Acura Legend Forum banner

Bored? Bench Build my Civic. 56K if your crazy.

22K views 109 replies 21 participants last post by  reboticon 
#1 ·
Well I got bit by the " I need another car" bug again. Its a problem i run into more often than I should, but what can i say, I prefer Quantity over Quality. For those keeping a running total at home, this is vehicle number 5:hide:

Id been looking for something small to build for a while, and I ran across this 91 civic on craigslist for $350. The body is straight and rust free, which is all I really cared about. The motor is blown. Still, I could sell the wheels for $100, the aftermarket head unit for $75 and scrap the car for $225 so I couldn't help but look at the whole deal as a free $50 for me. Yes, I realize that I am insane.













 
See less See more
7
#4 ·
ROFLMAO. Yes i noticed that as well!! I forgot to mention that. Thats a 3" elbow that will fit very nicely in my other legend. Thats another $30 right there. Liking this car more by the hour.

Actually though, Don't I remember you being pretty familiar with swap options for this car? Or was that someone else? What other junkyard (so b16b is out) options do I have for this car besides a B18?
 
#5 · (Edited)
you could go h22 but b18 would be better route overall

k20 would fit with some work on the frame I think you have to redo the mounts.

but over all b18c1 but its gonna cost a grip but would be best bet as a drop in.

Im pretty sure you can also drop a doch ZC short block in it but don't quote me on that. is it an auto?

the B20b is good on gas. but only has like 130 hp. and its tall and wouldn't fit under the civic

any d series will fit.
 
#7 ·
you could go h22 but b18 would be better route overall

k20 would fit with some work on the frame I think you have to redo the mounts.

but over all b18c1 but its gonna cost a grip but would be best bet as a drop in.

Im pretty sure you can also drop a doch ZC short block in it but don't quote me on that. is it an auto?

the B20b is good on gas. but only has like 130 hp. and its tall and wouldn't fit under the civic

any d series will fit.
Thanks. what did the b18c come in? Which one was in the early integras b18b? I want a V-tech. Just because. My projects are all about total finished cost. Both my legends together cost me less than $5k combined when i was finished, And with $350 in this car, and it needing paint, Im setting first phase limit of $1500. So the deciding factors in motor will really be what my local pick n pull has.

Make it RWD :rofl:
If you look in the sides of pic 2 and 3.. you can see my 87 Tbird with a built 5.0 HO and built AOD trans... I kind of hate that car... I may have to learn to weld just so i can have a 5.0 civic.. Of course this means i will have to take out the front seats and sit in the back seat.. but i can live with that.
 
#6 ·
Make it RWD :rofl:
 
#13 ·
Alright guys i checked the Wiki but it is sooo confusing since all the countries are listed together. Locally i've found a few D16A1s for less than $100. Will that mate to the auto transmission i have?

Also there is this ad on craigslist near me... Seems like a hell of a deal, but id still near to get a harness, is that right?

acura swap parts?
 
#18 · (Edited)
Hehe id like a B16a1 but its all about the price. Where i am at we are in the top 5 lowest cost of living places in the US. So i can score cheap parts from people around here but i simply can't afford JDM stuff.

Just picked up those 2 B18Bs + trans and ECU for $200 total. Come on thats a sweet deal.

We know that part. Who were you talking to?
He was talking to me. I asked about B1 and D1.
 
#21 ·
It was red. The high school kid i bought it from decided he want to paint it black and covered the mostly decent red paint with black primer. Unfortunately he did not have much of a clue as we have noticed and did not mask or remove the emblems or even bother trying to do the door jams. Im going to take out all the door seals and interior and have it painted actually black by a local guy around here. The kid had already bought the paint before he blew the motor, so thats another score for me.

The bat in the floorboard was actually just the real battery he had taken apart the tie down and couldnt figure out how to resecure it.:yes:

I scored 4 new blue springs and cheap coilover conversion for $45.

Im leaving now to go grab my motors and tranny. Ill post some pics once im back.
 
#22 · (Edited)
Got my parts. Heres some pics.

First B18, Its still got an underdrive pully on it.


Other B18


And 3 pics of other parts






Sorry for the crappy pics, my garage is pretty dark and i had to use a shop light for them, so they are kind of weird looking.

From looking at my pile, It looks like I will still need a Header, Axles, conversion mounts, clutch pedal, clutch. Does that sound/look right? Anything I am forgetting?

The guy i bought it from has a lifetime warranty on the axles (which werent included) but he said if i grabbed some from pick a part hed use his warranty to get some fresh ones.
 
#24 ·
No i don't. I saw in the wiki that he 92-93s had about 10 more hp but i noticed they also had a little bit less torque. Is there a way to tell which one they came from by block or head codes?
 
#31 ·
Doh just got told by a guy on the honda swap forum that the D16a1 has a different tranny bolt pattern. He called it the bastard son of the D series. Dunno if hes right, but i think ill not risk it just yet.

Fortunately for my neighbors, I singlehandedly ended the drought we have been having in TN by deciding it was dry enough to do this project outside and leave my other in the garage. First good rain since... Last time i did head gaskets:wtf:
 
#32 ·
Just a little parts/price update. Been busy and haven't had too much time to work on this. Ill post more pics soon.

Total Build Costs:

1 91 civic $350
2 B18a1s, 1 manual trans, manual ECU $200
1 Integra Auto Trans, 1 teg axle, auto ecu, engine wiring $101.38
1 auto flexplate, fuel rail, map sensor $27
1 can Krylon $4
1 set of blue lowering springs $45
 
#34 ·
^ Knoxville is a little too far from CA for me to pick that one up :)

Heres what I got today. Brand New B Series Mounts from a guy on Craigslist for $100.



So now im pretty much ready to start putting her together. The only problem is that the Integra automatic uses 4 shift solenoids instead of 1. I can't find conversion wiring anywhere, so i may just have to shell out to Rywire to make me one.
 
#35 ·
Another update, lots of pics. Probably way more information than anyone would ever care to know, but i documented everything in case something goes wrong when im finished I can retrace my steps.

I finished my DPFI-> MPFI conversion. There were a lot of DIYs for it on the net, but all the ones i found, sucked. They all had steps like "lengthen this sensor wire 6 inches" and imo thats ghetto. Least cuts/connections possible is the rule. So i ended up just using the ECU pinout and making my own.

stock harness

scavenged parts

Parts of subharness

subharness soldered

subharness finished

main harness and subharness, pre assembly


stock harness completely opened up


Re ordering or wires in main warness


distributor/crank sensor additions


main harness and subharness combined with sensors now placed in correct position for b18a1



Finished harness

 
#36 ·
Alrighy, I finished prepping the B18a1 and rebuilt the intake with new vac hoses, labeled to where they will connect on the civic.





Now I have come to find out that the auto Integra uses a separate computer to control the transmission, called the TCU (tranny control unit), where as the civic did not. It has 30 pins that must be wired in. I searched for hours for a DIY on this, but im now willing to state that one does not exist. The only response I can get from anyone is "put in a manual tranny"



Heres the plugs for the TCU after I labeled where they will be ending up on the civic.



Harness A for the TCU has 18 pins. Harness B has 12 pins. Heres how they pin out:

A1 -> A5 and A18. These all go to the shift position console switch or the dimmer override circuit. Im hoping I can get away without wiring these up, and not throw any codes

A6, A7, A14 These all go to the AT speed pulser

A8 Shift Interlock

A9 A/C clutch relay

A10 Ign Module

A11, A15, A16, A17 All splice into sensor connections at the ECU

A12 Brake Light switch

A13 S4 switch (not sure what this will connect to since i dont have S4)

Harness B

B1, B6 straight to ECU

B2, B7 fast idle control solenoid

B3, B8 Lockup Control Solenoid

B4, B5 Shift control solenoid valve

B9, B11 Dimming Control Circuit

B10- NOTHING! YAY!

B12- Main power. Wires to fuseblock.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top