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81 Civic retrofit

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Old Jun 1, 2012 | 09:17 PM
  #1  
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Default 81 Civic retrofit

I am locked out of my orginal HT account "Cruspeed" and don't have access to the email addy I had when I made it so Cruspeed^2 will have to do now. Picked up a 81 CVCC last October I think. Plans are simple. Strip it down and retrofit everything I can off an EG or later Civic.

Started when I got my dirty hampster home.



The day I finaly had time to pull the engine it was raining. I started on the GSR brake swap. Pretty straigh forward, hack and re-weld.

Started with -



and ended with -



Once the rain quit I had time to pull the engine and wiring.



More to come as I make progress.
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Old Jun 2, 2012 | 05:53 PM
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Default Re: 81 Civic retrofit

Cool project. I had this Civic model before. .
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Old Jun 2, 2012 | 07:55 PM
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Default Re: 81 Civic retrofit

Originally Posted by 78CITYTURBO
Cool project. I had this Civic model before. .
Thanks, I DD an 81 Accord and found this by luck on another site. So now it's the test model for when I get around to the Accord.
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Old Jun 2, 2012 | 09:09 PM
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Default Re: 81 Civic retrofit

Wow, awesome start to your build thread. What are your plans with this civic?
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Old Jun 2, 2012 | 09:13 PM
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Default Re: 81 Civic retrofit

Originally Posted by cruspeed^2
Picked up a 81 CVCC last October I think.
This would be known as either a Civic 1300 or 1500. Not a CVCC.
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Old Jun 3, 2012 | 11:54 AM
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Default Re: 81 Civic retrofit

Originally Posted by Stretch7
This would be known as either a Civic 1300 or 1500. Not a CVCC.
It's actually a 1500GL 5 speed but it really doesn't matter since I'm going to drop a d16z6 w/hydro tranny in it. The average person isn't going to know what a 1500GL is if you tell them.

Going to do a Acura brake swap with booster delete, custom dash, turn/wiper switch retrofit and the engine swap. I'm sure I'll think of little things a long the way to add so I'm not going to set a time frame.
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Old Jun 3, 2012 | 06:37 PM
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Default Re: 81 Civic retrofit

Originally Posted by cruspeed^2
It's actually a 1500GL 5 speed but it really doesn't matter since I'm going to drop a d16z6 w/hydro tranny in it. The average person isn't going to know what a 1500GL is if you tell them.
Either way, it's not known as a CVCC.
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Old Jun 4, 2012 | 11:15 AM
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Default Re: 81 Civic retrofit

But the 1500cc engine is a CVCC engine...so why not call it a CVCC?

Beautiful project you got going there!
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Old Jun 4, 2012 | 01:29 PM
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Default Re: 81 Civic retrofit

Originally Posted by Neen
so why not call it a CVCC?
Doesn't matter, I guess my membership to the elite cvcc club and the monthly private cvcc magazine is going to get revoked ...... LOL

Fixed the drivers window crank gear today, will post pics later.
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Old Jun 4, 2012 | 06:45 PM
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Default Re: 81 Civic retrofit

Originally Posted by Neen
But the 1500cc engine is a CVCC engine...so why not call it a CVCC?
It's technicality. Honda dropped the CVCC moniker at the 1979 model. Although the engine was still being made and used in the cars, the cars themselves weren't advertised as such. They were advertised WITH the engine but not as part of the name of the car. His car, as he states, is a 1981 Honda Civic 1500GL.
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Old Jun 5, 2012 | 09:14 PM
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Default Re: 81 Civic retrofit

Fixed the window regulator. The crank gear was stripped. Went to a junk yard and found one off a later Honda that would work. Used a high angle drill for spot welds and drilled off the back of the rivets used to hold the gear on. After pushing out the crank gears off both regulators, mounted the good one on my regulator and tacked it on. Wasn't worried about looks because it's hidden.

The broke one:



Fixed with the new crank gear, will grease it up before it's installed:



Also got the powder coating oven done, hit and held 400 F in 20 minutes. Inside of oven in 6' x 4' x 3', big enough for bike frames.

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Old Jun 21, 2012 | 05:04 AM
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Default Re: 81 Civic retrofit

Made some progress on the booster delete. Will drill and counter sink the 4 mounting bolts when I get their.

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Old Jun 27, 2012 | 10:16 AM
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Default Re: 81 Civic retrofit

Cool project! Subscribed.
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Old Jun 27, 2012 | 02:28 PM
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Default Re: 81 Civic retrofit

Got anymore info on that gsr brake swap? I've been through several hybrid brake setups on both my 1g and my 2g civics. Curious about how you tackled it.
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Old Jun 27, 2012 | 09:02 PM
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Default Re: 81 Civic retrofit

Originally Posted by StreetsideStig
Cool project! Subscribed.
Thanks!

Originally Posted by Jonathan_ED3
Got anymore info on that gsr brake swap?
Sent you a PM with more info.

Messed around with the powder coating today, did the pedal cluster black and cleared it. Will start playing around with the colors and candies tomorrow. Looks good for black though. Will post up more pics soon.

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Old Jul 15, 2012 | 03:51 PM
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Default Re: 81 Civic retrofit

Got the main mounts done today. More time moving the engine around than actual fab time. I will finish the torque mounts and pull the engine to finish them so they are presentable.

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Old Jul 15, 2012 | 06:12 PM
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Default Re: 81 Civic retrofit

this looks like it is going to be good fun. love the d series choice. supercool!
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Old Jul 18, 2012 | 08:21 PM
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Default Re: 81 Civic retrofit

Originally Posted by cruspeed^2
Got the main mounts done today. More time moving the engine around than actual fab time. I will finish the torque mounts and pull the engine to finish them so they are presentable.

Whoa. it fits!
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Old Jul 19, 2012 | 06:20 AM
  #19  
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Default Re: 81 Civic retrofit

Originally Posted by 2stroketurbo
Whoa. it fits!
I was surprised myself that I didn't need to alter the frame, I can also use the stock shafts for the 81 Civic.

Finished up the Integra column, got it installed yesterday. I've been told that since I'll be using an aftermarket steering wheel I need an adapter plate. That should give me more room between the wheel and switches.

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Old Jul 19, 2012 | 12:35 PM
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Default Re: 81 Civic retrofit

Sweet! Keep it up!
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Old Jul 20, 2012 | 09:37 PM
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Default Re: 81 Civic retrofit

Originally Posted by StreetsideStig
Sweet! Keep it up!
Been doing something different every few days, seems that I can maintain interest in what I'm doing that way. Finished up the MC mount for the hydro transmission and started on the EG door handles.

Ground the fire wall flat and welded on a traced plate from the inside. I tacked a few places on the outside and will fill in the upper left spot with weld before I grind it down. Trying to keep the body work in the bay to a minimum since I'm going to lead as much as I can instead of body filler. Will need to get some space between the MC and the fender well, it's about 1/8" off it.





Started on the EG door handles. From this pic I made a 1/2" gap around the hole with tape. Going to cut that out and trace a template. Will transfer that template to my donor mount door and bevel the metal in my edger. With the edge it will be flush with the door when I weld, grind it down and use minimal body filler to make it look stock. Tape is where the stock door lock linkage is on the door and the handle.

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Old Jul 21, 2012 | 02:20 PM
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Default Re: 81 Civic retrofit

Maybe I missed it but why the integra steering column?
What year Integra?

2G frame rails are pretty wide... I've seen B series swaps with only minimal clearancing.
On my 1G I had to "massage" the engine bay quite a bit! Definitely worth it in the end though.

Looking great. I'm loving the hydro clutch conversion.
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Old Jul 21, 2012 | 02:39 PM
  #23  
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Default Re: 81 Civic retrofit

wow this looks intresting, but why EG door handles? that the only thing i hate about my EG
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Old Jul 21, 2012 | 03:33 PM
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Default Re: 81 Civic retrofit

Thats a pretty sick setup you've got so far. cant wait to see more progress, keep it up!
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Old Jul 21, 2012 | 03:53 PM
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Default Re: 81 Civic retrofit

Originally Posted by the jdmchop
wow this looks intresting, but why EG door handles? that the only thing i hate about my EG
I love the sleek look of them, but ergonomically I hated them.

I broke both my wrists in high school and when I was into EG's
I always struggled to turn my hands to the proper angle necessary to
open the doors because i had slightly impaired range of motion afterwards.

Lmao.
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