1984 crx project
 

Greetings! Time for the next project.

Goals: Fun, economical, fast.

The logical choice is obvious.

https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...48dd479b7b.jpg

I'll be reformatting the build thread from another forum I'm on, here:
https://mnhondas.com/showthread.php?t=12146

I obtained these cars over the past few years.

The lost cause:
https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...d43aa6c08e.jpg
https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...6e12d00e0c.jpg
https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...de5ee87300.jpg
1986 crx si. Rusted beyond belief.


The struggling survivor:
https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...29fcf4feb1.jpg
https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...d877237318.jpg
Bent, but not broken.

Re: 1984 crx project
 

The 84 chassis was mostly complete with a partially rebuilt 1.3l motor in pieces and a completely dry rotted interior from years in the AZ sun. Carburetion isn't going to cut it for my goals, therefore out with all the electrical and mechanical.

https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...f461075a84.jpg
https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...4787e6aaa4.jpg

Just in case a color change is in order, the bay needs to be a neutral color.

Poorly primed:
https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...bedda46e14.jpg
Poorly painted.
https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...1efca2d7bd.jpg

Re: 1984 crx project
 

Temporarily, the full si driveline including short geared transmission is installed along with the full harness and interior of the si.

https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...2fcfb34e6c.jpg
https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...0d9c29fe8c.jpg

The stock si pump and tank go in.
https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...58a00376ba.jpg

This is what happens to gas tanks that sit for 10 years without being used. That furry pickup is a very bad sign.
https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...162d408d10.jpg

Re: 1984 crx project
 

Along the way, the engine compartment gets some attention including a de-vac and a catch can.
https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...acdcfc78df.jpg

The bent up bumpers and cracked panels need to be addressed. Copious amounts of fiberglass, abs resin, sanding get me to where the car stands today. New fenders, front bumper cover, and a new/used set of side skirts are part of the package.
https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...f6ae1e9f30.jpg
https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...c9019a4286.jpg
https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...961320e3cc.jpg

Together:
https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...5f99c4d4aa.jpg
https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...d255f88fd9.jpg

Re: 1984 crx project
 

Now the real FE magic can begin! The transmission that came with the 84 is vastly superior to the si transmission. Final gear ratios for the 86 and 84 are respectively:
4.40 final/.71 5th gear

vs

3.58 final/.65 5th gear

With a 185/60/14 sized tire rpm's at 60mph go from 2850 to 2050.

Tires: Michelin/44psi max inflation. I'll be running 40-42psi cold.

In order to meet the,"fast" criteria more power will be required over the 90hp/90tq the stock 1.5l motor has to offer. Time for more custom fabrication from a very amateur welder.

The 1.3l exhaust manifold included with the 84 is very similar to the vx manifold. From the factory it was equipped with a catalytic converter mounted just off the runners. A perfect place to fit a (very) small turbocharger. Specifically, a td04 Mitsubishi turbo from a 1987 dodge colt. With an 11cm exhaust housing and 265cfm of maximum flow it should spool right up to low boost (3-4psi) around 2k rpms.

The assembly:
https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...ee52f27aa0.jpg

https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...0975e96215.jpg

https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...34b9bffcd6.jpg

Re: 1984 crx project
 

Nice project. Give yourself more credit, your work (engine bay painting) is way better than I could do.

Re: 1984 crx project
 

Thanks for the encouragement Divine Bovine. I just understand how many incredibly talented people are out there doing spectacular work.

More specifications on the chassis are in order.

This particular model is the 1984 CRX DX1300. It has a factory curb weight of 1720 lbs and was EPA rated in the 50's for mpg. Everything that came on the car from the factory was extremely light weight. Plastic fenders, nose panel, side skirts, and door garnishes are about as light as any produced in that era. The front brakes were puny solid discs, the rear axle a special light weight model with no sway bar, and a 9 gallon gas tank, "added lightness" to this fuel sipper.

In order to fill the "Fun" requirement some weight gain consisting of brake and susupension upgrades were necessary. The solid front discs were swapped in favor of the si vented disc front brakes and supplemental front and rear swaybars were installed at a weight penalty of around 30 lbs. The front add-on bar is a unit manufactured by Addco, and the rear is a custom bar sourced from 1996-2007 dodge caravans.

Notice two sandwiched front bars. If I'm able to source a larger front bar, this weight penalty may be reduced in the future.
https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...c1f43009a0.jpg

Dodge Caravan rear swaybar courtesy of www.redpepperracing.com

https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...81c0581125.jpg
The stock handling characteristics of the 84 model can be summed up in one word, "squishy". Taking corners at speed would induce body roll more akin to 60's sports cars.


The car now handles very flat and "rotates" supremely well in corners. When I first heard the term "rotate" it was hard to envision what that meant. My best description is that when cornering, the car feels like the rear wheels are assisting, almost like 4 wheel steering. Not only does this make for a very entertaining driving experience, but it also allows for much greater speed to be conserved when driving, saving fuel.

To counter some of the additional weight gain and help balance the car's weight distribution a small, sealed 320cca AGM battery was installed in the passenger footwell. The stock location of the battery is at the nose of the passenger side of the vehicle. The weight of the factory lead acid 360cca battery was 42lbs.

Stock battery & location:

https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...3ff02693aa.jpg

The replacement battery weighs a feathery 16lbs and accomplishes starting duties without drama.

https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...4aca73f00b.jpg

Re: 1984 crx project
 

Time to start on the first aero mod. The front of the car is just about a lost cause. I'll be adding a lower air dam and covering the headlight buckets with clear acrylic. The biggest aero advantage I can gain will be with smoothing out the rear airflow. I'm opposed to going with a full boat tail, so the logical choice is a kammback. Please, experts give me your opinion on this basic shape. The final product will be constructed of clear acrylic joined by aluminum L channel.
https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...5a6bf46287.jpg

https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...48f40a10f8.jpg

https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...5c50422b88.jpg

Re: 1984 crx project
 

I love these threads. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

Re: 1984 crx project
 

The wing idea is now on the back burner. I didn't have time to snap pictures this time, but got much accomplished. Prior to bringing the car for paint and body I took the time to remove all the items attached to the door including door panels/trim, seals and such. I brought her over for body/paint yesterday. She is getting a complete outer respray including door and hatch jambs. The car will now be the factory blue, no two tone. (Sorry Arky, two tones just are not my thing). The outer color that the car had been repainted is not the factory blue. Here's the color it should be.

https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...a4d656a488.jpg

The trim will be black, not red, pillar will be black as well with different side skirts and wheels. It should be ready by the end of next week.