New member in MD: '96 Civic CX

[steviesmallfry]

Hey all!

New member here from Maryland!

I have a red 1996 Honda Civic CX hatch that was my wife's when she was 18. Back when we were "just dating", the head gasket blew and her brother took it to fix it. My now-wife decided she didn't want the car and just let her brother fix it and drive it around. I decided to pay him $650 for the repairs and got it registered Historic and in my name.

I am a police officer by day, gamer and Netflix watcher by night!

 

[HeX]

Welcome aboard, ociffer. ;-) I moved your thread here from the "Off Topic" and added your car info. to the title. Posting there is likely why you've received no responses. Show us pics of what you're working with. What are your plans for it?

 

[steviesmallfry]

As you can see in the photos (sorry for the blurring, I wanted to cover the plates), she is a little rough. I'd like to make a sleeper out of her, maybe do an engine swap, and swap her from an automatic to a manual, but the trannys in these cars weren't the best, I hear. She's ugly and loud, and I haven't even done any exhaust mods to her, she just doesn't have an air filter/intake on her right now.

What she needs:
- new headliner, old one is sagging
-new driver's side visor, old one is ripped and totally trashed
-new hood latch, old one will not keep hood locked
-new hood cable to open hood, the old one's knob broke off, so have to pull it with pliers
-new door panel interior clips
-new bumper clips
-new side skirt clips, side skirts are falling off
-rust repair behind rear wheels
-rotors and brake pads, vibration from being warped
-air filter, there is no filter/intake attached
-new driver's door lock mechanism, the old one you have to pull the handle to manipulate lock
-have to get leftover duct tape remnants off the paint from when I took a trip and my father taped a rain cover to it in a storm when he was "babysitting" it
-new bumper OR somehow have to find a way to re-mount a license plate, the mounting hardware and bolts were damaged and had to be dremeled off when I turned the old tags in, the new front plate is blurred out in the front windshield.
-dent repair (dent is behind passenger front wheel, just in front the door jamb)

What's been done:
-brakes and rotors (2015)
-new head gasket (2014)
-new air filter box (2012 - 2013)
-new window regulator on driver's door (2017)

What parts I have to install:
- new hood latch
-new hood cable and knob
-new headlights
-new tailights
-new driver's visor
-actual arm rest from another Civic as the CX did not come with one

 

[XpL0d3r]

Nice! Needs a little work but honestly that's a great platform to build off of. And that's cool you got to register it as historic!

I would get that rust fixed as a priority if you can. It's not bad now but it can quickly take a turn for the worst. Looks like you're in MD so I don't know what the snow / salt situation is there, but if you do have salted roads, that will make things worse.

 

[steviesmallfry]

I keep her garaged when I am not driving her, and I only use her as a beater. She won't see much snow or salt, but I hear what you're saying. I have a take-home patrol car I use about 95% of the time during the week, so the CX doesn't see much play time as of now.

 

[supertreez]

Nice project car none the less. I also just joined this forum. I bought a 98 hatch about a month ago and been getting it road ready with lots to come. have several ideas just need warm weather as I also reside in MD

 

[steviesmallfry]

Tomorrow my Brother In Law and I are replacing the hood latch as well as the hood release lever and cable.

 

[ctag]

Tomorrow my Brother In Law and I are replacing the hood latch as well as the hood release lever and cable.

Post pictures!


Nice car, looking forward to see what you do with it

 

[steviesmallfry]

Post pictures!


Nice car, looking forward to see what you do with it

New hood latch and cable/handle

New driver's side sun visor (USED)

New headlights (new hood latch is black, replacing the rusty old one)

 

[ctag]

Looking good

 

[steviesmallfry]

I was thinking of lowering my 96 EK Hatch, without slamming it. Not sure what would be a good drop height to get rid of the gap between the tire and the wheel well.

 

[Otto85]

I was thinking of lowering my 96 EK Hatch, without slamming it. Not sure what would be a good drop height to get rid of the gap between the tire and the wheel well.

I'd slap a set of 1.75 lowering springs that should leave approx. 3/4-1 inch wheel gap

Sent from my LG-LS997 using Tapatalk

 

[HeX]

@steviesmallfry, I moved comments #11 & 12 in here for two reasons. The first is that asking in another persons thread is what is called "thread jacking". You already started this thread so easy questions like that should stay here. Secondly, some mild research will also easily answer your question, which has been covered alot. Do get familiar with the search function because its highly unlikely that you'll ask a question that hasn't already been covered in depth.

 

[steviesmallfry]

Gotcha.

Installed (more like Jerry-rigged) a DNA Motorsports Short Ram Intake into the Civic tonight...doesn't look half bad. Hope it holds!

Electrical Tape holding the Air Temp Sensor

Cut the supplied breather tube down and zip-tied it on

Double clamped

Final product...

Even if it doesn't hold, it was a surefire learning experience!!

 

[steviesmallfry]

Update (as of 4/7/17):

* Replaced zip ties with hose clamps for more security
* Replaced electrical tape around temp sensor with high temperature tape

(No new pics)

 

[CoupedUp99]

Good stuff, hatch is looking good, I have a question about Maryland if you don't mind me asking. I am getting out of the military soon, and I am looking at an intelligence job in the DC area. I was looking into living in Maryland how is it, the housing, job market, specifically in business, and emissions for the coupe lol.

 

[steviesmallfry]

Parts of MD can be expensive, the closer you are to DC/VA. Not sure about the job market, I've been a cop for over 10 years. I'd check Indeed.com or USAJOBS. As far as emissions, if you register a car as historic, you don't have to get it inspected or have emissions done but you can still get SEROs (repair orders) if pieces are falling off or the vehicle is unsafe.

 

[steviesmallfry]

So this evening, after work, my buddy came over and we both removed the old exhaust system from the Civic. Took some work, some broken bolts, and removing a control arm, but we got the old one off. While preparing the new Yonaka cat-back for installation, some serious clouds rolled in and blocked the sunlight. Fearing a sudden downpour and due to the overall loss of sun, we decided to mount the muffler for now, the rest will have to be installed at a later date.

My buddy working the jack

Old exhaust removed

New Yonaka muffler lit up by a work flashlight

My buddy under the car (it was a tight fit, even with the jack and jackstands, I could barely fit under there)

 

[mymmeryloss]

Looks like good progress


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[steviesmallfry]

My buddy and I got to it early this morning in an attempt to finish installing the exhaust.... however, we hit some snags!

While attempting to hook up the middle pipe to the downpipe, we realized that the downpipe was rusted out, and upon further investigation, also noticed that the headers and manifold covers were rusted out, too. We ended up removing the headers, heat shields, covers, and catalytic converter, only breaking two bolts in the process.

We also noticed that the car has been slowly leaking oil, a lot, so we went in and cleaned it up, and replaced the valve cover gasket as well as the gaskets around the bolts.

Ended up purchasing a new 4 - 1 header for the Civic, and are not reinstalling a catalytic converter at this point.

Small victories!