#228212 - 04/06/06 03:48 PM
project Teal (w/ lots of pics)
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teal_dx
Post Master
Registered: 09/12/02
Posts: 2492
Loc: Ohio
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What I've been doing all winter:
I have had my hatch since 2000 and bought it is a DD/winter car so I wouldn't have to drive the Mustang. Well I couldn't just leave it alone, I started with suspension, then intake/header/exhaust, and then a Y8 mini-me swap. Last summer I bought the HX for cheap so that has become my new winter car. I pulled the hatch in the garage thanksgiving last yr and have been working on it on weekends, here's some pics of the progress.
Old motor
bunch of useless clutter left in the bay
here's a pic, had the interior out to convert to manual and for re-routing some of the wiring harness. it was about 0° one night, a good time to remove the sound deadening 
a little while later:
And then the wiring:
stock
lengthened
 the goal is to re-run the wires for a cleaner engine bay. here the driver side comes out of an existing plugged hole connecting the cabin & inner fenderwell.
The passenger side harness was going to be a pain to remove, so I left it in the car & extended it.
There's also a plugged hole on the right side that connects the cabin to the inner fender area. These wires for the lights/horn/fan will now be hidden.
Car came w/ power steering, but I'm converting to manual. Power racks have a quicker ratio than manual, so converting to manual rather than swapping in a manual rack = teh win
Fuel:
Using an inline fuel filter along with the Earl's fittings to eliminate the ugly oem fuel filter that sits at the top of the firewall.
And what is all this extra fuel for?
 
The original plan for winter was just to convert to manual & fix the rust, keeping the Y8 mini-me setup. Bryce gave me his old D16z6 (THANKS again!!) which supplied the tranny. I had the block (which knocked) sitting in the corner of the garage in hopes of tearing it down this summer for a re-build to handle some boost. Well after finding a hell of a deal on the Turbo, I couldn't wait... so that plan is in progress right now.
To better handle the boost
oem clutch won't like that so well so:
keeping the weight down, the HVAC, heater core, and blower motor are gone, Power Steering lines, pump, resivior is gone, washer resivior is gone, rear wiper is gone (I kept the windshield wipers & motor cause I'm a wuss) Charcoal canister is gone, SRS is gone, rear seatbelts are gone, Probably going to put the carpet, panels, and rear seats back in the car to be in a lower class for auto-x... also those rims from the HX
They are light as hell but looked like ass from 10 years of road salt 
So I did some polishing this winter!
calipers were looking crappy, so while I had them off to install Stainless lines I re-finished those too
can't see much of them thru the beater rims
Last weekend was the first time the car moved since Nov,
I'm sure the neighbors love a teal shell sitting in the driveway 
The only additions to this bay will be a motor/tranny, radiator, brake booster/cyl, clutch cyl, and lines and external coil.
No more battery, wires, PS, washer resivior, fuse box, coolant overflow, charcoal canister, fuel filter, brake proportioning valve. all that stuff is either in a cardboard box or relocated somewhere on the car.
After 500 mi with this setup, I'm gonna install the turbo and all the clutter that comes along with it (catch can, vac lines, oil lines, IC, piping)
I'll post the finished car, hoping to have it on the road in a month, after body work & paint job. 
The reason I did all this? the 96-98 gt 4.6 isnt the best base for a performance motor b/c of the restrictive heads. Supercharge would cost $3500 and decrease my 1/4 mi by about a second. So why not put that money into a car which has potential to run the same 1/4 mi AND kick ass in the twisties, while getting 30-40 mpg when not being beaten on. And have 2 nice cars, instead of a nice V8 and a deteriorating hatch. 
So I'll finally be able to bring my Civic to a CSi meet instead of my Ford
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#228214 - 04/06/06 04:06 PM
Re: project Teal (w/ lots of pics)
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SiWheelman
Post Master
Registered: 03/09/02
Posts: 2512
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lookin good. You weren't kidding when you said you had been busy w/ it.
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#228217 - 04/06/06 04:23 PM
Re: project Teal (w/ lots of pics)
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HotHB
Post Master Supreme
Registered: 09/09/01
Posts: 30309
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Dude! Those HX wheels look pimpin! By far the best wheel Honda ever made 
God those pics bring back memories, love the color
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#228218 - 04/06/06 05:28 PM
Re: project Teal (w/ lots of pics)
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underESTIMATED
Post Master Sr
Registered: 09/16/02
Posts: 4283
Loc: Akron, Oh
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This is the best thread you've created about the progress of your car.
I can't wait til you actually finish it, so you'll be more social!!
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#228221 - 04/07/06 09:52 AM
Re: project Teal (w/ lots of pics)
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Bo Mook
The Mooks of Haztard
Post Master Supreme
Registered: 12/12/99
Posts: 75320
Loc: county
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looks good, keep it up and keep updating.
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#228225 - 04/07/06 11:26 AM
Re: project Teal (w/ lots of pics)
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teal_dx
Post Master
Registered: 09/12/02
Posts: 2492
Loc: Ohio
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Been reading up alot on turbo setups, there was a lot to learn and I still don't know it all. Been learning some from the Boost forum, and a few other sites too. I'm sure when I go to install I'll be like WTF is this thing for?
I would have never tried a project like this on a newer vehicle, but this car was pretty simple to take apart. Just take it one step at a time and there's really not a whole lot to a car, interior, electrical system, motor & acessories, emissions, suspension... the hardest part is remembering how everything goes back together. After taking everything off the car over the past 5 yrs except for the gas tank, doors, and steering... I can usually look at a part and know where it goes. I do have a small pile of nuts & bolts though that I have no idea where they are from lol.
As for the paint, I debated for a while on the color. Was thinking about a shade of white, then thought about a medium warm silver with a green tint to it. Metallic Earthtones are popular right now. But I'm leaning toward keeping it Tahitian Green Pearl (teal) so I won't have to mess with the doorjambs and if I do decide to leave the interior out, everything will match. Plus I dont want to paint it an aftermarket color because it is the latest trend, and then have it be played out in a couple of years because everybody else does it. Like back in the day Yellow was the shit, then that metallic orange... Keeping it OEM won't date the car, like if people saw the medium warm silver with a green tint, they would say "oh yeah that was hot in 05-06. So I'm gonna re-paint it teal.
Bryce, let me know when you start on your hatch, I'll probably be able to let you know what not to do, definitely label everything or you'll end up with a pile of WTF bolts like me
next few weeks are gonna be bodywork & fabrication. gotta weld in the new rear panels, figure out a way to fab something up to replace the rear area where the side skirts mount to, shave the engine bay, and make a battery tray that will sit inside the front bumper. I never did any of this before, or painted a car before, but its something to learn on!
I'll keep this updated
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#228230 - 04/17/06 10:05 PM
Re: project Teal (w/ lots of pics)
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si1999
Newbie
Registered: 06/13/01
Posts: 33
Loc: fairborn, oh, usa / Cleveland ...
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What did you do to your wheels????
They look amazing.
I think my stock si wheels need that kind of love
_________________________
99 MR si
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#228231 - 04/18/06 09:08 AM
Re: project Teal (w/ lots of pics)
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teal_dx
Post Master
Registered: 09/12/02
Posts: 2492
Loc: Ohio
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here you go, w/ pics http://forums.clubsi.com/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=6734176
have fun!
got lazy over the weekend, didn't do too much on the car....
figured out the fmic mounting and puzzle of piping that came in a box with a bunch of random pieces.
in the bottom right you might have seen my "poor man's" Optima battery:
weighs about 12 lbs, cost $25 Technically it is not as good since it is not sealed like the Optima batteries, but I'm not mounting it inside the car so no setback. That's all for now!
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#228232 - 04/18/06 05:09 PM
Re: project Teal (w/ lots of pics)
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underESTIMATED
Post Master Sr
Registered: 09/16/02
Posts: 4283
Loc: Akron, Oh
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The driver's side hardpipe looks like it'll be a very close fit inside the bumper.
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#228233 - 04/18/06 10:03 PM
Re: project Teal (w/ lots of pics)
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si1999
Newbie
Registered: 06/13/01
Posts: 33
Loc: fairborn, oh, usa / Cleveland ...
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Thanks for the great link!!
_________________________
99 MR si
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#228234 - 04/28/06 09:11 AM
Re: project Teal (w/ lots of pics)
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teal_dx
Post Master
Registered: 09/12/02
Posts: 2492
Loc: Ohio
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The surgery has begun!!
first I drew a template and cut just inside the line (not enough is safer than too much)
next had to use a wire wheel on a drill to scrape off all of the panel bond, then was able to find the spot welds and drill every one of them out 
Pryed it apart with a mallet & a flathead screwdriver, only to find more spot welds to drill out...
Finally drilled them all and was able to pull the panel out.
Looking into the top of the wheel well, you can see the black adhesive strip that Honda used on the seam to prevent rust from starting. 
guess it didn't work as well as they thought 
drilled the rest of the spot welds out from the fender lip and got the panel off.
damn... gonna have to do some fabricating here, but it doesnt need to look pretty since it won't be seen.
the spotwelds in the wheel well, and the ones that were rusted away near the top.
Inside of the oem panel 
Now I know why the body shop told me $3500  If I wasn't this far along and didn't install urethane bushings I'd sell this one and look for a rust-free hatch. If you're ever looking at buying a rust free civic, be sure to take out the interior panel and have a look from the inside. Check where the fender meets the bumper and where the fender meets the rocker panel. That's where it eats from the inside out. 5-6 years ago I had one tiny bubble in the paint on the pass side and the driver side looked perfect lol. There will definitely be no more winters after this!
That's all for this week, stay tuned.......
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#228237 - 05/31/06 03:54 PM
Re: project Teal (w/ lots of pics)
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teal_dx
Post Master
Registered: 09/12/02
Posts: 2492
Loc: Ohio
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Bryce, it would have been 100x easier for me to just buy another hatch. I was only doing this because I had replaced all the bushings w/ urethane ones, but even doing that again would be way easier and quicker than doing this body work, as I am finding out
Oh well I started so I might as well finish!
the rocker panels were rotted
the inside was only surface rust though. Just the part where the side skirts attached were rusted through.
had to make new rocker panels:
and the rotten metal had to be cut out all the way up past the door about a foot and a half.
this piece was only 2 sided, didn't get a final pic after I cut the top off.
got those hard to reach areas as clean as I could and applied rust inhibitor
the inner wheel well cut out areas that were swiss cheese have new metal welded in
inside of rocker panel & back of new sheetmetal was primered & welded on:
that's it for now... next I'm gonna work on getting that main quarter in
Edited by teal_dx (05/31/06 03:59 PM)
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#228238 - 05/31/06 04:53 PM
Re: project Teal (w/ lots of pics)
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Stryker124
Major Member
Registered: 10/22/00
Posts: 1281
Loc: Mentor, Ohio USA
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Damn man, that is a hell of a lot of work! Nice job though.
What rust inhibitor are you using?
_________________________
2010 Mazdaspeed3
"Please, please let the warranty expire soon...I needs a downpipe and some ECU work..."
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#228242 - 06/19/06 12:00 PM
Re: project Teal (w/ lots of pics)
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teal_dx
Post Master
Registered: 09/12/02
Posts: 2492
Loc: Ohio
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finally feel like I'm getting somewhere on the bodywork....
new rocker panel
new quarter panel. was a PITA to get it clamped in place perfectly. I got pissed eventually and took all the clamps off except for on the bottom and just used my other hand to hold it. Actually worked better!
tacked in place
welded in. Welding beads look pretty, but to keep the metal from warping from heat you have to tack, then tack in between those tacks, then tack in between those etc... so that leaves you with alot of extra grinding to do afterwards.
Started shaving the engine bay...
Every hole is grinded to remove the paint, then welded in.
then those welds are ground down flush with the sheetmetal and uneven areas are welded more and ground down more. repeat process
battery, fusebox, and cruise control holes are too big, need to cut out a piece of sheet metal for these.
just remember which ones you need to keep 
ran out of argon so called it a day for welding. that is all for this week of project teal the block should be back from the machine shop soon
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#228244 - 06/19/06 10:43 PM
Re: project Teal (w/ lots of pics)
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TenTwelve
Fly-over Bottom
Post Master Supreme
Registered: 10/29/99
Posts: 89339
Loc: Lyndhurst, Oh
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