Project Steph's 1978 Honda Civic 1200

[Steph]

That's exactly what I had in mind Adrian. I plan on heading to Rare Spares and looking at all the mouldings to find the best fit.

[TREVORM]

nice steph, still planning on a power build?

[Steph]

yes... full power build.

Maxwill Racing Engines are building it.

http://www.maxwill.com.au/

[TREVORM]

NIce, didnt have someone else in mind too? Linc friend or someone named Don?

[Steph]

I was going to have Milton Race Engines do it, but they turned out to be nothing like I expected, as in, they seemed more like an engine reconditioning business than an performance engine builder. The whole place looked like a dog's breakfast, and there seemed to be a lot of 'apprentices' (read very young people), working there, rather than experienced race-engine builders. On the other hand, Maxwill Race Engines have clean rooms, and they're actually set up to do what they advertise, build race engines.

[Steph]

Spent the weekend fitting the rear adj. coilovers, as well as repainting the suspension parts, and replacing all the brake springs, clips, etc. (come in a kit). It was a huge job, and all that's left are a few bolts to fit, and it's all finished. I'll take some photos in the morning. Soo tired... :?

[Steph]

It took me ages to do this. All the bolt heads and large castle nuts are polished, but it doesn't show in the photo. I used stainless acorn nuts and stainless washers throughout. I have stainless castle nuts on order, but the polished mild steel will do for now. As long as it doesn't get wet, it doesn't rust. I did a bolt on a motorcycle once and it stayed polished for a few years until I sold the bike. It never got wet though. To look under the back of the car, you really need your head on the ground now, and it looks really nice under there. I'm getting the underside of the car repainted in a wrinkle finish black. I'll have the exhaust off when it goes in for paint, so it will be easy to spray. The car sits sooo low now...

[amifsud]

Looking good. I want to see a pic of the whole car now it's lowered. What kind of poly bushes do you have? I got sick of replacing mine and changed them all back to stock rubber bushes apart from the front radius rods and anti-roll bar.

[Steph]

You are soo right Adrian, how lame is it that they only last 3 years, then turn to powder? That said, the front radius rod bush turning to powder is actually what got me started doing all this!.. after procrastinating for soo long. I put Super Pro poly bushes in their place (SPF1316K), and hopefully they'll last longer than the Noltec rubbish. The other Super Pro bushes I had replaced about 3 years ago are still in excellent shape. The sway bar poly bushes look and feel like new. That said, they only give you a 3 year warranty. Rubber is the way to go IMO. That's what I'll be fitting the next, next time. I bought a spare set, so I'll fit poly once more... :oops: :P

[amifsud]

Yeah I had Noltec bushes, on both Civic's, and they're the ones that failed. The radius rods and anti-roll bar bushes are Superpro because the guy I bought the set from didn't have them in Noltec, luckily.