My Project/Daily Driver 95 Integra
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Joined: Sep 2004
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From: Reno, Nevada, USA
My Project/Daily Driver 95 Integra
Hey everyone. I've been a lurker here ever since I bought my Integra. I've made all sorts of stupid, moronic posts, asked downright retarded questions, and made simple discussions far longer and more complicated than they needed to be. Regardless, I'd like to think that I've learned a lot here, and that I can sometimes steer a lost newbie in the right direction.
I got flamed pretty badly for the first pictures I posted of my car; this was deserved, as the car was totally trashed. Well, I finally have a presentable ride that I am somewhat proud of.
So, without further ado, on with the show!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I bought the car in May of 2004, my sophomore year of high school. I had received my license a few months prior, and my grandfather (who did nothing but save money his whole life) offered to buy me any car for up to $5000 as long as it was Japanese (like he was
). I spent a long time looking for the right car. At first I was hell-bent on finding a Civic sedan with a manual transmission. I liked the functionality of a sedan, and I wanted to be proficient at driving a standard trans. Well, apparently no one bought anything in this configuration, so I didn't find anything for a few months.
One fateful day, my dad saw a pair of Integras in the newspaper. We went to check them out, and I really liked them. For some reason unknown to me, I skipped over a red GSR with a black interior in favor of a black LS with a tan interior. Guess what the two things I hate most about my car are? Yup, you got it; it's not a GSR, and it doesn't have the black interior. Doh!
Anyway, the car I ended up buying was a 95 LS coupe, black /w tan interior, 5 speed manual for $4700. The only major problems were a tear on the back of the driver's seat and some oxidation on the roof between the sunroof and the windshield (more on this later). Here are some pictures I snapped the following summer (summer 05).
It didn't change much, except for the dent in the left fender (backed in to a Chevy Tahoe
) and the oxidation. The last picture shows how bad it was; it was like that on the roof, hood, decklid, and working it's way down the quarters and fenders. This was about the time I stopped caring about how it looked. I'd wash it every few weeks, but not much more.
Somewhere along the line I put in a Pioneer CD player (which later was stolen) and lined the interior with sound deadener (really stupid move; if anything, it got LOUDER inside , and I never finished my kickin' sound system ). I also picked up some 16" Rota Grids (expletive the haters ) in gunmetal with Yokohama AVS ES100s, or something to that tune. I really like the wheels, but unfortunately, I was too stupid to drive a car with nice rims (and let my girlfriend drive my car; she curbed them more than I did with 5% of the seat time that I had). I also had the windows tinted 25% front/5% rear (my favorite 'mod') and added an SRI /w K&N filter (mostly for sound, not performance). This all happened around August 05, the beginning of my senior year of high school.
My biggest problem at this point was that instead of looking like a total teenage beater, now it looks like a total teenage beater that I'm trying to pass off as a cool car. Oh well!
I took an auto class my last semester of high school. I had a really cool guy who knew everything (it seemed) about Hondas (Nick, if you're reading this, thanks man!). I knocked out a bunch of maintenance stuff as well as new axles. Never really got the air conditioning to work right (clogged drain tube? I can't find it anywhere....), but most everything else was in good shape at the end of the year.
July of that summer my girlfriend and I decided to take a road trip. She lived in a small town called Sonora, CA for most of her preteen life, and then moved to Portland for a few years. Since I had hardly ever left Nevada (and never gone farther than California) I was eager to get out and see more of the world. We went to San Jose/Santa Cruz to visit some of her family, as well as introduce me to the ocean. Then we headed to Sonora.
When we were ready to leave, we had everything packed up and ready to roll. I went to start the car, and.................nothing. Hmmmm. Tried puch starting it, to no avail. Went through everything I could think of before calling the tow truck (girlfriend has AAA, so this part was free). The driver pulled out a hammer, tapped the starter, and the car started like it always does. He told me that it might continue to work for a few months/years, or it could fail the next time I need to start it. Well, considering were were setting off on a 10-hour drive to Portland, I decided not to chance it and have it replaced. Since Sonora is a small town, there was only one reputable import repair shop that we (as in my gf's grandfather) knew of. Ended up paying over $300 to have the starter swapped out. Ouch, but at least we were back on the road.
Anyway, I had quit my previous job (DQ assistant manager) before we left, so when we got back in August I needed a new job. I landed a job at a small body shop (Platinum Paint and Body, for anyone in the Reno area). They needed someone to help clean and organize the shop. I worked a few days, and they thought I was great. They teach me to prep when I'm not cleaning, and they're really flexible with my hours (due to school).
The best part about this job is that they helped me with all the bodywork on my beat-to-hell car, and they painted it for the cost of materials. My dad bought some better-condition factory fenders from some ricer at a gas station for $30. I only used the left side, and it needed some straightening, but it sure beats buying a new one.
The last picture shows how many little dings there were. All the red circles were shops that needed to be fixed. The other side was just as bad. Since there was so much body work to be done, I decided to shave the mouldings and emblems at the same time.
Somewhere in this time I bought a few things; a 98+ front ($300), a black dashboard ($50 with airbag), and an ITR catback ($100, later sold for $200 ). My CD player got stolen around this time, too. 
I also had to buy a new hood, as mine was to creased to try to salvage. In retrospect, I should have bought a 98+ rear bumper, because they aren't too expensive, and I had a hard time repairing a broken license plate tab. Oh well!
Never rush your bodywork! I got too impatient and upset that my car was just sitting in the body shop. I ended up missing a couple small dents/low spots. The front bumper is also screwed up; you can see some rings around the shaved emblem holes (the guy I was working with started shooting primer before I was done scuffing). Also, I never wetsanded and buffed the car while the paint was still fresh (and still haven't).
Here are some pictures of the car after we painted it and put it back together. The Rotas were being prepped for paint, so ignore the steelies/donut.
You can't really tell in the pictures, but the black has some blue pearl in it. It looks like regular black until the sun hits it; then the blue pearl really pops. It's definitely not everyone's cup of tea, but I really like it.
I decided to paint my Rotas black with a polished lip. It was way too much work and doesn't look quite as good as I was hoping for. I still really like them, but for the effort that went in, I should have just painted them black.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well, this is how the car sits today. It has 125k miles, and it runs pretty well. It pings under certain conditions (at least I think it's pinging), and the valve cover leaks a little, but it never lets me down. The only mods I want to do are Tein S-tech lowering springs, HIDs, an alarm, and a CD player. I'd like to do a black interior swap and a small, basic turbo setup, but that might have to wait until after college. Besides, this is my commuter, so I want to keep it practical. I just bought a Jeep Cherokee to play with, if anyone cares.
Over 300k miles and it runs great.
Not bad for $250, if you ask me.
Well, thanks for taking a trip down memory lane with me. I'd love to hear any comments/flames. I plan on finding someone to take some good pictures once I get it polished/waxed (I recall someone in NorCal who charges $40 or something for a photoshoot). It's been a great first vehicle, and since it has some sentimental value (my grandfather, who bought it for me, recently passed away), I don't think I'll sell it for a long, long time.
Thanks for looking!
Modified by Shoobie at 11:58 PM 8/8/2007
I got flamed pretty badly for the first pictures I posted of my car; this was deserved, as the car was totally trashed. Well, I finally have a presentable ride that I am somewhat proud of.
So, without further ado, on with the show!------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I bought the car in May of 2004, my sophomore year of high school. I had received my license a few months prior, and my grandfather (who did nothing but save money his whole life) offered to buy me any car for up to $5000 as long as it was Japanese (like he was
). I spent a long time looking for the right car. At first I was hell-bent on finding a Civic sedan with a manual transmission. I liked the functionality of a sedan, and I wanted to be proficient at driving a standard trans. Well, apparently no one bought anything in this configuration, so I didn't find anything for a few months.One fateful day, my dad saw a pair of Integras in the newspaper. We went to check them out, and I really liked them. For some reason unknown to me, I skipped over a red GSR with a black interior in favor of a black LS with a tan interior. Guess what the two things I hate most about my car are? Yup, you got it; it's not a GSR, and it doesn't have the black interior. Doh!
Anyway, the car I ended up buying was a 95 LS coupe, black /w tan interior, 5 speed manual for $4700. The only major problems were a tear on the back of the driver's seat and some oxidation on the roof between the sunroof and the windshield (more on this later). Here are some pictures I snapped the following summer (summer 05).
It didn't change much, except for the dent in the left fender (backed in to a Chevy Tahoe
) and the oxidation. The last picture shows how bad it was; it was like that on the roof, hood, decklid, and working it's way down the quarters and fenders. This was about the time I stopped caring about how it looked. I'd wash it every few weeks, but not much more.Somewhere along the line I put in a Pioneer CD player (which later was stolen) and lined the interior with sound deadener (really stupid move; if anything, it got LOUDER inside
, and I never finished my kickin' sound system ). I also picked up some 16" Rota Grids (expletive the haters ) in gunmetal with Yokohama AVS ES100s, or something to that tune. I really like the wheels, but unfortunately, I was too stupid to drive a car with nice rims (and let my girlfriend drive my car; she curbed them more than I did with 5% of the seat time that I had). I also had the windows tinted 25% front/5% rear (my favorite 'mod') and added an SRI /w K&N filter (mostly for sound, not performance). This all happened around August 05, the beginning of my senior year of high school.My biggest problem at this point was that instead of looking like a total teenage beater, now it looks like a total teenage beater that I'm trying to pass off as a cool car. Oh well!
I took an auto class my last semester of high school. I had a really cool guy who knew everything (it seemed) about Hondas (Nick, if you're reading this, thanks man!). I knocked out a bunch of maintenance stuff as well as new axles. Never really got the air conditioning to work right (clogged drain tube? I can't find it anywhere....), but most everything else was in good shape at the end of the year.
July of that summer my girlfriend and I decided to take a road trip. She lived in a small town called Sonora, CA for most of her preteen life, and then moved to Portland for a few years. Since I had hardly ever left Nevada (and never gone farther than California) I was eager to get out and see more of the world. We went to San Jose/Santa Cruz to visit some of her family, as well as introduce me to the ocean. Then we headed to Sonora.
When we were ready to leave, we had everything packed up and ready to roll. I went to start the car, and.................nothing. Hmmmm. Tried puch starting it, to no avail. Went through everything I could think of before calling the tow truck (girlfriend has AAA, so this part was free). The driver pulled out a hammer, tapped the starter, and the car started like it always does.
He told me that it might continue to work for a few months/years, or it could fail the next time I need to start it. Well, considering were were setting off on a 10-hour drive to Portland, I decided not to chance it and have it replaced. Since Sonora is a small town, there was only one reputable import repair shop that we (as in my gf's grandfather) knew of. Ended up paying over $300 to have the starter swapped out. Ouch, but at least we were back on the road.Anyway, I had quit my previous job (DQ assistant manager) before we left, so when we got back in August I needed a new job. I landed a job at a small body shop (Platinum Paint and Body, for anyone in the Reno area). They needed someone to help clean and organize the shop. I worked a few days, and they thought I was great. They teach me to prep when I'm not cleaning, and they're really flexible with my hours (due to school).
The best part about this job is that they helped me with all the bodywork on my beat-to-hell car, and they painted it for the cost of materials. My dad bought some better-condition factory fenders from some ricer at a gas station for $30. I only used the left side, and it needed some straightening, but it sure beats buying a new one.
The last picture shows how many little dings there were. All the red circles were shops that needed to be fixed. The other side was just as bad. Since there was so much body work to be done, I decided to shave the mouldings and emblems at the same time.
Somewhere in this time I bought a few things; a 98+ front ($300), a black dashboard ($50 with airbag), and an ITR catback ($100, later sold for $200
). My CD player got stolen around this time, too. I also had to buy a new hood, as mine was to creased to try to salvage. In retrospect, I should have bought a 98+ rear bumper, because they aren't too expensive, and I had a hard time repairing a broken license plate tab. Oh well!Never rush your bodywork! I got too impatient and upset that my car was just sitting in the body shop. I ended up missing a couple small dents/low spots. The front bumper is also screwed up; you can see some rings around the shaved emblem holes (the guy I was working with started shooting primer before I was done scuffing). Also, I never wetsanded and buffed the car while the paint was still fresh (and still haven't).
Here are some pictures of the car after we painted it and put it back together. The Rotas were being prepped for paint, so ignore the steelies/donut.
You can't really tell in the pictures, but the black has some blue pearl in it. It looks like regular black until the sun hits it; then the blue pearl really pops. It's definitely not everyone's cup of tea, but I really like it.
I decided to paint my Rotas black with a polished lip. It was way too much work and doesn't look quite as good as I was hoping for. I still really like them, but for the effort that went in, I should have just painted them black.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well, this is how the car sits today. It has 125k miles, and it runs pretty well. It pings under certain conditions (at least I think it's pinging), and the valve cover leaks a little, but it never lets me down. The only mods I want to do are Tein S-tech lowering springs, HIDs, an alarm, and a CD player. I'd like to do a black interior swap and a small, basic turbo setup, but that might have to wait until after college. Besides, this is my commuter, so I want to keep it practical. I just bought a Jeep Cherokee to play with, if anyone cares.
Over 300k miles and it runs great.
Not bad for $250, if you ask me.Well, thanks for taking a trip down memory lane with me. I'd love to hear any comments/flames. I plan on finding someone to take some good pictures once I get it polished/waxed (I recall someone in NorCal who charges $40 or something for a photoshoot). It's been a great first vehicle, and since it has some sentimental value (my grandfather, who bought it for me, recently passed away), I don't think I'll sell it for a long, long time.
Thanks for looking!
Modified by Shoobie at 11:58 PM 8/8/2007
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Joined: Mar 2006
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From: Enjoy the Ride...
It seems like you're telling my story. This is how exactly how I feel about my car (especially the bit about "My biggest problem at this point was that instead of looking like a total teenage beater, now it looks like a total teenage beater that I'm trying to pass off as a cool car.")
Thanks for the inspiration man.
Thanks for the inspiration man.
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Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 178
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From: Reno, Nevada, USA
Re: (JDMroyEG5turbo)
Thanks for the comments guys!
Yeah, the car will be lowered soon enough. I've been working full time, and I'm starting (err, resuming, because it's actually my old job) next week. Should have enough extra for some s-techs.
Yeah, the car will be lowered soon enough. I've been working full time, and I'm starting (err, resuming, because it's actually my old job) next week. Should have enough extra for some s-techs.
Honda-Tech Member
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 11,416
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From: Big Canada, Minnesota
Re: (x-ray tech)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by x-ray tech »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">more like a science project. what kind of rim r those?</TD></TR></TABLE>
rota grids....
nice job
rota grids....
nice job
Honda-Tech Member
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 390
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From: Canada, canada
these 2 threads are strikingly similar
(and posted same day I think too)
https://honda-tech.com/zerothread/1998544
(and posted same day I think too)
https://honda-tech.com/zerothread/1998544
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 178
Likes: 0
From: Reno, Nevada, USA
Re: (allsho)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by allsho »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">these 2 threads are strikingly similar
(and posted same day I think too)
https://honda-tech.com/zerothread/1998544</TD></TR></TABLE>
Haha, we're like twins. Wish I could afford real Volks.
I know you can't really tell in the pics, but I painted my lugnuts blue. I thought it would be a nice compliment to the blue pearl (which you also can't see ), and the airbrush artist at my shop said he would airbrush the Acura 'A' logo on my center caps (he hasn't gotten to it yet, though ). Yay or nay? I got carried away and also painted my intake pipe. Didn't turn out as well as I thought it would. Oh well, I can always shoot it black, and black looks good on everything, right?
I hear you on the tire shine. I always forget to bring it with me when I detail.
(and posted same day I think too)
https://honda-tech.com/zerothread/1998544</TD></TR></TABLE>
Haha, we're like twins. Wish I could afford real Volks.
I know you can't really tell in the pics, but I painted my lugnuts blue. I thought it would be a nice compliment to the blue pearl (which you also can't see
), and the airbrush artist at my shop said he would airbrush the Acura 'A' logo on my center caps (he hasn't gotten to it yet, though ). Yay or nay? I got carried away and also painted my intake pipe. Didn't turn out as well as I thought it would. Oh well, I can always shoot it black, and black looks good on everything, right?I hear you on the tire shine. I always forget to bring it with me when I detail.
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,944
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From: tempe, az, us
Re: (rufridn)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by rufridn »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">paint is fresh! drop it</TD></TR></TABLE>
Re: (MonkeyManStunna)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MonkeyManStunna »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">slam it! </TD></TR></TABLE>
</TD></TR></TABLE>
Thread Starter
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 178
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From: Reno, Nevada, USA
Re: (highDef)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by highDef »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">after paint and all it looks very nice.
the Jeep Cherokee on the other hand is...not so much </TD></TR></TABLE>
Haha, the point of the Cherokee is to be beater-tastic. I eventually want to run 5-6" long-arm lift with 35s, trimmed fenders, tube doors, Ford 8.8, lockers, etc..... It wont get there for a while, but maybe someday.
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JDM-ish »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">by far the best story i have read on honda-tech </TD></TR></TABLE>
Thanks man, makes it even more satisfying when other people like what I've done.<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MonkeyManStunna »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">slam it! </TD></TR></TABLE>
Probably wont slam it, but a drop is in the future for sure. Just have to get a few more paychecks under my belt.
I'm going to be learning fiberglass repair at work ( ) and get raised to $15/hr for that work (as opposed to $9.50 normally). Hope it'll be worth it. Also resume my old job next Tuesday. Add in a girlfriend, and I'm going to have zero free time this summer. So many project, so little time.
the Jeep Cherokee on the other hand is...not so much
</TD></TR></TABLE>Haha, the point of the Cherokee is to be beater-tastic. I eventually want to run 5-6" long-arm lift with 35s, trimmed fenders, tube doors, Ford 8.8, lockers, etc..... It wont get there for a while, but maybe someday.
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JDM-ish »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">by far the best story i have read on honda-tech </TD></TR></TABLE>
Thanks man, makes it even more satisfying when other people like what I've done.<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MonkeyManStunna »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">slam it! </TD></TR></TABLE>
Probably wont slam it, but a drop is in the future for sure. Just have to get a few more paychecks under my belt.
I'm going to be learning fiberglass repair at work (
) and get raised to $15/hr for that work (as opposed to $9.50 normally). Hope it'll be worth it. Also resume my old job next Tuesday. Add in a girlfriend, and I'm going to have zero free time this summer. So many project, so little time.
