I'm new and thought I would share my first project.
Edits:
In all the photos I actually have about 400 lbs of tools over the rear end so it is sitting a little lower than expected
My car got 35MPG highway at best before I did any work to it. EPA rated it higher, but I think the standards have changed since then, and the motor was aging. Regardless, a 10MPG increase was achieved with absolutely no compromise to looks.
I got this 1995 Civic for free about 4 years ago with a blown head gasket, rotting away quarter panels, and about 150K on the engine. It was mostly stock except for ricer-looking 17" rims with low profile tires and euro lights in the rear. For a few hundred bucks we had the head decked and I drove it everyday...until I blew the head gasket again at around 215K. So, I decided to use the opportunity to start from the ground up.
The main goal: hit 50 MPG highway driving normally, and look good doing it. I did not want to sacrifice looks for aerodynamics, and I had a budget. Of this $4K, I spent somewhere around $700 experimenting with carbon fiber/fiberglass and some other things I'll get into later.
What I did:
1) Engine
I replaced the American D16z 135hp 1.6L Vtec motor with a Japanese motor purchased on Ebay for $725 w/ shipping. It was a D15b 105hp 1.5L Vtec with somewhere between 30K and 40K on it. Apparently, they don't drive their cars for as long as we do - and these engines are in good supply. The company sent me the wrong motor at first, but it was worked out. The motor was a direct replacement and fit the 5speed manual transmission just fine, however...
EVERYTHING from the old block had to be unbolted and transferred to the Japanese motor, even the mounts. I didn't replace the intake manifold - the Japanese intake did not have a vacuum tube inlet like its American counterpart, so I just plugged the hose that was supposed to connect to it. The ECM took a couple starts before the Japanese motor idled correctly, but seems to work fine. I don't know if it is throwing any codes from this swap because the warning lights are on the instrument cluster...which I don't have (we will get to that later).
2) Rotational Weight
I removed the belts for power steering and and a/c, thus making the alternator the only accessory load on the motor. Since the alternator pulley weighed 6lbs and no longer needed the two step downs for the other two belts, I had them milled off. It now weighs between 3.5 and 4 lbs. In the future, I will probably remove the a/c unit all together and put in an aluminum alternator pulley.
I did a lot of research on rims and tire weights, and found the 15" rims I put on were pretty comparable to the 14" steelies on originally. I couldn't afford Ray's Wheels, and I hear they don't hold up well to potholes...which Chicagoland roads are filled with. For tires I chose the Radial TA's, and they are a lb or so heavier than an average tire, but just HAD to be included. I have never seen them on a Honda, until now. Call it my muscle car background, but this tire is beautiful.
In the future, I will either do a rear disc conversion or find a way to use the Insight aluminum drums for further rotational weight reduction.
3) Weight Reduction
I found a dented carbon fiber hood on Craigslist for $200. DON'T EVER TRY TO DO BODYWORK TO CARBON FIBER. I spent many hours on that hood - filling, blocking, and priming - 6 months later, the dents are visible up close and the carbon fiber material came through. It does not look horrible by any means, but I'm a perfectionist. Either way, the paint and body work only added a couple pounds, so it was a victory.
I gutted the ENTIRE interior. We are talking a tin can here - plastic panels, seats, carpet, and even the soundproofing (which was heavy). I modified the driver seat mount and attached an aluminum bomber seat (hot rod style) to it. I "tubbed" the passenger side door (thus making it a 1 seater with the possibility for a rear passenger seat) and held the window up using an old Mopar racing trick: a seatbelt! I kept the driver side impact bar, but removed the door panel etc. I also got rid of the spare tire for two cans of fix-a-flat.
I experimented a lot with the dashboard, and found it too difficult to save (woops, accidentally broke it after I ripped out all the heavy supports). I managed to make one out of cardboard and fiberglass; it turned out o.k. for a beginner.
I think this body style looks more aggressive with the sunroof "up", so I wanted to keep it functional. The glass weighs about 20 lbs, and the weight of the motor and track is another 10, so this was definitely an area of concern. I could have put in an expensive carbon fiber plug or welded in a new roof entirely, but I decided to make it out of a composite. BAD IDEA. Getting it to seal right was next to impossible, and the curves still didn't match up. I had to find a new piece of glass via Craigslist for $50. In the future, I will probably break the glass and glue in a hard plastic - this way the metal frame that surrounds the glass holds the seal and does not mess with the functionality.
Finally, after grinding away at the caulk, I rhino-lined the entire interior and dashboard. It was mostly for aesthetics, but I also used it as a sound barrier. I have never seen this done to the inside of any barebones race car, and it looks amazingly nice. Plus one for me.
All together, I think I lost about 195 lbs from the car (or rather about 175 lbs since I have the original glass back in), but the 3rd video I linked has the exact amount.
4) Aerodynamics
I shaved the front bumper fog lights, the side moldings, the roof moldings, the windshield moldings, and the mirrors. The moldings were mostly for aesthetics. I couldn't bear the thought of buying an ill-fitting bodykit for this car (even though I do love the Fast and Furious), so I tried to make use of the original parts the best I could. The bumper turned out really nice and the mirrors were replaced with cowl mounted cameras. I removed the front mud flaps and kept the rear ones ONLY because they make the rear bumper line seem lower, just like a bodykit. This is because I painted the rockers and the rear flaps gloss black instead of their original flat black. Also, I glued in rain guards (after painting them) to make the weirdly large side windows seem smaller, and it worked - another trade off for looks.
The front springs are lowered, thus bringing the car closer the ground, and in the future I intend to make the typical plastic underbelly pan for it.
5) Gadgets
I hooked up an MPGuino for use as my speedometer since I ripped out the digital cluster!
Results:
I hit 45MPG on my first road trip, accelerating normally (no hypermiling here). After doing between 65 and 70 on the highway for a long time, I stopped counting miles traveled when the engine first stuttered. I would guess that the car, in its fashionable state, will probably top out around 47MPG with future improvements, and I'll take this ride over a Prius any day!
Today
Other popular topics in this forum...
