As much as I'd love a Mini Cooper in HS, the honda fanboi in me is really, really drawing me back towards the H-badge.

So I started thinking about looking for an EF Si. I'd do it right though, refresh everything. New clutch, new bushings, new brake pads/rotors/braided lines, new engine.

I'm thinking that I would end up spending less 'building' a HS Si than I would just buying a Mini. I'm sure I could get the car, aluminium bodied koni's, couple sets of wheels, sway bar, and all the work for ~12k, and thats a high estimate.

What do you guys think? Stick with Mini or stay true to Honda

 

i know of one that is for sale if you're interested. it won the 03 pro finale. koni sports converted to da's, kodiak wheels, big front bar, etc. don't know a price, but if you're interested i could find out for you.

nate

 

please do where is this car located? its chang's Si isn't it?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by carl_aka_carlos &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I'm sure I could get the car, aluminium bodied koni's, couple sets of wheels, sway bar, and all the work for ~12k, and thats a high estimate.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

I think you could spend half that much! Nobody can say if it would be as competitive, but it would be great to keep you around in the Honda community.

 

like I said, that's an overestimate. but, things like koni's and volks ain't cheap

 

yeah, it's chang's car. i'll check with him tomorrow.

nate

 

Tough choice...

If BMW switched to a Peugeot-sourced engine for 2005 (as was mentioned in a few mainstream magazines a year or so ago) instead of sticking with the South American market Chrysler lump in there now, I'd suggest the MINI for HS... I've said many times that this factor was the only thing that kept me from buying a Cooper S already. The factory LSD option for 2005 makes that model enticing (for DS), but that whole Chrysler thing turns me off personally.

The HS Cooper is still a very good autocross car though and loses nothing to the GS Cooper S (non-LSD models) as I have driven some meagerly set up examples here in NJ and have come away impressed. I even pondered what I'd be capable of in a properly sorted one of my own.

However, if you can truly "restore" a 4th generation car to the level you seek for under $10000 (including autocross hop-ups), then go for it. The other benefit of the Civic is an easy transition to STS / STX or CSP or even SM. Such a move would be tougher in the MINI as the base model would have to be infused with cash to make it a good STS or CSP car, and I wouldn't even see the benefit of making one into a SM car.

 

I was under the impression that even the LSD equipped MCS was going to be in G-stock.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by carl_aka_carlos &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">As much as I'd love a Mini Cooper in HS, the honda fanboi in me is really, really drawing me back towards the H-badge.

So I started thinking about looking for an EF Si. I'd do it right though, refresh everything. New clutch, new bushings, new brake pads/rotors/braided lines, new engine.

I'm thinking that I would end up spending less 'building' a HS Si than I would just buying a Mini. I'm sure I could get the car, aluminium bodied koni's, couple sets of wheels, sway bar, and all the work for ~12k, and thats a high estimate.

What do you guys think? Stick with Mini or stay true to Honda
</TD></TR></TABLE>

If you are a poor college kid, forget HS or any stock class and goto STS. Ask me how I know...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by PseudoRealityX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">If you are a poor college kid, forget HS or any stock class and goto STS. Ask me how I know...</TD></TR></TABLE>

I did that with my integra, and I was still spending a **** ton of money. I'm pretty sure that I would have the same re-occuring expenses with a stock class car as I did with my STS Integra.

Carl, who recently added up the grand total he spent on his STS car and was surprised by how much it was

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by carl_aka_carlos &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I did that with my integra, and I was still spending a **** ton of money. I'm pretty sure that I would have the same re-occuring expenses with a stock class car as I did with my STS Integra.

Carl, who recently added up the grand total he spent on his STS car and was surprised by how much it was </TD></TR></TABLE>

I don't see how, but ok

Jesse
-850 dollar sets of tires that last 40 runs and are only good on runs #5-32
-lost 2nd place at Nationals due to runs #34-40
-went through 2.5 sets of Hoosiers all year... but ran the car at fewer than 10 events on race tires.

 

Carl,

Do it.

I'm personally still convinced that an 89 Civic Si can win HS. Its way lighter than the Mini and the power-to-weight is similar. Yes, a Mini can transition with the best of them, but a Civic can be set up to do the same. The place you will kill the Mini is in sweepers. The lack of camber on the Mini is its achilles heel.

The downside, and the reason I haven't done it myself, is that you spend at least a couple $K getting the car back to "new" levels of performance. You'll have to go through the motor, the entire suspension and the entire braking system. Then you'll have to fix whatever other dumb stuff is either missing or broken. It adds up fast. Once all of that it done, its quite a simple matter to bolt on some good Koni SPSS shocks, straightpipe exhaust, K&N drop-in and lightweight wheels/tires.

BTW, for wheels, get the Volk CE-28N. Here's a link: http://www.rayswheels.co.jp/cg...CE28N I had these in 14x5.5" for my ES Miata and they only weighed 6.5 lbs!! In a 14x5, they are likely to only weigh 6 lbs!! That's some serious rotational weight loss.

--Andy

 

carl, here is a little more information on chang's car:

91 Civic Si setup for SCCA HS

Integra front swaybar
Koni DA's
1 set custom Kodiak three-peice wheels
1 set OEM wheels
2 new front hoosiers never mounted
4 used hoosiers (i'm not positive, but there MIGHT even be a set of used Dirt Stockers on the OEM wheels. i know he had some mounted on those wheels last year, not sure if he's keeping them though)
fresh rebuilt transmission
new clutch and brakes
Redline, Mobil1, Motul RBF 600

this car is without a/c and has the stereo delete

he's asking $5k for it.

if you're still interested i can relay any contact info you need, just PM me.

nate

ps. it'll out transition even a mini from what i've seen

 

Nate-

That price is right. How fast is Chang looking to unload the civic? Gotta talk to the sponsors tonight......

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Andy Hollis &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Carl,

Do it.

--Andy</TD></TR></TABLE>

This just might happen.....

But yeah, between shocks and sway bar I don't see how you couldn't make a Civic Si out-slalom a mini

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by carl_aka_carlos &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Nate-

That price is right. How fast is Chang looking to unload the civic? Gotta talk to the sponsors tonight......

</TD></TR></TABLE>

he's playing in STX next year in a different car, so you won't be waiting on him. i'll PM you his work number.

nate

 

Chang in STX, huh??? Too bad KC isn't in STX anymore--those would have been some nice battles. What's his new ride in STX?

 

I'm going out on a limb here, but I bet it's anothe EF Si

 

yep, another EF. just to give you guys a bit of an idea how bad hollis, ken/jason, and kevin are underrating the weight of their cars , chang's STX 89 Si was under 2100lbs with the quaife, a/c, stereo, 40lb exhaust, 15lb wheels, stock battery and stock swaybars. and it wasn't _just_ under either, it was quite a ways down. so guys, just how light ARE your cars? my guess is high 19xx's.

chris, if you had shown up for the last event of the season (you fair weather fairy!!! ) you would have been able to see all of chang's cars in action. he showed up with 3 EF's. his HS car, his STX car, and his B17 powered SM car. keith drove the STX car to a commanding win, cliff drove the HS car to an equally impressive win, while chang lost to his co-driver in the SM car. the STX car with keith at the wheel was as fast as the SM car on dirt stockers. meanwhile, me and ken did our best impressions of a top in my car on bald, beat up, 2yr old falkens.

nate

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by solo-x &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">the STX car with keith at the wheel was as fast as the SM car on dirt stockers. meanwhile, me and ken did our best impressions of a top in my car on bald, beat up, 2yr old falkens.

nate</TD></TR></TABLE>Chang got me by a 1/2 second.

http://www.ner.org/soloII/solo...w.htm

The STX Civic that Chang has.... my 1st time driving it... and I had a ball with it and I'd drive it next year in a heartbeat... if I didn't already have the 8. (I think it would be quicker than the WRXs around a course.)

I'd love to run it a couple times next year. In the back of my head I keep weighing a co-drive in that car for this year while others 'develop' their 8s and I learn from their mistakes, or work on developing the 8 myself for this year (which is good to be ahead of the game).

 

I love it. Chang is finally doing what I have wanted to do since STX came out. I have been saying that Civic would be quite interesting in with a Quaife and fully prepped to STX rules.

Man I can not wait to see how he does with it.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by solo-x &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">chris, if you had shown up for the last event of the season (you fair weather fairy!!! ) you would have been able to see all of chang's cars in action. he showed up with 3 EF's. his HS car, his STX car, and his B17 powered SM car. keith drove the STX car to a commanding win, cliff drove the HS car to an equally impressive win, while chang lost to his co-driver in the SM car. the STX car with keith at the wheel was as fast as the SM car on dirt stockers. meanwhile, me and ken did our best impressions of a top in my car on bald, beat up, 2yr old falkens.

nate</TD></TR></TABLE>

That sounds badass. I'd like to see the rise of STX Hondas in general. Maybe you should htink about a quaife.

If the last event was at NHIS, I never tend to make that drive. But yeah--cold rain leaves a bad taste in my mouth (or is it hypothermia?)

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Crosser &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I love it. Chang is finally doing what I have wanted to do since STX came out. I have been saying that Civic would be quite interesting in with a Quaife and fully prepped to STX rules.

Man I can not wait to see how he does with it.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

Take this from a slow guy...

I believe I was doing quite well until the NE Divisionals came around... Any course that allows the WRX's or Cooper S' to stretch their legs, especially on a lot with elevation changes (cough...Ripken Stadium remember Eric... cough), will be devastating for Civics. At some point in time, power becomes an issue and I witnessed that firsthand. No matter how much better my car behaved through the technical sections, a fast start on Saturday at that event put me permanently behind the eight ball. I knew then that SM was in my future... Even though I will never be as good as Chris Travis.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by honda93 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Take this from a slow guy...

I believe I was doing quite well until the NE Divisionals came around... Any course that allows the WRX's or Cooper S' to stretch their legs, especially on a lot with elevation changes (cough...Ripken Stadium remember Eric... cough), will be devastating for Civics. At some point in time, power becomes an issue and I witnessed that firsthand. No matter how much better my car behaved through the technical sections, a fast start on Saturday at that event put me permanently behind the eight ball. I knew then that SM was in my future... Even though I will never be as good as Chris Travis.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I think it (something set up like Changs) actually can do as well as the WRXs in the dry (and kill them in the wet) after having owned one of the faster WRXs... and driving Changs.

--kC

 

I still agree with honda93. I think on a more wide open course, the Civics just aren't going to have enough power in STX considering the higher HP cars that are in there. On a tight course they will be more than fine, but with something that needs power, forget about it.

And for some reason, seems the new trend on the national level is power courses. Maybe that will change.