Torino Red EF7 H2B

[paul.cherry]

Decided i'd copy across this from my project thread on the Uk forum for anyone that wants a read Initially started July 2020

So...this will be my first stab at a project thread! Hopefully it will work out to be something worth reading & looking at! Open for some advice from the super CRX-UK members & maybe this thread will be able to give some help for others to get some information from, all be it good or bad advice :lol:

I have a few things planned for this car but it is by no means going to happen overnight. This is my fourth CRX & I have always been an old school honda nut. A few ep3's previously but i've always had a pretty large soft spot for the CRX.

I purchased the car locally to me in November 2019 after waiting for a good solid CRX to jump back into the money pit with! Ideally I wanted a glassroof SiR but i already have a mortgage & don't need another!
So, when Mark advertised this locally to me, i had to take a look. Some "insulting" & haggling took place & i was on route back home with a tintop Torino Red Si

1991 Crx Si
1.6ZC 16v DOHC
Meister Coilovers
169k km's



That's it...no bells, no whistles. Just a good start for my fourth CRX. Initial plans were to strip it, check all out & make sure it was as solid as i hoped & from what i had checked over before purchasing. I found a small hole in the passengers rear sill which was easily cut out, repaired & sealed up but everything else seemed to be pretty good. Yes it had seen paint & yes it wasn't perfect but i can work with that in time!

I had a full Tanabe exhaust & stainless 4 branch which i fitted but not before i put a new resonator in the middle...it's a bit loud on full tilt!

IMG_20191019_154842 (2) by Paul Cherry, on Flickr

I had a set of DC5 wheels in pretty bad nick which i then swapped for some Mugen RNR copies, got a local mate to refurb, powder coat & i fitted them as Mark was keeping the standard VT wheels.

IMG-20191022-WA0000 by Paul Cherry, on Flickr

IMG_20191022_211648 by Paul Cherry, on Flickr

The clutch cable needed replacing due to stretching & headlight alignment was done. Quick checkover & MOT was then booked so i could tax it and hopefully get a month of bouncing down the roads before the salt arrived on the roads for winter!...The B*$t@rd failed on me, brand new clutch cable snapped on the brake test rollers. So they pushed me out of the test centre & left me to my devices to get a way home. Home after a tow by the old man, new clutch cable again (different supplier) & re-booked the MOT. A week later...yey, full years ticket & ready to roll 8)

IMG_20191216_093703 by Paul Cherry, on Flickr

I got about 3 weeks short driving/weekend "spins" until i parked up for the rest of winter time. Got all the oils & filters changed, & decided i should maybe look at the undercarriage & arches for protection. I built a pit in my garage when we built our house so up it went onto stands, completely cleaned up the underside & the arch areas. I removed the tank & exhaust system & went to town on sealing up the underside & the arches.

IMG_20200114_233816 by Paul Cherry, on Flickr IMG_20200119_160323 by Paul Cherry, on Flickr

I took a wild notion on the number plate over xmas (i hate the look of the full character Northern Ireland style plates), for some reason i don't think they look right on an old school motor so i started looking around for a nice 3 digit plate but then came across Scott's G2 CRX which he had mentioned on one of his threads he had it on retention. A few emails back & forth & the paperwork was then on route to me for transfer.
Whilst waiting for that, i had a spare vt lip sitting in the garage so i fitted that along with some "cheap" yellow fogs. Ideally i want a J's lip on when funds/availability allows

IMG_20200205_232315 by Paul Cherry, on Flickr

I wasn't a big fan of the Si spoiler, i've always liked either the standard VT spoiler or the clean look with nothing at all (although i have grown recently to the mugen style). So, i removed the wiper (weight gains :lol: ), and the spoiler to see what was i working with, mmm...bollocks :cry:

IMG_20200212_170535 by Paul Cherry, on Flickr

Removed any rust, fixed, filled the holes & repainted the tailgate...i was now still thinking of a spoiler but wasn't sure which one!

IMG_20200219_013051 by Paul Cherry, on Flickr

After a while, i realised i had to get some sort of spoiler but i didn't want to put any holes in it now after filling them all & re-painting so looked at options to stick on a VT spoiler or a mugen copy spoiler. I came across a small "duck bill" kind of spoiler like the ones seen on eg civics & others which the yanks seems to like a lot. Ordered one up & fitted it one night with just some 3M tape. At least if i didn't like it i could just take it off easily with no hassle although it is looking like might keep it as it has grown on me!

IMG-20200302-WA0000 by Paul Cherry, on Flickr

IMG-20200302-WA0001 by Paul Cherry, on Flickr

Got some rover rear door handles amended, painted & fitted

IMG_20200626_160428 by Paul Cherry, on Flickr

Fitted an ek civic armrest

IMG_20200519_193014 by Paul Cherry, on Flickr

IMG_20200519_192900 by Paul Cherry, on Flickr

IMG_20200701_214301 by Paul Cherry, on Flickr

I have planned to re-trim this to match the seats

Decided the much talked about 16v big brake conversion was a good upgrade so got to work on that & it was actually a lot more simple than what i thought. I've a mate thats an engineer so instead of trimming/grinding the calipers too far i got him to lathe off 2mm on the discs & got my G60 discs fitted up with a set of S2000 calipers & carriers with a spacer/spigot ring to centre the disc

Screenshot_20200519-153133 by Paul Cherry, on Flickr

IMG-20200616-WA0019 by Paul Cherry, on Flickr

I cannot stress how much this changed the braking on the car! It is literally day & night against what they were before & no change to mascter cylinder or fluids etc. Overall it stood me about £160ish for the conversion. Second hand calipers & carriers, new G60 discs, new pads, centre rings & some brake fluid

So, this is how it was sitting after a few months of ownership. I'd added & removed some small
bits & pieces to make it a bit more my own, driven it very little to be honest & now COVID-19 hit! mmm...what next ?-)

IMG_20200329_173139 by Paul Cherry, on Flickr




Some late night forum reading & the lust for more power started to get a hold of me. On a whim i bought Neil's (Peely's) old turbo kit which was 80% all there from Ben (Bean) & as soon as it arrived i had second thoughts! I've no clue on turbos whatsoever & although it was a cracking setup nearly ready to just bolt on i moved it on again for what i paid for it as i just wanted something a bit more simple.


So, what next? Something more simple, something easier to work with, something vtec... [:E] [:E] :roll: :roll: :lol: :lol:

IMG-20200609-WA0006 by Paul Cherry, on Flickr

An Accord Type R was spied late one night for breaking local to me...made a few calls & haggled a bit (as you do!) & a few days after an H22a7 was on a trailer, coming home with me after a "required site meeting" with work :roll:
Now, the plan is H2B

I already had a decent Y2 in the garage from a previous car, had sourced a P28 & had some bits & pieces that would be useful towards this build. I had done some research over the previous few weeks, specifically on Ash's H2B build which was the one that got me really thinking. Not to be mistaken...I am not, repeat NOT a mechanic! I can do the basics & i am game to get stuck into anything but this is a whole new ballpark for me :shock: