Hi, I'm going to be buying another car sometime in the near future specificly to tune up the engine. I wan't a car thats easy to fix up, and basicly, easy to throw a turbo and a nitrous kit in. I know there are different variations of the Civic, and im just wondering what would be the best version to fix up. I don't know much about Hondas, but I'm beginning to get very interested in them. I'm probably looking to spend around $5000 for just the basic car. Please let me know if you guys have any information.

 

96-00 civic ex

 

Well you go with a 88-91 CRX, which is a variation of the Civic. Get the Si model and you get the frills like a sunroof, get the HF and its lighter, and better for racing. They take well to B series swaps, my friend has a 90 HF with a b16 (motor from a 2000 civic SI) and its fast!

Or you could get a civic CE hatcback. Its got the base stuff, but nothing too fancy, so once again light and good for racing. the hatchback model has not been made since 2000 I think, so used ones are statring to pop up. And they also take well to swaps. You could also get a older si hatchback like a 91 or so but i dont know how weel they can be built.

All these cars could be bought used from a dealer or private seller for under 5k easily.

 

the hf is mostly lighter because of the tiny engine and brakes. so youll soon catch up with a crx dx in weight, so the hf isnt as light as it may appear. if you want an all around fun car, go with the si, it has four wheel disc brakes and a slightly more powerful stock engine than the others, yet its still a small, light car. with a B-series motor swap, its a beast. and its the cx not ce (not a big deal, just dont want to confuse you.)that you want.(92-up). and the 91 si hatch is basically a crx made slightly bigger for a back seat. all of the suspension and motor layout are the same. if you plan on a b-series swap, then go with a 92-00 civic. the b motors will drop right in using all honda/acura parts. they are slightly heavier than the 88-91s. it all depends on what you want out of the car. do you plan on using it for some light drag racing, autocross, or just a fun to drive street car. what level do you want it to get to? do you want it to be beating mustangs? or just the occasional integra? decide what you want out of it first. then we can help you get the perfect car for your needs w/o spending more than you need.

 

Thanks for the quick responses guys, sure makes things easier knowing there are plenty of people out there wanting to offer help. I'm not too crazy about the CRX... I'm sure it's got the potential to be a little beast, but I'm not too crazy about how they look. I'm actually a lot more interested in the 96-00 model 2 door coupes. As far as DX EX LX (I think those are the models, please correct me if Im wrong) I don't know what is what, and how each is different than the other. So all in all, I want the looks that I desire, as well as the power to back it up. I'm planning on stripping the car out and removing the rear seats and possibly the passenger seat as well. Plenty of weight reduction should take place. I'm not wanting a car made just for drag racing, just something to drive around after a long hard day of work... and beating a couple of mustangs would be very nice. So with a 96-00 Civic with weight reduction... engine transfer (by the way what would be the best engine for that car) and a top of the line turbo..as well as a nitrous kit.... what could I be expecting, power wise, out of this car? Thanks for your time guys, really helps out!

Cassidy

 

screw the swap. if you want a good all around car and are planning on serious weight reduction, then get the 99-00 si. it comes with a 160hp dohc vtec b16, four wheel disc brakes (the fronts are bigger than the other models) bigger sway bars, and a few other little things. put a small turbo kit on it with a new head gasket and arp head studs, run conservative boost and youll smoke a few mustangs. you oughta hit about 200-240whp with that, depending on your other mods. then get a type r tranny (limited slip diff and shorter final drive) and a good coilover setup. that thing will smoke! and the chicks dig the Electron Blue Pearl. this could put you around mid 13s with proper tuning. and the high compression on the b16, while limiting boost to about 6psi (dont kid yourself, you could run more, but i know a few people with tuned 8pounders that blew), will spool that turbo soooo fast, it will make up for the lack of displacement.

 

But there's a problem. I don't have 15k to spend on a 99'-00' Civic SI right now. I've just bought a 2004 Celica GT and I'm not interested in fixin' the engine up in it. It's just my "daily driver". Like the way she looks. BUT I'm wanting a semi-cheap (as in price...) car to fix up. I don't want anything really new and fancy... I just wan't a car that I can do anything I want to with it. Just like a.... project car I guess you could say. Like I said, I'm only interested in buyin a car thats around 5k... Or cheaper. Would the Civic be a good choice? From what I've been told, it's the ideal car for me for this kind of thing. But as I am FAIRLY new to the tuner world, I'm just tryin to get as MUCH info as possible. knowledge is everything! And I want to make a good choice. Thanks again for the info guys!

Cassidy

 

im not sure what the 96-00 run but if you find one in ur price range you will want it to be an ex...they have the d16y8 motor in them which is a vtec motor that i think the usdm is rated aT 127 HP stock...it is verymuch tuner friendly and you will find all kinds of bolt on turbo kits aswell as anything else you would want to do with it...the 99-00 si (DOHC)would be your best bet but i know what you mean about the money situation...the 96-00 ex is a SOHC which some people are against but it has a lot potential with the amount of aftermarket support...

 

if you plan on a swap, then try to save up a little and get the si, you have to shop around but you can find them under about 9k, i know thats more than you planned on, but 5k for the car plus 3k for the swap and youre almost there already, not to mention the brakes and suspension that are better on the si. yeah i know an si for 8-9k wont be in the best shape, but most 96-00 EXs for under 5k wont be much better.

 

Both of those ideas sound good... about the EX and the SI... And I think I've come to a conclusion. I think I'm going to spend twice the time saving up twice the money. I'm sure in the end that will be the better thing to do. But doing that, means it will be atleast a year or maybe a little longer before I have the money to just buy one. But that's cool, means I have plenty of time to think about exactly what I want to do to the car and in what order I want to do it in. Are there a good many of aftermarket parts for the SI, such as turbos, ect.? If so... do any of you guys know of a good all around site for Civic SI parts?

Thanks!

Cassidy