CIVIC Rally Car Ideas!!!

[happycamper]

Hey Beyond! Haven't posted many times before, but would like some advice or ideas if you have the time. I am really interested in trying to get a civic rally build going! I have seen some pretty impressive stuff done before with civic hatches. My goal is to find a SUPER cheap car to start with, spend almost nothing on parts or upgrades, and get some rally skills going. I know that almost stock civics can be VERY effective for rally and autocross. Finding a car is being a little bit of a challenge but I'm looking for a ef hatch for around $200 to $400 (I know it super cheap - but that's the point).

http://calgary.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehi...AdIdZ255791519

http://calgary.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehi...AdIdZ246251064

If there is anyone out there with cheap civic let me know I want to prepare this civic for this:

http://members.shaw.ca/jdascollas/school.html

After I may keep the car and build it up a little more or just get a new one.

Is it possible (or safe) to do this? what can I do to prep this vehicle for this? and Does anyone have a car they want to get rid of? I know this would be a challenge and I am looking forward to it!

[cjay^]

Cut the roof off

[94boosted]

Your going to need a much larger budget than just $400, if you want a car that won't fall apart and/or blow the motor after the first turn of your first race that is.

[bituerbo]

Your budget is too low. $1k minimum for a car that runs.
Rally will be out of the question, even if your budget were 5k. You'll spend that in safety equipment alone, not including the cage.

[Idiot Stick]

What they said. I'd look at getting an AWD wagovan from the states too if you were serious about it.

But your budget seems a bit low...

[happycamper]

Thanks for the advice! And yes - I know my budget is way too low. That was part of the challenge. Sorry, I'm used to going to http://www.jeepforum.com - where you can get by with a $300 build. I understand that all of the safety equipment required for a real rally car is very expensive. But my goal is to get something running and if it turns out to be a keeper, then i can play with some upgrades. Sorry I wasn't very clear in my original post. Anyway, looked at another one today

http://calgary.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehi...AdIdZ258311175

Its just a cx that wont run (but seems fixable), with some nice seats in the front. How easy is it to replace an alternator btw? Instead of towing it, can I throw in another alternator?

Thanks again!

[kvg]

It's probably not an alternator problem.

[happycamper]

Starter works, Alternator stopped a couple days ago. I think the two cylinders stopped shortly before this alternator problem.

[OBDIIM50]

Horrible idea.

[happycamper]

Originally posted by OBDIIM50
Horrible idea.

Look, I don't have a lot of cash - and I'm trying to have a little fun and learn something. If you don't have any passion or the appetite for challenge and adventure, please don't reply to this post. Thanks for trying though.

[streethondas]

Sounds like a good idea to me.. But I do agree budget is too low.. Should have a b series with LSD to get things going!

[J-hop]

OP not to sound like a huge canoe and tromp all over your ideas, but I think if you are asking how hard an alt job is then your budget is way to low because I'm assuming you are not equipped to build a rally car and are going to have to either pay a shop to do a lot of the work or learn and equip your workspace. I am not a great mechanic by any means but in the first 4 years of getting into working on cars I dropped nearly 5k on equipment alone and I don't even have anything special in my garage. Rallying is also one of the more expensive motorsports IMO so anything short of a 10k budget as an INTRO into the sport is too low if you want to really enjoy the sport IMO.

As a starting point before you get serious with rallying may I suggest you participate in a snow cross event (if they have any more left this year) or I think trail of the Gnu you can enter as an amature.

[Tezzating]

Unless your mechanically inclined, have ready access to a workshop and can get spares for cheap, I wouldnt go for any of those beat Civic's. The cost to repair just the listed problems for any of them would blow your $400.

At their age and condition I would, at the minimum, be doing fuel, air & oil filters, trans fluid, engine oil, clutch fluid if its hydro, brake fluid, brake pads, probably rotors, spark plugs, plug leads, distributor cap & rotor, injector cleaner, main relay rebuild, replacing shocks.

Your idea isnt a bad one, but you'll need a much bigger budget and you really need to start with a better car (Not a $200 beater thats not running)

[happycamper]

OK, cool... Well I still really like that $200 EG that doesn't run. I am going to pick it up today. I like the idea of a b18, so I plan on swapping in a used b18 non-vtec (vtec if i'm lucky i guess - but it can wait). I have seen some selling in the market place for around $600, which would work for me. If anyone has anything like that - I would be very interested .

[happycamper]

Or, could it be a good idea to grab a b18 out of an integra from pnp?

[happycamper]

Hi again!

I have towed the civic to a place where i can tinker with it (a bodyshop that I work at). It turns out that a couple months ago, oil was spilled all over the engine compartment. soon after, it started running on only 2 cylinders. The previous owner was driving it like that for two months until one morning, it didn't start. I haven't been able to spend a whole lot of time on it, but here is what I know. There is no spark. I tried another distributor, still didn't go. And the battery is good. The PO said that it was the alternator, but I don't think that would stop it from starting (It looks pretty clean too). Any thoughts on what it could be. Anyone have any similar oil spill - related starting issues? Thanks for your help!

[J-hop]

my first course of action would be to go through and check ALL the fuses, then work your way through the ignition system ensuring your coil is getting power etc. I don't think oil would conduct electricity very well so chances of it shorting something out are slim, however it could eat away at harnesses in the long term.

[happycamper]

Thanks J-Hop! I'll check all of the harnesses for oil. I tried some degreaser on the engine - but that stuff is caked on really good.

[happycamper]

Lunchtime at work, got the valve cover off to take a look and found a bent valve and you can just see that the timing belt is loose. Anyone have any tips for changing the belt? Never done it before. I guess buying a civic that doesn't run is a good learning experience for this stuff.

[94boosted]

Good luck OP but as has been said get ready to spend much more coin then you are planning too lol. When I swapped a turbo talon motor into my N/A talon i budgeted $3000 and ended up spending over 6k to get everything running properly and I did all of the work myself (less the electrical).