The CR-X

[MYDC5R]

Looking very promising Tom, keep it up!
Very detailed updates! Im sure all the others will enjoy reading this as much as i did!

[hello]

access to dyno? so nice

[ChargeR]

Looking very promising Tom, keep it up!
Very detailed updates! Im sure all the others will enjoy reading this as much as i did!

Thanks mate, I'm glad you're enjoying the updates on the workings of my deviant mind.

access to dyno? so nice

Nope, but I have access to money which can be exchanged for goods and services .

Shifter

Another small but important part of the puzzle turned up last week, the OEM shifter and cables from a DC5R (Thanks to Flippit, he's a cool guy, buy his stuff). There are aftermarket options for these parts but they are not likely to meet my quality and reliability expectations, and they are overpriced trash in any case. The stock parts will work well:





One of my goals over the weekend is to fit up the shifter in a position I am happy with and modify the centre console to suit. Others choose to cut a section of the exhaust tunnel out to mount the shifter lower so it will fit under the older model console, but I'm looking forward to how close the knob will be to the steering wheel. Precious fractions of a second saved moving my hand back and forth from steering wheel to shifter.

[Symphorced]

Loving your work, Tom.

[andrew84tran]

Great project Tom. Wish I has the time, space and technical know how to build something like this. This will be an insanely fun little machine!

[ChargeR]

Great project Tom. Wish I has the time, space and technical know how to build something like this. This will be an insanely fun little machine!

Thanks! I don't have much time or space and just so we're all on the same page I have never done this before and don't really know what I'm doing.

Loving your work, Tom.

Thanks boss!

Motor test fit attempt 2

So following the first balked attempt at getting the motor into the car, I came back the next day with a hammer and intent to cause harm. I needed to make clearance for the gearbox on the passenger side of the car. After removing the subframe and smacking it a few times then refitting it, all was well. With a bit more jiggling of the motor, I was able to get the rear mount in properly. The motor was now sitting nearly where it should be, more on this later though. Here you can see where I dented in the subframe and bent the spot welded lip up:



All done. This calls for a beer.



Here's a few pictures I took playing around with my new camera. I probably need new door stickers, hopefully there are still some new OEM ones floating around in Japan, and maybe a new matching door. I'll retain these doors until I can upgrade to something less metallic, they're lighter than the local models due to having no side intrusion bars. I just have to avoid getting T boned.



Here's the only other sticker on the car. The people at Cars For Hope are good people and you should support them.



I also got bored and lowered my Accord.



Backup chassis

I also have a backup car for if this one meets an untimely end. An Australian delivered ED9, complete with 200k on the odometer and some body damage. It's completely stock and fairly straight apart from that though.



I acquired the car with a broken timing belt. Pulled the head and had a look, it all looked passable and the valves sealed up so I had it machined and put it back on with a new OEM head gasket, water pump, timing belt and tensioner and it started second crank after sitting in a friend's workshop for over a year. Probably less than 100hp of D16 fury:

[M@lew]

I'm more so impressed the new car is red

Playing with film now?

[felixR]

Woo nice update Tom!

[ChargeR]

I'm more so impressed the new car is red

Playing with film now?

Thanks guy, the new car isn't really a backup though, I'm going to restore it to OEM glory and try to avoid wrecking it. Yeah picked up an old camera, it only seemed appropriate when I am dedicating so much time to an old forgotten car.

Woo nice update Tom!

Thanks Felix!

[MYDC5R]

Very interesting read Tom, amazing how much god a hammer can do lol
Will be good to see that beloved MR CRX be reborn back into OEM glory if everything goes to plans in your books of course.
Very good update, really am enjoying this thread of yours!

[rookie]

Red looks pretty sweet. Some nice progress on the badboy

[ChargeR]

Very interesting read Tom, amazing how much god a hammer can do lol
Will be good to see that beloved MR CRX be reborn back into OEM glory if everything goes to plans in your books of course.
Very good update, really am enjoying this thread of yours!

Thanks boss! Milano Red wasn't around in 1989 though .

Red looks pretty sweet. Some nice progress on the badboy

Thanks bloke.

Header fitment

With the motor sitting roughly in its final position in the engine bay it was time to see whether I could cram in the previously pictured ASP header that I recieved a while back. I had my trusty midget grinder ready as Stefan at ASP had already warned me that it would take a fair amount of trimming of the subframe to get the exhaust manifold in simply due to the size of the tubes, the 4-1 design and the already close proximity of the CR-X subframe to the intermediate shaft.

Trimming in progress



After taking the subframe out and the rear mount out and refitting it a couple of times I finally reached a stage where I was happy with the fitment. Once I've tidied up the subframe and mount I'll get them both powdercoated black again. Overall I'm pleased with how well it fits, the outlet sits correctly in the tunnel and ground clearance should be good. Here's the thing in place.





Close but not too close.



Apart from this not too much actual work has been happening on the CR-X lately, I've just been going to work and attempting to earn enough money to order the rest of the parts. Going to get the fuel system and a few miscellaneous bits on the way soon. My clockwise motion sump baffle, parts from Karcepts and the first of multiple OEM Honda parts orders have turned up. Pictures to follow soon.

Couple of pictures thanks to DCW from EXE, thanks again for the help fellow.

[rookie]

Still can't get over how good those headers look. The fab work looks nothing short of perfect.

Would you consider running E85 in the CRX or are you planning on using the engine as is?

[MYDC5R]

So if Milano Red wasn't around in 1989, what was the red called?
Learning something new every day =D

[ChargeR]

Still can't get over how good those headers look. The fab work looks nothing short of perfect.

Would you consider running E85 in the CRX or are you planning on using the engine as is?

Yeah it's okay I guess. I won't know how okay until it's on the dyno .

I'll be using E85 and am picking fuel system parts to suit. For a car that sees limited street and track use like this one will it's the perfect fuel.

So if Milano Red wasn't around in 1989, what was the red called?
Learning something new every day =D

I am pretty sure the CR-X red is R-63 Rio Red, but I'd have to check the sticker on the door jamb to be sure.