91 accord general fix up and questions

[Phish]

ok everyone. you might have gotten a million threads like this but here goes.

im definitely new to cars and new to fixing them but heres the scoop.

i just got a 91 honda accord from my sister. my family did the classic, my dad gets a new car, she gets his old and the little brother gets the POS old clunker. but im really glad to get it cause i love a good fixerupper.im going to enlist my cousin to help me get this thing lookin/running alot better.

Heres the Specs. its all 100% Stock and pretty beat up. lets list the things wrong with it.

Specific Things:
235k milws on it
A/C is shot
rust holes on the back wheel wells

General Things:
looks like crap
runs clunky

What id like to do:
possibly LED lights
Get rid of the crappy interior fabric stuff. (looks horrible)
new seats
cool shifter
new dash gauges/panel
and thats just to start.....

so heres the big questions.
what can i fix and most importantly can i do it for cheap? i love the car but i just make it look better? its kinda a dump so i dont know if theres alot i can do about making it run better but im a college student and dont have much extra cash.

any little things i can do to it for free like little tune ups by myself or other things like that are really the best.

again, i dont know much about cars but i think this is going to be the jump start i need.

thanks alot in advance!! im new to the community but ive herd so many good things about this site!

[bobbycos]

start off with the mechanical first and foremost. everything else will be cake.

worst thing is to have a car all fixed up appearancewise and not run

welcome to the club

[blue91accord]

well for one you are in the right place..so welcome to the site...i was /am just like you as far as being a student( i got my cb in high school) and fixing up your car on a serious budget..my advice to you is spend as much time on the site as possible especially since you are new to cars in general...research research research and do what you can.. almost everyone of my mods has come from the junkyard or craigslist and its always under 100. ..read all the diys and b4 you do anything check the site for a guide..pics...advice to help make your job easier heres a list of cheap junkyard things you can do: 1. acura legend lip 2.h23 intake manifold 3. a6 cams 4. a4 header 5. integra headrests 6. interior swap 7.taillight mod ( either stain red or tint) 8.blackhouse headlights 9. 88-91 prelude steering wheel just a start but everything is cheap and makes a difference

[STL_92_Accord]

First off welcome to the site. Unfortunalty you inherited a car that was not taken care off. If you a worried about the apperance than clean it for one. Clean the whole car inside and out. That you can do yourself. As far as mechanical goes, save your money hit up the local junkyards and craigslist for parts and other shit. Read up, trust me most people are on a budget so the more that you can do yourself the more money you will save.

[Gotz Cb7]

Yes, the local junkyard is your best friend.

As for the shape it's in, like any Cb7 owner should, and would tell you...is that keeping your car well maintained, and maintenanced on a schedule....is a modification. Kid's get these cars, all beat up...and start throwing intakes, exhausts, rims, colorful....worthless shit for the car. It's like seeing a rusted out 88 Oldsmobile Sierra with 20" spinners on it.

Your best bet....is to replace all the OEM stuff (stuff that belongs on the car, but it's broken...or on it's last limb). Fluids, Oil change, Spark plugs, Wires, Filters, Flushed Radiator, all fluids are topped out and fresh, Light Bulbs, all the normal stuff. What's the sense of putting performance parts on a car that's on it's last limb? My dad always told me putting money into this car was worthless, and a waste. Everything I've done to this car, has been a benefit. (Except the Ebay coilovers). My dad didn't take much care of this car. I mean, the body was excellent, the interior was excellent..just, maintenance. When he said he'd give it to me, and bring it up to Wv for me...it had...

-only 1 headlight worked.
-fog lights didn't work. bumper turn signals, didn't work.
-beer cans everywhere
-tires, looked like they belonged on a Nascar (worse than bald)
-rims used to be silver. At the time, they were black. (brake dust).
-antenna bent to hell.
-exhaust had 2343242 holes in it
-stereo...trash. Worked, but barely.
-last oil change was 8,000 miles ago.
-about a cup of anti-freeze in the radiator (was green, came out brown)

A few more things, but....I had all of that replaced before anything. Maintenance, maintenance. It's like kids tryna turbo a car that has an overheating issue, and leaks oil everywhere. Get that stuff first before anything.

Good luck man. Just takes time, and some effort. Welcome to the site.

[Phish]

oh man! thanks alor fot th awesome support guys! i definitly didnt expect a response like this. im really pumped for fixin this now. its commin back from the shop with an oil change, fix oil leak, new tires, cleaned breaks, cleaned all the shit out of it and just general maintinance.

so heres the list of things im looking to fix up first. (in not paticular order)
1.) antenna is nonexistant
2.) new hubcaps (nevermind rims xD)
3.) new stero and definitly needs speakers (2/4 works and notwell at all)
4.) a way to somehow tack up the rear finder thats falling off from the back wheelwell rust.
5.) new pair of mirrors or at lease a passenger side one to fix the cracked one.

where can you find all this stuff. im going to start looking on craigslist and ebay. anywhere else like special dealers i should know of?

and with 235k miles on it im not so sure how much longer its going to be driving. my dad says its gonna go forever so mine as well drive it until it cant go no more. whats the verdict on that?

[CB7Reflexs]

Yo dog welcome to the site. I think you should do a JDM F22B DOHC Head on a USDM F22A1 block with 75shot, when you get out of college. Oh yeah do a 21/2 catback as well....

[91 EX-R]

Well, it's good to see you've done a bunch of the general maintenance first. That's the best thing you can do when you first get a car. Good job.

Before you worry about any of the things on your list, just make sure the car is in good running condition, and always have a bit of money off to the side in case something goes wrong.

As for the list,

1. Go to a junkyard. Accords are in junkyards all the time so parts are relatively easy to find there. You can find stuff on Craigslist sometimes too.

2. Junkyard/Craigslist

3. Go to Wal-Mart and pick up a cheap Pioneer deck and speakers. It's pretty decent stuff for someone on a budget.

4. The quarter panel rust is a problem that a lot of us have. I suggest getting it fixed, but that can be pricey. You could always use 2 sided tape to hold the bumper up. LOL

5. Junkyard/Craiglist


And as far as the mileage goes, as long as you keep up with the basic maintenace and tune-ups, it'll be fine. Keep all things like oil changes on a schedule. If you stay true to it, these cars last forever! There was a guy up here who had over 500,000 KMs on his car! That's over 300,000 Miles!

Good luck.

[plee3]

First off welcome! yeah man, the normal rutine maintenance. I just got my CB 2 weeks ago and I completed mostly all the normal stuff and the car is running fine. After you have been rolling good go ahead and do your extras! The junkyards will be very helpful to you. Even though I still havent came up on a Acura lip in the yards yet! LOL!

[Phish]

4. The quarter panel rust is a problem that a lot of us have. I suggest getting it fixed, but that can be pricey. You could always use 2 sided tape to hold the bumper up. LOL

acutaly i had it put up with ducttape just as a joke and its pissimg me off that its been falling off.

and im glad to see that its still got some time left in it. xD