1997 hatch build thread
Well, I'm new to Honda Tech so I thought I start a thread to document my build. Keep in mind, I'm only 17 so I do the best with what I have. I got this car a little over a year ago. It was my dad's, but when the A/C, clutch, brakes, and exhaust all needed replaced he decided to sell it. After much begging from me, he agreed to keep it, but only if I fixed it.
Pics
When I got it at 158,xxx
http://www.flickr.com/photos/64248054@N05/6278699692/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/64248054@N05/6278178721/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/64248054@N05/6278699584/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/64248054@N05/6278178631/
Exterior:
-paint matched trim(rattle canned)
-OEM side markers
-Spoon style mirrors
Suspension/Brakes:
-rear disc conversion
-Skunk2 coil over sleeves
-ITR front upper strut bar
Engine:
-OBD2A P30
-B16A
-Y21 hydro trans
-Rywire clutch cable
-custom tuck harness
-tucked headlight harness, wiper fluid lines, hood release cable
-CTR oil cap
-Skunk2 gen 1 intake manifold
-Toda Racing 8.8lbs flywheel
-AEM short ram intake
-Spoon Sports magnetic drain plugs
-A'Pexi WSII full exhaust
-GS-R shift linkage with OEM dual bend and Energy Suspension bushings
Interior:
-Spoon Duracon shift ****
-Circuit hero shift extender
-CTR shift boot
-EX cluster
-OEM single din block off plate
-no radio
-no A/C
Table of Contents:
Page 1: intro, car gets hit(#1)
Page 2: car gets hit(#2), new mirrors and taillights, front sway bar, JDM B16A swap
Page 3: parts for the swap, working on the engine, painted valve cover
Page 4: Christmas gifts, back from the powder coater's, side marker install
Page 5: more swap parts
Page 6: body stiffeners, brakes, garage organization
Page 7: injectors, intake manifold, Spoon
Page 8: Toda flywheel, OBD2 distributor
Page 9: painted stuff, intake mani, OEM parts
Page 10: engine painted, clutch kit
Page 11: engine assembly begins
Page 12: starting the wire harness
Page 13: wiring continues, A'Pexi WSII
Page 14: polished WSII, harness complete, engine ready
Page 15: cleaned up bay, dropped the B16 in
Page 16: new motor running, before and after
Page 17: blown head gasket #1
Page 18: first failed attempt, car show
Page 19: machined head
Page 20: cleaning block, OEM tails
Page 21: cleaning block, quick wire tuck
Page 22: graduation
Page 23: custom vacuum line, cleaned interior
Page 24: ES shifter bushings
Page 25: painted VC, Cusco cam gears
Page 26: second failed attempt
Pics
When I got it at 158,xxx
http://www.flickr.com/photos/64248054@N05/6278699692/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/64248054@N05/6278178721/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/64248054@N05/6278699584/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/64248054@N05/6278178631/
Exterior:
-paint matched trim(rattle canned)
-OEM side markers
-Spoon style mirrors
Suspension/Brakes:
-rear disc conversion
-Skunk2 coil over sleeves
-ITR front upper strut bar
Engine:
-OBD2A P30
-B16A
-Y21 hydro trans
-Rywire clutch cable
-custom tuck harness
-tucked headlight harness, wiper fluid lines, hood release cable
-CTR oil cap
-Skunk2 gen 1 intake manifold
-Toda Racing 8.8lbs flywheel
-AEM short ram intake
-Spoon Sports magnetic drain plugs
-A'Pexi WSII full exhaust
-GS-R shift linkage with OEM dual bend and Energy Suspension bushings
Interior:
-Spoon Duracon shift ****
-Circuit hero shift extender
-CTR shift boot
-EX cluster
-OEM single din block off plate
-no radio
-no A/C
Table of Contents:
Page 1: intro, car gets hit(#1)
Page 2: car gets hit(#2), new mirrors and taillights, front sway bar, JDM B16A swap
Page 3: parts for the swap, working on the engine, painted valve cover
Page 4: Christmas gifts, back from the powder coater's, side marker install
Page 5: more swap parts
Page 6: body stiffeners, brakes, garage organization
Page 7: injectors, intake manifold, Spoon
Page 8: Toda flywheel, OBD2 distributor
Page 9: painted stuff, intake mani, OEM parts
Page 10: engine painted, clutch kit
Page 11: engine assembly begins
Page 12: starting the wire harness
Page 13: wiring continues, A'Pexi WSII
Page 14: polished WSII, harness complete, engine ready
Page 15: cleaned up bay, dropped the B16 in
Page 16: new motor running, before and after
Page 17: blown head gasket #1
Page 18: first failed attempt, car show
Page 19: machined head
Page 20: cleaning block, OEM tails
Page 21: cleaning block, quick wire tuck
Page 22: graduation
Page 23: custom vacuum line, cleaned interior
Page 24: ES shifter bushings
Page 25: painted VC, Cusco cam gears
Page 26: second failed attempt
Last edited by ReedMann; Jul 16, 2012 at 09:35 AM.
Nice. I like how clean it looks. I just put on my HX wheels on my hatch today. I also got rid of the rear wiper. Next on the list is a lip kit from ebay. I want to paint my car flat white. My HX wheels were polished by the previous owner. One of these days I'll paint/ powder coat them bronze.
nice, looks really clean. im lookin to pick up a 97 hatch this coming weekend. already have a cf hood, coil overs, greddy ecu, vtec heads, and subs from friends/family, cant wait to start on it (if its not in horrible condition when i go see it
)
)
Very clean car for 160k miles btw!
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Nice. I like how clean it looks. I just put on my HX wheels on my hatch today. I also got rid of the rear wiper. Next on the list is a lip kit from ebay. I want to paint my car flat white. My HX wheels were polished by the previous owner. One of these days I'll paint/ powder coat them bronze.
I agree haha. I was thinking a 96-98 CTR or SiR lip. I like my rear lip, but my front just doesn't look good. I guess that's what I get for buying a replica.
Thanks

Thanks, black housing headlights are definitely on my list of things to do.
Despite parking in the very back of the parking lot at my high school to avoid clueless teen drivers, some idiot still managed to hit my car this Friday.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/64248054@N05/6267027861/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/64248054@N05/6267028095/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/64248054@N05/6267554636/
The damage isn't that bad, mostly scuffs that can be rubbed out by hand. The taillight obviously needs to be replaced. There is one scratch down to metal, but it is small and hard to notice.
It turns out that the girl who hit me only had her license for two days haha. Her parents, both were there, begged me not to go to insurance, because her rates would be crazy. So my plan is to get a couple estimates this week on the damage and then get cash from her mom, who actually works at the school. I am already picking up two genuine JDM Honda taillights from a guy in Maryland this Saturday. I will just buff the scratches out and put a little primer over the scratch to prevent rust and hopefully pocket the rest of the cash.
Even though it sucks, this could turn out in my favor. I still can't describe how mad I was when I walked out to the parking lot after school and saw what happened.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/64248054@N05/6267027861/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/64248054@N05/6267028095/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/64248054@N05/6267554636/
The damage isn't that bad, mostly scuffs that can be rubbed out by hand. The taillight obviously needs to be replaced. There is one scratch down to metal, but it is small and hard to notice.
It turns out that the girl who hit me only had her license for two days haha. Her parents, both were there, begged me not to go to insurance, because her rates would be crazy. So my plan is to get a couple estimates this week on the damage and then get cash from her mom, who actually works at the school. I am already picking up two genuine JDM Honda taillights from a guy in Maryland this Saturday. I will just buff the scratches out and put a little primer over the scratch to prevent rust and hopefully pocket the rest of the cash.
Even though it sucks, this could turn out in my favor. I still can't describe how mad I was when I walked out to the parking lot after school and saw what happened.
Nice. I like how clean it looks. I just put on my HX wheels on my hatch today. I also got rid of the rear wiper. Next on the list is a lip kit from ebay. I want to paint my car flat white. My HX wheels were polished by the previous owner. One of these days I'll paint/ powder coat them bronze.
Anyways, dope car in this thread. Stuntin at HS are we?
After I got an estimate and the check from the girl's mother, I started to fix the damage. Luckily, the scratches were only in the clear coat.
First I sanded off the clear coat with 1500, keeping the panel very wet with soapy water.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/64248054@N05/6314690169/
After 1500, I moved on to 2000. Be very careful not to remove any of the base coat.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/64248054@N05/6315207314/
I taped the area off and sprayed three coats with some auto body clear. Make sure the panel is clean before spaying.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/64248054@N05/6315207736/
After the clear had dried, I sanded it, very lightly with 3000 and tried my best to blend the edges into the factory clear coat.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/64248054@N05/6315208140/
I used a paint color restorer to bring back the shine, then waxed the area.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/64248054@N05/6315208562/
It turned out ok. If you look down the quarter panel, you can see that the section I painted is duller than the rest. It's not perfect, but since I plan on getting the car repainted someday I just decided to keep the cash and fix it myself.
I should be getting the CTR taillights next weekend. I couldn't get them last weekend due to an October snowstorm (also why I'm rolling on steelies).
First I sanded off the clear coat with 1500, keeping the panel very wet with soapy water.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/64248054@N05/6314690169/
After 1500, I moved on to 2000. Be very careful not to remove any of the base coat.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/64248054@N05/6315207314/
I taped the area off and sprayed three coats with some auto body clear. Make sure the panel is clean before spaying.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/64248054@N05/6315207736/
After the clear had dried, I sanded it, very lightly with 3000 and tried my best to blend the edges into the factory clear coat.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/64248054@N05/6315208140/
I used a paint color restorer to bring back the shine, then waxed the area.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/64248054@N05/6315208562/
It turned out ok. If you look down the quarter panel, you can see that the section I painted is duller than the rest. It's not perfect, but since I plan on getting the car repainted someday I just decided to keep the cash and fix it myself.
I should be getting the CTR taillights next weekend. I couldn't get them last weekend due to an October snowstorm (also why I'm rolling on steelies).
Thanks man
Yeah I was thinking about it. The body shop originally quoted me quite a lot to fix it, but it shouldn't cost nearly that much just to buff it out.
Yeah I was thinking about it. The body shop originally quoted me quite a lot to fix it, but it shouldn't cost nearly that much just to buff it out.



you've inspired me to do more with mine. Keep this updated!