here is the deal i have a 91 hf crx with a dohc zc it is my daily driver.
i have saved up a little bit of cash (just a little i cant have extra and not spend it on my car) and now i am torn between getting a turbo or fitting the digs and dents and going all out on some c/f stuff like hood,mirrors,door sills,and a C/W paint job
or a jdm sir frontend with c/w paint
the car needs to be relable
on one hand the turbo would make my car faster but not reliable and on the other my car would look good

so what do you think you would do

show or go?

 

Go is better than show. keep it sleeper status.

 

Will the turbo actually be put to use? Or for the most part, will it be just for appeal?

I personally, will not pour cash into the engine until the exterior is done. Our cars come with 100hp stock, and unless you dump a few grand into it, it will never be fast. And some people might even laugh at what we consider "fast." I don't think that having a "quick" car is worth 3-4 grand, whereas a nice car surely warrants that. Either way, my car's a daily driver, i'm no race car driver

So, it depends on what you really want.

 

do whatever u feels the best.. dont turbo the ZC if your going to have problems.. and cant upkeep the motor while it's boosted.... ****.. save up some more cash... get teh car look sexy.. and when u have the cash for turbo do it... just my thoughts

 

like my sig says i dont like show cars AT ALL... but unless you like driving a race car on the street and keeping up with it just make the car look nice... dont go crazy at all just make it look new... up to date but not scary like most star wars type "show" cars...

 

well, i asked myself the same question (ive got an LS CRX). what are your priorities? as for me, i chose to go with "go" so i bought another LS to be built. because i could really care less if my car has a big dent in it (<U>for now</U>). let people judge the rex, i don't mind if it doesn't have a perfectly smooth body; its 15 years old, dents come with time. i'd rather have dents on a fast CRX than a neon green-colored CRX with a gay Acura CL headlight conversion or whatever. if your concerned about reliability, then strengthen the ZC's guts a little.
i don't know, thats just me though. i'd go turbo.

 

I was in the same boat in January. I had 5000 to spend including car

I bought the car for $250
Did all the body work myself at my grandparents
Got rid of all my rust with bondo and fiberglass, moulded the mouldings all around, fully moulded invader kit (customized invader front), WW spoiler, Invader hood

Painted the car myself, car was done, still had 3400 left, swapped in a sohc zc, i/h/e, nitrous, slipstreams/azenis, dropped the car, stereo, tint, alarm, harnesses

I was left with about $800

I now worked all summer and saved up another $4300

Ive already bought my built head, building the block as we speak.

I should have $3800 or so after building it, $2000 for a nice turbo kit, $500 for engine management, $300 for tuning

Whtevers left over for gas, insurance, more tuning, axles etc...

Im glad I did looks first

Go with your heart

 

well depends how knowledgable you are with FI stuff. It's the level of confidence that pushes you to go FI before looks.

If it was me for a daily driven car I'd go with the jdm front end and CW paint before turbo.

(good thing that for me, my ef hb si gsr is not my daily car so I'm going FI first even though I already have my ww kit)

 

id rather be fast but still look clean, but try thisin poll form

 

Primer it, and do a fully built ZC with 20lbs. Be a real man, sissy boy


honestly, turbo is just as reliable as NA. Just dont half *** ****. I took about 3 months to get all the things i wanted, and i did it right the first time. Take ur time during assembly and watch lil things cuz thats what always gets you. You will be alot happier when ur pulling on vettes, than when they go by laughing at your rice mobile.

 

id get the jdm frontend,the c/w paintjob and then save up more for the turbo kit

 

To hell with the way the car looks, it'll just make it more attractive to thieves. Make it truly into a beater, than try to make it fast, like I am. I'm even thinking about painting my intercooler black to make it less noticable.





You do not have to dump a couple of grand into our cars to make them fast. In my junkyard build, I've invested maybe 200 dollars so far, with an estimate of maybe 400 to go before I'm done, most of my time has been spent doing research. This includes engine management which will make the car highly reliable under turbo. I hope to push 8-9 psi and make near 160hp from the engine.

 

i dont think this guy was going to make his car.. a star wars.. looking show car... i thik he thinking.. of just making it look clean.. i dunno , maye im wrong.

 

I want to know why some of you guys are so ******* in love with the idea of driving a beat down POS that runs 13s? It's 13s, not 11s or 10s. The majority of most LS1 Camaros are going to run right next to you. Only they will have their A/C on and fresh paint.

To the original poster:

You have a ZC motor, although not the fastest thing known to man, it gets you around town just fine. It's good enough to have fun with at a local auto-x. With bolt ons you can get into 14s. Not fast, but fun and quick. Why not, while you have the time and cash, get the body work knocked out, and throw a fresh coat of paint on it?

To those screaming **** a show car or all go and no show:
A new paint job and a little CF hardly makes it a show car. Most show cars are ugly turds, just as ugly as the 13second rust buckets you are so fond of. Simply painting your car and getting it "straight" looking does not constitute being all show. The guy still has a fun engine swap. After the paint and body work, he can always get the turbo sorted up, and save money to do it the right way.

 

what if theives get it before he even get enough money? from where i live, keep it looking stock. turbo it first ,then see if speed if your way to go..if not you can always sell the turbo kit and buy a jdm front end with it...and also buy a autolock and a pager alarm..... jus my .02 cent

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by yellowcrx1991 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">To hell with the way the car looks, it'll just make it more attractive to thieves. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Agreed! Make it fast just use you head with speed. Don't get stupid. But no matter what anyone says in your mind you already know the direction you want to go so just do it and don't look back. You don't need any affirmation from us if you like that is all the matters. My car is flat black my wife hates but I like cause it looks menacing to everyone around me in the BMWs, Porsches, Audi's, I'm not saying anything about speed but when you look like you have no insurance people will get out of your way

 

I think i'd prefer to keep it clean so it raises the value of your car. I would hate driving my gf around in a hooptie.

 

If you have bent up fenders and a crooked hood and it looks like it should be in a junkyard or things along that line then get the body fixed.

Skip the CF stuff that attracts thieves.
Save the leftovers for turbo stuff.


If it's just dents here and there and nothing that's a major eyesore then go for the booost!

 

yah, get the body fixed. **** the haters. Performance can ALWAYS come later. Body work should be done when you can. Rust is VERY hard to get rid of. Its like cancer, if you dont get it all out in one shot. Itle come back.

 

that looks about like my car except for mines a silver SI. it's the way to roll. people pull up next to you then just laugh.

 

WTF is up with these threads?

Build some character and do what you want.

Dammit.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by redteg_87 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">WTF is up with these threads?

Build some character and do what you want.

Dammit.</TD></TR></TABLE>not to badly said. I probably would have replaced the build some character with grow some ***** but you know same thing.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by WAFFLES &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I want to know why some of you guys are so ******* in love with the idea of driving a beat down POS that runs 13s? It's 13s, not 11s or 10s. The majority of most LS1 Camaros are going to run right next to you. Only they will have their A/C on and fresh paint.

To the original poster:

You have a ZC motor, although not the fastest thing known to man, it gets you around town just fine. It's good enough to have fun with at a local auto-x. With bolt ons you can get into 14s. Not fast, but fun and quick. Why not, while you have the time and cash, get the body work knocked out, and throw a fresh coat of paint on it?

To those screaming **** a show car or all go and no show:
A new paint job and a little CF hardly makes it a show car. Most show cars are ugly turds, just as ugly as the 13second rust buckets you are so fond of. Simply painting your car and getting it "straight" looking does not constitute being all show. The guy still has a fun engine swap. After the paint and body work, he can always get the turbo sorted up, and save money to do it the right way.</TD></TR></TABLE>

*Stands up and claps*


I vote for JDM front end and a fresh coat of paint.


Having a freshly painted EF will make you fall in love with your car all over again. It will give you the inspiration to save up and make your car fast AND reliable. Besides..in the mean time you'll have a decently quick car that looks practically brand new. How can you beat that?

Having an unreliable turbo setup AND a beat up car will make you want to sell your Honda.

 

Dude,

I was in the same position, make look better or go faster. I did a little of both.
1st repainted. NY winters are hard on cars.
2nd new tranny, lighten flywheel
3rd a little NOS, 50 shot.

Unless, you going to spend a lot of money, show or go is hard to achieve.

 

well man.......what i have to say is......forget both options....save up more money.......sell your full ZC swap...and get a B16, and build on that....you have the same about of power as the low boost ZC....less parts...and still stock...so more potential....i will tell you my stripped civic STD looks like ****....even been called a POS with the 16 inch rims on low pros, cracked windsheild, dents, scratches, black bumpers and hood....looks god aweful...but when the other cars catch up(import) when i let off, or i go sailing by in 3rd gear(domestic), the feeling of 3000 dollars VS 15+..makes me happy....and i did it all myself........so i feel even better yet....


just my =.02