Okay here’s the low down.
For the civic 1200 chassis, the easiest swap is the D series single camshaft motors. You can go with you any year. The most desirable would be to go with a ’92-’95 D16Z6 mated to a ’88-’91 civic transmission (you go with this transmission due to the fact that it’s cable and not Hydraulic like the ’92-’95)
1. Strip the engine bay of all parts (I.E.: Engine/transmission wiring harness, brake booster/master cylinder etc. etc.)
2. I start off by removing the cross member/sway bars/tie rods.
3. I then proceed to trim and shave the battery tray, the pinch molding below the hood latch, the front upper radiator support.
4. Next step is to bring the motor and transmission in, and test fit to see where the inner frame rails need to be shaved/massaged. (see pictures of Peter’s Hybrid)
5. I then proceed to build the new mounting plates to support the motor. (I always start with the driver’s side and then the transmission mount)
6. Shave the lower lip of the steering box to clear the transmission shifter assembly.
7. Place the motor in the engine bay and double check that the motor is sitting level, and that both axles will work properly.
8. Weld both mounts.
9. The front cross member is next!! Place the cross member back on the car, you will have to trim the lip to clear the oil pan and transmission. The front mount is next. basically, weld two plates to the front cross member and bolt on the mount.
10. Depending on what exhaust manifold you go with depends on what cross member modifications must be done. I have cut the whole section out of the cross member and re-enforced it. Another one had a stock exhaust manifold from a ’96 civic (the ones with the cat built right at the top) we cut the cat off and ran a custom 2 1/4 pipe right off the manifold and brought it out between the cross member and the front valance. On Peter’s we built a custom cross member to run a 4-2-1 Mugen header.
11. The Oil pan if you go with a stock cross member you will either make some custom tie rod ends or cut the corner off the oil pan. (I will post pictures of a modified oil pan)
14. All depending on skill, the stock radiator can be used, or a Volkswagen 2 core with external filler. You will have to build custom mounts for either set-up.
13. You will need to run a new fuel line/ change all the hoses at the tank to high pressure injection line/ add a fuel injected pump (I found the ’88 Ford F series inline pump works great
14. You will have to build a complete wiring harness for the EFI swap.
15. More to come…
You will retain your factory axles with the swap. You will need a portion of the shifter assembly (the stabilizer bar and rod) and then you will have to cut and shorten your stock assembly and weld it together.
