Project Steph's 1978 Honda Civic 1200

[Evoboy]

It never ceases to amaze me what you're researching. But my wish list always grows reading your posts and my civic is not even on the road!

[Steph]

It never ceases to amaze me what you're researching. But my wish list always grows reading your posts and my civic is not even on the road!

I'm just thankful for the internet and forum posts, because that's most times where I get the answers, or leads to answers from. In the 'old days' I would have been making phone calls and annoying people... you know, back when The Yellow Pages were actually a thing. Of course, the upside to that was you actually met people, which now seems (mostly) unnecessary and time consuming. More and more, we're heading towards a one-click society of strangers.

[GenkiHonda]

Hi Steph,

I just bought a dual Keihin carburetor myself for my '78 1200 (same color as yours 8) ) and I was looking into modifying an air cleaner housing like you did off a Nissan Patrol.
However, I can't find anything about those air cleaner housings on the internet, could you please point me into the right direction?

Thanks very much!

- Stephan

[Randy]

Okay, it's useless posting time again... Does anyone know what the 3 'M"s are in 3M? don't just Google it right away, let's see if anyone already knows!
(see how I choose to use my 10,000th post...)

I better know, I have been buying from them for years.
Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing

[Steph]

Finally swung my focus back on the Civic.

I got a call from the insurance company this week, seems it's been almost 3 years since I made the claim and they approved the repairs, and they wanted me to send the car into the paint shop ASAP to clear it off their books. The good news is it gave me the kick in the pants to get back to it. The car is finally ready to leave for paint.

Here's some quick photos I took today... more to come.

I picked up the chrome this morning, and all of it came out perfect. Rob over at Windsor Electroplating at Windsor Gardens did all the plating. He really does top notch work. The dip stick looks frosted in the photos, but it's not. It came out perfect. I'll be taking heaps of other stuff there over the coming months.

I used a sealer on all the machined surfaces like the inside of the crank pulley, alternator pulley, and all the bolt threads, etc to prevent the chrome from coating the threads. My research led me to a product called Seal N Peel by Crowers which they use to coat aircraft when they mothball them. Most air forces use it. If you've ever bought a magazine that had a CD or other disc stuck to the front cover, it has a gooey soft glue that holds it to the magazine cover. That's the same type of glue as Seal N Peel. In fact, I'd be surprised if they weren't the exact same formula. It peels off really easily, and turns into a blob as you pull it off. It made it through caustic solutions, a 50C chemical bath, and the plating tank, and was still in perfect shape at the end. Crowers advertise that Seal N Peel is suited to electroplating, so I shouldn't be that surprised that it works, but even Rob at Windsor Electroplaters hadn't heard of it before. I left the product info with him. It's about A$44 (US$33) a liter. In the last photo you can see a bolt I peeled the Seal N Peel off, and one with it still on. The metal looks like new underneath once it's been removed. It comes off bolt threads in seconds. It's a bit fiddly to get out of tapped holes, but once you get it started, you can grab it with tweezers.

[bob78cvcc]

Lookin mighty fine!
Welcome back!

[Steph]

Lookin mighty fine!
Welcome back!

Thanks, Bob! :D
I love it when the Civic-bug bites, and it's pretty much all I can think about.

[TREVORM]

wow! :D

[ldog]

Welcome back Steph...been a while
hey if you get a chance, anyway you can give some info on the extractors you made up, CAD, drawings...it would be nice to get a good set on my Civic, i have Hurricane ATM
thanks

[Steph]

I ended up pulling everything off the engine and then re-polishing all the parts, and then the block. I wanted it all to be polished for the final mock up before I pull it all off and send the engine to the builder. Before it gets sent to the builder I'll be coating the outside of the block with Seal N Peel to protect against bumps and everything else that they get exposed to during the cleaning and machining processes. Even if it gets discolored, I can always polish it out afterwards, but judging from my experience with the electroplating, it will easily do the job. The fun part will be peeling the Seal N Peel off afterwards... maybe even in one piece!

Here's a shot of the alternator