Neville....born from speed.

superhatchsuperhatch Moderator
I got a new wagon!

Current Status 12/28/19:
RT4WD 6-Speed manual conversion
D16Z6 head
D16A6 block
Speedfactory no-notch Vitara piston/rod combo 75.5mm pistons
Golden Eagle block guard
ACL bearing kit
ARP headstuds
Cometic 0.30 head gasket
Bisimoto 2.4 cam
Supertech valve springs & retainers
Supertech valves +0.5mm
Supertech valve guides
Supertech valve stem seals
Stage 1 P&P
AEM cam gear
Rywire OBD0-1 D series harness
RC 750cc injectors
Walbro 255 fuel pump
Hondata S300 v3
Skunk 2 intake manifold
B16 throttle body
Go Autoworks mini-ram horn exhaust manifold
TIAL MV-SA wastegate
TIAL Q 50mm BOV
Comp turbo CT3 5858 T3 .63 ar
Ebay intercooler (backdoor modified)
Ebay charge pipes
ACT Stage 4 clutch
Exedy new OEM flywheel
Mishimoto 1/2 radiator
3" custom exhaust
Vibrant resonator/muffler
15x7 Enkei RPF1
Rays lugs
Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R 205/50 (50% tread lieft)
Skunk2 Pro-S II coilovers
Innovative traction bar w/ radius rods
DA Integra knuckles/Spindles
DA Integra calipers
Accord 15/16 MC
EBC Green Stuff pads
EBC slotted rotors
Goodrich braided brake lines front and rear
Skunk2 Adjustable front upper control arms
Skunk2 Adjustable rear upper control arms
Hardrace bushings front/rear LCA
VIP Rear diff bushings
Corner balance by Big Bear Tire
Quaife steering rack 2.83 turns LTL
AC/PS delete
EDM rear interior
EDM seats
EDM door cards
EDM 8k EF cluster
EDM power mirrors
EDM clear corners
EDM rear taillights
EDM window visors
EDM rear fog[/FONT]
JDM sunglass/maplight console
JDM underseat storage tray
JDM red hazard button
USDM lower Console
USDM armrest
USDM Prelude fog lights
USDM Integra lip
USDM roof rack
USDM Accord tape deck & cd player

Some of the images might not be working since the website move. If so here is the folder: https://goo.gl/photos/6JJTpQHNWWzMGvQE8

I get excited when I go to buy old Hondas. The problem with this is that I often take the car at face value. Add to that I'm usually 2000+ miles away when I'm picking it up and the start of a new adventure kind of electrifies my senses and smooths over any issues that I notice in the next few days of ownership.


With that said...this is the story of Neville. The 1991 Honda Civic Wagon that got it's name when it crested 100+ mph on the historic Bonneville Salt Flats. It wasn't all historic location and smiles though and that's where the story will start.


Day 1 6/30/15


Caitlin and I were supposed to both arrive in Sacramento at 9:30, meet the seller at 10:30, do the deal and leave at around 6 am the following day. I got delayed for 3 hours in Seattle so that plan fell apart as the minutes ticked by. A new plan formed and we were going to meet the seller at 8:30 am the next morning and go from there. The seller was great, his family was great, and the smell of a 4th gen Honda in the morning was great. We went over the details of the car, went for a test drive and the sealed the deal. We were on the road by 10:00am!

A quick note about this cars history. The seller had bought the car 2 weeks prior from a board member on civicwagons.com but then found out he was having another kid and decided he had to sell the wagon only weeks after owning it. I was in touch with both the current and previous owner prior to the sale and felt good about picking it up. Back to the story...

Day 1 was a quick jaunt from Sacramento to SLC. A 9 hour, 650 mile ride. We headed out and before we knew it we were climbing into the Tahoe National Forest and hit the Donner Pass summit at right about 7,000 feet. From there is was a decline and 80 mph on I-80 into SLC. Although we were told that the oil had been recently changed I checked it on our first fill up and it was 1/2 way between the dots on the dip stick and black as night. It looked like it hadn't been changed in a year. That put me on alert and I checked the coolant too which looked like they took the other 1/2 quart of black oil and dumped it in. A stop in Reno at a Jiffy Lube cost $197 for a coolant flush and oil change. (Current total extra cost $200...we'll keep an eye on this through the story) We stopped at the Salt Flats on our way out just as the sun was setting. Took some amazing photos and took Neville on his first high speed run, cresting 100 mph out on the flats.

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We had a great time out on the flats and after a quick fill up at the local gas station we started our last short leg into SLC. Unfortunately luck was not on our side and as we were coming into SLC the tachometer blinked out (my first thought was distributor) and then the rest of the dash started to dim and as we coasted to the corner of 400 W, 600 So....the car died.

I spent forever trying to find a flatbed to come pick us up (4WD y0!) and 2 hours later the car was being towed to the hotel parking lot...8 blocks away.

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Current total extra cost $300.

I tested the battery and found it at 11.4vdc so I knew it was dead. It was either the rectifier in the alternator (no battery light on the dash) or a bad battery. After getting to the hotel 2 hours later, the water pressure died after I got done with my shower and luckily there was a shower down in the 24h pool area so Caitlin showered and we took a dip in the pool. So ends day 1.

Day 2

I got up 5 hours later, grabbed the battery, got a cab (total extra cost $320) and headed to Autozone. The guys there said that the battery would take 2 hours to charge if it was good, or I could wait 30m and find out if the battery was good or not. As the battery was nearing 4 years old and I didn't have 30m-2h to wait (at this point were about 6 hours behind on the trip) I bought a new battery ( total extra cost $440). Cab ride back to the hotel and the car started up and was showing 14.4v! Bonus, the alternator is good. But a free check at Autozone would be worth the 10m drive. I pulled into Autozone and rechecked the battery and it was at 12.4v. Boooo....the rectifier was bad. The only good thing was that as long as the revs were above 1.1k the alternator put out 14.4v, so neutral at stop lights, keep driving, and disconnect the battery overnight and we were good to go! Before I left Autozone I thought that I should do plugs and wires as the rest of the car maintenance seemed to be lacking in a bad way. (total extra cost $500) Well as I pulled out the first plug I noticed that there was some oil on the plug and it looked fouled. #1 and #3 both had oil present, and #2 looked like there was oil there at some point.

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A valve cover gasket kit later and we were in business. (total extra cost $530) We left SLC 6 hours behind schedule but the car was running better than it had up to this point. We aimed East and started climbing into the Rockies. I'll say this...a 1.6L motor which had 108hp when it left the factory 25 years ago doesn't do so well at 11,000 ft. We hit the summit and dropped 6,000 feet down to Denver and hit town around 10:30 and had a nice late dinner at the Stout Street Social ( http://www.stoutstsocial.com/ ). We walked to our hotel downtown from the restaurant and crashed for 6 hours getting back on the road at 6 am for our final day.

Day 3

Ahhh...day 3. 14 hours of planned driving which turned into a 20 hour day. We planned on this to be the blerg day and it was. Denver to Wisconsinr in one go. We did well enough, stopping at some roadside attractions along the way and ending up in Omaha around dinner time. Caitlin found the most amazing last minute place to eat: Modern Love ( http://www.modernloveomaha.com/ ) a vegan restaurant headed by a chef who started in NY, went to Portland had some books and a TV show along the way and ended up in Omaha. We were lucky to get to sit at a window bar for 2 which they keep open for walk ins. They were booked from about 5-8:30 so getting these seats really made the experience the highlight of the day. Homemade soda, amazing food and a desert later and we were back on the road.

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We hit the largest truck stop in the world (aka indoor fast food and all the made in China knickknacks you could ever dream of) on the way through Iowa and powered our way home getting in at 2am Saturday morning.

So that's the story of how we got Neville to his new home. The next post's will mainly be about progress on the car and adventures to come.
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Comments

  • superhatchsuperhatch Moderator
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    This car needs some TLC. Correction...needed some TLC. It's gotten some, but needs a lot more. Some of that came out of necessity while we were driving it back, but there is a lot more that's needed to really make this car what I want it to be. With that in mind I'm going to make this post an initial list of issues.


    1. Vinyl stickers. (Removed 7/5/15)
    2. Rear hatch struts blown. (Replaced 7/5/15)
    3. Drivers window 90% broken. (Tightened assembly and lubed...90% fixed. 7/5/15)
    4. Coilovers/Shocks in rough shape. I'm going to start by lifting the car up about an inch and see if the KYB struts are actually blown, or just overtaxed by being so low.
    5. Front end suspension bushings worn. Will be replaced by OEM/Aftermarket parts.
    6. No spare tire! Get a spare tire.
    7. Pass rear rust. There is a rust bubble that needs to be taken care of but more than that the entire ridge of the fender has some rust on it under the plastic that needs to be taken care of. More rust in the rear wheel arches than I expected.
    8. Drivers rear rust/dent. There is a dent in the front of the drivers rear wheel arch, this not being taken care of has led to some rust at the edges of the dent which spread up the wheel arch and on the rear door.
    9. Front windshield chips.
    10. Flush transmission. I'm assuming that the condition of the oil and coolant means the trans fluid probably isn't in great shape.
    11. BRAKES. How someone drove on these is beyond me. They have about 20% left on the pads and if you brake hard the warped calipers rear their head. If you keep your distance, and brake slow and easy you can slow down, but this will be one of the first things changed. Upgrades will be 89 Accord LXi MC, Hawk HP pads, new slotted rotors, braided brake lines.
    12. Exhaust has a leak somewhere which is growing as the car is driven. Custom 2.25" SS will be built. Not sure on muffler yet.
    13. Headlights have condensation in them. Re-seal and upgrade bulbs.

    This is my initial list of things to do. As I do them I'll make posts at some of the bigger milestones. Ideally I'll do an OEM rebuild of a D16A6 and throw it in at some point. Here is to the new project!
  • superhatchsuperhatch Moderator
    So...this car had way more issues than I expected for the price I paid. I was a bit disappointed with the overall mechanical shape of the car. It's a bit more of a project than I expected, but looking forward to sharing the journey with you guys!
  • BillBoardBillBoard council member
    No way!!!! I can't believe it!!! I never had an issue with that car- I drove it from Spokane to Idaho to Colorado & to the mountains relentlessly without issue!!! I can't believe it needed all this work & on your drive no less. I am so sorry! I feel really really bad about it. The oil shouldn't have been due for an oil change for like another 3000 miles! It passes with flying colors every time I took it to the dealership. As for the suspension those struts probably blown- but I always thought it rode great?!?! And the brakes??? I only was driving the car once a week? I never thought twice about them??!

    i do have some bits & pieces for this car I need to ship to you though.,. The original manual & some rear clamp things for the rear interior...
  • BillBoardBillBoard council member
    I have been following your journey as people were snapping pix of you on the freeway & posting them on Facebook... I assure you had I know these issues I wouldn't have sold it in that condition, but I trusted the dealership here & thought it was good to go...
  • superhatchsuperhatch Moderator
    I'll PM you my address. I need to get you your plates back too. :)

    My wife thinks she curses my trips because the 2 shes come on have ended in cars on flatbeds at some point, but if I go alone I always have no issues. I told her I'm just only good at picking cars 50% of the time. The interesting thing is that the guy I picked it up from in Cali said he got the oil changed right after it was dropped off. So not sure what happened there either.

    Did you pick up that third gen in AZ!?
  • BillBoardBillBoard council member
    superhatch wrote: »
    I'll PM you my address. I need to get you your plates back too. :)

    My wife thinks she curses my trips because the 2 shes come on have ended in cars on flatbeds at some point, but if I go alone I always have no issues. I told her I'm just only good at picking cars 50% of the time. The interesting thing is that the guy I picked it up from in Cali said he got the oil changed right after it was dropped off. So not sure what happened there either.

    Did you pick up that third gen in AZ!?

    Yeah I picked up a 3rd gen in Phoenix. It was terrifying, as Im sure you know the feeling. Basically your flying some where to hopefully drive an old car home. AND praying that it makes it. There was one part where traffic backed up and we were going up hill and the cars temperature gauge started to near the red zone, but we trucked through and began going down hill and the engine cooled off again. But we made it without major issue! So I feel super awful that your trip didnt go as smoothly. :nightmare:

    pm'd you... will ship some things your way tomorrow.

    pix people sent to me on Facebook.... Catching ya rolling
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  • arries289arries289 Wagonist
    Yeah condition was not as expected, but the reality is cars are rarely 'as described' as there is always something needing work at this age of vehicle....you still have a excellent quality car with, hopefully, need of just minor work. I paid more than I would have liked for my 89 RT4WD and I found lots of maintenance issues, but the car was unmolested, very minor rust, and interior was mint. Good luck and I look forward to see what you do with it.
  • superhatchsuperhatch Moderator
    Billboard: I remember that guy taking a pic. Lol. Yeah ascending to 11,000 feet wasn't super fun. This car likes the low altitude of Wisconsin.

    Arries: Too true. I've got a really solid foundation and the interior is near mint. I'm all positive from here out. I think on the drive, in that moment it was easier to see the negative and now I just see the positive. :)
  • CharbCharb Administrator
    Glad she's in good hands. One of the cleanest wagons I've ever ridden in.
  • superhatchsuperhatch Moderator
    Suspension parts are in, waiting on brakes (on backorder).

    Koni Red Struts.
    Eibach Pro-kit.
    Goodrich braided brake lines.
    Motul Brake Fluid.
    EBC Stage 2 brake kit (pads + rotors)

    Once the brakes come in I'll do all the work. Right now the car is up on jacks just waiting for the brakes to arrive.
  • arries289arries289 Wagonist
    [QUOTE= Right now the car is up on jacks just waiting for the brakes to arrive.[/QUOTE]

    Mine has been on/off jackstands since Sept last year! Careful of the jackstands!
  • I've been traveling every week for the last 3 months. Progress on the car has been slow, but I am making progress.
    Today I took care of two things that were bugging me: The mystery chrome bar on the back of the car, and the not-quite-right fit of the rear fog lamp.

    Rear bar:
    This was put on at some point, by someone who owned the car but nobody is sure who did it. It's actually quite handy but also doesn't fit with the car's aesthetic at all. It was a pretty simple task to remove the bar. I started by pulling off the rear hatch plastic and having a look inside:

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    After wedging a 10mm wrench up there I realized there was a hole which would fit my 1/4" socket driver and after that it was pretty quick work. Bar was removed, holes needed to be cleaned and plugged.
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    Found some 1/4" automotive plugs at the hardware store, sealed with clear silicone, and done!

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    Project 2! Get the rear fog light to fit better. Some dremelling of the hole made the black housing fit much better.


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    One of the wires was crimped with a solid connection so I also cut that and put in a plug type connector. Some silicone and a scientific approach to holding the light in place and 30m from now it should be nice and snug.

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    The larger project:

    Skunk 2 upper control arms.
    Skunk 2 lower ball joint.
    DA Knuckles/Calipers.
    New front hubs/bearings.
    10.5" EBC stage 2 brake upgrade
    Goodrich Braided brake lines.
    Koni Sport suspension (orange)
    Eibach Pro-kit springs.

    I've got to bead blast the knuckles and calipers next week, paint them, buy a press, press everything and then it should be rolling again! As it sits, parts waiting:

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    Soon.
  • Very cool....should ride nice.
  • So, after a debacle with Eibach springs not working I ordered some coilovers. After looking around I settled on the Skunk2 Pro S II. I also added the rear camber kit from Skunk2 since I had the front as well. Why not.

    I took the koni/eibach suspension off the wagon and put it directly onto my friends Si (he just got it days ago, the crappy exhaust is coming off this weekend. It was stored in a bar for 15 years!):

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    After those were swapped over I finally got to mount all the new goodies:

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    I took it out for a drive and it felt great. I need to get a full alignment done which will happen next week probably, until then I'll just enjoy the fact that it's back on the ground!

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  • Next up will be collecting bushings and picking out some new wheels. I'd like to take the suspension back apart this winter and bead blast everything I can, which I should have done before but I only did the stuff I got from the yard. I <3 bead blasting btw:

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    Etching primer and two coats of paint later. (calipers got caliper paint.)

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  • HaydzHaydz Moderator
    Coming along very nicely.
    I think I need to invest in a media blaster.
  • Haydz wrote: »
    Coming along very nicely.
    I think I need to invest in a media blaster.

    +1...Superhatch, the wagon is looking good! We all need a media blaster...lol!
  • Looks amazing. Loving it!
  • I got lucky that the guys at work are all motor heads so they have some separate beads in a bucket we can change out whenever were doing carbon steel stuff. Now I just look at all my suspension parts and think about bead blasting everhting!

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  • Looks really good. What happened to the quarter panel around the door?
  • Not sure. Damage from previous owner.

    There is a little rust on the other quarter panel as well. All will be fixed over the winter. :)
  • Suspension is fully installed and it's currently at Big Bear Tire in Oconomowoc, WI for 4 wheel alignment and corner balancing.

    Full suspension/Brakes list as of 10/11/15:



    Skunk2 Pro S II coilovers
    Skunk2 Pro Series Plus front upper control arm
    Skunk2 Rear camber kit
    New L/R Moog lower ball joints
    New L/R inner tie rods (aftermarket)
    New L/R outter tie rods (aftermarket)
    '93 DA Integra front knuckles (bead blasted and coated)
    '93 DA Integra front calipers (bead blasted and coated)
    EBC Stage 2 'Green Stuff' brake pads and rotors
    Goodrich braided brake lines


    Initial winter plans:


    Replace exhaust
    Buy D16a6 for turbo build
    Clean up Engine Bay
    Remove Alarm
    Install Amp/Aux input for phone connection
    Find used RPF1, black.
    Full claybar/wax/polish
    Find manual swap donor
    Find rust free rear quarters, replace rusted areas
  • RevmaynardRevmaynard Council Member
    I'm really glad to see someone taking care of this beauty! I look forward to the updates!
  • Updates! :P

    Corner balancing. If you have coil overs do this. It's amazing how much more settled the car is once this is done. I love that the RT4WD wagon has a 50/50 weight distribution with this coilover setup. Once I start auto-xing the car I'll get a re-balance with me in it...that's probably in 2017 though. Before on the left, after on the right.

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    Camber specs:

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    Over the winter if I do bushing replacement and put on some new wheels and tires I'll see how it feels and might have it readjusted.
  • Winter parts have started to arrive:

    Hardrace EF bushing kit:

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    VIP RT4WD bushing kit. Mid kitten attack.

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  • Block came in today. On it's way to Benson's for a sleeve job shortly.

    http://www.bensonsmachine.com/

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  • Nice, what's the cost on that, I'm looking to get the same thing done.
  • I got the block for 130ish on Ebay, but only that low because it "needed to be honed". They usually go for about 200-300 depending if they have a crank or not.

    Benson quoted me $1400 to hot tank, bead blast, sleeve, do all the checks and ship it back to me. Not sure where he ranks in terms of price as I didn't get quotes from anyone else, but his work is supposed to be second to none.
  • Yeah I've heard that about Benson that's why I was considering his sleeves above any others as well. Good to know that he does all that. I keep an eye on the local junk yards for motors so who knows maybe I'll get lucky. I saw you were mentioning an A6 before for the turbo build. Is the Z6 gonna be that? If so what type of pressure are you planning on running with it? I'd imagine with it sleeved you'd be able to hold some pretty high boost on it.
  • BillBoardBillBoard council member
    Love where this build is headed!!
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