar but stock sway bar. I think I'm up to 550/700 on my cs2. and this year I moved to 245/40/15's, down from 16's. Car handles well. Keep. It. Simple.

sjg88

make sure you replace all the bushings..its what im doing on my integra now.

any car with > 100K miles on it is most likely gonna need to have all the bushings/endlinks replaced for track duty

garf

For sure. Good place to get a full set or is it better to just look are for bits a pieces? I've actually never owned a car this old let alone tracked it so replacing bushing is new to me :D

sjg88

I went to with the Energy Suspension polyurethane kit

you could just buy new control arms and whatnot from rock auto and they have all the bushings pressed in already. its prob cheaper to do it that way since you need to factor in getting a shop to press them in..unless you can do it yourself.

mx621

all my bushings are still original.. the hardrace complete bushing kit is on my radar

S2k@9K

iTrader: (3)

I went with all new OEM arms/bushings. I heard somewhere along the way Honda changed the compound and they are more comparable to the hardness of Mugen bushings. The markings on some of them were different than the originals, but, can't quote if they were any stiffer. The originals had 170k, so it was an upgrade nonetheless.

iwannarace

x2 250k+ miles on my stock bushings. Sure new bushings would be great, but more track time will make me faster than replacing the bushings at this stage. Likely the same for you (or anyone who hasn't mastered this yet).

S2k@9K

iTrader: (3)

sjg88

well maybe i should of said..check your bushings/ball joints before hand and replace what's needed to be replaced for safety reasons..not so much for making your laptimes faster lol

143K miles isnt that high so they still may be in somewhat good condtion..i took the sway bar off my integra and the end link shattered as i was removing it.

id hate to have a ball joint snap on the track