When to create YOUR machine?

[MECM]

Ok so I was thinking when was the right time to really start to do some stuff to my car and so I created this thread to get some ideas on when you yourself would want to do it or at which point you had already.

I figured since my stock A20 is doing so good and isn't giving me any trouble (and because it is practically brand new since I just rebuilt it) I would wait till it goes out mainly because I want to do a swap. B20 turbo or something like that and why pull out a motor that is completely reliable? And of course get some new suspension you know stuff like that.

[mkymonkey]

well when i got the car...like three days later i bought an AEM intake, cut it to fit and installed it. as well as an MSD blaster coil then NGK spark plugs and wires. so i dont know how to anwser your question. usually when i get a new car the first things to come are stereo equipment. i just cant drive without good sound. or at least good enough quality to uh...bump! lol

[gfrg88]

well i started as soon as i found out what was out there for my car and havent stoped since i still have a LONG way to go before i get to where i want my car to be though. it all depends what you really want.

[MessyHonda]

im doing engine and suspension mods. im doing the suspernsion first than the engine mods..since he car has to handle good to have power. well its good that you start moding the car.

[speedpenguin]

As long as your body's ok, I would to light mods like exhaust and intake, follow it up with some suspension, work on the the engine to your satisfaction, and then complete the suspension so it goes well with the engine, and finally do some appearance stuff.

But that's just me

[bobafett]

if you plan on building a motor for turbo, A20-T is the most cost effective motor to use. They are cheap, and hold boost well (better than any b-series anyway).

If it were me, and I had a happy A20 in my car now, I would go find an extra motor, and rebuild/build to whatever specs you want, and start planning your turbo setup (if you are serious about turbo).

otherwise, there is a lot of money you can spend with just the basics of intake, header, exhaust, high flow cat/test pipe, good tires, light wheels, better brake components, better suspension components....

how much money do you PLAN on spending on the car, because there are 213901309 different directions you could take it and still end up broke.

if it were me and i wasn't trying to get a built motor ready, i would get the bolt on power mods, then lower the car (properly) then get some nice light 15" wheels.

[MECM]

Hmmm well I guess I will just buy bolt-ons for now and maybe one day put a A20 Turbo in it. I got an air intake coming tommorow and I am trying to find a damn lip for it. And plus I am going to be building a 91' CRX H22 with a turbo in it that will get me from A-B. Or maybe I got my head up in the clouds .

[LiTtLe xOx BitT]

Doing bolt-ons is a little complicated.
Intake($50)- Only a short ram is made and it sucks so you need to make a custom CAI.
Header($200-$350)- They are really hard to find except pacesetter(S&S, DC, paeco, pacesetter).
Exhaust($200)- Pacesetter is the only company that makes one, but it is pretty good.
Cam gear($150)- really hard to get your hands on right now until more get made (Golden Eagle, Custom).
Camshaft($100-$125)- You can get a few different ones (delta, colt, gude)
Cat($50)- high flow test pipe from ebay.
Strut Bar($200) Made by DC.
For a good setup of bolt ons for everything you will be spending around $900-$1000. You can probably get some of the stuff for a little cheaper, but thats about what your looking at for performance bolt ons. If you wanted more you could get a gude head package, nitrious, custom turbo, bore, ect.

[crazykamper]

for me, first thing i did was install speakers and a deck, (that was REALLY REALLY long ago, before the car was even mine. lol.) right now, i just bougth like almost 200$ worth of crap in a week, bought a lip, intake, lower tie bar,(all from mkymonkey) {maybe will get his armrest too, if its not sold...) shifter bushings. (summit), and just random crap here and there.

all of my next mods will be suspension, im gonna get the 90 accord strut bars and mod them (when i get some funds...) short shifter i will do at same time as that, i will also get tokico shocks, and s/t sway bars. after that i will probably get a 1-1.5 drop....

(tint, subs, and Rota Slipstreams will be inbetween that somewhere. )

thats my plan for my car at the moment.

[frantik]

i think for most people they do their mods over time.. it's more like a process than an event. just do what you can afford when you can.

i just got tint thrown on.. gonna add shocks and drop springs next, then prolly a short ram intake. possibly a respray sometime as well but i dunno since i dont have a garage. gotta add my jdm corners and oem vent shades sometime too =D but i already got those

[snoopyloopy]

i've gone the familiar honda route of i/h/e at a cost of $370 so far. although i have the exhaust sitting in my garage, not on my car. after this, i'll probably get a cam and maybe do b16 intake mani and call it an engine for awhile and upgrade other things like suspension, brakes, etc. and i have an eclipse to dump money into too so we'll see how that goes. oh, btw, i'd keep the accord as your daily driver and use the h22rx for other things. because i hear those things are pretty nose-heavy and so the steering and all sucks.

[AccordEpicenter]

if you plan on building a motor for turbo, A20-T is the most cost effective motor to use. They are cheap, and hold boost well (better than any b-series anyway).

If it were me, and I had a happy A20 in my car now, I would go find an extra motor, and rebuild/build to whatever specs you want, and start planning your turbo setup (if you are serious about turbo).

otherwise, there is a lot of money you can spend with just the basics of intake, header, exhaust, high flow cat/test pipe, good tires, light wheels, better brake components, better suspension components....

how much money do you PLAN on spending on the car, because there are 213901309 different directions you could take it and still end up broke.

if it were me and i wasn't trying to get a built motor ready, i would get the bolt on power mods, then lower the car (properly) then get some nice light 15" wheels.

Chris, you hit the nail on the head

[Strugglebucket]

i think usually you try to make the car fast, blow it up, and then rebuild it so it won't blow up.

honestly, working on the suspension is what's going to make it the most fun to drive.

[lostforawhile]

i think usually you try to make the car fast, blow it up, and then rebuild it so it won't blow up.
honestly, working on the suspension is what's going to make it the most fun to drive.

the suspension in this car is actually really good,it's just sloppy when it's worn out. rebuild the factory one with all new parts and you'll see a world of difference. the main thing to change are stiffer stuts and springs. they still used the same basic version of this on accords last i knew, with tweaks over the years. our generation was the first to get it. it really was derived from the race cars honda ran in the eighties. to have a double wishbone on a frontwheel drive car in the mid eighties was almst unheard of then. it's a pretty complex setup. especially the rear. a lot of cars of this vintage had a very primitive mc phearson strut setup in the back,we get a double wishbone setup with unequal length trailing arms. figure the accords of the first generation won awards for handling, this is way more sophisticated then that, only thing I wish they had done,the knuckle should have been aluminum. they are heavy!! I just finished rebuilding my front end,I've been doing it in stages,now everything is new but struts and springs,and i'm using a set of low mileage factory ones.

[MECM]

Yeah the accord was going to stay my daily driver while my CRX will be my track car. Other than that I got a intake which should be here today and I put a resonator on. I am looking to get one of those ADJ. cam gear and strut bar. If my car got any lower I would be in big trouble around here. Hell my front bumper scrapes on the driveway at my work.

[Hash_man_Se_i]

I started buying parts before I even had the car... I am a parts whore now. However I got rear ended a little while ago, which is now a perfect excuse to get my rust cut out.

[speedpenguin]

Yeah the accord was going to stay my daily driver while my CRX will be my track car. Other than that I got a intake which should be here today and I put a resonator on. I am looking to get one of those ADJ. cam gear and strut bar. If my car got any lower I would be in big trouble around here. Hell my front bumper scrapes on the driveway at my work.

Are you building your CRX for road or drag racing? If it's road, you may want to think twice about an H22. You're going to be putting enough stress on the CV joints as it is, plus the weight distribution will be nuts. Get a B16A, it's what the car was designed to run with.

Obviously, if you're going to be drag racing, the more power the better, no matter how.

[MECM]

Are you building your CRX for road or drag racing? If it's road, you may want to think twice about an H22. You're going to be putting enough stress on the CV joints as it is, plus the weight distribution will be nuts. Get a B16A, it's what the car was designed to run with.
Obviously, if you're going to be drag racing, the more power the better, no matter how.

Yes my CRX will be for drag racing and trust me there will be a lot of hours put into it. I have already looked at some websites and getting ideas on how to do it correctly without having the problem of anything breaking. Which may be a long shot but I am sure it can be done. Oh and I thought we were talking about Accords here but thanks for all the input.

[crazykamper]

lol. its all a matter of what u wanna do and acheive. obviosly you wont be able to get EVERYTHING at once, (unlesss ur rich, wich in that case, u most likely wouldnt have the accord.) so its all a choice of what is most important to you, and what are priorities. thats my .2

[bobafett]

personally i think its a good idea to have 1 daily driver, and 1 radical car. if ur going to have a turbo h22 crx drag car, i would seriously stop trying to mod the accord right now.

believe me, if u lose your daily driver for some reason you will end up driving a beater mighty max pickup for 6 months.

[crazykamper]

^ what he said, when i get my dream car, im still gonna have another car, for rainy days or whatever other reason.

[MECM]

My goal is to not mod my Accord heavily but go all out with my CRX.

unlesss ur rich, wich in that case, u most likely wouldnt have the accord.

I don't know I still think the accord would be worth getting even if you were rich. and plus I hate all the expensive cars so I would probably still have my Accord.