I just recently sold my 2005 Dodge SRT-4 with 35,000 miles 250whp and 290wtq, progress springs, maddog 72% short throw shifter (entire assembly), Bwoody upper and lower motor mounts, agp waste gate actuator, 3" cti side exit exhaust and 20% window tint. The car handled well, had the power to take a lightly modded EVO/STi from anything but a dig and has a stock quaife LSD. I was looking to get into an Integra GSR, 99-00 Civic Si or 97-02 Prelude SH and I was wondering how well they do at the autocross. I know the Integra Type R is rediculously successful but I woudln't be buying one of them, I am basing how well they would do with springs, sway bars and strut bars, I do not want a coilover set up because typically it is too choppy for daily driving. I know these cars are front wheel drive and that is not ideal for road courses or autocross but there light. I have not decided weather I want to go SC, TC or built NA but I would like to clean up one of the following and probobly would neglect to install an LSD to save money and also was wondering how the car will handle the stock bolt on power without one, the 200-250whp turbo or supercharged hp without one or the 200-250whp NA power without one on the road course. Keep in mind I am not devoted to the track, but I would like to take it and see how it'd do at the drag strip or the road courses. I am under the impression these cars can be driven hard, thrown around and not really give you many problems with reliability. I would like the track pros and cons of the following cars.

1997-2002 Prelude SH:
1994-2000 Integra GSR:
1999-2000 Civic Si:

Thanks

 

The Type-SH handles well for it's weight, but it's still heavy after stripping down. This is the ideal choice for daily driving comforts and luxury with track events on weekends.
It has the ATTS differential, but is limited on power upgrades past the regular boltons and piggyback systems.


A GSR has a lot of aftermarket potential for the engine and suspension, it gets pretty light after being stripped, but no USDM sourced LSD is available in any GSR stock. For track only use, this is your best bet.


A Civic Si has a smaller displacement and less power than the GSR. There's lighter versions of this that would be better so this isn't really a good platform if you're already looking at the GSR.


Personally, I have the Type-SH, but that's because it's used for daily driving as well as track events. If I were using something just for track use though, I'd go with the GSR out of your options list.

 

You really don't want to boost a Honda and drive it on road courses. I did it for a couple of years with my ITR, it was painful. You spend half your time at the track replacing brakes, half your time playing "Spot the oil leak!" game, half your time playing the "Fire! Fire!" game, and the last half you get to watch your piston ringlands slowly evaporate as your compression approaches zero. Search for old posts by me, by Dr Pooface, and others.

I'd stay away from ATTS (Prelude Super Handling!) It gives you less options to upgrade the diff/replace the tranny later.

I'd stay away from Preludes. They're all effin' heavy. My 4th gen is really lightened (gutted doors, no e-brake, no lights, no heater core, lighter brakes, etc.) and still I need to lose some weight to get to 2400 lbs with me in it. Pain in the ***. Brakes are pretty decent, same size as the ITR.

The GSR brakes suck for the track, but they're acceptable for a mostly-stock GSR with racing brake pads.

The Civic Si is a 1.6L.. fun, but well... ya know...

I wouldn't drag race any of them. A car good at drag racing probably will suck at road racing, and vice versa, unless you're really pouring money at it. My old ITR ran a 13.2, probably could have done better with a decent set of tires and a driver. It sucked on the track too.

Yeah dude, supercharge a Miata or something. It'll be faster.

 

get a swapped CRX Si gut it, put a roll bar in it, keep the sunroof working, and you'll have a nice smile on your face... driving to work, to the track, and driving around the track! Just keep the swap simple... JDM B16 with LSD... and you are good to go!

 

All three of those cars suck.

Have you considered a Miata instead? CRX?

200+whp in a car that made 140 originally is going to break parts and be expensive to run regardless of what make the car is. These cars break and cost money when you beat them to death just like anything else.

 

have you considered.....SEARCHING!? maybe look at honda-challange results for the most popular chassis used. maybe pay attension to what chassis you see most at the track. seriously, all these 'how is this, which is better' posts have got to stop.

 

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

Yeah dude, supercharge a Miata or something. It'll be faster.</TD></TR></TABLE>

haha! i had one of those, but removed the pile of **** JRSC. if your gonna road race, NA is best, less worry, more fun. autoxing a miata is great. and you can know for a fact that the reason you arent winning is because its you, the driver btw, removing the jrsc from my mostly stock miata dropped my times by a few seconds and quite a few places in placement in autox. good cars! totally off topic now...sorry...

 

If I were you I would get a del sol VTEC. 1994-1997 were available with B16's and they are fun cars, I have one . They are relatively lightweight (a little heavier than EG sedans) and come equipped with B-series stock. Get one of these, some Konis and Eibach Springs, and have a blast

 

You can just buy my civic, re-do the cage and build one of my spare trans and go racing

 

S2k??????


Track worthy, DD worthy, Drop top for some nice cold Maine afternoons, RWD, boostable.

 

too expensive

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Targa250R &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">200+whp in a car that made 140 originally is going to break parts and be expensive to run regardless of what make the car is. These cars break and cost money when you beat them to death just like anything else.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Exactly. It was a lot of fun to run my turbo Integra, and it was quick enough to impress a lot of people, but it definitely comes with it's share of headaches. Going through tires all the time, and cracking cast iron exhaust manifolds, got old really fast. I was easily willing to give up the power and switch to the 944-spec car that I'm driving this year. It may not have a ton of power, but there's actually competition in it's class (sponsor $$$ too), the brakes are way better, the wheels and tires are wider, it's RWD, and it'll even be cheaper to maintain (on a related subject, it still amazes me how I can buy Porsche parts for less money than the street ricers are spending on JDM garbage). In any case, my turbo Integra shall be just an occasional Time Trials car, because that's the practical limit of a turbo Honda... yes, you can get them to hold together and do really well on the road course, but maintenance costs are high and you still end up with broken parts and a lot of wear.

 

If you're going to modify the car, a base prelude is a better starting point.