I bought this:

1998 Honda Civic EX Coupe

got him down to 1400

If the link dosent work, it's a 98 ex 2 door coupe

my question is...what can I do with it?? I know I can do ALOT, but what should I start with?

Can invest about $500 in the coming weeks and more in the near future. There are Honda tuning shops in the Denver Metro area so anyone with any experience in those, please speak up.

It is an automatic but i had to get an auto cause the wife can't drive a stick.

I'm more interested in top end and handling then pure acceleration.

Thanks

 

Very nice - looks like you got yourself a good deal. I paid $1400 for mine, it's a 97 with 150k, but it is THREE colors (green doors, blue body, black hood and fender) and it also has a dent in the rear quarter panel..but it runs and drives well, so that's what matters, right? If I were you, I'd just take a REAL close look at it because there are certainly some things that need to be done. I soon found out that my driver's side motor mount was broken into two pieces and needed replacing, tie rod ends (inner/outer) needed replacing, and now I'm doing the struts. They are great little cars, but make sure you go over it with a fine toothed comb. You'll find little odds-and-ends everywhere!

 

It was taken to a mechanic before i got it because the people who bought it for me wanted to make sure it was in good working order. everything came back 'a-ok'. the v-belt needs to be replaced and the oil change and theres a slight coolant leak coming from the hose on the bottom. other then that it's in good shape. I can do the minor work myself but wouold like to add a few aftermarket parts to it.

How would I go about gettting JDM parts??

Also, is a shortblock with heads for 150$ a decent price? it's just the block with heads and cover.

thanks

 

I am lost here. It sounds like you need to do ALOT of research.

Automatic transmissions do not take too well to extra power.

You get JDM parts from Japan (Japanese Direct Market).

Short block means only the bottom part of the engine (pistons, rods, crank, etc). Add the head to it and the short block becomes a long block. Simple as that. Now, what are you asking about for $150? What block are you referring to exactly? D series? B series?

I would say fix it up 100% before playing with anything. Little fixes add up quickly

 

Sounds like you got yourself a good deal & not a bad looking Honda. Even got someone to buy it for you, What a score.
I agree fix the things that need to be repaired then drive it for awhile & see how it operates for you.
I know how it is with you kids buy a car & want to make a race car out of it right away. I wasn't any different when I was a kid. If your younger than 35 years old your a kid to me. But as I was told hundreds of times just drive it & enjoy it by my dad I wanted to modify it. So I never listened & you mostly won't either. My first car was a 1954 Packard Clipper 4dr with a straight 8 cylinder flathead engine. It weighed about 6000# you could load about 12 people in it. First thing I want to go race it, 14 years old, & this a few years before the 1964 GTO hit the street scene.

 

I havent gotten a response from the guy yet but he says it's from a brand new civic(98) that got rolled and has just been sitting in his garage with 3k miles. I'm attaching pics. And he only wants $150 for it. I don't know what block it is since he hasent emailed me back. But I did ask.

I'm 27 and don't want a 'street racer' or anything like that. I just want some more..oomph, if that makes since. I want a higher top end just because I take alot of highway trips and usually cruise at 90-100 with my radar detector(only had 1 ticket in 13 years of driving) so i get there quick. Would like the suspension upgraded since my wife gets car sick.

Side note: My first car was a 53 Austin Healey I got from my neighbor. Paid 2300$ for it. Loved that car. My grades slipped a year later and my mom sold it.

Gonna get everything fixxed this weekend. All hoses, the belt, timing belt(just changing it) and all the gaskets and seals plus a rad flush.

 

if it is a 98 then it is the same motor as yours? I dont understand the point of the swap then. If he is trying to tell you that he has had this motor just sitting since 1998, I seriously doubt i would believe him.

 

I'm just saying that that was what I was told.

Looks different then mine..idk.

And if i can get a motor that has less then mine on it then ill drop it in. I'd also like something i can pull a few parts off if need be.

 

A 53 Healey would be worth a little bit today. With a Curt Tanner restore a small fortune.
My 54 Packard cost me $50. In fact back in the day I never paid over $150. Big difference from modern times. I bought a 1956 Ford Fairlane 2dr post for $100. That would be worth a little today. I built a 312 T-Bird motor for it in High School Auto-shop. It had a 3speed with overdrive.