So a buddy of mine and I have been kind of brainstorming an idea to turn a 1990 Civic Hatch into a RWD. You are all probably already laughing. But I had some questions about this.

I guess the first is, Does anyone know if this has ever been done before? If so, can you provide links and information and all of that good stuff.

Another question is wondering about what kind of motor to use. I am not at all familar with the honda line of engines and their, I guess I should call it nomenclature. For example, nissans have KA's and SR's, and the infamous 2jz, the 3sgte, the gm LSx series.. So some edumacation on that as far as hondas goes would be much appreciated. I have heard that the K series, which I am under the impression is not used in any USDM spec hondas, is a great motor and can make a good deal of power stock. But at the same time I am sure it will cost and arm and a leg to get on here or a clip.

I personally would like to turbocharge whatever motor we might go with, maybe supercharge, not really sure what to do on that end of things yet. I am sure along with this thought would be, what are your power goals. That I do not have a good answer for yet. Im pretty sure 300-350hp would definately be a goal... dont think id be too worried about being higher than that, but then again im not real sure... haha

Also would be cool to get some ideas of what to use for a rear end. Im sure we could get a Ford 9" rear machined and everything to fit, but might their be a better idea?? I had also thought of a rear end of out a S2k??

I am sure there would be a ton of fabrication needed also. Like the firewall, a tunnel for the drive shaft, something for the front end to hold everything together up there since you dont have the tranny and halfshafts, if we were to put slicks on the back end probably a bit of a tubbed backend, and I really would want a cage also.

I really have no clue or no ambitions about what it would do at the track. I sure wouldnt want to make any guess's at all. I just think this would be a very fun/original project...

My guess is that I might get some flack for this and what not, but what I am looking for more than anything is help/suggestions/constructive criticism/etc... not heckling/flaming or anything of that sort.

Thanks guys!!

 

Thats a great question...If it not be for the size, I would find a Supra engine...But if it's to be a Honda engine in it, you might be stuck with a B-series motor b/c the 97-01 crv engines had a transmission that had an output to go to the rear. I don't think it would be that strong...
Try googling the NSX in a CRX, some guys years back took the rear engine sub-fram/support call it what you want...Be cause the trans was close and basically fabricated the engine to mount so as to have the exles come out where they needed them. I saw htis car in person and it was just sic to see...
Whatever you do...Pics,Pics, and more Pics

 

Honestly.....

how can you know that much about other imported cars and not know that the b16 is the 350 chevy of our generation?? like seriously? did you never even LOOK at a honda?

Making a CRX or any civic for that matter rwd is an excersize in futility. But lets go over your questions (and reasons why its a waste of money/wont work).....

Whoever gave you that impression was 100% wrong. A k-series motor has been used in USDM acuras and hondas since 2002. The RSX has the more potent 200 hp K20A2, which has a bertter flowing head and responds much better to bolt on modifications. The Accord has used a K24A in its four cylinder equipped cars also since 2003. Read up on http://www.K20A.org to find out what combination will work best for your application.

Well you have a bunch more things to worry about then that. Where are you going to mount the motor in the chassis? How low? Whats your clearances? Whats the COG (center of gravity) going to be after you put the motor in? What tranny are you going to use???? How do you plan on mounting the rear end? How do you plan on making the sheet metal not rip apart from torsional forces it was never designed for? Are you going to tube the rear of the car?

You really need to ask yourself these questions before you seek help on here. And P.S. Short wheel based lightweight rwd drag cars are almost a guarentee that you'll put it in the wall. (Look at a funny car, you'll understand me).

I'm not even going to go into this discussion. We have two forums, one for naturally aspirated power, one for forced induction. Look there and come to your own conclusion.

So... your making a FWD commuter car into a RWD drag car and you want to go with a ...... bit.... of tubbing? Try again. This will more then likely need to be a back halfed car (tube frame for the rear portion) which requires an incredible amount of precision cutting, welding and notching, no offense but all which i guarentee you aren't ready to take on. As far as the front goes, one you figured out a way to mount a tranverse (crankshaft center line goes side to side in original engine bay) motor longitudally (front to back), it will be just a matter of fabricating the mounts and positioning it correctly. The tunnel shouldn't need too drastic of modifications, maybe a lil notching and banging, seeing as how there will be no exhaust to occupy the space, just driveshaft. The fronts would need to have something to keep a load on the wheel bearing so as not to dislodge it. The rear.... you're on your own. Theres thousands of different RWD chassis you can take components from and weld them up to work. Once again, research.

S2000 rear for a drag car = pointless. Independent rear suspensions are the bane of 32 valve cobras, rx-7s and other cars that are fast as hell but have many issues with torque steer and axle breakage. Not to say that IRS rears can't go fast (that maniac in the yellow twin turbo drag viper just broke into the 6's if i'm not mistaken on a 2speed auto powerglide and a modified independent viper rear), i'm just saying that the solid one is the easy way to go about it.

Honda-tech lesson #1 - Bench racing will win you no friends or fans.

Honda-Tech lesson #2 - saying please don't flame me when you obviously did no research whatsoever to find any of these answers will earn you more disdain from the crowd then bench racing.

If you aren't a very capable chassis builder, I wouldn't even try this project, unless you're dropping it off at a shop and handing over the keys with the "make it work" look in the eyes.

You've got alot of **** to figure out for a project that sounds like its doomed to failure already... or not really fufilling its purpose adeuqately (i'm going to rally my awd dodge minivanzorz!!). my suggestions is try a jet engine in an s-10 first.

No, we're shaking our heads.

 

seems to me that the easiest engine/transmission to use for a RWD would be the F20C from the S2000 since they are already rear wheel drive

 

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

how can you know that much about other imported cars and not know that the b16 is the 350 chevy of our generation?? like seriously? did you never even LOOK at a honda?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Like seriously... so the fact that I know things about other imported cars means you automatically think I am a retard that doesnt know anything? Did the fact that I came here to learn about something not cross your mind one bit? Also, did the fact that maybe I have never been in to Hondas and never bothered to do any research on the motors?

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ComeOnKip &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Honda-tech lesson #1 - Bench racing will win you no friends or fans.

Honda-Tech lesson #2 - saying please don't flame me when you obviously did no research whatsoever to find any of these answers will earn you more disdain from the crowd then bench racing.

You've got alot of **** to figure out for a project that sounds like its doomed to failure already... or not really fufilling its purpose adeuqately (i'm going to rally my awd dodge minivanzorz!!). my suggestions is try a jet engine in an s-10 first.

No, we're shaking our heads.

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

I didnt have a problem with much of your post until these last statements. Your crap about honda-tech rule #1 and no bench racing.... PLEASE tell me honestly if there is any bench racing in this statement....

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by igotquestions &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I really have no clue or no ambitions about what it would do at the track. I sure wouldnt want to make any guess's at all.</TD></TR></TABLE>

In fact no... I simply stated that I have no clue. I would never bench race and never have. So instead of taking the statement for what its worth you read into it and try and say that I am bench racing something thats not even here or as you said is "doomed to fail" even before anything is started.

And then you tell me that honda tech lesson #2 is to not come in here and say please dont flame me. First thought that comes to mind is, Where in the hell is the post with all of these lessons in it, that I obviously should have read before making any posts????????????? And then to go on and complain about me not doing any research... You dont know what research I have and have not done. BUT, the fact remains, that this is a forum that people come to learn things and essence do research. Did the admins and mods here now make a rule that people cant come here to this forum to learn/research??

Hrmmm and now I seem to remember a reason I had never bothered to get into hondas and or join this forum. My guess, from your reaction and way you try to put ideas down, that I wont bother to stick around this forum real long or maybe the mods/admins wont let me... cause I wont put up with crap like that

 

Your going to be in WAY over your head.

 

The faq at the top of every forum gives you guidelines to search with. Sorry if you don't read directions before clicking 'post'. And i do know what research you have and have not done simply by the questions you've asked.

Have done: none.
Haven't done: all.

<FONT SIZE="6">SORRY WE CAN'T CONDENSE ALL YOUR REPETITIVE QUESTIONS INTO ONE POST, BUT SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH MORE THAN ONE THREAD TO FIND THE ANSWERS YOU ARE LOOKING FOR</FONT>

No one made a rule that you can't learn, you can't follow the rule that very plainly states SEARCH BEFORE YOU ASK A QUESTION, IT HAS MORE THEN LIKELY BEEN COVERED BEFORE. Don't get butt hurt cause you have no common sense.

Did the fact that theres 100 plus threads about honda motors and what fits where in the FAQ section skip your mind? I wasn't trying to bash you, but you put it all out there and we don't really care to answer questions that were answered five years ago. So don't get all high and mighty on me because you don't have the common courtesy to go and search questions that have been diagnosed and answered a thousand times over.


Why I don't like the Idea of ruining a crx to make it rwd. Have fun captain.

 

im tired of arguing w/ you, right now in my book your a narrow minded person that thinks hes better than someone else sitting behind a computer. but i guess since im giving up with you this must me true

 

It's totally doable, it's just gonna have to be custom.

Domestic guys have been doing it forever. Honda drivers always jerk off when someone does something like that, but I've seen so many setups like that it's ridiculous.

You have to learn alot about welding/fabrication.

 

instead of arguing, use the <FONT COLOR="red"><u>Search</u></FONT> function.


i have personally seen 4 or 5 RWD or mid engine hondas on this website alone.


here, this one is for sale too:
https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=2081036

 

i've seen them before too. I just hate the idea of ruining something that factory engineers did a hell of a good job at. When its done right, it looks beautiful, like racecityusa's Mid-engined RWD H22A DC2. That **** is unbelievable. But theres alot of hack-kneed jobs out there, look at most attempts to put a 4g63 into a crx And my e-***** is huge, thank you

That V8 RWD civic above is ok.... looks like decent fabrication but i'd like to see more close ups of the welds and a better shot of how that solid rear end is sitting in the car. It doesn't make much sense to do all that work and not dial in your anti-squat and other such angles, especially because their all at the control of you and your welder But, he did get it in there so props to him

 

its been done, and there are a couple different ways to do it.

1. Make the car mid engined by mounting a honda motor in the back, over the rear wheels. The entire drivetrain stays the same (transverse layout), just moved to the rear of the car (think toyota MR2). I've even seen people run 2 engines (front+rear) in an AWD setup.

2. drop in a longitundal RWD drivetrain layout. This is your typical RWD configuration where the engine is mounted longways in the car. firewall will need to be cut and fab a transmission + driveshaft tunnel. You'll also need to fab a rear end diff carrier, and possibly the rear hubs, axles, and suspension. Lots of work. arguably, more than what its worth, as there are already plenty of RWD cars that you can mod. Like an LS1 in a miata or 240sx. or even what I saw recently, LS1 V8 in an S2000.

3. Heard of someone bolting up a CRV AWD transmission and rear end to an integra, and somehow getting it to drive the rear wheels only. but the crv awd setup is weak, and will explode if you give it lots of power.