This would apply to autox, roadcourse, HPDE,etc.

In just a cursory glance, my mind tells me the CRX is better suited to track time (2 seater, less to strip, lighter weight in some cases, etc).

But I have noticed that when I used to push my old 91 Civic hard in corners, the car felt very stable and flat (mind you, stock Si, with just a drop) vs. my CRX which feels very darty (also mostly stock with just Koni/GC combo).

Currently have a

89 Civic with Bilstein HD/Eibach Prokits, ST Sway, Neuspeed Front Strut Tower Bar.
91 CRX with Koni/GC, stock sway, no bars.

Civic has B16, CRX D16A6.

I am trying to figure out the best combination from what I have without buying more parts just yet.

Should I throw the Koni/GC's, ST sway, and NS bar onto the civic or run the full combo on the CRX - will it help the darty nature of the crx or will it just make the civic handle even better?

 

if you are going to auto-x then i would go with the civic so you could hang out in the simpler classes. the crx gets bumped up sometimes because it is a 2 seater. usually not by much, but it does get bumped up.

 

I didnt even know about that. But the civic would get bumped too due to the swapped B16.

That part I'm not too worried about - this is for fun, so I dont mind if i get owned.

just trying to figure which is the better "handling" base to put the pieces on. Like if the rear sway and F strut bar will help the CRX's "dartiness". If not, I may pull the Koni/GC combo for the civic and just keep the crx mostly stock with the bilstein/eibach combo.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RSZero1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I didnt even know about that. But the civic would get bumped too due to the swapped B16.

That part I'm not too worried about - this is for fun, so I dont mind if i get owned.

just trying to figure which is the better "handling" base to put the pieces on. Like if the rear sway and F strut bar will help the CRX's "dartiness". If not, I may pull the Koni/GC combo for the civic and just keep the crx mostly stock with the bilstein/eibach combo.</TD></TR></TABLE>oh i thought you were going to take the best of both cars and for one car.

d16a6 for sts and b16 for sm. if you dont care about classing, i would favor the crx for aerodynamics.

 

The hatch will be more stable at speed on the track. The wheelbase helps keep it planted and doesn't give you the nervous feeling you will get from the CRX.

 

for autox... they both do well in their classes... and im talking about the Si models... 89 Si dominates SCCA STS usaully and 88 crx si does really well in SCCA STS2 but from what i read the hatchback is a little better balanced but thats just my input other experiences members can chime in

 

for a track car, i think i'd choose the CRX. it's harder to drive, but in the hands of a good driver it's ultimately faster.

 

Okay, thanks guys, this really helps. I think for my purposes and your input -

I'll keep the B16 in the Civic, with the ST Sway, NS Strut Bar and install my Koni/GC on there. With the 15x7 Rota RB's and some sticky tires. This will be the SM/HPDE/Roadcourse car.

I'll keep the CRX pretty much as is, with the Bilstein HD/Eibach Combo and maybe pick up another set of rota's, RNR's, Enkei RPF1's or SSR type X's for autoX STS days.

That way I have a fun easily classed car for low speed events where the dartiness isnt an issue and I have a more planted car for the high speed stuff.

If all goes well, and my skills improve, I may toss all of it into the CRX for more fun later.

Thanks guys, I really do appreciate the input.

In STS, do they allow a change of seating? I really hate the 91 seatbelts cause it comes across my neck - but I have a fixed back I could throw in just for events that keeps the belt off my neck.

 

Oh, and is it worth it to do a rear disc swap on the 89 Civic Si? I figure it is if it'll see the higher speeds, or is it just hype?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RSZero1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Oh, and is it worth it to do a rear disc swap on the 89 Civic Si? I figure it is if it'll see the higher speeds, or is it just hype?</TD></TR></TABLE>

It seems like six of one and half a dozen of the other, some prefer the discs and others prefer the drums because they are lighter.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RSZero1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Oh, and is it worth it to do a rear disc swap on the 89 Civic Si? I figure it is if it'll see the higher speeds, or is it just hype?</TD></TR></TABLE>

IMHO rear swap not worth the hassle....drum=lighter.......


Modified by JOE BD-0 at 8:27 PM 2/7/2008

 

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

IMHO rear swap not worth the hassle....disc=lighter.......</TD></TR></TABLE>

i think you meant to say drums are lighter.

discs are easier as far as maintenance goes.

 

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

i think you meant to say drums are lighter.

discs are easier as far as maintenance goes.</TD></TR></TABLE>

you're absolutely right!!! =ME......THANKS

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RSZero1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">In STS, do they allow a change of seating? I really hate the 91 seatbelts cause it comes across my neck - but I have a fixed back I could throw in just for events that keeps the belt off my neck.</TD></TR></TABLE>i believe you can as long as the seat and rails weigh more than 25lbs.

 

Thanks for all the good info guys. This is really helping. So I'll stick to the drums, at least one less thing to buy.

So far I have to also add a windshield to the tally - mine is cracked in a few places.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by turboteener &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The hatch will be more stable at speed on the track. The wheelbase helps keep it planted and doesn't give you the nervous feeling you will get from the CRX. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Yep i have a type r and a b16 rex i can tell the the rex is scary at times..

 

They are both great cars when set up well. I've driven race prepared versions of each. I like the hatch because of the extra headroom and that's about it. The CRX I drove for license school and in my first two races was set up quite nicely. Not nearly as twitchy as some would have you believe. Except for the CRX's advantage of lower frontal area, I think its mostly a matter of personal preference.

Cabernet vs. Merlot

I ran drums for my first three seasons. No problems at all. Just be sure you stay on top of adjusting them. Once a day during a race weekend was about right.

 

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

Yep i have a type r and a b16 rex i can tell the the rex is scary at times..</TD></TR></TABLE>
yea. the 2 extremes as far as wheelbase goes.

 

Wow, thanks for the additional input guys, this is good stuff. I was wondering if Thawley would pop in - your running a Civic currently right?

Seeing as how the b16 is in the civic right now, I'll save myself the hassle and leave it in there with the fast track prep.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RSZero1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I was wondering if Thawley would pop in - your running a Civic currently right?</TD></TR></TABLE>
Yeah. It suits me. Anyone can run a CRX. I like to be different.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by thawley &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Yeah. It suits me. Anyone can run a CRX. I like to be different.</TD></TR></TABLE>

LOL. Well hopefully I'll get to join you guys at an event.

I still have a little prep for the civic yet planned for the summer. New rad support, upper bumper trim piece, possibly new rad, new windscreen, replace VTEC solenoid gasket and poss cam seal, replace batt, intake, exhaust, check all ball joints, install wink mirror, replace driver window seal, remove power window assemblies, install mugen fan switch and thermo...oh yeah and new hood and driver headlight.

not sure what else just yet. Good news is that it was decently taken care of, i know it's full history, has new dist (i installed for prev owner), new alt (same), new axles.

 

I run an 89 CRX w/ a 200whp b18. Don't buy the CRX twitchy arguement. It may have some truth for a stock set-up, but enough metal and you can give a CRX a very solid feel. I have F&R tower braces, Rear SusTec sway bar, traction bar, rear tie bar, and a Roll bar. It feels solid all the way to 130MPH. The tight wheel base is also amazing for AutoX.

The hatch will not rotate as quick if you screw up and if you're new to the performance driving thing that may be comforting. Also, the hatch has a bunch of room for spare tires, tools, compressor, tent, cooler, whatever - If you'll be driving to an event.

I love my CRX, but if I wrinkled it at the track I would have no issue swaping the go fast stuff into a hatch if I found a clean one.

 

if the crx doesnt feel twitchy, your not going fast enough

 

the vettes, 911's, and M3's behind me think I'm going fast enough.

Heck my tranny runs out of gear @ 135ish

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Lo-Buck EF &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">if the crx doesnt feel twitchy, your not going fast enough </TD></TR></TABLE>

I just used my B16 powerd rex at a NASA event this weekend. on the top end of 4th that thing got so lite it scared the poop out of me. three of us drove it and decided to add a lot of weight which helped a bunch.
1722lbs before
2020 after