NOTE: I originally posted this in the Hybrid forum, but got no reponse. Hopefully someone here might be willing to help.

Hey all -
I tried searching, and there are millions of topics, but none particularly helpful. I need a specific recommendation from some knowledgable people.

First of all, a little background on the 2005 GRM Challenge. It's an annual contest held by Grassroots Motorsports magazine where you build the best car you can for $2005 or less. It must participate in 1) Autocross, 2) Drag racing, and 3) Concours.

We are starting with a 1986 CRX HF. Clearly we wish to do a swap to have some power... I didn't see much discussion about this vintage CRX and B-series swaps.

At first we were thinking B20 with nitrous - but it seems that the B20 doesn't like funny business (ie turbo or nitrous) due to the thin cylinder walls. So how about a B18? D-series? Transmissions?

Any suggestions from those with 1G CRX experience would be greatly appreciated. And remember - needs to be CHEAP!!

Thanks much!

 

1st gen crx+b series swap=expensive.... is the hf carbed? If so you are definitely starting with the wrong shell if you want to do a cheap swap. I would recommend something with fuel injection for a simple bolt in swap. For a swap go with a 1st gen integra motor or a ZC.

 

yeah i would think that would be costly since you have to have mounts made and linkage and the wiring...

im not too sure what your best route would be since the budget is so minimal and im not very familiar with the 1st gen CRX.

 

ZC!! direct drop in=cheaaap(decent hp)

 

id go with the d16a1 and run nitrous

 

go to redpepperracing.com they are the 1 G guys.

 

I'd try to spend more on handling than actual power parts. My 86 si was quick stock. Just shed a few pounds and maybe bump up power a little and you'll have a semi-quick quarter but an awesome auto-x car.

Oh, and i sold mine for $200.......needed to get rid of it ASAP b/c of school so i basically gave it to a friend.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by kid-honda &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">go to redpepperracing.com they are the 1 G guys.</TD></TR></TABLE>
good info.
You might wanna post at http://crx.honda-perf.org/ Board member disco stu has a first gen and did the 2004 challenge.
HTH
chris

 

Thanks for all the input so far guys...

Anyone else?

 

dude just make a mini-me out of the engine that would make your engine budget almost nothing. then spend the real money on brakes some shocks and springs and a built tranny from effinmotorworks.com, gut the **** out of the car and do as many home depot mods as you can...ha ha ha just ghetto that biatch together.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by kid-honda &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">go to redpepperracing.com they are the 1 G guys.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Website doesn't seem to work? Anyone know what happened to it? Or am I dumb?

 

who the hell said that B20 cant take boost or nitrous?
b20 are just as good a B18 in my opinion.

if your looking to spend less than $2k b20 over b16 or ls any day for the all around fun car to drive.

b20z with shunk2 IM, cai, gooood header, decent 2.5 ehaust and afc should get you easily about 145whp with about 130tq. add some mild 62403 cams & keep stock valvetrain to under 7500pms and you should make 5-8 more whp on top of that.

 

I'd suggest a brown top teg motor or brown top ZC with some delta cam regrinds, a header, decent custom exhaust, and some bike carbs. Should be really cheap and easy, and should haul, especially in a light HF. No tricky pgmfi swap, just bolt up and go.

Best bet, as mentioned earlier, is http://www.redpepperracing.com

 

We hope to make it out there this year with a 91 hatchback.

If you want to run nitrous and understand you are making a racecar and not a daily driver, fill the coolant passages up with block filler.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by allenp &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
At first we were thinking B20 with nitrous - but it seems that the B20 doesn't like funny business (ie turbo or nitrous) due to the thin cylinder walls. So how about a B18? D-series? Transmissions?


Thanks much!</TD></TR></TABLE>

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by allenp &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">We are starting with a 1986 CRX HF.</TD></TR></TABLE>
The 1st-gen CRX HF was a bad choice to start with. I would highly recommend you get a 1st-gen Integra or CRX/Civic Si for a parts donor car.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Targa250R &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
The 1st-gen CRX HF was a bad choice to start with. I would highly recommend you get a 1st-gen Integra or CRX/Civic Si for a parts donor car.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Well, in this case too bad for us, as we already have the car...

Being as it is, what powertrain combo would you recommend? We're willing to put a lot of work into wiring, so I'm not so concerned about that..

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Targa250R &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
The 1st-gen CRX HF was a bad choice to start with. I would highly recommend you get a 1st-gen Integra or CRX/Civic Si for a parts donor car.</TD></TR></TABLE>

He hit the nail on the head with this one. Just add a Saab 9000 to the list so you can turbo the 1st-gen Integra motor.

Keith who was in the 2002 GRM Challenge with an 86 CRX.

 

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

Keith who was in the 2002 GRM Challenge with an 86 CRX. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Steve - who was there with him!

It's a fun car and we got much more props on the car than I ever thought we would. Now that some of those guys are hitting 11's it's gonna be hard to match them at the strip. I would shoot for 12's with a turbo and nitrous setup and that'll be good. I think you can do that with a d series. Just not repeatedly. Then make sure it can handle. Good shock and really high spring rates in the rear, get some stiffer front torsion bars.

s

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by stevel &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
I think you can do that with a d series.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Okay - this is what I was getting at - now can you be more specific... What variety D series, and how the heck do you do a turbo+n20 setup for 2K? I figured we could nitrous it, but both?

 

homemade turbo

 

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

Okay - this is what I was getting at - now can you be more specific... What variety D series, and how the heck do you do a turbo+n20 setup for 2K? I figured we could nitrous it, but both?</TD></TR></TABLE>

we bought an 89 (i think) integra parts car. We swapped over all suspension and brakes. We also swapped the entire car and engine harness over to the CRX which converts it to PGMFI. We also took the motor swap from the integra, it's a DOHC d series, non vtec of course. I'm pretty sure it's a 1.6L. We bought the integra parts car for like $150 or so, took what we needed and sold $150 worth of parts off it, so technically all that stuff was free. Then we bought a SAAB 9000 and scavenged the turbo off it and other misc things we'd need for the homemade turbo kit such as the bypass valve. We used the HF manifold as our turbo mani and had an adapter plate made. We then traded the intercooler off the SAAB 9000 for a SAAB 900 intercooler which is much smaller, almost the size of an oil cooler. You just need to be able to find deals. You should be able to find some sort of used N2O kit for less than $200. We sold other parts off the SAAB to make up for the cost of the car so basically those parts were free. See how it works now? Read the rules again.

so now that i divulged all our secrets, hope it helps.

s

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by stevel &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">we bought an 89 (i think) integra parts car. We swapped over all suspension and brakes. We also swapped the entire car and engine harness over to the CRX which converts it to PGMFI. We also took the motor swap from the integra, it's a DOHC d series, non vtec of course. I'm pretty sure it's a 1.6L. We bought the integra parts car for like $150 or so, took what we needed and sold $150 worth of parts off it, so technically all that stuff was free. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Steve, it was an 87 Integra. Everything else you mentioned, though, was right on.

 

Steve, Keith, thanks very much for your input - I appreciate it!