Alright, folks, I just bought a '92 Civic CX Hatchback with minor body damage and a near-perfect interior from a friend. She's owned it since '98, it's got 130,000 on the odometer, and still has the original clutch. Good, solid, and only a little neglected -- it made the trip from San Francisco to Chicago ten months ago, then back to LA two months ago, without incident. Total cost to me: $500, and the A/C even works!
My first steps are clear: I'm going to clean the car up, replace the timing belt and put a new catalytic convertor in so it can be registered in California, then do all the little maintenance and repair items that need to be done. Once it's cleaned up, I start driving it on a 48-mile round trip commute. If it holds up and seems safe after a month or two, I'm going to use it to get my competition license. That's actually why I bought it; if the engine blows on the track, or I slide off and tear the suspension off the car, I don't mind being out less than $1000. Oh, and to get a competition license, I don't actually have to be FAST, so the 70hp won't be so bad.
If it survives that trial, I figure I'll have a perfectly good shell of a car that I should do something with. That's where you guys come in.
Here's my short list of things to do if it survives the track time:
#1: I'll need a new clutch;
#2: It wouldn't be a bad idea to throw rear discs on it;
#3: Some simple suspension upgrade would be a good idea;
#4: Engine engine engine!
So someone fill this newbie in, if you don't mind. I don't need to do a 14-second quarter mile, but I'd like it to be at least as fast as my 2001 16-valve Sentra GXE. I don't need the world's greatest cornering, but I'd like the option of altering the balance of the handling. Mostly, I want to make it a FUN (not necessarily FAST) daily driver without spending more cash than I have to.
I now open the floor to suggestions. Thanks in advance.
My first steps are clear: I'm going to clean the car up, replace the timing belt and put a new catalytic convertor in so it can be registered in California, then do all the little maintenance and repair items that need to be done. Once it's cleaned up, I start driving it on a 48-mile round trip commute. If it holds up and seems safe after a month or two, I'm going to use it to get my competition license. That's actually why I bought it; if the engine blows on the track, or I slide off and tear the suspension off the car, I don't mind being out less than $1000. Oh, and to get a competition license, I don't actually have to be FAST, so the 70hp won't be so bad.
If it survives that trial, I figure I'll have a perfectly good shell of a car that I should do something with. That's where you guys come in.
Here's my short list of things to do if it survives the track time:
#1: I'll need a new clutch;
#2: It wouldn't be a bad idea to throw rear discs on it;
#3: Some simple suspension upgrade would be a good idea;
#4: Engine engine engine!
So someone fill this newbie in, if you don't mind. I don't need to do a 14-second quarter mile, but I'd like it to be at least as fast as my 2001 16-valve Sentra GXE. I don't need the world's greatest cornering, but I'd like the option of altering the balance of the handling. Mostly, I want to make it a FUN (not necessarily FAST) daily driver without spending more cash than I have to.
I now open the floor to suggestions. Thanks in advance.