Black & Green modding thread (1998 Civic DX Coupe base)

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by California98Civic

In the fall/winter months the sun is often low as I drive.
Here is the plasti-dip solution. I wonder if it will last in the air flow.

Put it on the inside ...
Transparent smoke dip could be used to tint the windshield, rather than black it out .

Excellent idea though.
Over here, it's illegal to have a sun band that is lower than the original visors.

But the police won't notice, and plasti-dip can be torn off before tech inspection, then re-applied

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by cbaber

That plastidip looks good! Is there anything it can't do!? I have to wonder if that is legal though. I know there is a height limit in missouri that tint cannot go below, but would plastidip be considered tint since you can't see through it? You've probably already asked that question but I was curious.

If you do have trouble with peeling, consider tinting it instead. You can buy the walmart tint or the good 3M stuff online and install it yourself to save some money.

By chance, yesterday was the first rains of the season. The plasti-dip held perfectly (for now). On the tint thing... I basically followed the line of a cheap and now badly faded California-legal tint job from 2006. I brought it further down only about a quarter inch. So the line is legal (close). I don't know if the solid color is legal, but you are allowed to have limo-dark tint on that area of the glass, so I think it won't be any problem. To escape a "fix-it" ticket I could use a razor and peel the stuff right in front of an officer if necessary.

[deejaaa]

my only concern about doing this on mine is that the wipers ride so high. there wouldnt be any pd left if it was trimmed to the wiper strokes.

[TexasCotton]

Originally Posted by California98Civic

A while back MetroMPG wondered aloud on my transmission swap thread if I had a general build thread for "Black and Green." I didn't. I do now. I'll use this thread to discuss and document future mods. My one "ecomod" planned for the near future is a group of aerodynamic mods to the tail end of the car: (1) rear wheel skirts; (2) rear box void that includes a flat trunk lid spoiler and a diffuser; and (3) a bellypan for rear section and maybe middle but not front.

For the sake of documenting the car's current state, here is a list of the current mods, cut-n-past from my garage page:

HYPERMILING (the best mod is the human ECU)
I always use EOC and P&G on surface roads, and a mix of these and "GLEN" on the freeways. I also use MPG-optimized routes, trip combinations, and driving times as much as my commuter schedule allows.

AERODYNAMIC
2.5" lawnedging airdam
Side skirts v2.0 (cut rain gutter, flat black paint)
Full upper grill block (v1.0) & 80% lower block (v1.2).
175mm wide tires on rear only (185s still on front).
Passenger mirror replaced with internal convex.
Half-moon style wheel skirts (removed).
Mudflap delete.
Passenger-side wiper delete (and RainX application).
Radio antenna moved to dashboard.
Thrush Turbo muffler (smaller than OEM, better for planned belly plan's rear diffuser).

MECHANICAL/ELECTRICAL
1993 Civic CX transmission with 93,000 miles on it (installed when odo read 203,000 miles). The CX gear ratios: 3.250 (1), 1.761 (2), 1.066 (3), 0.853 (4), 0.702 (5), 3.153 (r), and 3.250 (final reduction). The DX gear ratios were: 3.250 (1), 1.782 (2), 1.172 (3), 0.909 (4), 0.702 (5), 3.153 (r), and 4.058 (final reduction).

An injector kill switch

Tires overinflated (60psi).

An "Externally Powered Electrical System" (I plug the car in when I'm home). The set-up combines an alternator on/off switch, 7 LED brake & running lights and a H4/HB2/9003 HID kit for the headlights, a deep-cycle Odyssey PC1200 battery with metal jacket & XSP-586 SAE post adapters (installed @192K miles), and a 25-amp on-board battery charger. I've also pulled one of two 5w license plate bulbs. For notes on why the 25 amp charger is important see this post.

A Warm Air Intake (WAI). And CAI/WAI manual switching ability for hottest days.

13" wheels and 175/70s on rear (replaced 14" 185/65s).
NGK single-platinum spark plugs.
Radiator/grill ducting (v.1.2).
6K oil change schedule.
Fully synthetic Mobil 1 "Fuel Economy" 0W-30 (5w-30 for warmer seasons).
Royal Purple 5w30 oil in the manual transmission.

WEIGHT REDUCTION
251lbs removed (to approx 2011lbs* curb weight):
9.7lbs VX wheels on rear only (replacing 18lbs alloys), 9lb thrush muffler (replacing 18lb OEM), AC, rear seats, power steering, and numerous other things small and large.

I plan on apply some of what you have shown OP. The question I have are/is the following???
The lawn edging curbing where you get that at HOME depot /wally world/lowe??
Are their size/width choices.???
On install (for example) front end vehicle lower lip area you just used screw/wsher combo??
Thank for your post

[TexasCotton]

Originally Posted by California98Civic

Since oil leaking slowly from engine and getting onto parts of the undercarriage has delayed the under tray project, I decided to do the wheel skirts before all the long days are gone. Here are some pics of the progress I made in the last light after work today. I am imitating MetroMPG's copper pipe clip idea, and I am using as much recycled materials as possible.





The coroplast is leftover from my first wheel skirt project. The screws and bolts are from stuff I dismantled, including aluminum screws from the 1950s patio shade I took apart a couple years ago. The aluminum bars for the supports were laying around the garage, leftover from a project. Cutting them to fit was a PITA. I discovered that bolt cutters can make great metal cutters in a pinch, when the snips are just not even close to competent.

Job complete enough to drive it, though I think I will add one more clip per side (for four total on each side) and I still plan to cover over the whole assembly with aluminum sheet and paint it and shade of black closer to the car paint color.







AND HERE IS THE LOOK (at this stage):

I am also planning this .....You used copper pipe and formed to make the fender clips? What is the pipe for in the first image?

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by TexasCotton

What is the pipe for in the first image?

That's the pipe I used for bending the anodized aluminum bars that reinforce the bottom of the skirts, creating an "arch" of sorts around the tires.

Originally Posted by TexasCotton

I plan on apply some of what you have shown OP. The question I have are/is the following???
The lawn edging curbing where you get that at HOME depot /wally world/lowe??
Are their size/width choices.???
On install (for example) front end vehicle lower lip area you just used screw/wsher combo??
Thank for your post

I just bought what was available at Home Depot, or maybe my Denault's TruValue. I did shorten it a bit because it was slightly too low. The ridges the material comes with make great mounting points... you'll see. For attachment I just driled the bumper cover and used some used screws I had laying around. CHEAP! Works quite well.

[TexasCotton]

Hey
I am still a fan of yours.......
On this thread someone(maybe you) stated tire psi at 60psi. Is that you...?
If so are you still going with that? I thought most ratings where 45psi high end.The tire dealers and general public using 34-37 psi range depend on vehicle/tire mix.
I run my michelen 185/65r15 lrr at 42-43psi

[deejaaa]

i run my Coopers at 50 psi.

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by TexasCotton

Hey
I am still a fan of yours.......
On this thread someone(maybe you) stated tire psi at 60psi. Is that you...?
If so are you still going with that? I thought most ratings where 45psi high end.The tire dealers and general public using 34-37 psi range depend on vehicle/tire mix.
I run my michelen 185/65r15 lrr at 42-43psi

Like a few others around here, I run my tires at 60 psi. I have for at least two years. They are rated at 44psi. It is an old track trick. But of course your results may vary, you must keep an eye on 'em, and judge your comfort and safety yourself. I'm just a guy with a car and an air pump at the Chevron station.

[PaleMelanesian]

Some of the better tires are rated at 51 psi. 60 isn't that much above 51.

The numbers make more sense when you convert to bar pressure.
1 bar = 1 atmosphere = 14.7 psi
2.5 bar = 36 psi
3 bar = 44 psi
3.5 bar = 51 psi