Restoration: 1978 Honda Civic (1200) Part 1

[Randy]

As for the gutter trim, I have been looking into this recently, but hav enot yet bought any.
There is a section extruded for Ford Escort mark 1 [UK, europe] that looks to be closer match.

I will pick up the cudgel and come to a conclusion soon.



That's very close, much better than AM profile

Ford_Escort_mark 1_gutter_trim.jpg (7.83 KiB) Viewed 2030 times

[Thor]

Yep,
that's it.
Just need to know its internal depth, to ensure that it will clip on.
I will also check whether it is a pre-cut length that he gets, or a coil.
If he is not re-ordering, I will endeavour to find the manufacturer and see about a supply route for us.
Also, if it is not correct for us, what the minimum order would be for us to get the correct section.

[Thor]

Yep
that's it.
Just need to know its internal depth, to ensure that it will clip on. I will also check whether it is a pre-cut length that he gets, or a coil.
If he is not re-ordering, I will endeavor to find the manufacturer [I think that I already know] and see about a supply route for us.
Also, if it is not correct for us, what the minimum order would be for us to get the correct section.

[EvoCivic]

The gutter trim is one of the things I've been working on and off for a little while. I sent samples to half a dozen manufacturers, after contacting three times that many. Nothing has come of any of them. I'm currently talking to another more promising one but any other possible leads would be very useful.

[Thor]

At present the supplier is a retailer.
I am trying to find his supplier, otherwise we may have to buy ''Escort'' lengths [too short] so 4 for a car, not viable in my view.
I anticipate from experience 25 or 50 metre coils being the standard manufactured extrusion length, we shall see.
I used similar products for many years on tractor cabs, the company also does glass rubbers, iirc.
Watch your PM's.
hope you're keeping well.
Pete

[Randy]

In an attempt to pull the exhaust off the car last night, it struck me!
Custom exhaust means I have to remove the rear suspension to get the exhaust system off.

Really sucks.

I was hoping to be able to roll the car around the garage for a bit longer.

The motor is a little rattly and probably needs some lifter adjustments, the car has been sitting far too long. It also leaks oil from the usually places like the valve cover & leaked all over the headers and took the nice coating off, now its all rusty.
The Main seal also leaks, Hell don't we all leak when we get older.
I don't think this car has over 39,000km yet. It had about 34000 when I bought it in 2000

I did drain the cooling system and found it's full of rust, not a good thing.
I will have to do a radiator flush once I get the motor back running to prevent accumulation of more rust which will affect the efficiency of the radiator and could result to the engine overheating.

[Randy]

While working on my car a chap came by my house that saw my car in the garage earlier and offered to sell me some original wheels and caps. Never used as they put allows on the car after they purchased the car.

Turn out he used to work for Honda Canada. Funny bit is he has an N360 that I spotted while out on a run.
I hope to get the other three rims soon.
Nice guy

I finally received the other 3 wheels one is less the cap, but instead he gave me the total of 9 wheels. 3 of which are 1stgen Accord wheels. Mint condition.
I commented how one looked like the spare from the Civic as it has the full treads. They are BF Goodrich.
That's when he told me the wheels are of the Honda official Pace car for the CASC Honda BF Goodrich Canadian Run-Off series. I believe it ran for 7 years and involved 400 drivers. I have a picture from one of the races in colour.
He purchased the pace car from his employer when the series ended. They had put Honda alloy wheels on the car.
I don't think he has the car.
It's odd a Honda tech guy driving a Chrysler van and he has an N360 with flats in his driveway.
He has more bits laying around that were taken off the 78 Civic.

[Randy]

Finally a noticeable difference. It's like pulling teeth to get anything done. But what a mess I made. Seems while draining the gas tank took forever considering it said empty.

The tank that keeps on giving

Tenderly I took out some nasty rusted bolts holding the tank in expecting them to break, I used a smaller socket and hammered it onto the bolts. Out they come!

I tried jacking the car up so I could get the rear suspension out and the jack went right through the jacking point and through the bottom of the rocker panel.

Jacking point gone

I used my new cable hoist to raise the body off the motor and transmission since my chain and engine hoist is at my sons garage buried under piles of Honda stuff.

Hoist

https://www.instagram.com/p/BVh8VAbDWqF ... stgenhonda

I made a cart from 4x4 posts and 2x6 joists to move the car around and out onto the driveway

Cart

On dolly

[Randy]

Took a better picture of the chassis cart took out the roof liner and the last of the wiring, engine bay is now empty of all bits. Last to is the fuel lines and the brake lines. The windshield is waiting for a hot day to soften the rubber for easy removal.

[Thor]

Attaboy!
Who's feeling better?
Doesn't it just help overall progress when the car comes apart as these do.
I've just realized why the rush, your pushbike will not be ideal winter transport, will it?