Buick SkyHawk vs. Honda CRX

[Mayhim]

My $875 '89 CRX gets low-mid 30's mpg with me revving it out and idling for 30 minutes a day. In warm weather and paying attention I get low 40's all the time and about 45mpg on the open highway at 65-70 mph. I've even managed to squeeze 52mpg out of it. I haven't done anything spectacular to get these mpgs -- grill block, delete the sea-anchor of a muffler, and air up the tires.

But if you're in love with the Skyhawk, whatever floats yer boat...

[101mpg]

I love the SkyHawk but I would totally get a CRX if I can find the right one. Cross-country move has put the damper on just picking one up. I'd like to find an '87 or '88 HF if I could. Definitely looking to trade for a CRX if I can find one.

[101mpg]

Fiberglass doors, nose, and tailcover would up FE considerably. I think I could save over 600 pounds that way. There is a street legal nose for certain - not sure if the doors are street legal or not. The huge steel doors on this thing are a problem for me. I'd rather go with aluminum but haven't found where I could get those yet.

Part of the problem is when you start asking questions of the state, they start getting too nosy - which is why I'm trying to research more.

What I'd really like to do is see if I could do this to a CRX - carbon fiber hood and aluminum doors.

Originally Posted by Improbcat

Fiberglass doors are available, though not recommended for street use.

It is possible, you are definitely going to have to watch every pound, and plan every modification carefully. For instance, an aluminum driveshaft would probably gain you some FE over a steel one.

From a quick websearch it look like it isn't. Though if you did it on the glass other than the windshield you are likely not going to be hassled. But I'd check the legality and inspection requirements in your state.

[oneinchsidehop]

Originally Posted by 101mpg

Fiberglass doors, nose, and tailcover would up FE considerably. I think I could save over 600 pounds that way. There is a street legal nose for certain - not sure if the doors are street legal or not. The huge steel doors on this thing are a problem for me. I'd rather go with aluminum but haven't found where I could get those yet.

Part of the problem is when you start asking questions of the state, they start getting too nosy - which is why I'm trying to research more.

What I'd really like to do is see if I could do this to a CRX - carbon fiber hood and aluminum doors.

If you drop 600-1000lbs off the car it's not going to ride ANYTHING like you remember. That's 1/3 of the weight off the springs... ever seen a car with the motor taken out? That's about 1/3 of the weight off the front end... the car is going to instantly ride 1-2" higher from the weight change. And the ride? Oh good God where do I start. You better have a friend at a heavy equipment shop that can make custom springs to spec, and a brother who is a Mechanical Engineer to write the specs...

Yes, I know this from trial and error, back in the late '70's I tried it on a Monza, it was an error. Didn't do it for FE, but for SCCA class loopholes. More of a noose than a loophole... It did not become the dream I had imagined, it became a gangley, mutant buckboard.

Soon afterward I found out that an track preped Alfa 1600cc slips quite nicely into an MG Midget...

All of the work has been done for you on the CRX, parts and aftermarket is available. And a CRX with a couple of tweaks is an awesome track car.

Of course it would be more responsible to build it for FE.

[rvanengen]

That's my thought too.

If you really like the ride of the car (smoothness and interior quietness) that will go away completely with all the changes.

Now...if you really like the looks, then why not just build a custom race quality chassis, get a donor SH for misc parts, and bolt the parts on? You will be redesigning the suspension and steering (no minor feat) anyway, so why not get rid of the 30+ year old frame and other parts you will not need?

Of course, if you go that route, then why not just go full electric and have real fun with it?

[oneinchsidehop]

Originally Posted by rvanengen

That's my thought too.

If you really like the ride of the car (smoothness and interior quietness) that will go away completely with all the changes.

Now...if you really like the looks, then why not just build a custom race quality chassis, get a donor SH for misc parts, and bolt the parts on? You will be redesigning the suspension and steering (no minor feat) anyway, so why not get rid of the 30+ year old frame and other parts you will not need?

Of course, if you go that route, then why not just go full electric and have real fun with it?

I like electric cars:
http://www.plasmaboyracing.com/videos.php

Of course this is kind of hijacking the thread. Sorry.
Seriously, I think a Monza/Skyhawk electric conversion would be cool, and you'd be able to keep the feel of the car better. It just isn't cheap. 10k to get it done right, but if you love the Skyhawk it's worth it.

I would do it, (funds permitting) with an old Lotus or Triumph in a heartbeat.

As far as short term fun, that CRX sounds good to me. Heck, I'd bet you could get 50mpg easily with drivng technique alone, and still have it run like a slot car.

(BTW, related to the thread about my Subie, I'm looking for a second car and a CRX is high on the list. If we find one below the Mason-Dixon line it's yours, above the line it's mine, fair? )

Mike

[101mpg]

Does having a mechanic who owns & runs a racing team count as knowing how to redesign the suspension? Seriously - my mechanic is exactly that. Not exactly a CHEAP mechanic but he doesn't overcharge for unneeded work - hard to find in a good mechanic.

Thread hijacking - LOL I see what you are saying but I want to keep a gas ride, and hit that 101 MPG tag. Likely too hard to do unless I build the frame out of tubed magnesium or something on a SkyHawk, so that plus electric seems way too much for me. I do want the gas ride.

I know - part of the ride is because it's so heavy - but the ride in a 'Vette is great and not so heavy (I know, all the rest of the mods) either.

So you all basically confirmed my thoughts to a "T" - I know I'd have to lower and also redo the suspension (took you all long enough ) and not sure what I'd have to do to the geometry that way but it would move like a DREAM if I left the 231 in it. Even putting in a 6-speed with great low gears for power and a really tall 6th gear and new rear end for FE would help it out tremendously.

Not necessarily the smoothness of the ride - but the "RIDE - man" - you know? Sentimentality wins sometimes. It's just the overall feel.

And if I did this right I'd run a tubed frame with cage, figure out how to put in seats that looked right, carbon fiber & fiberglass body and the thing would weigh about 1200 pounds.

SOOOOOO.....anyone wanna help me out getting a CRX? Just don't have 3-5 grand to plunk down for one in immaculate shape with under 100K miles with no rust right now. (Cross-country move depleted funds) Willing to trade (especially if you're overburdened on CRXs and underpowered on your computer...) or try to figure something out.

I'm in Charleston, WV - willing to make a drive to pick one up if anyone is interested in talking deals.

BTW I haven't found anywhere that has a full CRX fiberglass body anywhere - "CRX fiberglass body kit" seems to come up with a ton of skirts and dams and not much else. Carbon fiber hood I've found though.

Lowering a CRX an inch, nice front air dam, lengthening the hood (windshield wiper cover for more aero), etc. would be nice on a CRX. Thinking of picking up an HF tranny (or a 6-speed?) and having a taller 5th gear, definitely looking to exceed 60 MPG, hopefully 70 within first 6 months.

Any takers willing to help out on a CRX?

[Mayhim]

http://omaha.craigslist.org/car/494567328.html


The listing is a bit aged, and the miles are over your desired number, but the price is good.

[oneinchsidehop]

Originally Posted by 101mpg

SOOOOOO.....anyone wanna help me out getting a CRX? Just don't have 3-5 grand to plunk down for one in immaculate shape with under 100K miles with no rust right now. (Cross-country move depleted funds) Willing to trade (especially if you're overburdened on CRXs and underpowered on your computer...) or try to figure something out.

I'm in Charleston, WV - willing to make a drive to pick one up if anyone is interested in talking deals.

BTW I haven't found anywhere that has a full CRX fiberglass body anywhere - "CRX fiberglass body kit" seems to come up with a ton of skirts and dams and not much else. Carbon fiber hood I've found though.

Lowering a CRX an inch, nice front air dam, lengthening the hood (windshield wiper cover for more aero), etc. would be nice on a CRX. Thinking of picking up an HF tranny (or a 6-speed?) and having a taller 5th gear, definitely looking to exceed 60 MPG, hopefully 70 within first 6 months.

Any takers willing to help out on a CRX?

Keep looking on the CRX, when I bought the (now gone) Civic I saw one with 124k for $1200, not clean but cleanable. Painted Kermit green. Really. But paint is cheap.

A full fiberglass kit may not even drop the weight that much, but it's easy to get them to make more power. Most other people just want to up the P/W ratio to go quicker. Turbos are more bang for the buck than carbon for go-fast. Stripping the interior and replacing windows would probably show more results.

The other mods I think your on the right track. I'd look at a custom sealed nose (salt lake style, they usually use bent aluminium sheet) and an 8-10" lip extention in the back. That's what seems to work the best to seperate the vacuum from the rear bumper. And I think CRX's look good with a 2" drop, and that would give you about another point off the cd.

All in all I think it'd be a badass little car, and your mileage estimates are within reach. And you can drive it every day. It's basicly what I'm hoping to build. Your mechanic sounds like the perfect partner for this too.

If you find a Skyhawk? Keep it the way it was made, and enjoy every second of it.

my $.02

[oneinchsidehop]

Originally Posted by 101mpg

SOOOOOO.....anyone wanna help me out getting a CRX? Just don't have 3-5 grand to plunk down for one in immaculate shape with under 100K miles with no rust right now. (Cross-country move depleted funds) Willing to trade (especially if you're overburdened on CRXs and underpowered on your computer...) or try to figure something out.



Any takers willing to help out on a CRX?

Check eBay for a South or Western car with lotsa miles. Your thinking of replacing the motor/tranny and suspension parts... and you've got a good mechanic. Good excuse for a warm road trip in the WV winter.

http://motors.listings.ebay.com/_Cars-Trucks_Honda-CRX_W0QQa39Z1947QQa41Z10532QQalistZa39Q2ca41QQcurc atZtrueQQfromZR42QQgcsZ13QQpfidZ2473QQsacatZ6001QQ socmdZListingItemListQQsofocusZpf

If you check the completed listings you'll see that they actually have been selling between $900 and $2000

Now I'm getting excited!

http://www.chevyasylum.com/bsf2007/w...026r8_jpg.html