Ebay, Ebay, Ebay!! Lots of parts for cheap. Though if your trying for 1st gen parts your going to be competing against me usually. If you can sand it would save you that much more on labor before you take it to the shop for color. Don't pay any more than $1500 unless its 20 coats of hand rubbed laquer. Are you changing color? This will increase cost because they will have to paint door sills and such. Your wheels are fine, but adding more tire increases sidewall flex. This also effects speedometer calibration. Try staying with the same size, but upgrade to a more effective compound, like Kumhos or my favs nitto extreme NT 455s. It depends or your application. If your going to see triple digits the more the sidewall the less responsiveness you'll have. Lowered cars are fun! Just expect to change your driving habits. Speed bumps and potholes will have you breaking like a madman. As far mods go, bring the engine back to spec. Have the valve lash adjusted, change cap and rotor, and an engine treatment pack like Zmax or Prolong wouldn't hurt. Just beware that performance mods on an older engine effect reliability. Thats the chance you take. Sometimes hind sight would have saved us all alot of money. The doe you might roll out on mods may accumulate to be enough for a Japanese motor swap. Which stock would probably put out more than your modded american version. I've heard prices between $600-1200 for these engines thrown about. Thats RELATIVELY inexpensive. Im not an authority on this topic, but you came to the right place. The people on this list have always been kind and very helpful. Good luck and ask away because the dumb question is the one never asked.
Red 86 Dx >From: Dave Morgan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Reply-To: Dave Morgan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: CRX POST <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: CRX: Newbie Questions >Date: Fri, 31 May 2002 18:49:08 -0400 > >Hello all! > >I guess the first question to ask is how tolerant is this list of really >dumb newbie questions? I'd like to benefit from all you've learned about >your X's but I'm starting from waaayyyy back in the pack. I'm willing to >eat dust, though, until I get somewhere near up to speed. > >Here's the situation. I've got an '87 Si that is, except for the tires >(I'll get back to that), totally stock. Bought it in '88 with 17k miles >and have been driving it as my everyday car since then. It's now got >131k miles which is still pretty low. Runs like a top but, needless to >say, she's looking kinda droopy - rusted out sunroof (no surprise >there), cracked front mask and fender, seriously deteriorated paint job, >some chassis rust spots but not too bad, grubby under the hood. You get >the idea. > >I don't want to part with her and, given the kinds of things that folks >like you have done with your X's, I don't see why I should. However, I >could use some serious guidance to bring her back to respectability. How >far back is still a question. I'm in total denial about the dollars this >might involve and don't tell me either 'cuz I'm not ready for the brutal >truth. > >Where to start? Right off the top I need to get about $900 worth of body >parts before I can think about a paint job. Ok. Accepted. It's the idea >of the paint job itself that really makes me wince. I've been quoted >from $800 (Maaco) up to $2400 (highly-recommended local shop). I've got >no sense of the ratio of dollars to quality in this area. Seems like >something that basic shouldn't be such a crapshoot. > >It needs a new set of tires anyway so that's next. The stock size is >185-60-14 and it's presently running with a slightly wider set of >195-60-14's. Everybody seems to go with larger wheels to get larger >tires, but is it necessary? I really like the original Honda mag wheels >on the car and would keep them if it makes sense. If the idea is to get >more rubber on the road, and if the wheel wells accept them (big if), >could I consider 205-60-14's or even 215-60-14's? If so, then should the >car be lowered if it hasn't been raised in the first place? Or just >harden up the suspension? > >Then it's on to the engine. The concept of a swap is a little >overwhelming at this stage and it may be overkill since a racing set up >is not the objective. (Did you all start out saying that?) For now, I'd >like to see how much can be squeezed out of the stock engine with >bolt-ons. But what? And in what order given the need to spreeeaaad out >the money? > >Any direction would be greatly appreciated here. Or if there's a better >place to go with my basic questions, just point me there. After 14 years >of absolutely reliable and fun transportation, I really want to do right >to resurrect my baby. Thanks! > >Dave > _________________________________________________________________ MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos: http://photos.msn.com/support/worldwide.aspx
