2013 Honda Fit daily driver/adventure-mobile build

[Chantastic]

Hey everyone,

I thought I'd make a build thread. I've never done a car this focused on practicality before but looking at my past cars, I was always looking to increase utility wherever I could due to the nature of my profession. So here we are. 2013 Fit Sport, 5spd, in Blue Raspberry Metallic (also known as Cool Turquoise).

End goals:

- build a fun daily driver that can carve corners and have reasonable straight line speed
- build a vehicle for long distance roads trips, complete with a bed in the back

Mod list so far:

Exterior

- Enkei RF-1 – 17x7 +38 on 205/40/17 Bridgestone Blizzak WS80
- Enkei RPF1 – 17x7 +42 on 205/40/17 Falken Ziex ZE950
- Muteki SR35 red lugs
- 3M over hood (full), fenders (full), A-pillars (full), mirrors and up the roof
- plastidipped rear valence
- OEM gold badges
- yellow fog light film
- PIAA HB2/H4 Extreme White headlight bulbs
- black window visors
- MBRO tails
- Zoom Engineering convex mirrors

Interior

- KTuned delrin shift knob
- 3D Max all season front mats, Spidermax rears
- OEM JDM red hazard switch
- OEM door sill covers
- OEM cargo cover
- OEM all weather trunk mat
- OEM block heater
- 08 Civic Si front seats

Engine/Drivetrain

- Hasport 62A rear transmission mount
- HKS Racing Suction intake
- HKS Silent Hi Power axle back exhaust

Suspension

- Progress rear sway bar

Day one. Purchased the car in BC, and drove it back and had a blast on the twisty roads

bc1.jpg

First problem identified on the road trip home - a seriously sloppy transmission mount. Thankfully Hasport is a thing. I had some fun with a make shift photo booth with this one. I would highly recommend this mount to any other Fit owner who has a manual. The whole car doesn't bounce around anymore with the bobbing transmission!

hasport2.jpg

Another thing I identified was the need for convex mirrors. This is another mod I'd recommend to anyone, Fit or not. I went with Zoom Engineering convex mirrors, that are also blue to drastically reduce high beam glare. This makes driving much safer all around (you just have to keep in mind that with this mod, vehicles are much closer than they appear on BOTH sides, even the passenger side that was already convex is now even more convex). Top photos are stock, bottom photos are of the Zoom Engineering mirrors.

mirror layout.jpg

Now I had zero plans to modify the stock motor (K swap hopefully in the future) but I came across some HKS goodies at a price I couldn't resist! The intake adds some extra, much needed oomph in the mid to high end range. The exhaust helps on the high end as well, and as the name would imply, this is a seriously quiet exhaust. You'd only notice it at idle if you are in a garage or parkade. On the highway it is noticeable, but bearable. This is key for such a build. At wide open throttle it is definitely noticeable and fun.

HKS Racing Suction Intake

DSC_2453.jpg

[Chantastic]

HKS Silent Hi Power axle back
DSC_2476.jpg
DSC_2741.jpg

In prep for winter I picked up some 17x7, +38, Enkei RF-1's from @frozenrice (these would eventually be paired with Blizzak WS80, 205/40/17)

DSC_2340.jpg

For summer I picked up RPF1's from @Disoblige . I had to get these wrapped on Falken Ziex ZE950, 205/40/17 for future lowering

DSC_2731.jpg

This day was the first real test of the Fit's utility, and it did not disappoint! Eight 17" tires, four 16" tires, four loose 16" rims, and still room for one passenger!

DSC_2570.jpg

[Chantastic]

Swapped out the tails for some MBRO units. Unfortunately a day later 3 of the led's in a strip all died (anyone reading this willing to tackle the repair?)

tail layout.jpg

DSC_2637.jpg

Ordered OEM gold badging. They really take in the surrounding color, so sometimes they look almost yellow, other times almost orange

badge layout.jpg

DSC_3014.jpg

[Chantastic]

I've never been so impressed with a car before. I thought my RSX trunk was magic. This thing is witchcraft! Five foot tall fridge, and a dolly, with room for a front passenger! Ok, I nearly had to saw his legs off, but he managed

fridge1.jpg

fridge2.jpg

Managed to pick up a set of Evo VII Recaro seats. Mounted on Bride RO rails. Currently working on getting the airbag lights to all go away and it has not been fun.

DSC_2949.jpg

And now getting on to the long term plan for the car - building a bed for long road trips! I frequent between Calgary and Vancouver often enough that it is justified. One day I'd love to go a lot farther, and if I'm going solo then this is how I'd like to do it. For a detailed build thread on the bed, please click here: https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/2nd-...bed-build.html

DSC_3147f.jpg

DSC_3103.jpg

[Chantastic]

Storage room underneath the boards. Those are the factory 16" rims. All the boards fold up so you can access underneath easier.

DSC_3135.jpg

DSC_3021.jpg

Pretty comfy I must say. I used a 4" sheet of foam to go across. You can also use a small air mattress with the added length from the folding headboards. I am 5'10, and I say there's just a bit over 6' of room.

DSC_3112.jpg

If anyone has ideas for cooking on the go (I've been looking into Jet Boil), or ways to keep it warmer in the car at night I'm all ears. I bought some privacy shades as well, which are pretty great.

sunshade layout.jpg

[Chantastic]

I also built a bike rack from a fork mount and a piece of wood. This is an adult sized mountain bike and there is enough room for two passengers in this arrangement.

bike.jpg

[eglove]

I loved my fit when I had it. Just wish it had more power. A K in one of these would be amazing!!

[speedog]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

I've never been so impressed with a car before. I thought my RSX trunk was magic. This thing is witchcraft! Five foot tall fridge, and a dolly, with room for a front passenger! Ok, I nearly had to saw his legs off, but he managed

fridge1.jpg

fridge2.jpg

Managed to pick up a set of Evo VII Recaro seats. Mounted on Bride RO rails. Currently working on getting the airbag lights to all go away and it has not been fun.

DSC_2949.jpg

And now getting on to the long term plan for the car - building a bed for long road trips! I frequent between Calgary and Vancouver often enough that it is justified. One day I'd love to go a lot farther, and if I'm going solo then this is how I'd like to do it. For a detailed build thread on the bed, please click here: https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/2nd-...bed-build.html

DSC_3147f.jpg

DSC_3103.jpg

You and Arash should hook up, fuck, the world could be a changed place if any of your can do attitude rubbed off on Arash.

[Disoblige]

Very nice. You are definitely using this Fit to its full potential and then some. Would not be surprised if you added a roof rack to this for a spare tire and other road trip supplies.

All I can think of is this is the little engine that could, lol.

[Chantastic]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

I loved my fit when I had it. Just wish it had more power. A K in one of these would be amazing!!

Didn't know you had one! Apparently the K24 out of the latest, pre turbo Civic Si's is the one to have for proper electronic communication.

- - - Updated - - -

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

You and Arash should hook up, fuck, the world could be a changed place if any of your can do attitude rubbed off on Arash.

Uhhh, who is Arash???

- - - Updated - - -
@Disoblige Ya man a power upgrade is definitely needed! Especially for top end highway passing. And a roof rack is definitely something on my radar. Not uncommon for me to be carrying large sheets of wood - would be great if I didn't have to cut them to fit in the trunk.

[tonytiger55]

Great pics and writeup.

The Fit is on my list of next vehicles.

[ExtraSlow]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

The Fit is on my list of next vehicles.

My fit is the most versatile vehicle I've ever owned, and that's out of a list of 20+ vehicles.

[jaylo]

I had an Element in the past and I thought that thing was amazing but seeing this Fit, it can fit things similar to the Element in terms of cargo space.

[88CRX]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

I had an Element in the past and I thought that thing was amazing but seeing this Fit, it can fit things similar to the Element in terms of cargo space.

The Fit can 'fit' a lot of stuff but its not nearly as large inside as the Element. The Fit does however drive like a super car compared the Element haha.

[jaylo]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

The Fit can 'fit' a lot of stuff but its not nearly as large inside as the Element. The Fit does however drive like a super car compared the Element haha.

Yes, there's something about the Element's suspension or maybe the center of gravity or it's boxy toaster body.

The trailing arm links and sway bar bushings were the first to go and had it replaced but didn't make any improvements.

[Chantastic]

Thanks @tonytiger55

The Element caught my attention, particularly when I found out about the dash mounted shifter - it would have been like a big version of my old EP3! Actually when I had my EP3 lots of people actually thought it was a Fit. Anyway I wanted something that I knew I could toss around the corners, and with more aftermarket support than the Element. Unfortunately it seems like this generation of Fit has the least support of the three, or at the least amount of North American information out there.

- - - Updated - - -

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

My fit is the most versatile vehicle I've ever owned, and that's out of a list of 20+ vehicles.

Yep. My only complaint about space is that the cargo cover isn't one of the new, pirate scroll ones.

[mr2mike]

If anyone is selling their Element for a Fit, let me know.

[jaylo]

Other than the wind noise on the highway, I owned an Element for 8 years and no issues except for replacement of the sway bar links.

Low mileage Elements are hard to come by and they are great with the real-time AWD.

[Hallowed_point]

Very cool build. K20Z3 swap would be unreal

[Disoblige]

Someone buy my Fit lol. I use it for cheap highway runs but otherwise just sits around.