Newbie here, stupid questions time...

Decided not to trade in wife's '93 Civic Si on last new car purchase.
Has under 150K, strong stock engine.
Faced with replacing tires, I'm considering slowly modding it, from "ground up".
First thought is to go with wider and lower profile tires (currently running 195-60-14 Pirelli tires).

1) What is the lowest profile, widest tire that the '93 Si will take without fender/body part rubbing?
2) What inexpensive suspension mods would be in order (thinking struts, stronger anti-sway bars)?
3) Does a front end brace (under hood, connecting suspension towers) help firm up suspension?

Goal? Making better road car, with occasional autocross entries...

-Quicksilver

 

Welcome to the forums. I would suggest getting strut bars. You can find a pair on ebay for 40 dollars or go with a name brand for 150 each. I have been informed that there is not that big of a difference so ebay is fine. It does help stiffen supsension and with some shifter ***** costing over 40 this is a cheap performance part and extremely easy to install.

 

theres some measuring and math involved here...i'll try to find a link to tell you about it...if not i just picked up a book at barnes and noble today that (along with other things) explains how to pick the right tires and wheels for your purposes...its called the Honda and Acura Performance Handbook, i imagine u can find it on amazon, i'll try to find a link to that too, it explains suspension, wheels, exhaust, intake, forced injection...all that good stuff, but not in excruciating detail to the point where you can only read three or four paragraphs in one sitting

 

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...588685-5383242

not the book i mentioned but another one i got a few weeks ago, not as much into wheels and suspension as the other one but its still a good place to start if your lookin at upgrading any acura or honda

EDIT:
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/boo...0317801&itm=14

this is the book i was talking about...search barnes and noble and you will get a MASSIVE index of Honda/Acura upgrade books...when i searched that exact title it came up with about six or seven before that one..and there were a good 8 or 9 pages worth of books

 

Nail I3unny-
Does book you recommended go back as far as 1993 Civic Si model?
-Quick

 

hell...it goes as far back as the '71 Z-600, but it has upgrade reccomendations back to the third gen. (i believe) civic (thats '84-'87). actually one of the authors' fastest cars is a naturally asperated first gen. civic, runs a 10 second quarter-mile

 

but u were smart not to trade in your wife's 93 Si, i know some kids who would kill for one. to put it straight, they have great upgrade potential on all aspects, theyre extremly rare and if you do find one theyre much more expensive, and theyre just a hot little ride w/ a little work done to it

 

Nail I3unny (curious handle!)-
Thanks for the info! I'll be seeking this book out soon.
Re wife's car, we bought it in Alaska when we lived there in the '90s, with under 20K on it. She had an 84 Civic before, so going Civic came easy. The fact that this one had a sunroof, made the Si easy to negotiate! Once made a winter run from Anchorage to Seward (permanent snow all winter, just bladed by road graders daily) of 110 miles in an hour and 25 minutes (average of 85, + or -)...not all that impressive tho, in dead of winter, the temps can be around 0, or below, and freshly bladed snow at those temps has incredible traction...that plus only this idiot on the road, made for a fast cruise.

They're nice cars, and we've kept this one up mechanically.
-Quick