Quest: To create a quick, reliable, street-legal daily driver.
Platform: 1989 Honda Accord LXi 5-speed Coupe.
History: I purchased this car with 70K miles on it from the original owner in 1994. The car had been impeccably maintained, and ran strong for me for the six years I had it after that. In 2000, I sold it to my then in-laws who were in need of some reliable transportation. The car had 215K miles on it at that time. The only mechanical work that had been done to it was replacement of the driver side CV joint, and rebuild of the 5th gear which went out. I bought the car back in 2003 for $500 when my stepdaughter needed a car. The car now has 246K, and at that time, the engine had still never been touched. When my stepdaughter decided she didn't want it after all, and ended up buying a Civic, I decided to keep it and make it my toy.
Route: The car will be modified to accept forced induction (turbocharging) in an attempt to reach a reliable, drivable, street legal 200whp.
Plan: This will be accomplished through five major phases as follows.
1. Engine prep and rebuild
2. Engine management upgrade
3. Turbocharging (non-intercooled)
4. Turbocharging (intercooled)
5. Suspension/brake/body modifications
While the first four phases will be sequential, the fifth will be an ongoing process during this period.
Notes: Since I live in Houston where smog testing is a requirement, keeping the emissions legal will be a prority during the project.
The hot climate down here will also be a factor to consider for engine cooling.
Since this is a rather costly undertaking, the progress is expected to be rather slow so as to not cause a financial burden. I do not expect to conclude the project before 2005, but you never know.
Updates to this thread will be prompt and as informative as possible.
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