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Straman Crx Registration


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#1
WOLFCRX

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    • Group: Contributing Member
    • Location:Bakersfield, California
    • Drives: 87 crx si, 87 crx si and 84 crx(Straman Spyder), 91 Chevy silverado, 87 lynx 5th wheel
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Straman CRX Registration


Click on the Straman number(ST1000) to view full profile of that car

ST1001...1984......1.5
ST100X...1984......1.5
ST1008...1984......1.5.....Actual stamp reads ST108
ST1010...1984......1.5
ST1017...1984......1.3
ST1018...1984......1.5
ST1019...1984......1.5
ST1030...1985......DX
ST1032...1985......DX
ST1042...1985......Dx

ST1047...1985......
ST1060...1985......DX
ST1061...1985......Si
ST1066...1984......HF
ST1069...1985......Si

ST1072...1986......

ST1073...1986......

ST1081...1986......
ST1082...1986......DX
ST1086...1986......DX
ST1103...1987......Si
ST1104...1987......DX

ST1108...1987......Si
STA1116.1987......Si
STR1123.1987.....Si
ST1127...1984.....1.5

Stramans without ST# info
STH8402...1984 in Hot Springs, Ar.
STH8502...1985 in Alaska
STH8503 ..1985 in California
STH8506...1985 in New York
1985 in Pomona
STH8402...1984 in Arkansas
STH8701...1987 in Arizona
STH8505...1985 in Europe
STH8602...1986 in Massachusetts
STH8710....Location Unknown
STH8711...1987 in California
STH8705...1987 in Illinois
STH8709...1987 in Sweden
STH8703...1987 in Tijuana
STH8702...1987 in Washington
STH8706...1987 in Washington DC
1987 Si in Arizona

How to find your ID#
The Straman ID# should be located on the convertible top frame above the drivers door window, this number should read ST1 and then 3 numbers(ST1001) or ST1 and then 2 numbers(ST108). ST1 is supposed to be what all Straman conversions start with, the following numbers are the sequence of the car in the production line. These stampings are bold and clear in some cars but small and faint in others. We have one car that to this point the owner has not found any number, this is a very early car and may have not gotten a stamp but this is unconfirmed.

Here are some pictures to help with locating the ID#.
Picture038.jpg
IMG_9032.jpg

The Men Who Kept the Convertible Going

By JOHN O'DELL, TIMES STAFF WRITER
June 25, 1998

America's automotive moguls are reaping the benefits of the convertible's resurgence these days, but the comeback of the soft top owes far less to the denizens of Detroit than to the no-guts, no-glory gambles of a couple of independent entrepreneurs.

It was Detroit, in fact, that killed the ragtop, citing waning sales as air conditioning, safety concerns and federal fuel-economy rules conspired to dim convertibles' appeal.

When Cadillac dropped the Eldorado in 1976, an era ended.

And it wasn't until six years later, after a Newport Beach Ferrari restorer and a Michigan sunroof maker who started his business in Los Angeles showed the way, that a domestic car company rolled out a new convertible.

The unspoken reason soft tops died out, industry watchers say, is that car makers had been losing money on every one they built. Despite the great degree of expensive hand-finishing a convertible requires, the companies were afraid to charge a premium and priced them on par with the coupes on which they were based.

But Ferrari restorer Richard Straman, whose custom-built Camaro ragtops were selling in Orange and Los Angeles counties for almost 50% more than the coupe in the early 1980s, showed car makers that people would indeed pay more for a convertible.

"They are sporty and unique, and people want that," said David Cole, director of the University of Michigan's Office for the Study of Automotive Transportation.

Car makers didn't believe that in 1976, but within a few years they were shocked by the big bucks being raked in by automotive aftermarket firms that were installing sunroofs and T-tops to open cars up to the sun and wind.

"You continually monitor the marketplace," said Jack Witucki, Mustang and Thunderbird brand manager at Ford Motor Co. "When you see people going into the aftermarket to buy custom-made convertibles, and watch the sales of sunroofs, moon roofs and T-tops soar, then you know that people want convertibles and that you'd better start making them again."

Detroit's reentry vehicle was the 1982 Chrylser LeBaron. It was followed in 1983 by the Buick Riviera and the reintroduced Ford Mustang soft top.

Now there are 24 different convertibles available to new-car buyers in California, with at least two more due to hit dealer showrooms in the next six months--the Audi TT and the Mercedes-Benz CLK.


RPR Convertible club:


84 Straman project build

#2
GENONE

  • CRX Obsessed
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    • Location:Perth - Western Australia
    • Drives: 1983 CRX (29th Build), 1991 CRX, 1984 CRX HKS Supercharged
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I wish we had these here in OZ...
Posted Image
[GENONE] 1983 CRX Ballade Sports 1.5 SOHC Efi
[BANDIT] 1984 CRX Ballade Sports 1.6 DOHC HKS Supercharged
[SINISTR] 1991 CRX Si 1.6 DOHC Efi

#3
greasemonkeyreborne 5x1g's

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    • Group: 2018 Contributor
    • Location:Foreign national in TX
    • Drives: 9 crx's: #1 228k 87si beater, #2 concours 25K, #3 108K 87si, #4 98K parts car, #5 213K 87si parts car, #6 84 straman, #7 86si 150k #8 67k parts #9 129K si for straman conversion
great info Doug.

Let me know when the website comes out and I'll help support it.

Thnx

dave
Keepin' it OEM

#4
WOLFCRX

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    • Group: Contributing Member
    • Location:Bakersfield, California
    • Drives: 87 crx si, 87 crx si and 84 crx(Straman Spyder), 91 Chevy silverado, 87 lynx 5th wheel
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Straman ID# ST100x
Year: 1984
Model: 1500
Mileage: 136,500
Transmission: Manual
Color: Red over Gray
Interior color: Black
Top color: Black
A/C: No
Honda Build date: November 1983
Conversion date: Unknown
Tag in door jamb: No
Straman Badge: No
Owners RPR ID: GLHS988
Location: California
How many owners: Unknown
Last purchase date: 2/1/2008

Modifications:

Comments:
This car looks to be the earliest conversion in our registry, at this point he has been unable to find and Straman ID number on the convertible frame but after a detailed inspection of the car I have found that it is 100% a Straman conversion. It is virtually identical to my 84 Straman but with a much earlier vin# then mine.

Links to this cars web pages:
Photos
NorCal met article
Mone Photos

Last update:
5/1/11
RPR Convertible club:


84 Straman project build

#5
WOLFCRX

  • Leadfoot
  • PipPipPipPipPip
    • Group: Contributing Member
    • Location:Bakersfield, California
    • Drives: 87 crx si, 87 crx si and 84 crx(Straman Spyder), 91 Chevy silverado, 87 lynx 5th wheel
    • Image Gallery
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th_HPIM1860.jpg

Straman ID# ST1008 .........Actual stamp Reads ST108
Year: 1984
Model: 1500
Mileage: 299,200
Transmission: Auto
Color: Red
Interior color: Black
Top color: Black
A/C: Yes
Honda Build date: June 1984
Conversion date: Unknown
Tag in door jamb: No
Straman Badge: No
RPR ID: WOLFCRX
Location: California
How many owners: looks to be 3
Last purchase date: 6/1/08

Modifications:

Comments:
Found this car in a junkyard in Bakersfield, Ca. on 6/1/08. Myself and 2 other Red Pepper Racing members went to the yard and removed parts from 6 other crx's and installed them on this car to make it worth the price the junkyard was asking for it. The reinforcement frame on the drivers side was rusted trough and needs to be completely replaces but the body of the car is straight and rust free other then the Straman reinforcement and a little in the trunk jamb.
The stamp on the top frame reads ST108 instead of ST1008, Because we have no other cars with a stamp under ST1010 I am unsure if cars 1-9 are stamped this way or if someone made a mistake when stamping it.

Links to this cars web pages:
Photos
Restoration

Last update:
8/4/13


RPR Convertible club:


84 Straman project build

#6
WOLFCRX

  • Leadfoot
  • PipPipPipPipPip
    • Group: Contributing Member
    • Location:Bakersfield, California
    • Drives: 87 crx si, 87 crx si and 84 crx(Straman Spyder), 91 Chevy silverado, 87 lynx 5th wheel
    • Image Gallery
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Straman ID# ST1010
Year: 1984
Model: 1500
Mileage: 211,000
Transmission: Manual
Color: Red over Gray
Interior color: Black
Top color: Black
A/C: No
Honda Build date:
Conversion date: August 1984
Tag in door jamb: No
Straman Badge: No
Owners RPR ID: greasemonkeyreborne 5x1g's
Location: Texas
How many owners: 2
Last purchase date: 7/24/2001

Modifications:
Wooden MOMO steering wheel and MOMO rims purchased directly from Jackson Racing just down the street from Straman in 1984.

Comments:
Original owner got the July issue of R&T featuring the Straman CRX in late June mailed to his house. He put down payments in and around the Riverside, CA area with at least 10 dealerships within the next week. Paid $6799 ($7745TTL) @ Sierra Autocars and drove it immediatley to Straman in August '04. He was on the waiting list for at least 6 weeks. Straman took about 4 weeks to complete the conversion (Straman cost $4995, he did not pay sales tax due to a negotiation error on Straman's behalf). During that time, he witnessed on average of 4 other CRX's in the conversion process. He met w/ Richard Straman a few times during the conversion. Richard was out in the field marketing his coach lines of convertibles most of the time.

Several years later, the car got hit in the rear. The owner took it back to Straman to have it repaired correctly. He said the undercarriage supports were upgraded at that time to meet the improvements of the later models. (I still need to get underneath and verify.)

The motor was replaced w/ a 60K motor when the body had around 180K. Car is all original paint, parts beyond new motor and rear end repair.

Owner placed add on CRXresource in June of 2001. Add took lots on interest, but no one ever showed up to "truely" check out the car. I mailed him a deposit and 3wks later flew down and picked it up. Car has been sitting in garage storage on jack stands w/ plastic over the concrete ever since, clocking less than 200 miles since drive back to Texas in 2001. Car has not been driven since 2004. Paid $2000 plus the plane ticket


Links to this cars web pages:
Photos

Last update:
8/31/2009
RPR Convertible club:


84 Straman project build

#7
WOLFCRX

  • Leadfoot
  • PipPipPipPipPip
    • Group: Contributing Member
    • Location:Bakersfield, California
    • Drives: 87 crx si, 87 crx si and 84 crx(Straman Spyder), 91 Chevy silverado, 87 lynx 5th wheel
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No picture available yet.

Straman ID# ST1017
Year: 1984
Model: 1300
Mileage:
Transmission: Manual
Color: White over Gray
Interior color: Blue
Top color: Blue
A/C: Yes
Honda Build date:
Conversion date: Unknown
Tag in door jamb: No
Straman Badge: No
Owners RPR ID: Indyman
Location: Indiana
How many owners: Unknown
Last purchase date:

Modifications: None

Comments:

Links to this cars web pages:

Last update:
1/26/09
RPR Convertible club:


84 Straman project build

#8
WOLFCRX

  • Leadfoot
  • PipPipPipPipPip
    • Group: Contributing Member
    • Location:Bakersfield, California
    • Drives: 87 crx si, 87 crx si and 84 crx(Straman Spyder), 91 Chevy silverado, 87 lynx 5th wheel
    • Image Gallery
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th_1025.jpg

Straman ID# ST1018
Year: 1984
Model: 1500
Mileage:
Transmission: Manual
Color: White over Gray
Interior color: Blue
Top color: Blue
A/C: Unknown
Honda Build date:
Conversion date: August 1984
Tag in door jamb: No
Straman Badge: No
Owners RPR ID: HarlyB
Location: Texas
How many owners: 1
Last purchase date: August 1984

Modifications: None

Comments:
Bought in August �€˜84
HarlyB read the Road & Track (July '84) article about the Straman conversion into a convertible. He immediately called up Straman to see what he needed to do to buy one of these conversions. He was told that he had a few options. He could buy a CRX and ship or drive it to SoCal. He could also order the conversion straight from the dealership (the dealer would have the car shipped & converted), or buy one already converted from Straman. Either way, the price was the same. The conversion price was $4995 in 1984, but his brother owned a car dealership, so he paid wholesale price for the conversion, at $4100. The July '84 article lists the estimated price of $4000-$4500 for the conversion, so it went up to $4995 for actual production. This means the dealership markup was $895. If you had it converted without the dealer's help, you still paid full price. That encouraged the new-car-dealer to contract directly with Straman. That means less hassle for Straman, since dealers are easier to handle than picky private owners.

He ordered his CRX around July from Honda and got delivery of the car around August. He then drove it to Costa Mesa (from Dallas) for the conversion and to meet Richard Straman and tour the shop. He was very impressed and said there were several cars undergoing surgery, including some exotics. He then flew home. Two or three weeks later, he flew back to pick up the car.

He sent me his original paperwork and it states: The car's base mrsp ('84 CRX 1.5) was $6,592.00 plus $174.00 destination charge. No deals were made back then for these desirable cars, so he paid full retail price. His total price paid was $10,866.00 (plus other optional equipment and taxes).

Links to this cars web pages:

Photos

Last update:
7/26/2009


RPR Convertible club:


84 Straman project build

#9
WOLFCRX

  • Leadfoot
  • PipPipPipPipPip
    • Group: Contributing Member
    • Location:Bakersfield, California
    • Drives: 87 crx si, 87 crx si and 84 crx(Straman Spyder), 91 Chevy silverado, 87 lynx 5th wheel
    • Image Gallery
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Straman ID# ST1019
Year: 1984
Model: 1500
Mileage: 57,000
Transmission: Manual
Color: Red over Gray
Interior color: Black
Top color: Black
A/C: no
Honda Build date:
Conversion date: October 1984
Tag in door jamb: Yes
Straman Badge: Yes
Owners RPR ID: Indyman
Location: Indiana
How many owners: 3
Last purchase date: May 2008

Modifications:

Comments:
This car had EDM headlights installed on it possibly from R. Straman when the car was converted or shortly after for a photo shoot for a magazine over seas.

Links to this cars web pages:
Photos

Last update:
1/26/09
RPR Convertible club:


84 Straman project build

#10
WOLFCRX

  • Leadfoot
  • PipPipPipPipPip
    • Group: Contributing Member
    • Location:Bakersfield, California
    • Drives: 87 crx si, 87 crx si and 84 crx(Straman Spyder), 91 Chevy silverado, 87 lynx 5th wheel
    • Image Gallery
    Garage View Garage


Straman ID# ST1030
Year: 1985
Model: 1500
Mileage:
Transmission: Manual
Color: Red over Gray
Interior color: Black
Top color: Black
A/C: No
Honda Build date:
Conversion date:
Tag in door jamb: Unknown
Straman Badge: Unknown
Owners RPR ID: 84b18
Location: Arizona
How many owners: 5
Last purchase date: August 2008

Modifications:

Comments:

Links to this cars web pages:
Photos

Last update:
1/26/09
RPR Convertible club:


84 Straman project build

#11
WOLFCRX

  • Leadfoot
  • PipPipPipPipPip
    • Group: Contributing Member
    • Location:Bakersfield, California
    • Drives: 87 crx si, 87 crx si and 84 crx(Straman Spyder), 91 Chevy silverado, 87 lynx 5th wheel
    • Image Gallery
    Garage View Garage


th_4c8a_12.jpg

Straman ID# ST1032
Year:v 1985
[b]Model:
1500
Mileage: 239,000
Transmission: Manual
Color: Red
Interior color: Black
Top color: Black
A/C: Yes
Honda Build date:
Conversion date: Unknown
Tag in door jamb: Unknown
Straman Badge: No
Owners RPR ID: not a member
Location: Downey,California
How many owners: 2
Last purchase date: August 2008

Modifications:

Comments:
This car was listed on Ebay 1/22/09, he is asking $9,800 and a starting bid of $3,400. I asked the owner to give the buyer the info of this site in hopes of adding another member to the registry.

As of 8/30/2009after looking at my pictures I realize this it the same crx as another I had been tracking, it is the crx from San Gabriel, Ca. I've come across this car a few times in the past, first I found it on cardomain and left a message for the owner. He was interested in making it to an RPR meet but never did, I then found it for sale with some front end damage about a year later(not sure what happened to those pictures). Then it was found for sale again in August 2008 with the front end repaired about the same time ST1030 came up for sale, If I recall they were asking $1,500 but I am not positive.

This car is still for sale on creigslist currently for $6,750.

Links to this cars web pages:
Photos
car donaim page
Creigslist add

Last update:
8/30/09


RPR Convertible club:


84 Straman project build

#12
WOLFCRX

  • Leadfoot
  • PipPipPipPipPip
    • Group: Contributing Member
    • Location:Bakersfield, California
    • Drives: 87 crx si, 87 crx si and 84 crx(Straman Spyder), 91 Chevy silverado, 87 lynx 5th wheel
    • Image Gallery
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Straman ID# ST1042
Year: 1985
Model: DX
Mileage:
Transmission: Manual
Color: Red
Interior color: Black
Top color: Black
A/C: No
Honda Build date: December 1984
Conversion date: February 1985
Tag in door jamb: Unknown
Straman Badge: No
Owners RPR ID: SEEKERone
Location: Florida
How many owners: Unknown
Last purchase date:

Modifications:

Comments:

Links to this cars web pages:
Photos

Last update:
1/26/09
RPR Convertible club:


84 Straman project build

#13
WOLFCRX

  • Leadfoot
  • PipPipPipPipPip
    • Group: Contributing Member
    • Location:Bakersfield, California
    • Drives: 87 crx si, 87 crx si and 84 crx(Straman Spyder), 91 Chevy silverado, 87 lynx 5th wheel
    • Image Gallery
    Garage View Garage


Straman ID# ST1082
Year: 1986
Model: DX
Mileage: 75,000
Transmission: Manual
Color: Red over Gray
Interior color: Black
Top color: Black
A/C: Yes
Honda Build date: December 1985
Conversion date: February 1986
Tag in door jamb: Yes
Straman Badge: No
Owners RPR ID: Slimwhitman
Location: Kansas
How many owners: 2
Last purchase date: August 2005

Modifications:
exactly as it left the Honda dealer, except I removed the cyclops center-mount brake light (it was cheap and disintegrating).

Comments:
This car was purchased by a couple for the wife to use as a around-town car in Kansas City. They owned it until 2004. They traded in a ’62 TBird at the Honda dealer for this CRX Spyder in 1986. All original paperwork and the window sticker are still with the car. This info states: '86 CRX 1.5 Spyder has a base msrp of $7,339.00 and destination charge of $189.00. Add the conversion price of $4995 (+ $780.00 in additional freight for the conversion) and the total comes to $13,303 plus other options and taxes. The window sticker shows that the options (spyder conversion, stereo/cassette + 4 speakers, alloy wheels, floor mats, AC, tail light panel, dealer prep) cost more than the car did! MSRP/d.c.=$7,528, options=$8,295, Total was $15,823.00 plus taxes.

Links to this cars web pages:
Photos

Last update:
7/26/2009
RPR Convertible club:


84 Straman project build

#14
WOLFCRX

  • Leadfoot
  • PipPipPipPipPip
    • Group: Contributing Member
    • Location:Bakersfield, California
    • Drives: 87 crx si, 87 crx si and 84 crx(Straman Spyder), 91 Chevy silverado, 87 lynx 5th wheel
    • Image Gallery
    Garage View Garage


Straman ID# ST1103
Year: 1987
Model: Si
Mileage: 175,000
Transmission: Manual
Color: Silver
Interior color: Black
Top color: Black
A/C: No
Honda Build date: September 1986
Conversion date: November 1986
Tag in door jamb: Yes
Straman Badge: No
Owners RPR ID: WOLFCRX
Location: California
How many owners: 3
Last purchase date:

Modifications:
EDM headlights, tail lights and corner lights
JDM digi dash
JDM trip computer
Red reflective tail garnish
Clear bumper lights
85 Si spoiler
Medieval-pro CF one piece hood
Headman header
Intrax lowering springs
Integra seats
Integra front brake upgrade
Momo steering wheel
Reactive shift knob and e-brake handle
K&N filter
9lb. flywheel
side marker lights
custom upholstered interior

Comments:

Links to this cars web pages:
Photos
Straman top upholstery
Rust repair and interior restore

Last update:
1/26/09
RPR Convertible club:


84 Straman project build

#15
WOLFCRX

  • Leadfoot
  • PipPipPipPipPip
    • Group: Contributing Member
    • Location:Bakersfield, California
    • Drives: 87 crx si, 87 crx si and 84 crx(Straman Spyder), 91 Chevy silverado, 87 lynx 5th wheel
    • Image Gallery
    Garage View Garage


Straman ID# STA1116
Year: 1987
Model: Si
Mileage:
Transmission: Manual
Color: Silver
Interior color: Off Black
Top color: Black
A/C: No
Honda Build date:
Conversion date:
Tag in door jamb: No
Straman Badge: No
Owners RPR ID: Fantomwop
Location: Rogue River, Oregon
How many owners:
Last purchase date:

Modifications:

Comments:
The owner said the Straman ID# reads STA116, this could be double stamped like some of the others and look like an A but without a picture we can not be for sure.

links to this cars web pages:
Cardomain page
Photo page


Last update:
1/26/09
RPR Convertible club:


84 Straman project build