build: 3800 powered civic?

[RedSleeper]

So I saw a civic powered by a corvette engine (LT1 or LS1 I'm not sure), and it inspired me... My project engine, the 4.2L stroker, and gforce gears, in a late 1990s bodystyle notchback civic... Seems doable with a little bit of chopping and welding, and well as for the camaro, I'm now favoring an LSx swap Any thoughts?

I think there is ample space under a civic's hood for a 3800 motor and I think the rear differential will ofset the weight of the engine enough to keep it within reason. I think it'd be a fun project for me and it would definitely be a candidate to be the fastest running n/a 3800 powered car. What do ya think? Cool? Stupid? I wanna hear it all.

[OneSlowL36]

so your going to be going rwd? sounds unique.

[Sandman]

Go for it, sounds like a cool project. But remember that in the end it is still a Honda :P

[rhino2104]

Sounds like it could be a lot of fun. It will be a lot of work, but a lot of fun none the less.

[Proofz]

Hey if you have the desire then go for it dude!

[Driver_10]

heres an idle idea. Why dont you transplanting the 3800 w/grand prix trans-axle into the rear of the civic "mid-ship" style. You could use a stock, auto shifter from another hatchback and modify the shifter cables.

If your feeling cheeky, then try using the gertag 5-speed from a Fiero. Nothin beats a stick. All of that weight on the directly on the back tires would launch that light car like a rocket. Youd be lifting the front tires a good 7 inches from a stop.

[gibson]

FWD or RWD, use a W-body drivetrain and cut your fabs in half.


Hell, use two :cool:

[Z28_DAD]

AWD 7.6L Twin blowers FTMFW!!!!!!

AKA-2 L67s

[RedSleeper]

hahaa, love the ideas. I'll be doing more of a traditional rat-rod style project with a 10bolt in the rear and an L32/L36 in the front. If I can fit an blower I will do a blower engine. $500 from local junkyard.

just talked to the owner of a local hot-rod shop who I've known for years and he likes the idea. Junkyard L67 (If the supercharger isn't too tall to fit under the hood, I wanna keep it looking stock + Junkyard T5, custom aluminum d/s, maybe an 80's camaro rear (I've got some measuring to do) and a $500 rolling chassis, a little cutting, welding and measuring and we'll see what's good.

If I can't fit a blower without cutting the hood I'll go n/a, but something about the concept of a $4,000 300rwhp civic...

[RedSleeper]

I forgot if I mentioned also, I'd like to keep it looking like a regular FWD sivick as much as possible, maybe a cowl hood to hide the blower and a rear bumper kit to hide the diff.

Junkyard treasures:
L67/L32, T5, Chevy 10bolt ,Custom D/S - $1,500
1993-1999 rolling Civic chassis with no rust/dents - $500 - $1,000
3" Exhaust - Cheap enough...
Suspension, cutting, welding, SFCs, cheap cowl hood, etc... That's what'll kill me. Anyone wanna take a stab at what that'll run me? lol.

[Inferno]

a ricer for us gm guys to be proud of
lol

[RedSleeper]

a VC for us gm guys to be proud of
lol

plate will real "LOLCIVIC" and it will sport a fart can proudly :smileyr:

I'll spray-paint it red or primer, not sure yet but it won't be a bling-bling ricer, more of a newschool ratrod. GM 15x7 steelies FTW. Wheels are the last thought though, first I will get the car, second I'll get a powerplant and a T5, third is the fun fabricating. Something just makes me smile when I think about saying "My $5,000 civic can smoke your $80,000 Ford Shelby Cobra Supercharged Mach 12 Boss King Still a Fucking Mustang GT by 14 and a half cars from a dig or a 20mph roll!" :)

[Inferno]

i think the main colors should be primer grey and bondo pink lol

[04SilveradoMykk]

Cool, reminds me of the LS1 Evo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWW0-gQMWCc

[RedSleeper]

So everything's looking okay so far, only thing I am scared of is the front end. I'd like to try to keep the stock Civic front end and just beef up the front springs and whatnot, and I'm hoping I can just remove the CV joints and axles from the front wheel spindles. I don't know much about front wheel drive unfortunately so I'm scared I'll have to change the steering rack for something else and I'm not sure what else will fit. This could be the deth of the project. Anyone think it'll be feasible to disconnect everything from the transaxle and keep the front spindles?

The car will look cool with 5lug GM 14" steelies in the back and honda 4 lug 14s up front, hah. Better get some Honda hubcaps!

Oh yeah, true duals off the headers through magnaflow bullets out to dual folgers N1 muffers tucked out from the rear bodykit which will hide the differential, it'll sound radical especially cammed imo. another plate idea "ricerFTW"

[OneSlowL36]

heres an idle idea. Why dont you transplanting the 3800 w/grand prix trans-axle into the rear of the civic "mid-ship" style. You could use a stock, auto shifter from another hatchback and modify the shifter cables.

If your feeling cheeky, then try using the gertag 5-speed from a Fiero. Nothin beats a stick. All of that weight on the directly on the back tires would launch that light car like a rocket. Youd be lifting the front tires a good 7 inches from a stop.

Thats actually bad ass idea holy shit that would be cool. I would use something else other than a civic, maybe an early 90's Cavalier or Sunbird lol.

[RedSleeper]

I just think it'sm gonna be fun to disguise it as a rice.r but with everything fully functional. Like dual cans (True dual exhaust) with one of those bodykits that has the two spots for the cans, a wing on the back that actually produces useful downforce on the rear wheels, carbon fiber hood, fenders, front end, etc... all spraypainted hotrod black hah. cant forget the gm steelies out back and honda steelies up front

[triple_l82]

I am pretty sure you can just take out the cv axles and be done with it. There are plenty of 350 swapped civics on the net and according to one of them that is all he done. You will need to strengthen the subframe substancialy.

[Z28_DAD]

as far as the cv's, i would disassemble them and just put the part that goes through the hub in. that way youll have something holding the hubs together and it will give it more sleeper look. if i were to look at a civic and not see any axles through the hub, id know something was up. if you leave it in, looks stock, leave hubcaps OFF for the full effect though

[RedSleeper]

I'm thinking subframe connectors and a partial roll cage in the back.

[TheSHOgun08]

I'm thinking subframe connectors and a partial roll cage in the back.

I would do a full roll cage just because it would substantially strengthen the car itself. Bad ass idea! I cant wait to see this project complete!

[TheSHOgun08]

Where are you at by the way? I may be able to help with parts or the body and getting stuff for cheap.

[RedSleeper]

Where are you at by the way? I may be able to help with parts or the body and getting stuff for cheap.

I'm about an hour north of NYC. Still on the hunt for a good straight rust-free body so that'd be a huge help.

[TheSHOgun08]

I'm about an hour north of NYC. Still on the hunt for a good straight rust-free body so that'd be a huge help.

Thats not to bad as I'm up in NY all the time anyway. I'll keep a look out for a body and message you if I find anything. Price range?

[TheyCallMe Tim]

Make sure you get one with the double a-arm front suspension, they handle infinitely better than the macpherson strut front. And even better once it gets rwd!!!

[RedSleeper]

Thats not to bad as I'm up in NY all the time anyway. I'll keep a look out for a body and message you if I find anything. Price range?

lookin under a grand, i dont care for interior and i dont mind if replaceable parts like fenders hood and trunk lid are dented/dinged. otherwise no rust. motor/tranny arent needed and id like the 92-95 best because they're hella light. coupe preferred, not feelin a 4door and too many hatches near me. appreciate it. anyone know what body has the a-arm suspension? I may just be able to adapt it to fit, many honda parts are swappable :)

[G-U-NOT]

Just put a K20/6spd in it... it'll bolt right in with a kit and you'll still have less money into it and it'll still be faster!!

[chadder]

http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=730443&pp=20&page=11

It's a lot of work to convert a fwd car to rwd. I know he used a whole 'vette chassis, but the principle is the same

[GPRacer]

Turbo L36, you'll save room and :eek::worship:

[Amagine]

heres an idle idea. Why dont you transplanting the 3800 w/grand prix trans-axle into the rear of the civic "mid-ship" style. You could use a stock, auto shifter from another hatchback and modify the shifter cables.

If your feeling cheeky, then try using the gertag 5-speed from a Fiero. Nothin beats a stick. All of that weight on the directly on the back tires would launch that light car like a rocket. Youd be lifting the front tires a good 7 inches from a stop.
the perfect honda to do this to is a civic del sol.:cool:

[mofo123]

l67 or nothing you could just do full exhaust intake 3.4 pulley and be making plenty enough power plus it would sound like a cobra.

[RedSleeper]

eh another idea, still throwing some around... how's an '89 240SX + junkyard L67 + pacesetters + T5 + 10bolt sound? 12s for under 2k?

Also, Merlin, what ecu are you running? camaro ecu? gtp?

I'm getting my tax return and a fat paycheck this week and Iwant to make something that goes faster than my camaro and looks junky. Camaro is going to sleep for a while.

[Grimm]

the 5spd would break well before 12's. It would be $2k just to have it built to handle that.

[RedSleeper]

the 5spd would break well before 12's. It would be $2k just to have it built to handle that.

I'm curreny banging out low 14s and occasional 13s on a stock transmission. My 3rd one, so far okay :umm:


I figured it might survive with the lighter car and maybe some 4.10:1 gears, that would take alot of load off the transmission

[Merlin]

im using the camaro computer, but i would recomend using the computer that comes with the engine. that way you can tune with the map...

[xmetallicaxguitaristx]

If you get the fart cans, don't actually use them.. just have them there for effect. Get a cutout and drop it before the axle, or go borla.

Better, but more expensive idea, like someone else said, turbo L36 civic..

I lol'ed at the wing part, you should get a wing bigger than your car to add on to the "rice effect".

[01GPGT]

at my school my teacher call sthe park benches and trash cans so you should litteraly put a park bench and a trash can on the car:rofl:

[xmetallicaxguitaristx]

at my school my teacher call sthe park benches and trash cans so you should litteraly put a park bench and a trash can on the car:rofl:

LOL yeah

http://cse.unl.edu/%7Ebkell/ricer.jpg

[jrg87]

I lol'ed at the wing part, you should get a wing bigger than your car to add on to the "rice effect".

I saw a 99-2000ish Cougar today with one of those aluminum wings that was atleast 2 1/2 to 3 feet high! :rofl:

[RedSleeper]

Yeah, I'm kinda scrapping the idea in favor of a new DD... an '03 Marauder with DVD/GPS/MP3/Subs/Tint/Bluetooth... It's a grand marquis I swear :secret:

Going in tomorrow to get financed, it's mine if all goes well with my credit score :umm: