Project Steph's 1978 Honda Civic 1200

[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

[Steph]

and another...

[mielko]

WoW ,shiny beast!

[75CVCC]

Steph,

You've done an outstanding job...

[Steph]

Thanks guys

This week I've been concentrating on preparing the torque rod and engine mount bushes for the polyurethane treatment.

I bought some 60A epoxy suited to the job (Forsch Polymer Corporation) that arrived yesterday, and I'll be pouring them today. I could have bought local, but the Forsch product had good feedback, so it seemed like a safer bet. DHL got it from the US to here in 3 days!

http://www.energysuspensionparts.com/diymmi" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Photos and report to follow...

[Steph]

The bushes turned out unbelievably well. I mixed the epoxy super carefully taking every precaution not to 'fold' in air that would become bubbles. Once it was poured, I started heating the epoxy in each bush with the hot-air gun to remove the bubbles (it's impossible not to get a few). The heat expands the air and softens the epoxy, causing the bubbles to rise and pop, leaving temporary craters (they fill in after 20-30 seconds). I kept heating each bush and the surface for a while until they were completely smooth in appearance. They set with a perfect semi-gloss finish.

I have a NOS OEM rubber bush that I compared to the 60A epoxy and I'd say the 60A is very similar. There's one supplier that had 45A on the Shore hardness scale, which I expect is a little too soft. The bushes I made have more material in them than their rubber counterparts, and I suspect that where the extra stiffness comes from when I compare them.

[imar]

look great. Is that a custom made Torque rod ?