1991 Civic DX lurker coming out of the shadows

[sluggo1010]

Hi to all. I have frequented this site a number of times over the years, figured I might as well come out of the shadows and try this whole posting/threads/replies business. Will probably fudge it all up.
Current car is a 1991 Civic DX automatic with 114,000 miles. I have removed AC, looped power steering rack and removed power steering components, taken out passengers and rear seats and most interior panels, replaced inertial reel seat belts with lap restraints, lightened the front and rear bumper bolsters, covered over the front bumper air opening, put on side and front skirts and rear wheel arch covers, added a kammback extention over rear hatch, raised rear bumper cover, replaced side view mirror with camera, and replaced stock tires with 125 r15's on spare tire rims. Also trimmed off the auto lock on the steering column so I can switch off ignition without worrying about locking the steering up when I turn the wheel.

As soon as I am authorized to do so I will post some pics!


Thanks to all for good ideas and insights, and to the people who built and maintain this site!

[jcp123]

Wow, I gotta say, I wanna see pics. You have all of the right things, get yourself a profile here for your car and start feeding me some numbers!

[sluggo1010]

Just posted a coupla pics!

Have not yet used a full tank, so no MPG numbers yet.
Unfortunately car is an automatic since my one daughter does not drive stick!

Thanks for the reply, I am looking forward to hearing from all the other crazies out there.

[California98Civic]

Whoa! Almost heading toward the basjoos:



Fun!

[mpg_numbers_guy]

Looks great! How's the traction and braking with those skinny tires?

[jcp123]

Originally Posted by sluggo1010

my one daughter does not drive stick!

I'm making it a requirement for my daughters to learn stick as a condition of earning their license, that is if they want to have it as minors. My oldest is 7, so it'll be a pretty moot point by the time she's 15 or 16, and I may not even have a stick car by then, but we'll see. I keep saying I'll teach my wife, too, but never get around to it.

[sluggo1010]

JCP123, can you teach an old wife a new trick? Wait a minute, I guess I better not use the word "trick" there, might be taken out of context and get me hash tagged! Yes, it was a definite failing in parenting on my part that one of my daughters can not drive stick. I did actually teach my wife to drive stick, a precondition to marriage many years ago.

[sluggo1010]

I ran similar tires/rims on a CRX HF about 6 years ago. Had no problems with either braking or traction. But then again, driving for best gas mileage does tend to keep you in a pretty controlled mode at all times. Planned decelerations, gradual accelerations, and an awareness of surroundings at all times.

[jcp123]

Originally Posted by sluggo1010

JCP123, can you teach an old wife a new trick? Wait a minute, I guess I better not use the word "trick" there, might be taken out of context and get me hash tagged! Yes, it was a definite failing in parenting on my part that one of my daughters can not drive stick. I did actually teach my wife to drive stick, a precondition to marriage many years ago.

Eh, it's just us weirdos who think stick is so important that we push it up our list of priorities. I think my wife will pick it up pretty easily, her Pa drove stick in her youth, so she already has a picture in her mind for the rhythm of it.

Both my Pa and I have tried to leach my Ma stick, and that did not go well at all. Ironically, she's Austrian, and her sister makes fun of my Ma only driving automatics saying that "automatics are for old and disabled people"

I gotta say, though...I like your moxie for making stick a precondition of marriage!

[sluggo1010]

First tank results came in at 38 mpg. I should have run a baseline tank with no modifications, but was too eager to get started on improvements. Looks like 1991 Civic automatic normally got about 27mpg combined. My driving was more highway than city, but it was also over hilly/mountainous terrain.