Chief

Cheers Broon, yeah the caliper's absolutely shot to pieces. Surprised the back of the wheel held up as well as it did, the heat it was kicking out was insane! Someone at work's pointed me in the direction of Bigg Red brakes to do the refurb...anyone any experience of them? And really want to get the mid-spoiler fitted, just a small part of me is a tiny bit reluctant to start cutting in to the boot lid as that's the only panel I've already forked out on having repaired and resprayed... Rest of the parts have started arriving now - ARB, having ordered first, was the last to arrive of the first batch. Cracked the packaging open, and with a bit of paper and my finest GCSE maths it looks like its 22mm dia? I thought the ZS180's were 20mm? Looking to order some poly bushes for it, but don't want to get the wrong ones... Yet another confusing part on this car!

Hi Dave, yeah still got the thing! Not planning on letting this one go any time soon, but it is looking a little sorry for itself at the minute. Promised myself I wouldn't let that happen with this one...and yet, here we are That sucks about the water leak on yours, seem to be like a sponge these things - not really sure where the leak is on mine yet either, but as you say it finds a way in. Was hoping it'd be a relatively easy fix, but now I'm not so sure. Think it's raining, again, this weekend so just going to sit in it looking like a weirdo for an hour and hope I can spot it! Hope you manage to source yours as well! Determined to get it back on the road too, as I've really missed driving it. BMW is comfy, but my god is it boring!

Probably could do with an update this thread... I'll keep it brief as I waffle at the best of times - 14 or so months ago, passenger side front caliper started binding, badly...out of sheer stubbornness after a particularly crap day at work, I just drove home on it anyway with the lovely smell of melting brake pad wafting through the cabin. That was after all of a mile, mile and a half... put it through another 13 after that! Dumped it in the carpark and, after a few drinks one night, ended up buying a 'more sensible daily'. As is always the way, when I buy with my heart rather than my head - that new car transpired to have been advertised rather misleadingly, so its basically swallowed all of the time and money I had set aside for this and the Integra over the past twelve months, in just getting it up to a useable standard... Anyway, in the interim this just sat in the carpark unmoved and largely unloved all of this time. Gave my head a wobble the other week and decided to start giving this some love. Cracked the door open and was met with a very mouldy rooflining... the seats, door cards, the steering wheel etc had a little bit, but the roof was particularly bad. Cleaned it all up as best as I could, and went to fire it up to get the AC pumping again and some heat in there to help dry things out. One thing I hadn't counted on was the alternator bearing going so I was met with much squealing and smoke, before the belt snapped. So, currently on order are two new callipers, new discs and pads (again), new alternator + belts. On a more fun note, I also managed to find a BNIB Pirates Black mid-spoiler with fitting kit (including the paper template!), which is now just waiting to be installed. As the white vinegar mix didn't touch the sides, the skanky roof lining is now completely out and at a retrimmers near here being recovered with new foam and new fabric, just need to adjust the sunroof glass height now its all apart and we're golden... if anyone has any recommendations on new roof speakers as well, that'd be great! I've also bought a second hand MG ZS180 rear ARB that I'm going to get cleaned up and refurbed with new bushes etc, then hopefully get all the suspension arms off and refurbished along with the ARB. Get it all bolted back on and then new coilovers... which seem to have crept up in price a fair bit from the last time I looked - albeit that was 18 months ago...then hopefully have something I can enjoy again. Hate having it tucked away doing nothing! And as it's not right posting without a pic - last one I took of it, as part of the broken b*****d estate gang - why have one decent car when you can have two slightly ropey ones?! :D

Cheers bud - have to admit, it's come up way nicer than I thought it would! Teg... It's a bit of an unknown one at the mo until I get someone knowledgeable to look at it properly! I was sent the onboard by the offending driver in an attempt to make out it wasn't his driving and that something on the car 'just broke', so I've seen the impact which was pretty violent. With the car on a flat floor - I've measured from floor to arch top on both sides and there's about 15/ 20mm difference between them. So not a massive shift, but enough... Panel damage, it's got away quite lightly in that respect, so just the bonnet, passenger side front wing, side skirt, and most likely a door that need replacing. It's absolutely mullered the area just in front of the door, but it does appear to be just this bit and it hasn't rippled the roof or cracked the screen etc, so I'm hoping the majority of the body (A-pillar back) is fine and it's just the chassis leg(s) that need booting back in to place... It's just whatever damage is waiting once the panels are taken off that's worrying me! Thanks mate! Just been reading your thread and not only am I insanely jealous of your part hunting skills, appears we have similar intentions when these get to 25 years old...

Morning all, Been a bit of a while since I last updated this - as it's been yet another bonkers year - but as I've now finished for Christmas, I can sit here and actually finish typing out the update I've tried doing about six times this year at various points! First off, huge belated cheers for the comments chaps - still in love with the thing, and still gawp back at it like I'm an 18 year old ogling my first car. Dave - the small circle thing; not entirely sure, I think it's related to the immobiliser! Managed to finally get the car in to the body shop for a small list of bits; had them look at the c-pillar - thank f**k it's nothing to be concerned about and they have addressed it so it's not as obvious to me and my OCD. They also sorted the 'floor corrosion' the previous owner/ MOT tester kindly flagged for me the first time I got him to test the car... they also cut the rust out the boot lid and repainted the whole panel, and then a full machine polish all over. Not a particularly flattering background, being surround by ex-company car CR-V's, but I think that might be my favourite pic of the car... Came out really well; Then set about addressing the biggest pain in my arse with the thing, replacing the driver's regulator as the plank of wood propping the window up was starting to rattle. Also finally lost my bottle with the steering wheel, and replaced it with an Integra item - as well as replace the gearknob with an Integra item too; ...Origin of them both is a ridiculous story. Condensed version is that the press car Integra was bounced off a tree by a Youtuber/ blogger, lots of internal discussions later it transpired the car was only insured third party(!), which led to more discussions, and then the final decision of 'just scrap it' being passed down. Couldn't let that happen, offered to buy it off them... and somehow they agreed. Which is fecking awesome luck, for once - but potentially have a very, very big bill to sort it out in the New Year. May end up breaking it yet, if the estimates are as much as Honda were quoted. Hoping that in not being a corporation, there might not be as many zeros attached when I enquire... Then I switched roles at Honda, and lost access to the techies and the ramps (which sucks!) so took the Aerodeck to a 'reputable' Honda specialist down here; and I've never been more p**sed off in my life. Whilst they serviced it, did the alignment and replaced the rear trailing arm bushes with the PSB items I got ages ago - they also added more than 70 miles to the clock, left the thing on fumes in the middle of the 'fuel crisis', the passenger side rear inner arch was hanging off and sitting on the tyre, the front driver's side corner has been knocking its tits off since getting it back... and the handling is absolutely horrific at the minute. So if anyone can recommend a decent Honda specialist in Surrey/ Hampshire that'd be a great help. Same goes for bodyshop; if anyone knows a trustworthy, good shop anywhere (happy to travel for the right person to work on it) - I'm in desperate need of a jig to pull the 'Teg straight - few that I've enquired with locally don't have jigs or aren't willing to work with chassis damage and are more interested in panel/ dent repairs. That nonsense aside, next up with this thing is the interior. Need to drop the rooflining and either recover or repair as it's sagged a lot over the rear bench and the sunroof internal panel is sagging now as well. Oddly.

I think it was the original/ standard one - certainly looked it! Really not sure why it would have been switched, but then it's not the first surprise that the car's thrown up so far... After all this back and forth, over the bloody hub, I think I'm going to take it all off next weekend. Gutted, but live and learn and all that!

Replacement part turned up yesterday, and following conversations with the suppliers, we went for the OH-215 kit, or 98' DC2 spec (15mm spline)... and it fits perfectly?! ...absolutely baffled by that as it goes against everything I've read on them up to this point! Does this mean that the column's been replaced at some point, or is it just another quirk of these cars?!

Cheers Kink, love the wheels too - and they were a bit of a bargain. Missed out on two sets on eBay that were less than £200 but they needed refurbs, were on crap rubber and miles away. Then these popped up, recently refurbed, on AD08RS's that were practically new, and all of ten miles from my front door for not much more. Worked out as a bit of a result in the end - for once! Bit of an update on this as three tins of WD40, a crowbar and an afternoon whacking the adjuster plates on the front coilovers seemed to have freed them enough to make adjustments...so it's no longer sitting like s**t! Hurray etc... Also had a new boss kit shipped for the wheel. Turns out that the spline in mine is a '98 DC2 spec, not the EG/96' DC2 spec... who knew?! Either way, the Nardi's on there now, and I'm not sure if I like it! Going to get the original repaired and modified by Royale as I'm not as comfortable driving around without an airbag as I was at 18... Sodding SRS light has stayed on as well, despite the resistor being fitted, so need to address that at the weekend. Fitted a gear shift extender as a bit of trial, as I want one of the K-tuned extended shifters and this seemed like a good, cheap way of trying the higher height. Honestly think it's one of the best things I've done to the car! Have also fitted a BT headunit so I can listen to more than 14 songs at a time, and decked the rear out for the dog with a waterproof 'hammock' seat protector as I was sick of the other half 'borrowing' the car and leaving the rear bench covered in hair, mud and sand... And that's where I'm currently at with it...annoyingly, and somewhat crushingly there appears to be some bubbling at the top of the c-pillar under where the roofbars fit the body. Only mild at the minute, but desperately need to get this in to the bodyshop for a proper opinion as the boot lid is starting to go in a small spot where the number plate recess is too. Boot I can handle, but really, really hoping the pillar is just paint related and isn't terminal - but the way my luck's been of late, I'm not overly optimistic :(

Interesting...that looks nothing like what's turned up - at all! There's a lot more bits in there too. Kink - yeah, was definitely an airbag kit - apparently there should be a resistor in there to jam in the end of the yellow wiring but that wasn't in there either. I managed to speak with the company that supplied it all yesterday, and they reckon that its the right box with the wrong part in it, and it arriving open that someone's either accidently or intentionally switched/ swapped out what was inside. Either way, they're onside that its not the right bit that's turned up so I've exchanged it for another attempt at an airbag kit - will see what turns up this time! Fingers crossed and all that... Cheers guys!

Bit of a random one that's proper left me baffled this afternoon... Original wheel is a bit grim so decided to go for a new Nardi wheel and HKB boss. Did the reading before and bought the EG/ DC2 (airbag) kit. Gone to fit it all this afternoon and the boss feels like its about 1mm too big for the spline. The teeth aren't engaging and I'm able to turn it without the wheels turning, even with the retaining nut back on the column and things tightened. It is the OH-206 kit (according to the box) but it arrived looking like it's been opened so I'm not sure if it's the correct one in the box - as surely that should fit? Or have plumped for the wrong kit? Would have also assumed that with it specifying it was for an airbag model, there'd be something in there for the airbag light delete but that cable is just left dangling in the middle of the hub at the minute... Have attached a pic of the thing offered up... any suggestions on what I'm doing wrong?!

Yeah, all good thanks. Shoulder is giving me grief but having physio for it...so can't complain too much on that front. I don't think? I was genuinely surprised when they wrote it off, the external damage wasn't that bad but it had shifted the boot floor slightly and I think that's what ultimately killed it. Ombudsman have been in touch this morning though, and things are moving on that front so hopefully something good will come of it yet! And managed to get the wheels on yesterday after a good couple of hours spent trying to unseize the eBay coilovers... gave up in the end as the top adjustable plate on all four corners was nigh on impossible to move in either direction, but have managed to raise the rear. Slightly. Think it's about five mil higher...if that. Still sits absolutely horrifically, looking like it's dragging its arse, but the wheels I'm in love with; Front end needs to come down, and the rear up a bit more and I'll be happy!

Annnnd the s**t luck of 2020 continues unabated; genuinely a few days after posting the last update, I went North to see a couple of mates I hadn't seen in ages...and got rear ended on the M1. Depending on how you want to look at it, fortunately I was in the Prelude...however, I'm now in a battle with the insurance company after they wrote it off because of a bent rear bumper, proceeded to undervalue it and are now refusing to budge on their valuation. To make matters worse, I had a random phone call from the chap who bought it as a Cat N asking for the service history folder. I asked him how much he'd paid for it as is, and transpires he'd stumped up more than a grand on top of what I got as a payout despite it having one key, no SH, and somehow no rear bumper and therefore no Motegi lip either. But anyway, cheers for the tip on the PSB bushes Kink - ordered them the other month, and they turned up two days later! Still haven't fitted them mind, but they're here at least! Cheers Broon - can't lay claim to anything behind my shed, but of the two, the yellow one is genuinely more fun :D And thanks for the kind words Dave - thankfully she has found a driving job at the minute with a car auction place and has talked her way in to sourcing a wind regulator for me from the piles of 'scrapped' cars out back... every cloud and all that! Hadn't really done much to this of late as I had been swanning around in other cars from work again, but the other night after a particularly crap conversation with the insurers, I had a proper 'f**k it' moment so bought a set of DC2 wheels, replacement stickers for the rear doors, new BT headunit, new gearknob and a few other bits for it from eBay...had wanted to fit the wheels and play with the ride height over the weekend, but the weather was appalling so they're still wrapped up in the hallway. Nothing revolutionary, but will hopefully update with pics later this week!

Haven't had chance to update this as much as I would have liked of late - largely as the missus lost her job the week after I was wanging on about cleaning this thing... Still, managed to get some bits sorted - chief of which was new discs and pads all round, as the rears were past the wear bars after a weekend's heavy driving with my mate in his FK8...The thing actually stops now, and doesn't wail like two foxes going at it when in reverse - which is always a bonus. I say I sorted it, the chaps in the workshop sorted it and I stood there taking photos... Also had to get the rear box repaired as I reversed in to a kerb that was way higher than first anticipated and I ended up ripping it clean off the mounts... replacing/ repairing it was way more effort than a new back box ever has the right to be. Several phone calls to 'custom' places to be repeatedly told that unless I was after a full system they weren't interested, to other suppliers that had nothing in stock with a week the shortest wait... ended up finding a small engineering firm a stone's throw from our place that plated the holes, welded new hangers on and rehung it so it is now flush with the bumper for less than £80. Two last niggles that need sorting - Window regulator disintegrated the other evening so the window's now wedged on top of three offcuts of wood... So is there anyone local to Surrey that has a drivers side front window regulator kicking around? Or know where to buy one from? Have looked at multiple sites now and have been left none the wiser as they all claim to be correct for the model year, but are wildly different in shape?! Have found one for a Rover 400 from Rimmer Bros, but they have two in stock that look identical, but are around £300 different in price?! Last niggle is the rear trailing arm bushes are knackered...again, anyone recommend a good online shop for bits? Struggling to find anything that remotely lines up...

Cheers guys - yeah, it was good to do the once...won't be doing to that level again any time again soon. My back is still killing me! Haha, yeah it looked awful all of five minutes later when it was covered in pollen, and was covered in bird s**t the following morning...but for those five minutes it looked glorious! Had a read through your thread, what a car. If this turns out half as good, I'd be happy with that!

Thanks mate - pics flatter it a lot!! It's still covered in light scratches and there's paint flaking in places. Going to enquire with our bodyshop at work when we all return...

Thanks guys, they've transformed the car from a handling perspective...but they have now also highlighted how poor the coilovers are, as ride comfort has gone through the floor thanks to the stiffer sidewalls. Hadn't had much opportunity to do much to the car beyond change tyres on it until lockdown and then furlough, but since then I've had a lot of spare time on my hands. Mechanically, haven't done anything other than remove the resonator from the airbox. Managed to get the paint looking a bit better; washed twice, clayed, polished, waxed and then sealed: Just in time for the weather to turn! Also managed to sort the knackered door cards...for now. Absolutely no idea how long it'll hold for, but it seems to have taken well. Currently spraying the grille chrome a high gloss black, both the surround and the badge were too far gone to save. Tried cleaning them up but it just highlighted how pitted the chrome was. Interior deep clean is next, and an attempt to try refeed the leather on the seats, but I think the drivers side base is too far gone... beyond that, shopping list is now stupid long but with everything that's going on, I'm holding off on any big purchases for now...or trying to at least.

Thanks for the kind words guys, really can't take any credit for the Civic...nor the Prelude, just seem to have dropped lucky with these two! Many thanks Dave, really not sure what to do with the Prelude...part of me wants to keep hold of it, as it's just so effortless but then the other part of me is thinking the last 'weekend car' I had was chronically under used and then sold on needing work. Don't want to really put the Prelude through that! Have just sold my Subaru though, which should free up cash for this and other bits so hopefully the updates will be more regular from here on in...famous last words. That said, I've finally got round to changing something on this...might as well start with an important bit; Off with these... And on with these... It'll be nice not to spin the fronts in 2nd gear this evening! Just waiting for a weekend without a storm, and I'll start on tidying the outside. Ride height needs seriously playing with as there's a lot of 'reverse rake' on the go at the minute...

Thanks! Yeah, very pleased with it so far - even the other half likes it. Which is odd, as she usually rolls her eyes at most things I buy! And they are indeed - sadly can't claim any of those behind the Prelude are mine - I work at Honda UK and that's a small section of the PR heritage fleet. I'm just fortunate enough to get to play with them on occasion...and more importantly have access to the valeting bay!

Hi all, Figured as every query I've typed in to google has brought me to this site that I might as well sign up and try contribute something at least! Picked up a VTi-S Aerodeck about a fortnight ago as a new daily and haven't stopped grinning since. Needs a tiny bit of tidying here and there, but it's all largely cosmetic - one of the former owners loved a carwash by the look of the swirls in the paint, the rear door cards are wilting a touch, minor cig burn in the passenger seat, slight nik in the rear bumper, oh and a child appears to have drawn (in permanent ink) on the b-pillar, roof liner and c-pillar but other than those niggles it's all straight enough. Sub 100k (just...), FSH, comprehensive folder of receipts, clean history and to top it off a bit of a bargain price. Think from my rough workings, it's averaging 31mpg - which is about 10mpg better than the last estate I ran, so that's another bonus too! The last owner of this was an MOT tester for Honda, so mechanically it feels tighter than newer cars I've driven as he put a lot of time, parts and love in to it! Haven't got round to doing much other than putting fuel in it and commuting so far, but I have restored the headlights (small, relatively cheap fix at least!) and I have created a healthy excel spreadsheet to work through of both jobs and parts I want for it. Car's largely standard, save for a rather mute aftermarket cat back exhaust and some generic ebay adjustable coil spring kit. Rides, rather surprisingly, exceptionally well on them. Genuinely staggered by how comfy it is...was half expecting to have binned them already, but apart from the concrete sections of the M25 its soaking up most surfaces very well. That said, combined with the Nankang tyres, I haven't dared wind it on at any point save for a straight line, but the sound gets me every time. Mid-90s BTCC soundtrack in an estate, what's not to love? But anyway, some pics: And a quick one of what was originally my daily, but it was another car I dropped lucky on and is far too mint to be using every day - hence the need for another. That, and it's getting increasingly hard to shoe-horn a growing Labradoodle in the back of one of these; Will try update this as I add/ do stuff to the Civic, but I need to move some cars on first before starting to spend more on this...otherwise I think the other half will, perhaps rightly, murder me! Cheers, John