robali123 Posted November 23, 2021 Share Posted November 23, 2021 Hi everyone. I've been lurking here for a couple of years now, had a tired MB3 as my introduction to the 5th gen civics, even for a s**tbox i loved it. So here I am 2 years later with an mc1 aerodeck daily drive and i've just recently bagged a MB9 Aerodeck which i'm going to clean up and possibly engine swap down the line. Heres the old beast the day i got it home. (and yes thats the old mb3 to the left, now a generous organ donor!) I paid £300 in the end. I viewed it late one evening so couldnt get a good look underneath but after poking around the next morning i could only find one tiny spot of rust under the drivers footwell. All the sills and wheel arches are somehow spotless! Really cuffed wit that so on with the first job... The drivers door had been bent round knackering it, plus the hinges and wing panel, i've got my old mb3 as a donor car so swapping them out was a must before the winter weather leaks into the interior. Aligning the door to fit smoothly was a pain and its not quite perfect yet but it at least shuts and seals out the rain better than before. I have a cleaned up dent free wing to go on too. --- I wasn't sure where to go from here, with the weather changing I thought getting the suspension and brakes stripped made most sense as i can clean up and refurb them indoors! After a good clean and sand I gave everything a few coats of 'Buzzweld Rust Encapsulator' I've been using it for a few years on the underside of my vehicles, it's great stuff and seems to keep the rot at bay, highly recommend them for paint. Waiting on black topcoat to arrive. --- Eventually suspension will go back on with new wheel bearings, ball joints, upper control arms and new hardware. The bushes all look ok to leave for now. With regards to coilovers, is anyone running the cheapo £300 ebay specials? Are they awful? I've got 2nd hand MG shocks on my daily, made such a difference to the ride I might just look out for another set for this build. --- That's it for now, more to come after payday! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr_broon Posted November 28, 2021 Share Posted November 28, 2021 Hi mate, welcome along (I was a long time lurker before posting as well). Sounds like you've got a good base there - nice one for getting stuck in to keep it sound - handy to have the donor there as well. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted November 29, 2021 Share Posted November 29, 2021 So cool to have a donor car aint it, makes replacing parts so easy. Good work so far mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan1 Posted December 3, 2021 Share Posted December 3, 2021 Looks like its coming along nicely! RE the cheapo coilovers, I'd defo wouldn't risk it with the deck. The extra weight at the back may make them struggle/sit really low! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickg Posted December 3, 2021 Share Posted December 3, 2021 Love it cant wait to see progression Coilovers ...... £300 ebay specials pppfffttttttt Prosport lzt are great lovely ride can go stupid low or practical height and the dampers are adjustable........ sub £200 these get glowing reviews and seem to be the go too with people buying them fresh when they get another deck Mine have been on my car a year and a half (previous owner fitted) and they arent hanging with rust , the springs clean up like new So after all that waffling yeah prosports Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickg Posted December 3, 2021 Share Posted December 3, 2021 These are set maybe 2/3 from top on the rear and 1/4 from top on front Took a 3 seater couch (chopped up and i have a boot sound system) in the rear to the tip and speed bumps werent an issue 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickg Posted December 3, 2021 Share Posted December 3, 2021 (edited) When you have her in bits take your scuttle off and have a propper dig around the bonnet hinges , you might find the seam sealer isnt attached anymore so good time for preventative treatment as they rust there realy bad. Mine looked great still had paint and sealer just dirty but once digging it was very rusty, still solid so cought in nick of time. Had the screen changed and fella said much the same as under the screen edges was rust free thank good ness (check out jurassicgarage on youtube fell shows you whats left which isnt alot on his vti-s deck) Whip your skirts off and check the rear jacking point area under the plastic , not great there for the good old tin worm lol Check rear wheel well for water ....... think they left the factory letting water in lol if it is give us a shout as there are a few good bits where they leak and think i had to do them all which wasnt fun The main man big dave noticed there is seam sealer where the floor meets the bottom of the firewall and like all the other seam sealer they are starting to fail and getting rusty there , mine was just starting to come away so big thanks to dave for the heads up on that (dave is an absolute fountain of knowledge and a realy nice chap) Edited December 3, 2021 by Mickg 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robali123 Posted December 14, 2021 Author Share Posted December 14, 2021 On 12/3/2021 at 6:20 PM, Mickg said: When you have her in bits take your scuttle off and have a propper dig around the bonnet hinges , you might find the seam sealer isnt attached anymore so good time for preventative treatment as they rust there realy bad. Mine looked great still had paint and sealer just dirty but once digging it was very rusty, still solid so cought in nick of time. Had the screen changed and fella said much the same as under the screen edges was rust free thank good ness (check out jurassicgarage on youtube fell shows you whats left which isnt alot on his vti-s deck) Whip your skirts off and check the rear jacking point area under the plastic , not great there for the good old tin worm lol Check rear wheel well for water ....... think they left the factory letting water in lol if it is give us a shout as there are a few good bits where they leak and think i had to do them all which wasnt fun The main man big dave noticed there is seam sealer where the floor meets the bottom of the firewall and like all the other seam sealer they are starting to fail and getting rusty there , mine was just starting to come away so big thanks to dave for the heads up on that (dave is an absolute fountain of knowledge and a realy nice chap) yes to all the rust related advice! as this is my third civic i knew most of those spots for rust, the windscreen scuttle i haven't checked yet, looking like it might have to wait till january now with the bad weather and christmas coming up. On 12/3/2021 at 6:09 PM, Mickg said: Love it cant wait to see progression Coilovers ...... £300 ebay specials pppfffttttttt Prosport lzt are great lovely ride can go stupid low or practical height and the dampers are adjustable........ sub £200 these get glowing reviews and seem to be the go too with people buying them fresh when they get another deck Mine have been on my car a year and a half (previous owner fitted) and they arent hanging with rust , the springs clean up like new So after all that waffling yeah prosports thanks for that i'll check them out, in no big hurry to get things done on it as i dont have much in the bank for it at the moment! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robali123 Posted December 14, 2021 Author Share Posted December 14, 2021 On 11/29/2021 at 11:30 AM, Dave said: So cool to have a donor car aint it, makes replacing parts so easy. Good work so far mate its a blessing and a curse(for my partner!), originally i kept the donor for bits on my daily. it was days away from going to the scrap yard then i bought this one so its destined to stay. I know if i send it i'll need a random part that is a pain to source the very next day. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robali123 Posted February 8, 2022 Author Share Posted February 8, 2022 Managed to get some more of chassis treatment done. Both front arches now rust treated and given two thick coats of gloss chassis paint, once the front suspension components are back together i plan on treating the rear arches, In the process of dechroming the headlights as well, photos to come when they're all done 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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