New Project Car, 1983 Civic

[GasSavers_Ryland]

If you knew how good it looked then you might steal it! ummm, right, I was going to take some photos of it today, but then realized that I had limited day light left, and stuff to get done, but don't worry, I'll get photos soon.

[GasSavers_Erik]

Ryland:

Glad to hear that your transmission swap was a success! I am anxious to see your mileage reports.

Do you know if a 5 speed transmission out of an 84 CRX FE transmission is compatible with my 87 Civic DX (1.5 liter)? I have located this transmission and want to switch out my regular 5 speed for this FE 5 speed but would like to first be sure that it will fit and be compatible with my driveaxles and starter before I buy it.

[GasSavers_Ryland]

I'm not sure about the 1984 crx that you are asking about, because they stoped making the Civic FE in '83, and started making the crx HF in '85.
For that one year of 1984 they made a 1.3L crx, and I've never had the chance to look under the hood on one, by 1985 when they started making the crx hf, they put a 1.5L engine in it, and I know that those engines/transmitions will bolt to each other... other then maybe some messing around with flywheels, and starter? if you do some research on Redpepperracing.com I know that you will for sure find the answer, but yes, for those latter years I know that that the tranny will bolt right up to the engine/engine mounts.

[GasSavers_Ryland]

You can see most of the rust on the car... not a whole lot, a tree fell on it at some point so it has a few odd little dents on the roof, between the windsheld and hood, above the drivers door, but nothing that prevents anything from operating correctly, or that lets water leak in.

[budomove]

jealous I am.

engine pic?!

so clean!

[MetroMPG]

Hatchback angle of death I see. Aeromods it needs.

EDIT - actually no, the angle is OK. 45 good. 30 bad.

Nice looking car.

[GasSavers_Erik]

Ryland- Nice looking car, thanks for the transmission info and the redpepper website!

[GasSavers_Ryland]

Under the hood:



The engine seems pretty clean, some normal dirt and dust, I replaced the air intake duct, the warm air intake duct seems intact, replaced plugs, wires, cap, rotor, drained a cup or so of fuel from the fuel tank drain plug and it looked and smelled ok, added a can of sea foam today to the 3 or so gallons of fuel in the tank, along with a few ounces of synthetic premix 2 stroke oil to make sure the top end is fully lubed


Front end and grill:



When I first opened the hood and took at look at the radiator I thought it was huge, I meen it's 24" wide, streching acrose front of the engine compartment, then I realize that it was hardly 12" tall, or about 280 square inches of radiator area, I was used to the look of the half sized radiator in the VX sitting quitely in the corner of the engine compartment not causing anyone any truble at around 14x15", or about 210 square inches of radiator, then I looked at the back side of the black plastic grill and realized that it was only open where it had radiator behind it, the rest had solid backing, the belly pan on the other hand has gone missing, when I aqurired the car it had a tow bar so it could be a Dingy behind an RV, so of course I removed this 35+ pound chunk of angle iron, but whoever installed it felt that the factory belly pan was in the way, this car has an engine cradle, and simple front suspention so I might make a more compleat belly pan at some later date.

[smithenhiven]

Wow, nice car, and to think you only paid $150 for it. I've been searching for a second gen Civic in my area for a while now, can't find one.

Best of luck with it.

[red91sit]

Wow, absolutley excellent condidion especiailly for its' age! I"m a big jealous!