STR76
07-19-2017, 11:31 PM
1976 Honda Accord CVCC
Purchased on 07/14/17 - Discovered on Craigslist
2017.07.24 Update:
Being a bicentennial baby myself, I've always fantasized about owning a 1976 vehicle. Grew up taking family road trips through the midwest in my grandparents '78 Civic CVCC wagon. Shared a 1G Prelude with my mom when I first began driving, and later in HS my first car was a '91 Accord 5spd MT coupe. Was part of the '90's street tuner scene (lol) and was able to tinker on all of the popular cars at the time, but my heart was definitely with Honda. I've been feeling over due for another one, haven't owned a Honda since 2002. Continued to browse all the usual spots (craigslist, ebay, thisoldhonda, et cetera) for a couple of years. Not too serious in buying but keeping the eyes open. Saw several '76 Civics pop up over that time, but because of all the sentimental reasons above an Accord seemed like a better fit. If one ever came available. During the search it was obvious 1G Accords were rare and '76 Accords were even more rare. Hoped for a CA car, and really didn't have the means for a ground-up restoration, both of which made the search that much more limited.
Around May '17, I spotted an ad for a '76 Accord for the first time. It was 500 miles north but was in-state and was an original CA car. The sellers were the 3rd owners, who were given the car from their mother in law (2nd owner) who had bought it around '85. The mother in law is a Honda hobby mechanic, and gave the car what TLC she could. Left Ridgecrest about 2 years ago, and has been used as "the beater" on a farm just outside of Chico ever since. Emailed/Texted with the sellers for about 6 weeks. Finally schedule a work trip to Tulare, and then drove the rest of the way north to Chico. The pictures show the barn the car was parked in. It's registered non-op but I was able to take it for a test drive on the roads around the farm. Even hoped on the hwy for a short stretch so I could get it up to speed and shift into 5th. Happened to start the car three different times while checking it out, started up strong every time. It was a nice warm afternoon. No visible black smoke, even when I accelerated on the hwy. Was told the engine was rebuilt about 45k miles ago. No idea mileage of the chassis. Car is pretty close to complete. Of course it's been kept functional by using whatever parts were available. Honda#1 noticed later model taillights, and was told by the previous owners the seats had been replaced by ones in better condition at the time. They're looking a little rough again. The car was also painted at some point but that too has aged again.
Like all of us over 40, it needs some love. lol But for it's age and rarity, I think it's a good example. My first priority is to get it smog and registered. The previous owners are very hopeful it will pass smog without issue, keeping the fingers crossed. Once it's registered my focus would be to make it as mechanically dependable as possible, and once that was in order potential upgrades and styling can be explored.
Hood latch cable needs to be replaced, haven't seen a replacement for this specific fitment so may try a universal replacement or even one for a different Honda model. Of course I'll be looking to the community for advice on all of this... thanks in advance. Also need to look into the driverside door latch. It latches and locks but the door is not closed tightly. On the test drive 5th and reverse were a little fussy to get in, and the clutch pedal was almost completely out before it engaged. Guessing the transmission may need some attention and it'll probably be a good idea to change the clutch.
I like the idea of keeping the car as original as reasonable. Would like to swap back to era correct taillights if I can find room in the budget. Keeping things original is great, but the interior is pretty beat. I may go with more cost affective upgrades that could also provide modern comforts. I had STi seats in my WRX, and currently have a '16 WRX driverseat in my XT, so I'm accustom to a modern driving position with decent ergonomic support. Seats weren't designed like that in the '70's. hahaha I've already seen brand new, generic racing seats on ebay for cheaper than it'd cost to reupholster the current ones. Same sort of thing with the steering wheel. A used original is 2.5-3 times as much as a brand new racing style one could be. No airbags in '76 so it's street legal to run an after market steering wheel. hehehe I've also read the threads on the rear disc brake and 4x100 conversions. Sounds like it can throw you plenty of curveballs but I'm a fan of these kinds of mods. Again budget would be the limiting factor. I've never been a ricer or street racer. Definitely not Too Fast Too Furious. lol I've heard folks coin the term OEM +1. I guess that may describe my cars. Thoughtful mods that improve functionality with the subtleness representing the style. Mild suspension tuning for a sportier feel without compromising drivability on CA roads. Light weight wheels and better tread, but subtle colors and fitment. Not into hella stretched or hella flush. lol Big brakes are my bling. Otherwise I don't mind that the average motorist thinks my car is "stock". I'm truly laughing out loud as I type that, just as cliche as the car show scene or any other fad. But it's an honest look at me.
I look forward to learning from the community, I know there's years of knowledge on these forums. I'm new to the carbureted engine, excited for the experience. Dig the story of the CVCC engine just as much. Feels like I'm coming home, there's a Honda in the garage again. Unfortunately the project will definitely be slow moving, but another interest of mine is video and photo editing so hopefully I can share something worth while often enough to keep this thread alive. Thanks for reading
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4302/35868894382_593559be67_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/WDBsDu)
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4306/35200346174_5642c99c04_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/VCwYyf)
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4318/35868894082_5ac4ffc991_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/WDBsyj)
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4330/35229793913_19d817a77e_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/VF8UkT)
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4300/35868891942_e060ee2346_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/WDBrVq)
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4325/35998290856_3c2911fba3_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/WR3DHb)
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4299/35906131161_4a2526e580_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/WGUiQV)
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4326/35229790443_a142fc8a38_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/VF8Tj4)
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4321/35650655170_4aafc011bc_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/WjjVJs)
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4322/35650653790_68910781d8_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/WjjVjE)
Purchased on 07/14/17 - Discovered on Craigslist
2017.07.24 Update:
Being a bicentennial baby myself, I've always fantasized about owning a 1976 vehicle. Grew up taking family road trips through the midwest in my grandparents '78 Civic CVCC wagon. Shared a 1G Prelude with my mom when I first began driving, and later in HS my first car was a '91 Accord 5spd MT coupe. Was part of the '90's street tuner scene (lol) and was able to tinker on all of the popular cars at the time, but my heart was definitely with Honda. I've been feeling over due for another one, haven't owned a Honda since 2002. Continued to browse all the usual spots (craigslist, ebay, thisoldhonda, et cetera) for a couple of years. Not too serious in buying but keeping the eyes open. Saw several '76 Civics pop up over that time, but because of all the sentimental reasons above an Accord seemed like a better fit. If one ever came available. During the search it was obvious 1G Accords were rare and '76 Accords were even more rare. Hoped for a CA car, and really didn't have the means for a ground-up restoration, both of which made the search that much more limited.
Around May '17, I spotted an ad for a '76 Accord for the first time. It was 500 miles north but was in-state and was an original CA car. The sellers were the 3rd owners, who were given the car from their mother in law (2nd owner) who had bought it around '85. The mother in law is a Honda hobby mechanic, and gave the car what TLC she could. Left Ridgecrest about 2 years ago, and has been used as "the beater" on a farm just outside of Chico ever since. Emailed/Texted with the sellers for about 6 weeks. Finally schedule a work trip to Tulare, and then drove the rest of the way north to Chico. The pictures show the barn the car was parked in. It's registered non-op but I was able to take it for a test drive on the roads around the farm. Even hoped on the hwy for a short stretch so I could get it up to speed and shift into 5th. Happened to start the car three different times while checking it out, started up strong every time. It was a nice warm afternoon. No visible black smoke, even when I accelerated on the hwy. Was told the engine was rebuilt about 45k miles ago. No idea mileage of the chassis. Car is pretty close to complete. Of course it's been kept functional by using whatever parts were available. Honda#1 noticed later model taillights, and was told by the previous owners the seats had been replaced by ones in better condition at the time. They're looking a little rough again. The car was also painted at some point but that too has aged again.
Like all of us over 40, it needs some love. lol But for it's age and rarity, I think it's a good example. My first priority is to get it smog and registered. The previous owners are very hopeful it will pass smog without issue, keeping the fingers crossed. Once it's registered my focus would be to make it as mechanically dependable as possible, and once that was in order potential upgrades and styling can be explored.
Hood latch cable needs to be replaced, haven't seen a replacement for this specific fitment so may try a universal replacement or even one for a different Honda model. Of course I'll be looking to the community for advice on all of this... thanks in advance. Also need to look into the driverside door latch. It latches and locks but the door is not closed tightly. On the test drive 5th and reverse were a little fussy to get in, and the clutch pedal was almost completely out before it engaged. Guessing the transmission may need some attention and it'll probably be a good idea to change the clutch.
I like the idea of keeping the car as original as reasonable. Would like to swap back to era correct taillights if I can find room in the budget. Keeping things original is great, but the interior is pretty beat. I may go with more cost affective upgrades that could also provide modern comforts. I had STi seats in my WRX, and currently have a '16 WRX driverseat in my XT, so I'm accustom to a modern driving position with decent ergonomic support. Seats weren't designed like that in the '70's. hahaha I've already seen brand new, generic racing seats on ebay for cheaper than it'd cost to reupholster the current ones. Same sort of thing with the steering wheel. A used original is 2.5-3 times as much as a brand new racing style one could be. No airbags in '76 so it's street legal to run an after market steering wheel. hehehe I've also read the threads on the rear disc brake and 4x100 conversions. Sounds like it can throw you plenty of curveballs but I'm a fan of these kinds of mods. Again budget would be the limiting factor. I've never been a ricer or street racer. Definitely not Too Fast Too Furious. lol I've heard folks coin the term OEM +1. I guess that may describe my cars. Thoughtful mods that improve functionality with the subtleness representing the style. Mild suspension tuning for a sportier feel without compromising drivability on CA roads. Light weight wheels and better tread, but subtle colors and fitment. Not into hella stretched or hella flush. lol Big brakes are my bling. Otherwise I don't mind that the average motorist thinks my car is "stock". I'm truly laughing out loud as I type that, just as cliche as the car show scene or any other fad. But it's an honest look at me.
I look forward to learning from the community, I know there's years of knowledge on these forums. I'm new to the carbureted engine, excited for the experience. Dig the story of the CVCC engine just as much. Feels like I'm coming home, there's a Honda in the garage again. Unfortunately the project will definitely be slow moving, but another interest of mine is video and photo editing so hopefully I can share something worth while often enough to keep this thread alive. Thanks for reading
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4302/35868894382_593559be67_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/WDBsDu)
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4306/35200346174_5642c99c04_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/VCwYyf)
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4318/35868894082_5ac4ffc991_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/WDBsyj)
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4330/35229793913_19d817a77e_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/VF8UkT)
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4300/35868891942_e060ee2346_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/WDBrVq)
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4325/35998290856_3c2911fba3_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/WR3DHb)
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4299/35906131161_4a2526e580_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/WGUiQV)
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4326/35229790443_a142fc8a38_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/VF8Tj4)
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4321/35650655170_4aafc011bc_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/WjjVJs)
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4322/35650653790_68910781d8_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/WjjVjE)