81' Accord .. The Stanceformation

[babyhonduhdrama]

Ok guys.. so i picked up a 1981 Honda Accord about a month or so ago. I know that the gauge cluster only has 5 numbers on it so its impossible to tell if it's x56,000k or 256,000k miles. but i picked up the car from the original owner. The husband passed away about 10-15 years ago and she NEVER drove it (basically for not knowing how to drive a stick). So the car has literally sat for nearly that long. Cranked VERY OCCASIONALLY and never drove. So i managed to pick it up (not running) for $1300 and come to find out, the FIX was a new starter.. which i acquired from rockauto.com



Yeah she's a beauty, i must say. As soon as i got her home.. i drained her of her fluids. gave her a nice oil change and new oil filter. the usual FIRST thing i like to do when i get a vehicle.. JUST because. My plan is to keep this thread updated as possible (much like Hazwan has done for you guys). I am new to the world of CVCC but i plan to learn much from this car.

So before i really get down deep and dirty into the extensive build thread.. i want to give you guys a view of my basic plans for the Accord. As you can tell by my "Title". I am a fan of the stanced scene. The Lower, The Better. Yes, i know that this is not a favorable thing to do by most people's standards but.. its about what i like and not what someone else wants me to do. So this is basically my plan (picture below)


YES, i am very aware that this is a Corolla and not an Accord guys but this is basically the direction i am going in.



^<< and yes, i realize that the front bumper is missing in this photo but thats because i took it off for some cleaning up (PICS LATER OF COURSE ).

More to come soon guys so stay tuned for what I have coming... its gonna be a long trip. I wish I could get things done as quick as Hazwan did. If you want to see pictures that I may forget to post here [sorry lol] just watch me on Instagram or other social media sites.

IG name: @babyhonduhdrama
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/perry.gilchrist

[79cord]

Sounds like a pretty special car, and another 4x100 conversion..
Not a fan of over-arch & bolt-on flares but they definitely can cover absurd wheels & offsets & really rub the tyres for a dramatic look without major concern!
Look forward to seeing your efforts.

[PDXAccord79]

If you find some flairs that work with this car let us know. I've seen people put the air splitter off a GTI MKII on the front with little modification as well. I've been thinking up a design for coil overs/sleeves but haven't had the time, money, or motivation to implement it. If you'd like to hear my ideas on how to do this correctly let me know.

[Dr_Snooz]

Not feeling the Corolla, honestly. It looks like a dumpy, brown '70s econobox trying really hard to be something it's not. Hopefully you can make your project more coherent.

Good luck with it and post lots of pics for those of us who eschew social media.

[babyhonduhdrama]

Yeah, i do understand that my tastes is not for everyone. and i will be posting pics as i acquire more and more things for the car. I actually found some headlights today at the junkyard off of a 1985 BMW 5 series.. they seem to be the exact same size as the ones in the Accord but i am going to do a little work on them and retrofit with some possible HID. {small project} and i got the lights for $2 so lol.. why not.

[Hazwan]

Have you thought of putting the projector headlights off an E30/34? Lots of work but HIDs gonna work better with those if not perfect like the actual HID projectors but then you're one step ahead if you're gonna retrofit them with proper HID projectors. Besides they look sick lol

[babyhonduhdrama]

So guys, here is a picture of those BMW headlights that i pulled from the junkyard. I figured just as a small project, i am going to cut out the back of these and retrofit HID's in it. And yes, Hazwan.. i contemplated the same approach you took. but i couldn't pass up a deal for $2. and i think i got some spare HIDs here somewhere. I promise tho after i play around with these headlights, there will be many pics.



Also, stopped at my local hardware store and picked up these R12 to R134a fittings for the A/C so i can give the A/C a good charge tomorrow at work

[79cord]

Was thinking they might be euro spec H4's rather than sealed beam. & since early 5-series had bigger lights outboard I guess these would be high-beam only.
Solid glass!? Might be interesting to see those converted.

[babyhonduhdrama]

79cord, the bimmer headlights have 2 positive wires so.. it has the HIGH and LOW beam in the single housing. and i checked it over once more.. it is a sealed beam headlight so it does not come apart. BUT REGARDLESS.. (heres the update guys)

So 1. Back of the headlight


my attempt was to take my little rotary tool that i picked up from Harbor Freight for $8 and attempt to make a small incision into the back with shattering. After about 10 minutes on trying to grind into the light, i realized one of two things. Either 1) the headlight is thick as f**k or 2) my rotary tool doesn't have the necessary RPMs to make the incision.



As you can see from the pic above, i didn't get very far into the actual light housing. So at this point, if anyone has a method for cutting into glass.. i would surely appreciate it.

Also (this is just for testing purposes)


I picked up these lights with the wiring from the junkyard today and since my buddy works there.. well i didn't have to pay for something this small. :thumbs up: These came out of a '91 EF Civic hatch.. and i thought i could use these as a test so i would know if the project would work at all. BUT as stated, still having trouble getting the housings open. So far i have spent about $12 on this little headlight project so if it doesn't work, i'm not sweating it.

[PDXAccord79]

Please stop. What you're doing here is a bad idea when you can buy these off ebay for $45 with shipping:

5 3 4" Stock H4 Halogen Headlight 55 60W Light Bulbs Glass Metal Headlamp Pair | eBay

or go read Hazwan's thread which shows how he installed real BMW lights into his Accord:

https://www.3geez.com/forum/1geez-acc...-retrofit.html

Whatever you do stop what you're doing and throw those lights away.

[babyhonduhdrama]

i will take you up on that one PDXAccord.. that looks like a smarter option to go with. I just wanted to have some fun with some parts i had laying around.. and well i was only out $2. Thanks for the links. LINKS ALWAYS HELP!

Please stop. What you're doing here is a bad idea when you can buy these off ebay for $45 with shipping:

5 3 4" Stock H4 Halogen Headlight 55 60W Light Bulbs Glass Metal Headlamp Pair | eBay

or go read Hazwan's thread which shows how he installed real BMW lights into his Accord:

https://www.3geez.com/forum/1geez-acc...-retrofit.html

Whatever you do stop what you're doing and throw those lights away.

[babyhonduhdrama]

So i was sitting on RockAuto Parts Catalog this afternoon to order my parts for the 4x100 conversion.. i need to replace my CV axles so i figured I would just go ahead and do this all at the same time. So before i hit that fabulous "CHECKOUT" button, does anyone want to give me the parts list for the conversion? From what i have seen in the forums from Hazwan and 2ndgenguy (John), its ...

1. 1982 Accord Front Hubs (1.8L)
2. 1986 Accord Calipers w/ pads
3. 1989 Honda CRX Rotors

and apparently the Hubs will come with the B32 bearings so it shouldn't be a problem there. can anyone confirm these parts? READY TO HIT CHECKOUT!

[79cord]

Yep, '82 Accord hubs for '81 driveshafts from their experience. I have '81 Prelude driveshafts (same) with the '82 Accord hubs, as mine had the 1mm smaller diameter shafts of earlier models, which I later found could be used with 2g Civic hubs.

I used '89 CRX Si calipers with 2mm washers to space them out a little & have bought some 3g Prelude calipers to try... but not got around to that... about to try CRV calipers with bigger 262mm dia. disc rotors as well, though that will require 14" + wheels.

I used '89 CRX si/ 1g integra 242mm dia. disc rotors

& 2g Prelude rear disc assembly with custom handbrake cable adapters, or 2g Civic drums (complete asm.) with backing plate drilled to suit Accord.

[Hazwan]

Yep, '82 Accord hubs for '81 driveshafts from their experience. I have '81 Prelude driveshafts (same) with the '82 Accord hubs, as mine had the 1mm smaller diameter shafts of earlier models, which I later found could be used with 2g Civic hubs.

I used '89 CRX Si calipers with 2mm washers to space them out a little & have bought some 3g Prelude calipers to try... but not got around to that... about to try CRV calipers with bigger 262mm dia. disc rotors as well, though that will require 14" + wheels.

I used '89 CRX si/ 1g integra 242mm dia. disc rotors

& 2g Prelude rear disc assembly with custom handbrake cable adapters, or 2g Civic drums (complete asm.) with backing plate drilled to suit Accord.

Interested to see if the 262mm rotors would work. I thought people are having issues with the 3g DX/LX Accords with stock 242mm brakes going with the bigger 262mm? I wonder if we gonna face the same issues with our cars.

[babyhonduhdrama]

i'm still wondering if there is a possible swap to 4x114.3 PCD but i will worry about that later.

[babyhonduhdrama]

So I stopped by this old Honda shop in my area that has been around since the late 70's.. I spoke to the owner and asked if he had any misc stuff laying around. He took a look at my accord and was intrigued to see someone of my age taking such a liking to a vehicle that's 30+ years old. He told me we could search through his shop attic and see if there is any parts laying up there that he may have ordered years ago. If so, i could just take it since it would probably never be sold. Little did i know, that he just let me enter a small gold mine of treasures. So here's what i found and he let me snag. <3

[Dr_Snooz]

Cool score!

[babyhonduhdrama]

Cool score!

Yeah.. it was DrSnooz.. going to be valuable things to have when i take the motor out to be rebuilt. Trying to get stuff rolling as quickly as i can!

[Dr_Snooz]

LOL at the carb float. Is that something you need?

[babyhonduhdrama]

i doubt its anything that i really need DrSnooz. but hey, why not have it!? Oh so just some other stuff. I had raised the car up the other day on the lift to find out that my SHIFT ROD LINKAGE was leaking at the seal right at the transmission. I went at ordered the part from Honda yesterday and picked it up this morning. I'll be replacing it when I pull the transmission to do my clutch, pressure plate, and throwout bearing (and resurface flywheel).

[Dr_Snooz]

I'll be replacing it when I pull the transmission to do my clutch, pressure plate, and throwout bearing (and resurface flywheel).

I hate to break it to you, but unless that list includes cracking open the trans, you won't be replacing it.

[79cord]

Yep, not a desirable task. I might have to do it upon my '79 as well & Honda's service manual does suggest it's a trans-axle dismantling job..
Easy upon my '77 Accord & '88 Integras with the roll-pin connecting Shift linkage to Selector shaft, just disconnect linkage & slide new seal onto Selector shaft, even if everyone complains bitterly about the difficulty of removing the pin. So I guess bolting them together at a pivot seemed like a good idea in '79.... but you cannot slid the seal over that... no doubt why they reverted to the earlier system!

[JSmythe]

Yep, not a desirable task. I might have to do it upon my '79 as well & Honda's service manual does suggest it's a trans-axle dismantling job..
Easy upon my '77 Accord & '88 Integras with the roll-pin connecting Shift linkage to Selector shaft, just disconnect linkage & slide new seal onto Selector shaft, even if everyone complains bitterly about the difficulty of removing the pin. So I guess bolting them together at a pivot seemed like a good idea in '79.... but you cannot slid the seal over that... no doubt why they reverted to the earlier system!

Im full of crazy ideas. what if you used a CV boot stretcher and got it over mount? If you can get an extra very easy, it might be worth a try. of course you have to drain the fluid twice if it doesn't work.

[Dr_Snooz]

The boot in the picture is just a dust cover that wraps around the seal. The seal itself is a hard plastic collar that seats in the case. There's no stretching it; only breaking. The shift shaft gets pushed through the seal and bolted to the selector mechanism inside the trans. Then the rest of the trans, mainshafts, shift forks, etc. get built around it. I don't often fault Honda's designs, but this one was far less than ideal. Fortunately, the seal doesn't often go bad like you see there.

[Hazwan]

The boot in the picture is just a dust cover that wraps around the seal. The seal itself is a hard plastic collar that seats in the case. There's no stretching it; only breaking. The shift shaft gets pushed through the seal and bolted to the selector mechanism inside the trans. Then the rest of the trans, mainshafts, shift forks, etc. get built around it. I don't often fault Honda's designs, but this one was far less than ideal. Fortunately, the seal doesn't often go bad like you see there.

This and the stupid input shaft seal located inside the trans..