CB7 Project

[CRX Toad]

My wife in I are in need of a 4 door vehicle as we are adopting two kids that are 5 and 4. They are kids of a friend of ours who's dad has substance problems and the kids have lived in 7 different states and DSS has taken them several times. My wife and I fell in love with them. The problem is we have no family car, 2001 Accord coupe (no good for kids), CRX (1 extra seat) and a F350 Powerstroke 4dr (have you seen diesel prices).

I have a couple 90-93 Accords so the plan is to build one the way I want it and rock it out for the family truckster. I am starting with a 93 LX auto and converting it with a 93 EX motor and manual transmission. Also I am not fond of the tan interior and will be swapping the gray interior out of the 92 EX.

Originally it felt like a build but now it feels more like a restoration. It is going to mostly stock AC/Heat, radio etc to make it a nice family vehicle. I have a set of CL spindles to upgrade the front brakes. Also pulling the EX rear disc and putting them on.

The 93 motor I am going to go through and rebuild the bottom end and check the head to make sure it is true. I want to make sure it is reliable so no matter who is driving it there is no worries.

I believe I will also pull the subframe so that I have the manual subframe to put back in the auto car so I don't have to mess with redrilling mounts. Tie rods, ball joints, bushings and whatever else may need replaced.

Here are a few shots of the progress so far. So far it has been a fun build as I have all parts right at my disposal.

[deevergote]

Looks good.

There's no need to worry about the subframe, however. I assume you're converting the LX to manual, correct? The only thing you have to do is cut out the transmission mount bracket from the EX and weld it in place of the LX's bracket. If you don't want to bother with that, www.explicitspeedperformance.net makes a conversion mount that eliminates the need for welding.

Everything should be fairly simple. The F22A engines are all pretty much identical, so the only thing you'll have to swap over and wire will be the IAB control box and the ECU...

Also, if you're swapping over the brakes, you'll want to get a 40/40 prop valve from an Integra... unless you want to attempt to swap over the ABS stuff. I don't know anyone that has elected to attempt that among this crowd. It's certainly doable, but nobody here has bothered doing it to my knowledge.

[PointBlank]

Any reason your going with the LX platform and not the EX?

[CRX Toad]

I do not like sunroofs. And the LX was in the best shape body and paint. The Maroon EX is in great shape as well, but I don't drive red cars. I know that seems ridiculous, but it is just the way I am. Even a good friend tried to talk me into the Maroon car but I just won't do it.

You are correct I am converting the LX to manual. I have not updated any pictures but I have, used to be complete, F22 sitting on the engine stand completely torn down right now awaiting machine shop work.

I did see the ESP mounts my concern is with the vibration carried back into the cabin with poly mounts. It is going to truly be a family truckster I need it to be more civilized, which kills me because I DD a CRX and road race (closed circuit tracks) my other CRX. I enjoy the raw emotions of a car. My 65 Mustang is raw emotion.

I am not swapping over the ABS as they annoy me anyways, but I have 290v (ABS) booster and MC along with 11.1" Honda brakes on my CRX, which was stock with 205v, which helps immensely with slowing things down in the turns. So I may see what I can do there with boosters/MC/prop valve. I will be putting on the CL front and the EX rear brakes. I do have several 4040 prop valves "in stock". I am a bit of a parts whore. I am also a sucker for keeping it all in the Honda parts bin with brakes.

What is all the deal I see about drilling the auto mount to fit the manual mount? Then I see welding the mount?

The intake air bypass should not be an issue. What are you saying needs to be wired on the ECU just the IAB or everything?

I appreciate the feedback.

[deevergote]

The only wiring necessary is for the IAB. Given your experience, I assume that will be no problem.

I've never heard of any redrilling for the mount. The only methods I know of converting to manual are to use the manual bracket (welding) or use a conversion mount. In addition to ESP, I believe I've read that Hasport makes one as well. It might be worth contacting both companies, as they're fairly small companies, and asking if they could make a conversion mount using a softer rubber, rather than the hard urethane.

[CRX Toad]

Yeah the IAB isn't big deal depin ecu and wire it in.

My brothers work at HaSport they don't have anything of that nature. I'll just take one off and weld it on.

[CRX Toad]

Block and Rear Door Handle Swap

Well the block is ready to go to the machine shop. They will plate hone it (unless it needs more but is doesn't look like it), polish the crank, and mic everything for me also check the integrity of all the components. The head will be disassembled and clean up the valve seats, new valve seals, and I will port match and clean up the intake/exhaust ports with a burr/rolls/tapers.












I also put the rear door handles on the front. The passenger side I was not happy about as the pin doesn't lock in like the drivers side. I pushed it out with my finger. I took some material way (very little) from it and put in a hair pin cotter to hold everything in place while allowing free movement. I also left the plastic bushing in there but I did have to cut it down some. A smaller cotter could have been used and accomplished the same thing.

[Accrdwgnguy]

damn that block was pretty well used, did you find it on the Titanic?

[CRX Toad]

Also what are most using for head studs? H23?

[CRX Toad]

damn that block was pretty well used, did you find it on the Titanic?

Yeah, it was right next to all the brass.

It has been sitting for I'd say 3-4 years. Hence the trip to the machine shop. It was actually the lowest mileage of the 4 engines I have.