89 Accord LXi finishes 7th in 24 Hour of Lemons Texas

[8nsk8]

Team 8NSK8 campaigned an 89 Accord LXi in the Texas 24 Hours of Lemons on October 18-19, finishing 7th out of 70 cars entered. The car ran like a champ all weekend and was running in the top 5 for a good portion of Sunday until a small coolant hose decided it had enough during our final fuel stop. After losing 30 minutes to make the repair, we were locked into our final finishing position. This result was much better than anticipated considering that on the Friday test and tune day the car kept overheating. Our last hope was to change the head gasket Friday night and cross our fingers.

The team would like to thank this community for the information on this site. It was a tremendous help in enabling the team to learn the car very quickly.


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[2ndGenGuy]

Congratulations on the win! I knew that a 3gee would be an ideal LeMons candidate, glad to see someone finally enter one! You really just can't kill them, and they have the power and handling to keep up with most of the LeMons crowd too!

What modifications were you guys able to do to your car? I see wheels and tires, looks like maybe stock suspension. Do you guys have a website?

[vbanh]

Here's our official page.

http://tmgracer.com/lemons%20news.htm

[8nsk8]

What modifications were you guys able to do to your car? I see wheels and tires, looks like maybe stock suspension.

We ran a pretty much bone stock setup with aftermarket wheels and tires, and good brake pads. Having learned from our first experience at this, and searching this site, we have some ideas for improvements.

The car was very easy to drive at the limit, well balanced all around. The brakes never faded, tires wore as well as can be expected for a stock setup. We were a little underpowered, but could eat them up with handling and braking. The track was all in 2nd and 3rd gear, and those ratios have a large step between them. We are looking forward to doing another event.

[2ndGenGuy]

Were you guys actually able to get your car for $500 or did you bribe the judges a bit? Looks to me like you probably stuck to the spirit of the race.

[2oodoor]

[vbanh]

Were you guys actually able to get your car for $500 or did you bribe the judges a bit? Looks to me like you probably stuck to the spirit of the race.

Had we know you could bribe the judges, we would have done a lot more work to the car. Luckily all safety equipment was excluded from the price of the car and if you sold parts off it, you can subtract that form your total. I think the seat alone cost more than the car. Next year, we'll be ready with bribes.

[bullard123]

Wow thats great news. These accords were top of the line when they first debuted in the late 80's. And if you guys swap in a B20A it will give you the much needed power!

[Vanilla Sky]

I've been wanting to do this, but I think I'm just going to sell the car I planned on entering for $100, the amount of money I have in the car myself.

You're very right, though. These cars handle very well at the limit. The one thing I would really consider the best upgrade is the hybrid Integra transmission swap. I feel that its gearing would lend itself to better track use than the big spacing in the stock Accord transmission.

[ChaseR]

Oh hell ya! LOL You running Synthetic oil in it?

[vbanh]

I've been wanting to do this, but I think I'm just going to sell the car I planned on entering for $100, the amount of money I have in the car myself.

If you're in the TX area, we'll take it. We're thinking of running a 2nd car in next year's Lemons race.

[vbanh]

Oh hell ya! LOL You running Synthetic oil in it?

Just good old Castrol High Mileage. Didn't think there would be much left by the end of the day...it would have been a waste to burn off the fancy stuff. Amazingly, it only burned off 1/2 a quart by the end of the race.

[Vanilla Sky]

I'm in Florida. I've had interest from the GRM board, but haven't given it a thread in their marketplace yet.

[vbanh]

I'm in Florida. I've had interest from the GRM board, but haven't given it a thread in their marketplace yet.

Bummer. I guess we'll just have to continue our search in the Houston area.

[fogged]

Congrats!!! This is cool as hell to see someone chose a 3G to do the race.

[ChaseR]

Just good old Castrol High Mileage. Didn't think there would be much left by the end of the day...it would have been a waste to burn off the fancy stuff. Amazingly, it only burned off 1/2 a quart by the end of the race.

I switched from castrol in my A20A3 to 5W30 Mobil 1 (same as my 07 Si) and my gas mileages went from 22 mpg in town to 25 mpg..

[redaztec]

Congrats! Nice to hear from you guys - I always read about LeMons on Jalopnik, so I was happy to see a 3G in the top 10!

[RamThis]

Ha that's cool. Lemons lol. Play on words like LeMans, I like. If I didnt need the engine and wiring harness from the car I just bought I'd sell it to you. Of course it's a sedan so Im sure you wouldnt have wanted it anyway. There are alot of coupes to be had, at least in this area anyway. Was hard to find a Sedan!

[vbanh]

If I didnt need the engine and wiring harness from the car I just bought I'd sell it to you.

Well, if anyone has/knows of cheap coupes/hatchbacks around we would definitely be interested. Thanks for all the support!

[evil88accordLX]

so do i understand correctly, if you buy a car for $500, then sell $500 worth of parts, you can put that $500 into performance upgrades as long as you can prove you didnt exceed the $500 limit on the car?

[8nsk8]

so do i understand correctly, if you buy a car for $500, then sell $500 worth of parts, you can put that $500 into performance upgrades as long as you can prove you didnt exceed the $500 limit on the car?

Yes, exactly. As long as you can convince the judges that that is what you did.

Well, if anyone has/knows of cheap coupes/hatchbacks around we would definitely be interested.

Or prelude upper control arms, or integra transmissions......

[markmdz89hatch]

very cool. I'd like to thank you guys for reppin that 3G and showing those domestics that the objective to to be able to turn with whatever power you do have, not just go straight. That Monte, Caprice, and T-bird whale had to look soooo funny trying to lerch around turns.

...on a side note, I call BS on the 2 E30's that look to be in great shape, both Datsuns, and the RX7 just to start. That triumph TR also cost way more then $500 and it still has all it's panels, so there wasn't much of worth to sell off it to get it under $500. The 3G, yes sub 500 is very possible. Those others, not-so-much (IMO only).

So who won?

[8nsk8]

Quick run down
1st - Toyota FX-16
2nd - 80-something Camaro
3rd - NASA race prepped Integra (2 seconds faster than anyone else)
4th - Neon (team's 4th Lemons event w/ same car)

Jalopnik article

They also have a car by car picture gallery of the event (search uber gallery)

[markmdz89hatch]

so you guys going to run the same car on the next event?

[vbanh]

Yup, we are planning on running in the Feb 28 race. Its coming up soon and we need to find the time and money to get the car prepped properly.