New member, long time Honda owner
RustyH
Band Wagon
Greetings from Phoenix AZ. I was browsing around, discovered this forum and decided to check it out. I’ve got a 1981 Honda Civic Wagon, 1.5 motor with a manual 5 speed transmission. I got the car in 2006 and have been working on getting it back on the road off and on since then.
I bought it from a certified Honda mechanic who had gotten it from the original owner, his grandfather. The mechanic had then given it to a nephew, who proceeded to drive without any oil and seized the motor. The mechanic had no time for the car anymore and I bought it for $350.
Overall the car is in very good shape. It’s a California/Arizona car, so no rust AT ALL and outside of some very faded paint and a really disgusting carpet, overall its nice. When you shut the door, it’s almost like being in an old VW Bug, that’s how tight this car is.
The paint is the original green metallic with a tan interior. The body is straight with no dents or dings. The chrome plastic window and drain rail molding is shot so I think I’ll be doing without it. The wagon even came with Honda installed A/C!
Here’s what I’ve done so far.
I’ve replaced the seized motor with an orginal 1.5 JDM motor that supposedly only had 14,000 miles on it. I pulled the head on the new motor to replace the head gasket and everything looked brand new. I replaced ALL the gaskets, O-rings, water pump, timing belt, ect. I removed the intake and exhaust manifold off the bad motor, cleaned them up and installed them on the new motor. The Honda mechanic had told me the carb had been rebuilt shortly before the motor seized, so I’m hoping it’s still good.
The flywheel was in good shape, so I kept it and added all new clutch components then bolted on a rebuilt 5 speed manual transmission that I found here in Phoenix for $375, including my core charge. I guess they figured they weren’t going to get many calls for 81 civic trannys.
I’ve installed new motor mounts, bolted up a new A/C compressor and receiver/dryer and the only thing left is to install a new distributor, hook up the wiring, add fluids and hopefully, start the motor.
I recently drained the gas tank and got about six gallons of gas that had been sitting in the car the past four years. I’ll be adding about half a tank of new gas in the next couple of days. I rebuilt both front and rear suspensions, including new bushings and Monroe struts in the front and shocks in the back. I also rebuilt the braking system front and rear with new pads, rotors, shoes, drums, hardware and rear brake cylinders.
I've got some photos, but it isn’t much to look at right now, still up on jacks, hood off, interior filled with parts, new seats and stereo stuff, but if I did everything right, it should be a pretty good little wagon.
I bought it from a certified Honda mechanic who had gotten it from the original owner, his grandfather. The mechanic had then given it to a nephew, who proceeded to drive without any oil and seized the motor. The mechanic had no time for the car anymore and I bought it for $350.
Overall the car is in very good shape. It’s a California/Arizona car, so no rust AT ALL and outside of some very faded paint and a really disgusting carpet, overall its nice. When you shut the door, it’s almost like being in an old VW Bug, that’s how tight this car is.
The paint is the original green metallic with a tan interior. The body is straight with no dents or dings. The chrome plastic window and drain rail molding is shot so I think I’ll be doing without it. The wagon even came with Honda installed A/C!
Here’s what I’ve done so far.
I’ve replaced the seized motor with an orginal 1.5 JDM motor that supposedly only had 14,000 miles on it. I pulled the head on the new motor to replace the head gasket and everything looked brand new. I replaced ALL the gaskets, O-rings, water pump, timing belt, ect. I removed the intake and exhaust manifold off the bad motor, cleaned them up and installed them on the new motor. The Honda mechanic had told me the carb had been rebuilt shortly before the motor seized, so I’m hoping it’s still good.
The flywheel was in good shape, so I kept it and added all new clutch components then bolted on a rebuilt 5 speed manual transmission that I found here in Phoenix for $375, including my core charge. I guess they figured they weren’t going to get many calls for 81 civic trannys.
I’ve installed new motor mounts, bolted up a new A/C compressor and receiver/dryer and the only thing left is to install a new distributor, hook up the wiring, add fluids and hopefully, start the motor.
I recently drained the gas tank and got about six gallons of gas that had been sitting in the car the past four years. I’ll be adding about half a tank of new gas in the next couple of days. I rebuilt both front and rear suspensions, including new bushings and Monroe struts in the front and shocks in the back. I also rebuilt the braking system front and rear with new pads, rotors, shoes, drums, hardware and rear brake cylinders.
I've got some photos, but it isn’t much to look at right now, still up on jacks, hood off, interior filled with parts, new seats and stereo stuff, but if I did everything right, it should be a pretty good little wagon.
Comments
No pics, what color?
my brother just picked up an 81 wagon same color. they are cool looking.
how about taking out that meowmerycard...
if any...
Hopefully I can get some good quality pics up in the next couple of weeks.