78 Civic Project
Civic1200 Discussion Board: : 78 Civic Project
Hello,
Here is some pics of my 78 Civic that I may or may not be converting to vtec or even keeping for that matter. I bought it from a friend that also has a 78 but his has the engine all done up. It sat for a while then my regular car was hit and then written off so I put this one on the road. I had to put a new front crossmember in and replace all the regular things such as plugs wires and fluids etc... Upgraded the headlights to BOSCH H4. The thing had sat for over 9 years and it started and ran great after a little tlc to the carb. It drove really well for a few months, then another friend was selling his car to buy a new Jetta so I went for it. Now the Honda is again sitting idle and I'm not shure what I'm going to do with it. Maybee vtec conversion but I'm haveing a hard time thinking of how the mounts would work out..... Not so shure I want to do the fabrication thing.
Original mileage. Gauges are from a Special X I used to have. Swapped the gauge face with the original.
Let me know what you think.
mmmmm, problem with the pics?????
Ok here They are. Ist time posting pics. Herer is the interior and the engine bay too.
Would anyone have a nice set of front fenders for this car? Both need to be replaced. Maybee a clean hood too. I also need parts to convert it to 5 speed from the Hondamatic that is in it now. I have the tranny and the shifter linkage allready.
Its either that or the VTEC conversion.. How do you access the knoledge base?? I cant seem to get anything out of there. Looking for pics of past conversions and how they were done. Mounts and whatever else needs to be made or modified. How about adding bigger brakes?? Will need them with all that new power.
Please Help..
I also have a 79 1200 engine that I dont need. Not the one in the car but a spare from a car I scapped. I dont know if it runs never tried to start it. It will most likely need a rebuild. Has original carb and manifold on it.
I was just offered a 1987 civic 5 speed for free. The body is finished but the engine and tranny are ok. Can I use this tranny with a D series motor!?!? How about the shifter linkage?
NOPE, U can't use anything from the 87 unless you custom make everything.
I can get new replacement fenders and hoods from a body place here in Memphis. Shipping is going to be the most since they charge by 'dim' (or dimensional) weight instead of actual. Fenders are about 50.00US Ea. and the hoods are about 110.00 They are black primered and need to paint.
If you can look for a 1980 1300 5spd that has the tranny serial# GJ86----99. It is a close ratio 4spd with a good overdrive as 5th.
There is a guy in Brampton (Noel) who has a 78 1200 with an engine and trans out of an 85 CRX. I know the guy who put that engine/trans into his car. This is a Canadian 87 Civic that you got for free, correct? Check out the link below:
http://members.rogers.com/1st_generation_honda_civic/spotlight2.htmut
http://members.rogers.com/1st_generation_honda_civic/spotlight2.htm
Yes, The 87 is a Canadian car. I was just interested in it for the tranny. You need a 88-91 for the sohc vtec engine I think, and I was thinking maybee the 87 tranny might work??? Yes-no?
Where is the guy that did the engine conversion on Noels car located?
That guys car is spooky-- The friend I bought my civic from has a car exactly the same colour and even had the exact same black stripe on it at one time.
you can swap everything from the 87' into the 78' (it was the first swap i ever did)I went with a fuel injected D15 (Si) and 5sp tranny, it rocked really good(would take on Civic Si(dohc vtec) and integra gsr...you will need to fab all the mounts and run new fuel lines, the only bonus is that you can use your original axles..the tranny will not bolt up to the 88' and newer motor, if you want to go with a vtec you need to get yourself a 92' and newer motor and a 88'-91' tranny and then you can stay with your original axles, again you have to run all new motor mounts and fuel lines..
Ok. Thats what I needed to know. This 87 has a 1500 carb motor on it and that not exactly what I was looking for. I want to go injected! Oh well it was worth a try. The price was right anyway. Do you have pics of the motor mounts you made? I would like to see how you did it. I cant seem to access the achived section to view the old pics. Heck I should just ship the whole darn thing to you and have it done.. :-)
Yes, Justin, we would really appreciate seeing some pictures of those mounts. Thanks.
i have pictures of my mounts as well
i just need to transfer them to this computer i will do so asap
Hey Daniel, could you email me some pictures of your mounts and motor in the bay? Are you Georgia? Thanks.
Junior
Yes Daniel, you could email me the pics also if you can't post on here. Thanks.
no im not in georgia, im in NC. the passenger side is the only one that is completed right now, i finished it today. tomorrow i am doing the drivers side.
You wanted pics!! Here you go..these are of Cher's 78' civic with the sohc vtec(93')and si tranny(88')
Did you really have to do all that cutting to fit that motor into a CVCC??
That is in a 1200 not a cvcc, in my cvcc wagon i'm actually running a twin cam integra motor, there was not as much cutting involved, I'm still running a stock rad, the only real trimage was the upper firewall and the steering box, and not forget i also had to have a set of axles custom made(the integra runs a intermediate half shaft and equal length driveshafts)
Wow, nice work. That engine sits REALLY low.. Any problems driving it around town?
About the mounts, so you hooked up the axels and hung the motor in the engine bay then just trial and errored some metal mounts in? I suppose you eliminated the center cross brace that the 1200 sits on.
If you ever give up on it Id love to get those Special X guages from you.
jmsmilin@hotmail.com
Well the thought has crossed my mind but the gauges would go with the car, You have to cut ou the dash a little to put in the center fuel and temp gauges. If I took em out there would be a big hole there,, Not good for re-selling,,
That front corssmember looks like it took a long time to make.. Looks really nice though.. .. Justin - You should make up a template and make a couple of copies. I'm shure you could sell every one. I'll go with a set :-) How about this brake conversion you have,,, what does that involve?
my engine sits about 9 inches off the ground at the bottem of the oil pan. my cross member looks very similar to that justin, except mine uses a round tube instead of the RHS.
Have any of you guys ever put a steel tube front end in with the cage? Or have you seen that done before?
Eaglesean, the engine actually has quite a bit of ground clearance, the x-member from the 1200 is gone, the oil pan was modified in order to clear the radius arm(If the the car was stock height or the engine sat higher this would not need to be done)The x-member was actually not to bad to make, on my wagon i'm still running the stock x-member..Drop me your e-mail and i'll send you the info on the brake conversion.
Dave, I haven't seen it done yet, but i'm sure someone has thought about it 
Ok sent off a message to you. Looks like you work in a body shop or something, I though you were a mobile electronics installer like myself. :-) Speaking of body work, thats another part of the project thats going to be hard. Its not very bad but how to you replace or fabricate a part of the car from fiberglass or metal when there is nothing left in that area!? Do you drive these cars every day or are they "fun" cars for the weekend?
The pics were taken at my old job(Toys for wheels)I've been installing car audio for 14yrs...As far as body work is concerned, i have a wicked body man, and i just give him the car and let him do his magic They are all daily driver's(with the exception of the convertible)the convertible is insured for 6 months out of the year, my wagon is off the road this winter (I've got a built Sammy to go out and play with)
Are you still in the Mobile Electronic biz Justin? I just got "out" actually after 8 years. Surprised you havent turned one of the civics into a rolling sub cabinet.. :-)
I'm currently working at Future Shop(in the states you know it as "Best buy" I know of a few people that have turned their first gens into sub machines...I have a box that i use for SPL competitions... 12 cu. ft. 4 Kicker solo L7 12's and 2 kicker ZR1000 amps..it hit's consistent mid 150's and i peaked 165 on outlaw..
Ok, 1 rolling sub cabiinet :-) Nice. There is a few Best Buy stores here in Toronto now. They bought Future Shop. Whats it like working for them? I heard it was not so nice....
I dont think I will be putting that much bass into my car though. I was thinking more like 2 10's or even just one.
It's good working for Future shop...the jobs are easy, pay is good, benifits are even better!!
I only use the above box for SPL competitions, I usually run either a pair of 12's or a pair of 10's, the 12's were in a ported enclosure(3.0 cu. ft) and they hit pretty good, i then went to a pair of Solo L5 10's and they actually hit harder in a sealed enclosure (1.45 cu. ft),I put the 2 12's in the wife's convertible and sold the solo 10's I'm now looking at going with a single solo L7 12"..
Kicker oooh not such a big fan man. Image Dynamics or Orion would be much better? anyway brand preference whatever ? good to know other 1st genners Can MAke a system pound we put 6 Cerwin Vega vega series 12's in a Pontiac Sunfire it took quite a bit of ingenuity to squeeze the box in??
future shop aren't allowed to make really big systems are they at least here people tell me they won't even put in components because they can't mount the tweeter without modifying things and they won't do it
Ron, the only reason i went with kicker, beacuse it was FREE! I've run many brands of equipment, ID, Orion, Fosgate, Alpine,MacIntosh,AVI,Crossfire, I'm currently looking into Swiss Audio(I'm harrasing the Rep for free stuff!!)
Actually regarding future shop, that's the idea i had aswell, No big systems, but i was wrong, the first week i started i did a full audio/video system in a Navigator with 3 monitiors, ps2, vcr and a custom fiberglass enclosure for 4 Mtx 12's and a amp, I've also cut up a brand new BMW M3 Cab. to install a Tv and headunit!
Hey Justin, you know that red 4dr cherokee that you had painted black, and were making that sub box for last time I was at your barn? well it came into my work last week for an oil change and tire rotation, I couldn't do the rotate because the wheel lock key was at "their friend the stereo installers". Are you causing me trouble at work?
My buddy tryed to get component set installed at future shop and they turned him away I put them in for him . You must be at a good location.
AVI not many people have experienced the sounds of AVI Pricey But of good quality and Canadian made ever use Kaption they are kinda new from ontario not so high quality somewhat of a good value they gave me a "comp 12" for 45$
do you guys think two 8 inch sony explods would sound very good. or do they just hit like really good 6 by 9's. in my datsun 210 i used to have 2 10 orions and a 260 orion amp. it sounded pretty good but my civic wont allow that big of box and still be able to stick stuff in the hatch. thanks Jason
I'd say theyd hit like a crappy 6X9 but that's just my opinion I have hated sony since i built my first system using sony speakers and it wasn't even worth listening to but i am biased with a few bad experiences the only sony car audio components i will ever use again will be their Head Units and only the ones with 5.5 volt pre outs. Why don't you use a single driver setup like a good 10 or 12 depending on how much room you'd like to still have I have never built a system for a first gen tho Justin may know better what would fit well in there. Sony ewww
Kyle, i have all of his spare tires and lock nuts for all of his cars!! I'll have to get it to him soon
Ron, I've heard of Kaption, but i haven't seen any in person..
Frogieboy, I've done a few systems with some 8" subs(my buddy is going to create a enclosure for the rear quarter pockets to hold his 8")I've only ever used 8" in my own cars as mid bass subs, for the front stage, I built a box once for a pair of LA Sound 8" in a seventh order isobaric enclosure, the things actually hit low 140's in a spl competition, I've never liked sony equipment(unless it's the Mobile ES stuff)I've installed many headunits, and xplode amps at work and the things always seem to come back for warranty 
I would look for a better set of subs, if you build the right enclosure they will work well!
Justin, what kind of subs do you perfer (under $250) and would it be better to go with one ten or twelve then two eights. you know i was thinking about putting the subs in those quarter pockets too i think they would look nice in there but it would have to be removable so you could change lights. by the way i have two 6X9 by sony explod and a head unit and so far i havent had a problem except that the cds do not like to come out of the head unit would you happen to know why. wells thanks for the input. Jason
Sorry, I meant it as you can't just bolt it in like a EK accord motor.
Alot of work nonetheless
eaglesean, do you still need fenders and a hood? Your hood looks decent though? Anyway let me know,
jmsmilin@hotmail.com
frogieboy, where do you live? if that's in US funds, you can pick up a decent sub for that price, I would look into either Alpine Type S, or maybe a Fosgate, Mtx, or even a Audiobahn, I prefer the deep crisp bass from a 12", 10's can go pretty low, and are more responsive than a 12", it all depends on the enclosure and what type of music you listen to. When i was refering to the quarter pocket i meant the one's beside the rear seat I've done quite a few systems in the 1200's most have been in the spare tirewell, either a pair of 10's or a single 12" back in the day i had a Earthquake 15" stuffed into my 77' civic, it low and hard, you could hear me coming from blocks away!! Twyla's convertible has a pair of 12's firing thru the rear seat on a infinite baffle, the trunk was sealed with fiberglass from the cabin, we originally mounted 4 10" subs on the rear parcel tray, but it sounded like •••• when the top was down. In sher's civic her sub enclosure is the actual rear seat(the lower cushion is the sub box)and the upper rear is the amp rack, they both are covered in matching 91' civic si cloth to resemble a back seat..Do the cd's get stuck when the deck warms up? or always?
i live in Mtn.Home Idaho U.S.. yeah maby i will go with just one 12 or something. yeah that would be cool for the 8 inch subs in the pocket but thats where i have my 6x9s. also do you know how i could put like maby a 4 inch speaker in the front passenger side i have one on the drivers side in the orignal spot for the speaker but i dont know where to stick the other. yeah I think it is just when it warms up. thanks Jason
Fosgate HX2 Are a great sub it should be around that price if not HE2 is Cheaper still decent
Jason, you can always build a set of kickpanels to hold the speakers.. I usually go with a 5 1/4", but have put a 6" in aswell..here's some pics of Cher's stereo..
I have three 78 civics and I'm wanting to build a sleeper. I'm interested in the sohc v-tec swap. I have a complete 91 si wiring harness with two si trannys and a zc engine. The welding and fabricating is no big deal. What to do about stoping? I live in Alabama and parts are kinda hard to find for all the different things you need for bigger brakes. Will the stock brake set up work ok with the sohc engine? Thanks for any help you may rovide.