So, learn me honda

Specifically 88 civic hatchback dx auto.

I'm going Saturday afternoon to look at it. Guy has asking price of 200, and is willing to assist with getting a title.

Supposedly drove to where it was parked hacking and sputtering a few years ago.

My mind goes two ways, assuming that the title actually exists and can be gotten : flipper or challenge car. Either way, I have to know what I am looking at so I can buy it right.

If title proves nonexistent, what kind of value does it have?

So learn me the 88-91 civic hatch, please.

Check to see if it has rocker panels and rear fender arches. Yes?---> Buy it.

Also, make sure that you use Loctite on that little screw that holds the rotor on the distributor shaft.

If the body is straight, I'd snatch it up. Those aren't getting any easier to find these days.

Dirt cheap to run. Manual conversion is easy. Cable clutch, linkage on the Trans. Shifter is a bar.

So, what donors for the 5 speed?

And, at worst, a complete rust free chassis with no title should be easy to get my money back from, right?

Any Honda Civic with the "D" engine will have a useful transmission for you. Hydro clutches (post 92) need you to buy a master cylinder bracket. A Civic VX or CRX HF has the gearbox to get if you can; that way you spend less than 90% of your time in 5th gear.

Do the automatic transmission suck that bad? Like, could I keep it with a turbo d16 for the challenge? And options for flappy paddles?

A Hondamatic is an acquired taste. It's not a GM Hydramatic converter + planetary setup. It uses five independent clutches, one for each of the four forward gears and one for reverse, and acts a lot like an automated manual, locking up in each gear. I don't know how much power it'll take.

So, does that mean that it would be suitable for autocross if it lives? My autocross in an automatic experience is strictly limited to a gm 700r4.

Somehow, this idea keeps getting better.

I know that there is a joke about these being spec civic in some autocross class. What is the setup there?

Also, turbo kits seem cheap on ebay. Any good links to a challenge friendly turbo build?

LMK if you get it. I have a Honda service manual for it, yours for $free plus shipping. Because driveabeater.

It was a straight, rust free sedan. Bought it for $100. Now I need to figure out how to get it home. Doesn't run, and when cranking sounds like it has a dead hole.

Hopefully this isn't as bad of an idea as it currently seems. I'm already suffering buyer's remorse.

up here in saltland non rust free but solid rollers go for 6-800

Hmm... anyone in salt land want to come get it?

I don't know, hopefully I'll feel better about it tomorrow or when I get it to the shop.

I have an 86 CRX with an automatic. It's not a penalty box to drive with the auto vs the stick (had an 85 HF 5spd before). I've thought a lot about keeping it auto and adding power, but the thing i never looked into is how to make it hold 1st gear longer. IIRC the shifter only has a '2' position and still shifts out of first at stock rpm level (6500ish iirc?) which would probably be low if i tried to make it faster.

It doesn't totally suck!

is it me or are many honda automatics quite clunky and shift hard? Ive mostly only driven 4 cylinder automatic Honda/Acuras and they seem that way. I've been tempted to throw on a rear sway bar and the re-71r's on my integra to take to an autox on a d series civic just to see what I can do with it...but also worried about it holding up outside of daily driving

The 4 speed auto on my parents 2001 odyssey seems a lot smoother

Buyer's remorse on a rust-free '88 Civic hatch for $100. Yowza. I would gladly take it off your hands if you were close. It would probably fit end to end with my MR2 in one bay of my garage. But I'm not keen on the 440 mile tow.

Well, it's just becoming more and more of a bad idea. Guy at work offered me my money back, and is willing to eat the cost of retrieval. It's a load off my mind to not have to deal with it.

I think I am done with new projects for a while. Between wife and kid, two pro touring cars, two daily drivers, two jobs, and customer cars on an occasional basis, I don't have the time or mental capacity for any more.

Yep, sounds like you should stick with what you got and leave the $100 rust free civics to people who can't actually afford pro-touring builds, just as a courtesy.

I can't really afford pro touring builds either. Well, not the current state of the art ones anyway.

I agree that I just need to stick with what I got. Or at least something I actually want.

At least it will not be hard for you to get rid of that..