7 replies to this topic

[Lancerex]

Okaaaaay,

Need some help here, Fellow Gearheads. I used to build chevy 350/400 small blocks, then swithed to civics when one beat me, and now have switched to Rex's when one beat me. I am starting on my first rex build and need every piece of advice I can get. I want to...

1. Drop the car at least 2-4 inches and stiffen up the ride alot.
2. swap in the same B20/B16 powerplant into it that was in my last civic build
3. beef up the front brakes and swap rear disc brakes into it replacing the current drum brakes
4. beef up the steering(sway bar?) system for more responsive steering
5. put a better looking gauge cluster in.
6. fab in different set of head/tail lights from some other car.

**I just erased this whole post by accident...grrr. WTB post w/ auto save capabilities.../sigh, retyping....**

my questions:
1. a. where are the front springs on this thing!? lol. to drop the front do you just install shorter shocks?
b. how low can I go before i get uneven tire wear?
c. what is a recomended drop so that I am not sweeping every street I drive down with my undercarriage?
d. are there front and rear strut bars you can buy to lock the top and bottom of the strut towers together or will I have to fab something?
2. a. I am guessing I will have to do a total swap out as far as the ecu and wiring goes. Planning on finding a wrecked 92-95 EX and cannibaling it. Any suggestions on making this easier?
b. It seems like the stock motor mounts will bolt right up to the b20. Am I just remembering the configuration wrong? If so what motor mounts do i need and where do I get them?
c. what axles will I need for the swap?
3. a. I have read that 86-89 integra front calipers and master cylinder will fit on this to improve braking. Is that correct?
b. is there some disc brake system out there that will bolt right onto where the rear drum brakes are now? If not is there some other way to improve them? I really would like to swap this car over to a 4 wheel disc set up
4. a. does someone sell full bushing kits and a sway bar upgrade for this car?
b. any tips for really tightening this thing up?
5. a. any direct swap gauge clusters for this? I am planning on fabbing a new dashboard from fiberglass and will probably need something which will hook up to the 92-95 EX plugs I am going to swap in.
6. a. any suggestions on head or tail light assemblies which would look good in this ride?


Any suggestions or tips, pics, advice, et cetera, et cetera would be very helpful. I will post pics of how it goes so you can all watch it get built. Thank in advance for the knowledge and help.

[evol911]

WIKI

Start There^


Question 5.a "any direct swap gauge clusters for this? I am planning on fabbing a new dashboard from fiberglass and will probably need something which will hook up to the 92-95 EX plugs I am going to swap in."

If you plan on fabbing a new dashboard and using 92-95 EX plugs, I think your best bet would be to use a 92-95 EX cluster...

[Lancerex]

WIKI

Start There^


Question 5.a "any direct swap gauge clusters for this? I am planning on fabbing a new dashboard from fiberglass and will probably need something which will hook up to the 92-95 EX plugs I am going to swap in."

If you plan on fabbing a new dashboard and using 92-95 EX plugs, I think your best bet would be to use a 92-95 EX cluster...

well geez dude, thanks! Not sure how I'll manage to wade through all your helpful info, but Imma try fer sure! Hey, how about we assume for a second that I have already spent 10-12 hours a day for over a week wading through this site and the rest of the net looking for answers and don't really feel like taking 3 more days coming up with the same articles that almost but not quite answer the questions I have? I mean, it is a really ballsy move to post on a forum and all, but I'm just that kind of guy.
btw, while the 92-95 civic gauge cluster is, ofc, widely known as the most attractive and useful cluster of any car ever, maybe I was just seeing if anyone had maybe, possibly, come across a nice looking gauge set that would plug into that. Wait, naw, I was probably just too stupid to realize a 92-95 gauge cluster would plug into a 92-95 wiring harness. Too bad I'm not capable of making the gigantic mental leaps of some posters I have met here. Anyway, enough foreplay. Any non dick type people who actually like discussing cars and helping people out out there with you or just other trolls?

Edited by Lancerex, 26 September 2010 - 08:17 PM.

[evol911]

Every single question you asked can be answered by a thread on this site. I would suggest looking through the WIKI again and then searching through the site.

[DEIVIONCRX]

Yea thats how you get questions answered, insult the guy trying to help. Good luck.

[DEIVIONCRX]

Okaaaaay,

Need some help here, Fellow Gearheads. I used to build chevy 350/400 small blocks, then switched to civics when one beat me, and now have switched to Rex's when one beat me. I am starting on my first rex build and need every piece of advice I can get. I want to...

1. Drop the car at least 2-4 inches and stiffen up the ride a lot.
2. swap in the same B20/B16 power plant into it that was in my last civic build
3. beef up the front brakes and swap rear disc brakes into it replacing the current drum brakes
4. beef up the steering(sway bar?) system for more responsive steering
5. put a better looking gauge cluster in.
6. fab in different set of head/tail lights from some other car.

Any suggestions or tips, pics, advice, et cetera, et cetera would be very helpful. I will post pics of how it goes so you can all watch it get built. Thank in advance for the knowledge and help.

1) You can lower the car a good bit just by adjusting the ride height bolts on the torsion bars. In order to go lower, you will need to Re-key the torsion bars, search this site for that DIY, you just remove the bar, remove the alignment notch, and reinsert it 1-2 teeth lower.
1b) To go as low as you want, you'll need a very very short shock, the stock shock easily bottoms out ~1" drop.

2) The B-series swap is fairlly strait forward, the only differences from the 84-87 Chassis is the lack of the Electric IACV and the 3rd Distributor sensor. The ECU connectors are the same as 88-91, just the pin outs are different.

3) Bolt on upgrade front brakes are limited to 86-89 Integra, 88-91 Civic/CRX, and 92-95 DX/CX. All have 9.5" rotors. If you want bigger than that, you'll need to source a big brake kit, such as Willwood, Baer, Brembo for a 88-91 CRX.

4) Steering upgrades are not easy, the only faster ratio rack and pinion available is out of the 84-87 CRX HF/Civic STD. They are no longer available from Honda, and finding one in salvage is a bitch. And the HF rack is only about 3.4 turns L2L, the Stock Si is 3.86. I will be installing a Steering Quickener soon on mine to drop it down to about 2.5 turns L2L, check out EPCivics build for that mod.
4b) Sway bar mods are Easy for the rear, kinda hard for the front. The biggest stock sway bar for the front is going to be the 2WD Civic Wagon, its slightly bigger than the Si sway bar. There are some aftermarkets out there both current and old that bolt on additional to the stock sway bar. Rear is as easy as a couple muffler clamps, bolting it to the rear axle tube, and come up with some brackets and end links to attach it to the chassis.

5) I cant help you on gauge clusters yet. I'm going to be putting a 90-91 CRX SiR cluster in mine for the VSS, one of these days, haven't gotten around to it. Nothing plugs in, you will have to swap wiring for sure. Rampage has a build thread for the stock 88-91 CRX cluster swap.

6) No help for fabbing other lights, i don't care for that look.

[DEIVIONCRX]

My questions:
1. a. where are the front springs on this thing!? lol. to drop the front do you just install shorter shocks?
b. how low can I go before i get uneven tire wear?
c. what is a recommended drop so that I am not sweeping every street I drive down with my undercarriage?
d. are there front and rear strut bars you can buy to lock the top and bottom of the strut towers together or will I have to fab something?
2. a. I am guessing I will have to do a total swap out as far as the ecu and wiring goes. Planning on finding a wrecked 92-95 EX and cannibalizing it. Any suggestions on making this easier?
b. It seems like the stock motor mounts will bolt right up to the b20. Am I just remembering the configuration wrong? If so what motor mounts do i need and where do I get them?
c. what axles will I need for the swap?
3. a. I have read that 86-89 Integra front calipers and master cylinder will fit on this to improve braking. Is that correct?
b. is there some disc brake system out there that will bolt right onto where the rear drum brakes are now? If not is there some other way to improve them? I really would like to swap this car over to a 4 wheel disc set up
4. a. does someone sell full bushing kits and a sway bar upgrade for this car?
b. any tips for really tightening this thing up?
5. a. any direct swap gauge clusters for this? I am planning on fabbing a new dashboard from fiberglass and will probably need something which will hook up to the 92-95 EX plugs I am going to swap in.
6. a. any suggestions on head or tail light assemblies which would look good in this ride?

1a) Torsion Bars, splined into the lower control arm, and extend rearward through the sub frame to the "frame rails"
1b) The problem with going low on our cars is pretty much the same problem as all McPherson strut cars, when the control arm gets to horizontal you are out of room, once it goes above level your roll center is fucked and your suspension geometry is fighting against you.
1c) I wouldn't go beyond a 2" drop.
1d) You can find fronts pretty easy, most are going to be old stuff no longer made. The rears usually bolted to the wheel wheels which are easy to fab yourself, attaching them to the strut tops doesn't do anything for the rear stiffness.

2a) You can do it that way, Screech's build will help you, he has a 99 CRV that happens to look like a 3gen hatch. For me it was easier to modify the existing wiring, converting it to OBD0, then using a jumper harness to convert to OBD1
2b) The only motor that "bolts" right into our chassis is the 86-87 Integra DOHC D16A1 motor. You'll need HASport mounts for the B-series, or Innovative, but if you search this site you'll find some people having trouble with the Innovative ones fitting.

3a) True, also the 88-91 Civic/CRX Si/DX, and the 92-00 Civic DX/CX
3b) The 86-89 Integra rear disc brakes will bolt onto your stock rear trailing arms. You'll need the calipers, caliper brackets, ebrake cables, swing bearing, backing plate studs(Do NOT Forget These), and proportion valve, get a 85 Prelude carb master cylinder from the parts store for the correct size that will bolt on.

4a) Energy Suspension sells a poly bushing kit, i think Prothane does as well.
4b) Addaco sells are rear sway bar still, i think one other person search and you'll find out, there was a thread last week about it.

5) No plug n play clusters.

6) Stock

[Lancerex]

1a) Torsion Bars, splined into the lower control arm, and extend rearward through the sub frame to the "frame rails"
1b) The problem with going low on our cars is pretty much the same problem as all McPherson strut cars, when the control arm gets to horizontal you are out of room, once it goes above level your roll center is fucked and your suspension geometry is fighting against you.
1c) I wouldn't go beyond a 2" drop.
1d) You can find fronts pretty easy, most are going to be old stuff no longer made. The rears usually bolted to the wheel wheels which are easy to fab yourself, attaching them to the strut tops doesn't do anything for the rear stiffness.

2a) You can do it that way, Screech's build will help you, he has a 99 CRV that happens to look like a 3gen hatch. For me it was easier to modify the existing wiring, converting it to OBD0, then using a jumper harness to convert to OBD1
2b) The only motor that "bolts" right into our chassis is the 86-87 Integra DOHC D16A1 motor. You'll need HASport mounts for the B-series, or Innovative, but if you search this site you'll find some people having trouble with the Innovative ones fitting.

3a) True, also the 88-91 Civic/CRX Si/DX, and the 92-00 Civic DX/CX
3b) The 86-89 Integra rear disc brakes will bolt onto your stock rear trailing arms. You'll need the calipers, caliper brackets, ebrake cables, swing bearing, backing plate studs(Do NOT Forget These), and proportion valve, get a 85 Prelude carb master cylinder from the parts store for the correct size that will bolt on.

4a) Energy Suspension sells a poly bushing kit, i think Prothane does as well.
4b) Addaco sells are rear sway bar still, i think one other person search and you'll find out, there was a thread last week about it.

5) No plug n play clusters.

6) Stock

you....are awesome. Ty so much man. Gonna start fabbing up my own body kit hopefully this weekend then will start knocking down the rest of the list. Will post the story, like I said. Thx again man.