Re-live the glory days with Paulie's original "3RD GEN ERA" Accord!

[pgeld]

Hey guys, just saw the "Old Timers check in..." thread and decided it was time to post up the story of my 1986 Honda Accord. For you new guys who I may not have had the opportunity to meet yet, I am one of the original 3geez members from back in the day - and I mean WAY back in the day, he he he.

I used to have a website dedicated to the 3rd Gen Accords, but had to take it down due to server constraints.

I am going to post the main info here to share with you guys...grab some popcorn, this is gonna be long, he he he.

The best compliment I ever got on my 3RD GEN:
Stranger: "Hey man, pretty nice car. What year is that anyway, '93, '94?"
Me: "Actually, it's a 1986 model (smiles)."

"Old School" meets "New School"
We've all been through it before, searching manufacture's sites on customizing our older Accords only to be disappointed by the lack of support our cars really get. I know it all too well...

I've had my 3RD GEN for almost 7 years and wanted to customize it way before the import scene ever really took off. I consider myself "Old School" (note the use of two words instead of "OldSchool" further proving that fact) being that I'm going to top 30 yrs old before the year is over (I'm now 37), and I also have the first year of the 3RD GEN (1986).

After reading the "How old is everyone??" post on the outstanding "3geez" message board, I couldn't believe how much of a following there was for the beloved 3RD GEN among the "New School". Most people, in today's day and age of supercharged/nitro'd/turbo'd Civic's can't even picture an older Accord being hooked up, let alone still on the road.

I disagree completely, and from the looks of the responses on the "3geez" message board, you do too. There's not many cars in today's custom scene that can look quite good without a body kit, wing and monochromatic moldings, let alone mud flaps, flip up headlights, etc. Just pic up a copy of any import mag. When's the last time you've seen a cover car with mud flaps or black door moldings? Yet, in any form, the 3RD GEN's still seem to capture the true spirit of their owners. I think the 3RD GEN is the sexiest damn piece of sheetmetal on the planet. Maybe it's the chiseled look of the front fenders with the slight flair over the wheel well, or the way the door handles fit ultra flush with the side of the body, oozing elegance. Either way, it doesn't take much to make this car look modern. It just doesn't feel old. That chiseled look is coming back, in concept cars, and real cars like the Ford Focus, the Mercury Cougar, etc. - they call it "New Edge" styling, but us 3RD GEN owners have had it all along...


INSIGHT
Everything was installed or made by me with the exception of the ragtop and paint work (although I helped install part of the ragtop and also volunteered to help sand the body to bare metal).

The car is really a hybrid of a whole bunch of styles. The top says "lowrider", the hammered stance says "sport compact", the wheels say "British Touring Car" and the interior says "Audiophile". For some strange reason, I think it came together pretty well, despite having no body kit and black moldings unlike like every other modern Honda.

EXTERIOR
Repainted with PPG (sanded to bare metal in 1995)
Paint rubbed out more times than I can count
Custom ragtop and matching nose bra made from Haartz Stayfast Canvas
Shaved rear emblems except for the Honda "H"
Body colored side mirrors
Body colored brake disk covers
Misc trim treated with SEM paint
Tinted Windows all around (20%)

INTERIOR
Re-upholstered rear deck
Re-upholstered grill covers in front doors for component system
Custom dash insert with Rays Engineering build out logo (material matched to grill covers)
Custom mounted voice activated head unit antenna in headliner
Custom amp rack behind rear seat
Custom built out for stereo components in trunk
Phantom fuse holder in place of clock
Shoulder pads (4)

PERFORMANCE
K&N Filter
Random Technologies high flow catalytic converter
Custom bent 2 1/4" piping coated with HPC's (High Performance Coatings) HiperCoat
Nakayama Dual DTM tip style Stainless Muffler

CHASSIS
Versus Sesto Turismo 17x7's (42mm offset) by Rays Engineering
Dunlop Sport W-10's 205/40/17's
Tokico shocks/struts
Ground Control coilovers w/ Eibach Springs custom wound 20% stiffer than the standard kit
Camber kit
Re-tooled inner fenders to allow for an ultra low ride height

AUDIOPHILE
Sony Mobile ES CDX-8850 CD receiver
Sony Mobile ES CDX - 828 10 Disc Changer
Polk Audio 6 1/2 Separates
Polk Audio 1" Tweeters
Rockford Fosgate Punch 10's (2 of them)
Rockford Fosgate Punch 100 DSM Amps (2 of them)
Rockford Fosgate Terminal Block
Autosound 1 Farad Capacitor
Flat type fuse and holder for battery terminal

ELECTRICS
Viper 500+ security system
AutoOptiks headlight conversion
Astra Ultra Hi Output (90/100) hyperwhite bulbs

[pgeld]

[pgeld]

The custom clear corner project...

[pgeld]

When I left for Japan and when I came back 4 years later (1999), White faced gauges were all the rage. I wanted a set, bad. No one made them for my application, but they were available for just about every other Honda in existence. I called some of the companies who made them and ask them why they didn’t have any for my application. I was told the needles break too easily.

Sure I thought. How different could they be from all the other Hondas? To make a long story short, I made my own, but I went about it differently. The 1986 Accord instrument cluster was not backlit like cars of today. It had lights that shined down on the front of the gauges, so making some cool White faced, backlit gauges were out of the question.

I decided how cool would it be to make a set of brushed aluminum gauges instead? To my knowledge, no one has ever done it. I got some 6061 T6 aluminum and went to town on the project.

Bought 3 clusters at the junkyard since the needles were supposed to be so hard to take off without breaking (which they were), and got started.

Took apart my cluster and had the gauges digitally scanned, than overlaid that data on the aluminum and had it cut out with a waterjet (like a CNC laser, but extreme water pressure instead). The fit was OEM. We even made all the OEM indentations on the back of the gauge, just like factory.

[pgeld]

Then I had my original gauges scanned, and screen printed the aluminum ones just like the factory does. Came out perfect (after I made them re do it several times of course).





The kicker was the shift panel. It was a piece of anti-reflective acrylic we had screen printed like the factory, but had to use a big piece for the screen printing process to work. That resulted in several screens on the same panel. I had to cut it out by hand which took several tries to get right.





In the end, it was worth it. I had the only real brushed billet aluminum gauges in existence for a 1986 Honda Accord, and boy did they turn out good…





That project did take a lot of dedication, but once I set my mind to something and can visualize the outcome, I’ll do my best to make it happen if I have the means…

I hope you all enjoyed re-living this project with me.



- Paulie

[2oodoor]

I "heard" about you yesterday
thanks for the car bio, very impressive customizing. Touches I really like are the rear deck stereo install with the carpeting, and the dash mod.. really looks like 2004 up style stuff. Nice job tucking and stiffening for those 17 inch whelels to stay on too.
You are so right about they styling of these cars, not the best example but I also own a 1996 Crown Vic Ford and the profile of that car so mimicks my Accords (sedans) .. but there are many styling features of the 3 gen later immulated by other manufactors. But it is no secret everybody has been chasing the Accord since it was first introduced.
WOW EDIT..you were posting as I was writing.. the guages are off the hook !!

[Civic Accord Honda]

holly shit :O your car is beautfull
do you still have it?

[thegreatdane]

Welcome back, you did some admirable custom work!
Those gauges are incredible with all the work put into them.
How did you mold your clear turnsignal lenses?

Do you still have this car?

[Cheeseburger]

welcome back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! dam how much i loved your car!

[86AccordLxi]

Holy Shit, the one and only!

Awesome to see you back around again!!

Alex

[RobT5580]

Nice to hear back from you Paulie, I was looking through my pictures last weekend when i restored them and i have some of your car. I hope everything is going well for you these days!

[87roach]

Very nice car man! That thing is slammed!! Love the dedication you have for the 3geez and the custom trunk is sex.

[bobafett]

wow a blast from the past! nice to hear from you again...

[mushroom_toy]

You still have that thing? That is one nice ass accord. Love those guages, and the ragtop idea was not a bad idea either.

[forrest89sei]

Nice!

[RobT5580]

He sold it a while back if im not mistaken when he came back from active duty.

[pgeld]

Yeah, I sold it after I returned from the war. I was itiching to get into the more performance side of things, and motorswaps and 5 speed tranny swaps were not that common in those days.

My wire wanted to get a new car, so we ended up getting an S2000. I deployed again shortly after, and she felt uncomfortable with it in the rain. The first generation S2000's were very tail happy. When I returned the second time, we got rid of it and ended up getting a 2002 Subaru WRX. I modified it a little bit, and before you knew it, it turned into a beast. She gave it to me, and I got her a Scion XB. I ended up modifying that also using all Tanabe stuff, he he he.

I went full tilt though on my Subaru. To see just how far I took this car, you can read all about it here:

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show....php?t=1187153

It's a full pictorial history of the build up. I still have it and it's in storage until I return from Japan.

That's right, I'm back in Japan! This time, I got an older EVO II and basically restored it - and then some. You can read about that here:

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show....php?t=1183213

Enjoy!



- Paulie

[RobT5580]

Damn thats some good stuff it took a while just to skim the 37 pages! You definately have a way with your cars and i like how you are willing to stick to what you want at any expense.

You should ship me some B20A parts for my accord

[87roach]

Yea those threads are crazy. You should get your hands on a nice 3g coupe

[Pico]

One Sweet looking Ride

[frantik]

hot damn!

[MessyHonda]

you had a nice car...very sexy

[knarg]

i really like your evo2!

the wrx is awesome too

[carotman]

Glad to head from you Paulie. Your car has been an inspiration for many years.

[AccordB20A]

thst was a pretty nice car. lets hope someones still driving it around enjoying your work