Thanks for the encouragement Divine Bovine. I just understand how many incredibly talented people are out there doing spectacular work.
More specifications on the chassis are in order.
This particular model is the 1984 CRX DX1300. It has a factory curb weight of 1720 lbs and was EPA rated in the 50's for mpg. Everything that came on the car from the factory was extremely light weight. Plastic fenders, nose panel, side skirts, and door garnishes are about as light as any produced in that era. The front brakes were puny solid discs, the rear axle a special light weight model with no sway bar, and a 9 gallon gas tank, "added lightness" to this fuel sipper.
In order to fill the "Fun" requirement some weight gain consisting of brake and susupension upgrades were necessary. The solid front discs were swapped in favor of the si vented disc front brakes and supplemental front and rear swaybars were installed at a weight penalty of around 30 lbs. The front add-on bar is a unit manufactured by Addco, and the rear is a custom bar sourced from 1996-2007 dodge caravans.
Notice two sandwiched front bars. If I'm able to source a larger front bar, this weight penalty may be reduced in the future.
Dodge Caravan rear swaybar courtesy of
www.redpepperracing.com
The stock handling characteristics of the 84 model can be summed up in one word, "squishy". Taking corners at speed would induce body roll more akin to 60's sports cars.
The car now handles very flat and "rotates" supremely well in corners. When I first heard the term "rotate" it was hard to envision what that meant. My best description is that when cornering, the car feels like the rear wheels are assisting, almost like 4 wheel steering. Not only does this make for a very entertaining driving experience, but it also allows for much greater speed to be conserved when driving, saving fuel.
To counter some of the additional weight gain and help balance the car's weight distribution a small, sealed 320cca AGM battery was installed in the passenger footwell. The stock location of the battery is at the nose of the passenger side of the vehicle. The weight of the factory lead acid 360cca battery was 42lbs.
Stock battery & location:
The replacement battery weighs a feathery 16lbs and accomplishes starting duties without drama.
Linear Mode
