Jimbothemagnificent

Well, the old girl is gone.

Today it went back to Honda to become a gate guard at a dealership. I px'd it for a top spec '11 plate Jazz. I'm already missing it, I've grown very fond of this car over the last 7 months, but I'm glad to know it's in good hands.

Old and new together:

Honestly bud, I wouldn't bother with coilies: Cut the springs and get some uprated torsion bars (DEFINATELY get uprated torsion bars, I bottom out on the motorway on the way to work, lol). Apparently EP3 springs fit on the rear, I'll check soon, my oem EP3 springs are in my parents' garage and will be coming home after the mandatory Christmas visit.

These are never going to be ultimate cornering machines by modern standards, but the increased spring rate on the rear makes surprising difference to the stability. However, I can feel that the rear axle is significantly displaced under lateral load, so an adjustable panhard bar is on the shopping list. If I'm honest, everything that Chedda makes is on the shopping list....

As for 3rd project; I salute you Sir! Thisis my 2nd project, and that's enough for me. What are your other two?

Fantastic effort mate!

I'm amazed that so many IDENTICAL 3rd gens turned up in enthusiast circles in the UK at the same time. Weird, but in a good way.

It's great to see these cars being restored, particularly with the exemplary attention to detail that you are demonstrating. The more I drive mine, the more I love it. They are wonderful little cars; basic yes, but marvellously practical and useable as a daily driver. I'm getting 46mpg average and a lot of thumbs-ups!

Yesterday was a big day for the civic, it went to Automek for a day long inspection. Automek is basically The Promised Land for tunedcars. Put it this way, I was given a lift to the station in the company fun car - An fully race built S2 Lotus Elise with a supercharged K20 that is currently dominating the UK time attack circuit....


It had a full service; all fluids and filters changed, new sparkplugs, brakes stripped and rebuilt. The issues found are worn ball joints and a small leak from the transmission cooler. So it will be going back in January for new ball joints and arms (we can only get them as a complete unit) and to have a custom transmission cooler made. I also made an awesome impulse purchase at a scrapyard last week, it's staying a secret until I get it all cleaned up and fitted, hopefully when it's back at Automek.

I just ordered new front tyres, I couldn't believe I could get Goodyears for £45 fitted in this size! They should be fitted on the 9th, which is not a minute too soon, there isn't much left of the old ones...

All in all I'm happy, the guys at Automek said they were 'very impressed' with the general condition of the car, and we've made up a maintenance and repair schedule. It's running superbly now and I don't have any worries about the MOT.

Yes bud, I agree, the car sits so much better now. I chopped 2.5 coils off the rear springs. It still looks the same as that picture after ten days of settling, and the higher spring rate on the rear it is a significant improvement to the stability. I have read about a bunch of people having trouble cutting the springs; use a dremel with a grinding disc, it takes 5 minutes per side. I have GoPro footage to show how easy it was. I was lucky; I guessed the exact amount of lowering that when I pull into my driveway at the maximum possible angle of entry, all I get is the tiniest 'ting!' from the exhaust as it barely touches the sharp transition between pavement and driveway. Damned lucky.





The front is as low as I felt was safe on the height adjustment nut. I did try to remove the torsion bars, but the rear cap refused to move with the maximum force that I was willing to use whilst on axle stands. It does bottom out VERY easily now, everything you read here is not an exaggeration. I will be ordering uprated torsion bars (from the US, including ****ing import tax and overseas postage) as soon as possible. I have surprised a few people already by slowing to 40mph for the one ma-hoo-sive bump on the motorway near my house...

Are you in the UK? There's a few of us on here resurrecting civics, all bought in the last few months! A remarkable coincidence. Get a build tread up when you get a chance!