[ Heinous Honda ] [ Suspension ] [ Drivetrain ] [ Miscellaneaous ] [ Racing ]
This web page documents the purchase and development of my 1986 Honda Civic 1500S (canadian model) for daily driving and CACC H/Stock Autoslalom competition, from 1997 to 2001. Some adventures went outside H/Stock legality, yet they are documented here are well.
After watching some sports car racing at Mission Raceway Park, I wanted to get involved – especially since there was an older Civic there all done up for racing (see 1G Civic). I had owned two older Civics in the past, and seeing one tricked out really excited me. I intended to buy another early Civic, but I couldn’t find one in decent enough shape to warrant an investment of my time and money. Instead, I ran across this ’86 Honda Civic 1500S in the “beater aisle” of what appeared to be a sleazy used car lot (check out the business card and draw your own conclusion). It was rough, very rough, but I could see potential. After a long, heated debate with the seller, I took it home for $600. I only post their business card here because the company has since gone under.
The first thing I had to do was clean it up so I could see just what horrendous piece I had bought.
I took the entire interior out, and steam cleaned the carpets and seats. Scrubbed everything else clean, and it started looking pretty good. Scrubbed down the paint, too. It was almost pretty. …Almost.
It was an Ontario car, and as eastern cars go, this one was on it’s way. Rust is pretty rampant. I had never seen an oil pan rust through before!
I replaced the oil pan, fuel tank, brakes, one CV axle, and repaired the usual broken and/or missing things like headlights, wipers, bumpers, etc. (the first of what would become many repairs), and tuned it up. All set!
I toyed with this car from late summer of 1997 to summer 2001. I experimented with a variety of modifications, many of which are “backwoods” approaches. Most were met with varying degrees of success, all of which are documented here.
At the present, I have removed a lot of the listed modifications. As an inexperienced autocrosser, my driving skills were either not good enough to handle the car I had built, or the car just plain did not handle well in an autocross. I’d like to think my driving was at fault. I returned the car to compete in H/Stock, and have maximized all allowable mods for Stock by my regional competition regulations.
- Accel Super Coil (free modification)
- Jacobs 8.5mm Spark Plug Wires (free)
- 2″ Exhaust – not factory equipped with cat (free)
- RCI 5 Point Harness (free)
- Jaz Turbo Pro Racing Seat (1 point)
- 5BC 2.5 lb Fire Extinguisher (-1 point, offsets seat point)
- Tokico Illumina Struts (free)
- P185/60R13 Toyo Proxes RA1 (free) – New for 2001 season
- Lightspeed Racing 1″ Rear Sway Bar (1 point)
The Project Ends!
The Heinous Honda was sold in stock form (with the Tokicos) in the summer of 2001 to a young guy heading off to college. It was his first car, and I hope it treats him well. He sure got a heck of a nice car for the price!
“Heinous Honda… you will be missed …and continually feared”
– L.Y., VCMC H/S competitor
Disclaimer
As a cautionary note, please be sure that you know what the heck you are doing if you try to duplicate what I have done. I am a competent welder, designer, machinist and mechanic. I am not responsible in any way for your actions. You have the right to accept or reject any information given here, and you probably should get a second opinion anyway. Just because you “saw it on the web” does NOT mean that it is right, smart, logical, safe, practical, correct, or truthful. Use the brain you came with, or borrow someone else’s if you have to. If you have questions, be sure to email me.