OK guys, so some background, my first car was a 95 civic sedan but that thing stayed stock. I'm pretty experienced with Building american muscle, but other than timing belt, CV Axle change, etc. I'm not too experienced working with imports, ESPECIALLY suspension wise.

I just got rid of my little automatic civic but cant use my El camino as a daily. mainly cause It was my grandpas and I have 8k+ in the restore and build but the 11 MPG doesn't help. So This weekend I'm picking up a partially wrecked 93 integra LS. All it needs is a fender windshield and alignment and I'm getting it for $400 cause the guy just wants it out of the yard.

what are some good places to start with mods, engine and suspension wise? all advice is welcome.

ps, If lowered I don't want her slammed. Not exactly my style.

Thanks for replies in advance

 

rite now THMOTORSPORTS which is a vendor on here is having a special on the koni/ground control suspension set up..

 

Question is too vague.

How much power are you looking for?
Purpose of car?
Budget?
Etc.

All play a huge role in the overall building of a car.

 

Sounds like to me like a DD with some extra ponies but still looking for ok gas milage.

so get the damage fixed first. if it needs shocks decide if you want to lower it or not

now i also hate the SLAMED look as well as the Crapy ride you get from it so if you are going to lower it i suggest and like the look when the fender well it about 1" above the tire tred.

also don't get flaEbay cheap coilovers this will give you a very Bouncy ride and every one will luagh at you when you hit bumps.
get a singal pice set like this http://www.tein.com/products/street_advance.html

for some extra power with out rebiulding the engine just do some bolt-on parts like Header intake and get a K&N filter
this is basic to all Engines the more air you can get into and out of the engine with little resistance the more power you can get out of the engine.

also keep in mind that most tuner engines don't spark knock the same as Domestic motors do
so a honda B18C1 can run 10:1 copression ratio on pump gas where Most V8's will need a bottle or two of octane booster at the same ratio.

so if your looking for alot of power and are willing to rebiuld the engine then don't worry to much about pushing it to 12:1 Ratio and needing to run booster with every tank of gas.
also if it ez to come by where you live and you can find a GOOD tuner you can swith the car over to E85 witch is rated at 110+ octane and get alot of power for less per tank.

 

Budget for parts, besides appearance is around 1000. Really just looking for something with a bit more pull and better handling than stock. Not a race car or sleeper by far.

 

thanks for the info solster.

I figured as much as throwing on a header and intake manifold.
what about camshafts when it comes to imports?

I know with my 350 I threw in the larger cam, and upped the CFM on the carb. Plus the stall converter to keep it from stalling out.

On a tuner, and 5 speed, I've been looking at cam shafts and see the higher RPM ratings. for a stick shift does this basically mean I need to start off at least on the lower RPM?

Sorry for the noob questions, I'm just much more experienced with american and automatics.

 

i wouldn't bother camming a stock LS. i probably wouldn't even bother with bolt-ons. best bang for the buck is a turbo setup.

if you want to stay all motor, ls/vtec. sure you can build a non-vtec motor, but it costs a lot more than a comparable vtec setup. any cam upgrade would require valvesprings/retainers. not to mention tuning.

 

I believe its the b18a1 correct?
can i toss a vtechb16 on top of it? what goes with a swap like that?

 

https://honda-tech.com/forums/all-motor-naturally-aspirated-44/ultimate-lsvtec-build-up-parts-price-thread-1812388/

https://honda-tech.com/forums/all-motor-naturally-aspirated-44/how-build-%22reliable%22-lsvtec-b20vtec-1676914/


heres two really good threads about lsvtec that you should read

 

Read those links posted above. Don't buy fake ebay parts for appearance. Do lots of research before you start putting parts and things related to the motor, before you do annything. As for the koni/gc setup I've heard a lot of good things about them and a lot of people like them. Do a search on them and tons of threads will pop up

 

And just to let you know if you don't know. 10:1 compression on these motors is nothing. I've seen 14:1 on here with pump gas, its all in the tune. A lot of people on here are boosted with well over 10:1 compression

 

i say go with a NA setup as the turbos are the girls way of making power.
besides there alot more work and you neverget the life out of the engine you can with a good solid NA biuld.
why spend $1200+ for a turbo kit just to end up spending another $1200+ just to rebiuld the motor to hold up to it for a long time.

yes you can turbo a Stock engine but your looking at a full rebiuld not to long after even at only 7 PSI boost

stock B18A1 is around 9.6:1 CR and with 7 PSI of boost your looking at 14:1 CR
sure it will hold but it was never biult to last very long that way.

besides the time it would take to learn all the EXtra crap you should know when you tubo a honda
plus the fact he's learning the import motor world. i say stay NA till you feel you are board with it and don't mind Blowing a ton of money into a turbo setup.

if you want more power with little work just drop in a B18C1 from a GSR integra and plugin the ECM and your good for an extra 35HP over the stock B18A1 you have.
Think of it like replacing a 4.3 TBI (165HP) V6 with a 4.3 Vortex (190HP) V6. sure there both 4.3L but the vortex has way more power then the TBI

 

^^^ LOL at turbo's being the girly way to make power...

MORE LIKE IT'S THE ONLY WAY TO MAKE POWER WITH A HONDUH!!!