Repair or swap? 94 Civic hatch

[SunAlister]

Hey guys, I just picked up a 94 civic hatchback for dirt cheap and I'm just looking for advice. The car is heavily modded but poorly. The previous owner seems like a jerry rig modder, there is electrical tape and plugged vacuum hoses EVERYWHERE under the hood.

I want to do things right with it. I would like to take it all back to OEM stock because it's coming up on being an official "classic" car (restoring classics kinda runs in the family) but I'm also wondering if I shouldn't just swap the motor and make it a rat rod (the car also needs minor body work)

Basically, I'm indecisive about it at the moment and would like to hear your thoughts on what you'd do. Thanks guys!

 

[HeX]

Replacing vacuum hoses is easy. We need far more details in order to provide reasonable suggestions.

Trim? Tranny type? Mileage? What mods does it have? Have you inspected the taped wiring? Whats your budget? Whats your mechanical skill set? What are the known issues? Any Check-Engine codes?

I changed your title from "New here and to Hondas" to something concisely stating what advice you seek. Concise helpful titles attract useful attention.

 

[SunAlister]

Replacing vacuum hoses is easy. We need far more details in order to provide reasonable suggestions.

Trim? Tranny type? Mileage? What mods does it have? Have you inspected the taped wiring? Whats your budget? Whats your mechanical skill set? What are the known issues? Any Check-Engine codes?

I changed your title from "New here and to Hondas" to something concisely stating what advice you seek. Concise helpful titles attract useful attention.

I will take some picture of the bay when I get home today. As far as mods go, it has an external coil wired out of the distributor. The under hood fuse box was run under the dash and was just laying on the passenger floor board, the battery was run from the back seat. There is a blocked off 1/2 inch hose coming off of the bottom of the motor. I have some skill, but mostly with domestics. It looks like it will be fun to restore, just need some education. Like I said I'll take pics of everything I just described and post them later

And as far as budget goes I'm not too concerned. It's just a fun project car for me, if it takes 10 years so be it lol. Also the motor has 194000 miles on it but it runs great

 

[SunAlister]

Save yourself a case of endless headaches. Sell it.

Then buy an unmolested stock Civic.

I've considered that too. It needs a tune up badly before I can sell it, if I do. Valve cover gasket, fuel filter, cap and rotor, plugs and wires. My question would be should I keep the external coil or just get the stock internal coil for the dizzy? And if I did get the internal coil pack, is it wired differently than the external? Just asking this because this is one of the areas that has electrical tape in droves.

 

[SunAlister]

Why not just sell the car as is and then invest the "tune up" money into the newly purchased car?

So I'm taking your advice a selling it to a buddy of mine who needs transportation to and from work. Problem is, he won't buy until I get the brake lights working. Bulbs are good, there is power getting back to the connectors, the outer running lights work, just not the brake lights. Could the pedal brake light switch be the culprit?

 

[Otto85]

Check fuse number 7 in the under dash fuse box located on the driver side it only operates the brake lights and horn

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[Otto85]

Your right boofoo I was looking at the wrong diagram

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[SunAlister]

Just got home and checked. Horn does not work but fuse is good. Just to be certain I replaced it with a brand new one. Still no horn or brake lights

 

[SunAlister]

Getting a big fat zero on either side.....tested another one to be sure it wasn't my meter. Other one read 12v

 

[SunAlister]

Ok. Thanks. I'll update.

 

[SunAlister]

The hood fuse box is bad. Replace it.

You are a scholar sir! New fuse box in and brake lights working. Time to sell her. Thanks for the help