lost love found!

[LXi88Dave]

hi there,

happy to find the 3geez community!!

last friday, just bought a 1-owner 1988 LXi 4D in maroon/burgundy from an 84 yo little old lady in mint condition with 88,000 miles... it's a GEM to find the rare garage-kept proverbial grandma's grocery getter... i have all records, even her original purchase contract. no dents (couple door dings), interior like new, original paint in excellent condition... engine fires up like new... time warp!!

but, it needs about $1800 in basic work to refresh since she only drove it 5000 miles in the last 3 years... suspension work (control arms, tie rods, etc), a/c recharge, new rotors/brakes, minor service, power steering flush, transmission flush, new tires, 4 wheel balance/rotation, etc.

this car is an unrequited love thing for me... i bought one brand new in 1988 (i'm an old fart), which was a black lxi 4d with add-ons of 15" momo 5 stars and a bossani dual tip muffler from jackson racing... after a year of great times in her and even surviving the great san francisco earthquake of '89 in it, i let my younger brother borrow one day... AND that was the last i ever saw of her... he wrecked it on the freeway when some racers cut him off... i'm so happy to relive 1989!! i love it more than my 09 328ias and my 05 cayenne turbo... i enjoy it more than 05 carrera c4s cabriolet (which i sold)...

i want to keep it bone stock old school original... but i'm sure i will be lightly modding/upgrading it soon with only parts that can be unbolted. things i want to do:

- 15" rims (maybe 16 or 17) in bbs lm style
- lowering springs (or fully threaded coil-overs)
- full or partial bra
- dual tip 3" round muffler (megan racing or magna flow, or ??)
- ventashades
- new radio with pop-out 6-7" touchscreen lcd (original cassette honda radio still there!)
- kill switch

engine will remain stock.. hope it lasts 300,000-500,000 miles..

ok, have a great day!!

dave

[2oodoor]

wow! welcome
it sounds like you have good taste in class cars.
15 inch wheels are a must for sure.

[87roach]

Welcome!

That sounds like a great plan you have for the can, it's great you enjoy it so much.

[Tomisimo]

Wow, nice find indeed.

Welcome on here.

One thing though, I'm not so sure about touch screen if you want to keep it as stock as possible, rather modify what you cant see, like coilovers, internals stuff like that.

[LXi88Dave]

thanks for the advice and voting!! will keep u guyz updated... but first, gotta spend the $$ to get to like a safe and road worthy condition before the goodies go on..

[Hash_man_Se_i]

Haha thats awesome. I love hearing stories like these, it helps me in thinking that I am not utterly crazy for dropping on of the time and money I have into my Accord too.

Congrats on the find, I'd say go for it and throw some mods on it. How many miles are on the car right now?

As for suspension, how low do you want the car? If getting it really low isn't a concern, I would have some bilsteins revalved and go with some H&R springs or something similar. If you want to go really low, then go with coils. Then get some Suspension Techniques sway bars, do a 4 wheel disc conversion, and have some fun.

[MessyHonda]

another bay area member? my mom bought a 1988dx accord and it also survived the earthquake. sounds like your got a nice car and reminds me of when i first got my car i was 18 now im 24 and i still own it. I want to keep the car running for as long as i can. these were sweet machines back in the day. with the correct suspension these cars can handle the twisties.

[LXi88Dave]

@messy, maybe i was racing ur mom on the i-5 back in the day.. :) anyway, my buddies n i were flying back to bay area when a green dx 2d w/3 girls started to chase us.. we let them catch up, then we took off pegging 130mph.. i was shocked to see the dx still on my tail!! everyone in both cars were laughing our heads off.. now that i think about, we were pretty stupid when we were young...

@all, ive seen lowering springs available with a 2.25" drop and i think that would be about perfect. currently, top of tire to fender well is 2.75". so, i should get revalved bilsteins? what valve setting? how about tokico or konis? i hate to be all bouncy.. im good with a firm ride (porsche n bmw guy here)..

[ghettogeddy]

well as soon as the site will let you post up some pics we would love to see them.. also glad to see another bay area member

[charliekuney]

rather modify what you cant see, like coilovers, internals stuff like that.

You can't see a car being lowered?

[obdriver6]

Welcome form Las Vegas! Love the story too. If you ask me, I think every 3g accord should be lowered at least 1.5" lol but if you want to lower it by 2.25" I would recommend revalved bisteins, tokicos aren't stiff enough for a that drop and konis are no longer made. You can also buy full body coilovers (Ksport or D2). As for the wheels, 15" are good but 16" would look better IMO.

[LXi88Dave]

U guys are awesome! Love reading ur builds n seeing ur cars! And really appreciate ur suggestions! Hope to post before n after pix soon.

Going for BILSTEINS!!!
Model no.?
Vendor?
REVALVE setting?

[obdriver6]

I don't know the specific model # but if you look around the suspension sec. you'll find it. Once you buy them, you have to send them to bilstein to get them revalved depending on the springs you choose.

[LXi88Dave]

@obd - I went w h&r set up n tokicos. $$ is an issue n the bilsteins are too much for me now.. Hoping the lighter spring rate of the h&r will work good w toks..

@ghetto - Tried to upload pix last week, but cudnt figure it out... :/ nice to see another 3G in the bay area

Update:
15" rims n tires (drag dr44 + ziex912) -installed 2 weeks ago
Kill switch - installed
Se-i center armrest console - recvd but not installed yet
Magnaflow 14816 - installed today
Le Bra - in transit
H&R lowering springs + Tokicos - in transit

Basic service:
Motor mounts - to be done
Valve adjustment - to be done

Seeking:
Se-i cup holders

Debating:
Limo Tint
Top Hat mod - depends if I don't like the ride after lowering
ST sway bars
Se-i rear disc conversion

[LXi88Dave]

Pix to share... so far..

Week 1 Side Shot
http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/8105/lxi88wk1.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/36/lxi88wk1.jpg/)

Week 1 Interior
http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/4600/lxi88wk1stockinteriorcl.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/171/lxi88wk1stockinteriorcl.jpg/)

Week 1 Engine Shot
http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/1865/lxi88wk1stockenginedirt.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/213/lxi88wk1stockenginedirt.jpg/)

Week 2 New Rims + Tires (Drag DR44 15x7 +40 & Falken Ziex912 195/50 - should of got 195/55s)
http://imageshack.us/thumbnmail.png (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/705/lxi88wk2newrimstires.jpg/)

Week 3 Cutting Out Old Single Pipe
http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/876/20120530cuttingoldmuffl.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/525/20120530cuttingoldmuffl.jpg/)

Week 3 Magnaflow 14816
http://img545.imageshack.us/img545/9378/20120530112.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/545/20120530112.jpg/)
http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/4943/20120530magnaflowinstal.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/98/20120530magnaflowinstal.jpg/)
http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/7336/20120530magnaflowdouble.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/717/20120530magnaflowdouble.jpg/)
http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/3307/20120530magnaflowview.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/256/20120530magnaflowview.jpg/)
http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/985/20120530magnaflowcloseu.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/62/20120530magnaflowcloseu.jpg/)

[LXi88Dave]

for some reason, the pix of the recent LXi didn't upload.. here it is, BEFORE, it gets dropped 1.5"

http://img837.imageshack.us/img837/9624/lxi88wk2dragdr4415x740f.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/837/lxi88wk2dragdr4415x740f.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

[derolph]

That car is gorgeous! And, you seem to have a good plan for it. Personally, I don't care much for the lowered look but I'm probably a bit old fashioned on that point. Also, my perspective is based on Ohio winters. We do sometimes have snow deep enough that a lowered vehicle is more prone to dragging over the snow.

[HelenKellerrr]

Welcome! How cold is the air when the ac runs? Cause I have a 89 lxi that runs ice cold after running for a little, but it is due for a recharge, but I don't feel like spending 50 bucks a can to recharge it.

Moar interior pics please!


Also, your lxi could use some rear oem mud flaps

[LXi88Dave]

@derolph - thanks! we don't get any snow here in the sf bay area, but we have deep pot holes everywhere tho.. the gap is about 2.75".. a 1.5" drop would be bring the gap to about 1.25".. that's similar to my BMW with the sport suspension package... i'm not going to drop it too much.. i want to make all the mods seem factory...

@helenkellerrr - thanks! hmm.. i didn't even notice the missing mud flaps.. cool.. i'm going to hunt ebay, cl, etc now.. :) the a/c runs very cold.. brrr cold. oh, i found out that the past owner changed to a newer Sanden compressor, which uses the newer and less expensive refrigerant.. ok, i will work on more interior pix... actually, planning to detail and shampoo the interior tomorrow morning... the think about the a/c is that it needs to be run as often as possible, otherwise the seals will become brittle and leaks and not hold a charge for very long... at least, that's what the mech said..

[A18A]

awesome, car looks really good with those wheels. and yay for going for a decent drop instead of completely dropping the car on its ass :thumbup:

[LXi88Dave]

Awesome ride too a18a!! Love the 5 stars, the front lip, amber fog lamps!! I wanted to recreate my old lxi, but old school momo 5 stars are just so hard to fond... :thumbup:

[HelenKellerrr]

I have a set if your interested.

[LXi88Dave]

yes, i'm interested

[HelenKellerrr]

pm me an offer :)

[defiance]

This is a great thread ! Keep up the good work ! Hold on to the A20 for as long as you can. It may not have tons of High end horsepower but it does have some low end torque !
Gas mileage may not be the best for a Honda 4 cylinder but its strong and reliable !

[LXi88Dave]

thanks defiance! ever since i put the rims and muffler on, seems some of the boyz in the vtecs, wrx's, etc have zoomed up on me to check it out b4 blasting away... :rice: i like their rides, a lot!! but no way am i ever going to be able to "accelerate" like they do in my humble little DAILY DRIVER. for me, it's all about affordability, reliability, relative comfort, good gas mileage (25.5-27.8 mpg avg so far) and ol' skool kewlness... still smiling from the young kids & teens checking out the lxi all the time as if it were their 1st time seeing a 4 door with Pop Up headlights... even the young 20-sumthing, who put in the kill switch, had a highly modded tuner civic and just never seen an 88.. he suggested showing it at an import show (i'm prob too old for that + it's still pretty bone stock)... :rockon:

[defiance]

thanks defiance! ever since i put the rims and muffler on, seems some of the boyz in the vtecs, wrx's, etc have zoomed up on me to check it out b4 blasting away... :rice: i like their rides, a lot!! but no way am i ever going to be able to "accelerate" like they do in my humble little DAILY DRIVER. for me, it's all about affordability, reliability, relative comfort, good gas mileage (25.5-27.8 mpg avg so far) and ol' skool kewlness... still smiling from the young kids & teens checking out the lxi all the time as if it were their 1st time seeing a 4 door with Pop Up headlights... even the young 20-sumthing, who put in the kill switch, had a highly modded tuner civic and just never seen an 88.. he suggested showing it at an import show (i'm prob too old for that + it's still pretty bone stock)... :rockon:

Quick question how does the car feel since you put the new exhaust and tires on ? Is it any faster then stock ?
How are the basic maintenance items looking ? Like spark plugs,the oil and the air filter ? Any plans for a cold air intake ?

[LXi88Dave]

Ride is a little firmer.. I shuda went w 195/55-15 instead of 195/50-15 for a stocker ride n better gas mileage.

Sound is quite a bit louder.. I prob shuda went w the magnaflows w dual 3" tips instead of the dual 3.5" tips... Cost me about $135 on amazon. But it still sounds pretty awesome to me...

Most of the basic maintenance hv been done... New spark plugs, cap n rotor, air filter, timing belt, valve gasket, oil, transmission flushed, power steering flushed, suspension bushings replaced as needed, a/c recharged... Struts will be replaced this week w tokicos + h&r lowering springs... I had dent pro come out today to knock all the little parking lot dings, almost like new now.

Need to change motor mounts soon, I think... Vibration at stop ESP if a/c is on, so I put it in neutral at stop lights...

Valves need an adjustment, I think.. I hear a slight ticking when Im in the drive-thru. :)

I'm still researching the cold air intake thing vs short intake vs electric supercharger... I'm liking the dragon w short air + the "ram air tube" which is seems a good compromise... Some posts say a true cai can be be bad due to hydrolock, whatever that is. But I'm thinking to keep it sleeper stock n add this electric supercharger on eBay that seems good for about 5 psi boost which might be the better compromise.

[obdriver6]

Don't go with the electric supercharger, its a scam! If you want a nice DD, just go with the CAI and some 4-2-1 headers!

EDIT: Nice job on the wheel! Where I work, they had a set of gold DR44 that I wanted to get but I bought something much better for my car! :naughty:

[LXi88Dave]

@obd - thx for the input.. it's a good highway cruiser and i will keep it stock and easy to maintain/repair... which CAI did u go with? nevermind, i will check your build list again a lil later. :)

@all - well, the H&R springs + Tokicos got installed last friday. initially, the ride feels much better.. the rickity-rackaty feeling from before is gone, due to 24yo bad struts. the ride is solid, firm, not too bad, tho a bit bouncy on freeway (i'm accepting that for now)... the ONLY PROBLEM i'm dealing with now is that i did not get the ADVERTISED 1.5" drop in the front, esp right front side looks kinda odd to me.

right front gap dropped 1" from 3.00" to 2.00" (do others start high here?)
left front gap dropped 1" from 2.75" to 1.75"
rear gaps dropped 1.5" from 2.75" to 1.25"

i'm having the ebay reseller check for an official answer from H&R. And he wants me to drive it 200 miles to "let the springs seat right"..

EDIT: hehehe... before the silver dr44s +40 went on, i actually bought the gold DR44s +25 with the 3" lip... when they put it on, it looked horrible and stopped them... so, i learned something about offsets.. :)

[Legend_master]

Ride is a little firmer.. I shuda went w 195/55-15 instead of 195/50-15 for a stocker ride n better gas mileage.

Sound is quite a bit louder.. I prob shuda went w the magnaflows w dual 3" tips instead of the dual 3.5" tips... Cost me about $135 on amazon. But it still sounds pretty awesome to me...

Most of the basic maintenance hv been done... New spark plugs, cap n rotor, air filter, timing belt, valve gasket, oil, transmission flushed, power steering flushed, suspension bushings replaced as needed, a/c recharged... Struts will be replaced this week w tokicos + h&r lowering springs... I had dent pro come out today to knock all the little parking lot dings, almost like new now.

Need to change motor mounts soon, I think... Vibration at stop ESP if a/c is on, so I put it in neutral at stop lights...

Valves need an adjustment, I think.. I hear a slight ticking when Im in the drive-thru. :)

I'm still researching the cold air intake thing vs short intake vs electric supercharger... I'm liking the dragon w short air + the "ram air tube" which is seems a good compromise... Some posts say a true cai can be be bad due to hydrolock, whatever that is. But I'm thinking to keep it sleeper stock n add this electric supercharger on eBay that seems good for about 5 psi boost which might be the better compromise.

Great looking ride, really like the wheel and paint combination. I would definitely avoid the electric "supercharger", obd is right it is just a scam. As far as a CAI hydrolocking is a seriouse concern unless you live somewhere with a low amount of rain. Hydrolocking basically means your intake drinks the water, then the engine tries to compress the water inside the cylinder. Something has to break, and its not the water lol. I had a rod literally push out the side of my block due to hydrolocking. Unless your really trying to get the Max horsepower out of the engine you will most likley not notice a difference between CAI and a shortram.

[LXi88Dave]

thanks LegendMaster for the knowledge!! :thumbup:

i've been reviewing ur build, messys, obd's, etc... very, very inspiring!!! my engine is running very strong now and will probably last another 100,000+ miles or 10+ years.. but, i sure do desire to swap in the VTEC DOHC like NOW!!! dunno if i can make it LEGAL in Cali, tho... :rockon:

here's some pix AFTER the H&R springs went on..

GAPS: 1.75" Left Front (drop 1") / 1.25" Left Rear (drop 1.5")
http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/7833/hrlowered1.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/705/hrlowered1.jpg/)

Gaps: 2" Right Front (drop 1") / 1.25" Right Rear (drop 1.5")
http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/3980/hrlowered3.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/84/hrlowered3.jpg/)

Trunk Shot (someone asked, i think):
http://img546.imageshack.us/img546/8669/trunk1.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/546/trunk1.jpg/)

Current Project: Refinishing the Window Wipers... hmmm... FLAT BLACK or SEMI_GLOSS BLACK?? :dunno:

[obdriver6]

Do it flat black!...... so jelly of your clean trunk space!

[89HatchbackLxi]

I'd say go with flat black. A few months ago I resprayed my rear wiper with some left over flat black primer I had from another project, and it turned out pretty good.

[LXi88Dave]

done! in flat black... thanks! :) the wiper's shiny bare metal used to reflect back into my eyes blinding me... now, happy with the results..

evasion: while passing alongside a big rig, he jerked halfway into my lane on the freeway at 65mph... fortunately, i reacted quickly and the LXi responded immediately and deftly... i used to think the rack-n-pinion was messed up, but it is solid and responsive... the old problem were the worn-out struts... LXi... good car!

tomorrow's project: my car mechanic will tighten up the ticky valves, gratis...

next project: installing the ebay SE-i center armrest console... anybody got SE-i cup holders they wanna sell??

http://img688.imageshack.us/img688/5062/wipersblackflat.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/688/wipersblackflat.jpg/)

[89EX-2.0i_4AT]

This is a really great thread. I have literally no experience of servicing/modding cars. And have only had my accord a few months but this makes me want to learn how to do some of the basics myself.

[HON-DUH]

I love this thread, makes me want to rethink the possibility of selling mine...

Car looks fantastic OP :thumbup: