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Concours Restoration: 1987 Crx 1st Gen 25,662 Miles


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#46
Jayscrx

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QUOTE (greasemonkeyreborne 5x1g's @ Jan 1 2010, 10:30 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I'm still affraid to get into the actual build full swing. Getting the parts is the easy part.

Happy New Years all!

The key for me was to have fun and not get stressed out. I am very anal and I like things just so. There were and still are some tough times, but all in all it is very rewarding to see your finished product. YOU CAN DO IT!

Jay V.

#47
greasemonkeyreborne 5x1g's

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    • 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
Thnx Jay,

My bigger reason to stall a bit is to get a dedicated area that can be available for at least 2 plus years. Need space to work, space to stage, but have to keep the wife's car in the garage. But driving to the farm every day to work on it will become a pain. I've got some plans for the side of my house, but still looking into it.

Happy new year;

Keepin' it OEM

#48
Jayscrx

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QUOTE (greasemonkeyreborne 5x1g's @ Jan 2 2010, 05:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Thnx Jay,

My bigger reason to stall a bit is to get a dedicated area that can be available for at least 2 plus years. Need space to work, space to stage, but have to keep the wife's car in the garage. But driving to the farm every day to work on it will become a pain. I've got some plans for the side of my house, but still looking into it.

Happy new year;

Ya, I know what you mean. My wife and I fight about who will park their car in the garage alot. Right now my auto detailing trailer is in the garage, along with tons of CRX stuff. I don't detail that much anymore because of the economy, so I am going to stand the trailer up on end to make more room to work on the CRX. I do all the major work on it at my uncles auto shop. He lets me use all his tools, rags, water based parts washer, a lift/rack ect. The CRX has been at his shop on a rack now for over 2 months because I have been rebuilding the suspension, brakes, bushings, undercoating and so on. It is turning out so nice, that it will never see rain or a dirty road as long as I own it! It will be drivable at the end of this next week. When I am at his shop, I allways think about how lucky I really am to have access to his shop. When I get it home, I will start on the body work and paint. I am very green at body work and auto paint, but I have some old fenders and a hood to practice on. My biggest issue is dealing with my wife. Deep down inside, she does not want me to have any hobbies and spend all my time with her. My CRX project has put a strain on our relationship, but a man needs his hobbies to stay sain. I will press on! I hope you can figure out a good spot to start your restoration very soon. Sorry for the long responce.


Jay V.

#49
lil buddy

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my wifes car has never once parked in "MY" garage.that was part of the contract when we bought our house. the garage is for my cars/projects and side work.


im sure your wife could deal with parkin outside for a while,i mean its not like your gonna get blasted with a blizzard down there anytime soon hahahaha biggrin.gif

#50
greasemonkeyreborne 5x1g's

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    • 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
Got some more chuckles out of those posts.

I've spent the past 3 days working on my wife's car (on her side of the garage while the "beater" watches from my side - an makes a great rest for my Mountain Dew cans). Completed the maintenance and minor repairs that the dealership quoted $900 that truely cost about $90 in parts when bought online at at discount. Now her car,s washed, waxed, repaired the mirror she broke on the side of the garage door, painted over the stone chips like 8x and pulled the radio out and shook the coins out that my son put in there a few years ago.... Most of the time was spent on the internet reviewing the literature for her car (dealer wants $300 for the service manual on this one. No Haynes on this one). I've never replace p/s fluid (thought there was a drain plug - opps, not there!), auto tranny fluid, diff fluid, or pulled a radio out of this car. Its not the kinda of car I want to screw it up.

Then, started my 30K service on my car (turns 7yr next month). Are cars are mostly the same, so all the stuff is laying out and now I know how to do it fast.

So when I done on mine, then off to the truck.

Then, the fun stuff. Back to CRX work. I started cleaning up the side yard I fenced in as a service area. I'm going to redo the fence and put a roof over it and store more of the cars on site so I can enjoy them more readily. BUt more important, it'll serve as my much needed staging/work area for the restro.

That's why I knew this would be a three year project. When the garage is done, then I have to part out 2 other cars, then I'm ready to go. I'll have all the parts on hand w/ space to work.

I'll have my little cave the wife will never want to go into.

Jay, understand completely about the garage. She's a Jersey girl and had 3 brothers and a gear head for a dad. So they always had projects laying all over the house. She can't stand clutter and stuff laying around. We constantly had "hot" issues in our relationship. So we agreed my CRX topic was off limits and her issue that I traded was "off limits". So we agreed to trade on sore spot for another and ever since our marriage has been pretty good. BUt I don't want to add salt to the wounds, so I keep the stuff out of sight. No problems w/ long stories her. I'm surprized noone ripped into me yet. I type paragraphs where others type a couple of words...

DO, man! you lucky sod!!
Keepin' it OEM

#51
greasemonkeyreborne 5x1g's

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    • 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
2 major jobs need to be completed before the restoration can go full swing. The first is to create a convenient workshop/staging area. The other is to tear down 3 cars.

I have 6 CRX's on the ground and one completely parted in the attic and storage room (unibody taken to salvage yard).

Its just too many to manage. I originally went nuts moving to TX w/ salt free car bodies and bought up cars around 2000. Planned to drive cars and/or use for parts. Now that original unmolested OEM parts are so hard to find, they are going to be parted to support the remaining cars into the future. 2009 and 2010 sweeps of over 100 TX junkyards yeild very few CRX's. They are too old and are scrapped w/in the week usually.

The inventory keeps the platform identical (87si fuel injection). So parts logistics remain simple. CRX's # 3, 6, 7 will be taken down. I plan to stowe at least 2 perfect unibodies w/ clean titles. One for potential performance motor upgrade (always thought B16, but who knows), the other will be a back up in event of accident down the road.

I'm documenting the teardowns of each car assembly by assembly. taking pix of hardware w/ appropriate parts for configuration control and to prove what original. Noting factory paint deliniations behind the body panels and factory undercoatings as well for best change to recreate. Northern cars tend to get aftermarket undercoatings that cover original details. So the TX cars are really good examples for me.

Other than an upgraded intake here or there, the donor cars are mechanically stock (what I desire).








This file will be updated as I tear down each car.

I'm ashamed to tear down a 97K car (I think I have 103K on it now, I have to look at the odometer). Ten years ago, 100K cars were easy to find. I feel I need to do it b/c I can't find any cars w/ that low milage anymore in the yards. If I find one in the paper locally that's drivable, people seem to be a little proud and asking took much. BUT, I'm keeping the unibodies and all parts w/ titles. To put my conscious at ease, the cars will be able to be rebuilt later if need be. So, taking some nice ones off the road that can be rebuilt later. I don't consider this sensless butchering. It provides parts for the next 40yrs: well preserved parts.

More to come for this section as I continue teardowns.
Keepin' it OEM

#52
Jayscrx

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QUOTE (greasemonkeyreborne 5x1g's @ Jan 7 2010, 10:09 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
2 major jobs need to be completed before the restoration can go full swing. The first is to create a convenient workshop/staging area. The other is to tear down 3 cars.

I have 6 CRX's on the ground and one completely parted in the attic and storage room (unibody taken to salvage yard).

Its just too many to manage. I originally went nuts moving to TX w/ salt free car bodies and bought up cars around 2000. Planned to drive cars and/or use for parts. Now that original unmolested OEM parts are so hard to find, they are going to be parted to support the remaining cars into the future. 2009 and 2010 sweeps of over 100 TX junkyards yeild very few CRX's. They are too old and are scrapped w/in the week usually.

The inventory keeps the platform identical (87si fuel injection). So parts logistics remain simple. CRX's # 3, 6, 7 will be taken down. I plan to stowe at least 2 perfect unibodies w/ clean titles. One for potential performance motor upgrade (always thought B16, but who knows), the other will be a back up in event of accident down the road.

I'm documenting the teardowns of each car assembly by assembly. taking pix of hardware w/ appropriate parts for configuration control and to prove what original. Noting factory paint deliniations behind the body panels and factory undercoatings as well for best change to recreate. Northern cars tend to get aftermarket undercoatings that cover original details. So the TX cars are really good examples for me.

Other than an upgraded intake here or there, the donor cars are mechanically stock (what I desire).








This file will be updated as I tear down each car.

I'm ashamed to tear down a 97K car (I think I have 103K on it now, I have to look at the odometer). Ten years ago, 100K cars were easy to find. I feel I need to do it b/c I can't find any cars w/ that low milage anymore in the yards. If I find one in the paper locally that's drivable, people seem to be a little proud and asking took much. BUT, I'm keeping the unibodies and all parts w/ titles. To put my conscious at ease, the cars will be able to be rebuilt later if need be. So, taking some nice ones off the road that can be rebuilt later. I don't consider this sensless butchering. It provides parts for the next 40yrs: well preserved parts.

More to come for this section as I continue teardowns.

This is quite an undertaking! Ya, I see what you mean. You need to sort things out before you start your big project. Three red Si's in a row, now that's rare these days.


Jay V.

#53
alexm86

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Are the civic and crx steering wheels the same? If so, I have my stock one that I have had in storage since 1988 (35ish,000 miles). I bought a Dino steering wheel but upgraded to a momo in the early 90's. I was going to put it up for sale soon, but you have dibs.

#54
greasemonkeyreborne 5x1g's

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    • 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
Alex, I'm really not sure if they are the same. I just don't know much about the civics. But I really, really appreciate your offer. I ended up getting an NOS wheel for the CRX si so I've got this one covered. There will be some stuff I'll need to ask/beg/barter from fellow peppers down the road.

I'll bet that wheel is in mint condition. I'm only working to get one perfect car. I'd like to see other sets of perfect parts going to another to make theirs to their spec. I don't remember what I paid for my wheel? Would have been retail minus 30% via majestic. But they are no longer available in the mainstream networks (crx wheels). so I think you might be sitting on a saught after part for a stock restoration = you cant' easily refinish the surface like other plastic parts. Most wheels after 75K are wearing smooth, or have divets worn into them from the drivers fingers alwaying in the same position when they drive (AKA, my beater has a huge thumb print where I put my right hand on the wheel when I drive. Same thing goes for the shift knobs. They wear bald. Now, I believe those are the same for all civics/hatchie and CRX's. I got some sets and they have different inserts for the different models.

Thnx again man!!
Keepin' it OEM

#55
greasemonkeyreborne 5x1g's

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    • 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
I think I might have found someone to paint my car. There's a "good ol' boy" who's had his family owned shop here in my Texas home town for decades. I go there to get my tires/alignment taken car of on the family cars. Asked him where to go and he pulls out a few pix of his restored american classics from the 50's and 60's. So stopped by that shop just down the block (probably went to highschool together) and saw some work. Got a good feeling about this guy. So I'll take my car that the wife did a work out on in the parking lot and give him a test.

The little delays in life that get in the way of the important stuff.... So got to get my front bumper/fender redone and spent another chunk of time getting the kids computer cleared of viruses and reformated.....

its all about time. After I left corporate, I don't wear a watch and and don't give myself deadlines anymore. Had enough. Its all for fun now. That's my secret of life to keep me happy.....
Keepin' it OEM

#56
greasemonkeyreborne 5x1g's

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    • 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
Crap, more life delays..... water stop valve under kitchen sink leaked and buckled the floor. So replaced all 14 valves. Thank God b/c 4 others would leak some water out of the stem when I turned them. Then did the maintenance on the water heater and the pressure relief valve was seeping after I actuated it. So drained the tank, removed all fittings and used a toilet brush to clear the sediment from the heater. Got about a 2 liter bottle full of solid calcium/salt deposits. But tank looks good so I think I'll get another 5-7 years out of the pressure vessel w/ the new valves and anode.

While upstairs w/ the water heater, I cleaned out the attic of the parts I removed from the donor cars and stuffed then into TXCON#2. Making racks to hold similar parts really cuts down on space. Now I don't have to worry about stepping around stuff in fear of breaking plastic. This is an update to one of the earlier posts on my used parts storage room


Stuffing the moldings and small rubber peices in the floor boards.


This is where the racks really come to play. I can line all the panels up really tight to save the space and keep from stepping on them.


Several carpets stacked on top of each other on the bottom floor. Seats take up way too much space. Can't stack stuff on top. It'll put permentant marks in the foam/fabric. Spoilers on top

Took a good portion of a day to gingerly get the stuff in the room and exand some racks (more importantly, to figure how to most efficiently organize this stuff so I can get to it upon the build). I need to keep the walkway clear, or I'll never find what I'm looking for in there.

Business is ramping up, so progress will get even slower
Keepin' it OEM

#57
Starvin

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ohmy.gif FRAKIN AWESOME!! happy that your biz is ramping up but don't forget to keep us updated! this thread is pure GOLD! thanks for sharing it all with us.

#58
greasemonkeyreborne 5x1g's

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    • 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
I'll keep pushin' paper along the way Starvin. Got a plan for a garage I'll get posted here shortly. Once I get that, then I can keep things dry, climatized and just out my backdoor so I can work it daily after dinner. Raining today so a little more time for paper. I got this stuff more recently, so I think there might be some in the OEM pipeline.









Another easy assembly. Pull and replace. No need to polish or refurb h/w on this one.


Keepin' it OEM

#59
greasemonkeyreborne 5x1g's

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    • 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
Got the report from Honda on my VIN. I ended up driving locally and they ran it for me. Interesting that they match the motor vin to the vehicle vin. Good to know for those of you purchasing "restorable cars".

Lists first owner and dealership purchased, mileage out the door and any recalls.

I updated the powerpoint show. Go to the last 2 pix.














Next family vaca to NYC, I'll have to troll the local dealerships. Regular service and maintenance is only recorded at that dealership. So others dealers will not be able to access. Just encase this puppy makes it to Barrett someday.

I blanked out part of the VINs for purpose of the internet.

Keepin' it OEM

#60
greasemonkeyreborne 5x1g's

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    • 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
Been raining down abit lately. Did some more paperwork. Got some headway on my "to be" new garage area. Get some posts there shortly.









I like the new glass. No highway sandblasting, new original OEM halogens and no fog residue from leaking seals

Keepin' it OEM