My mid engine RWD turbo CRX
07-17-2009, 10:58 AM
#1
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: mckinleyville, ca, usa
Posts: 174
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My mid engine RWD turbo CRX
Hey guys, wanted to share my project of the last few year and get some feedback. The videos of my origional project have been blowing up on Youtube and I've been getting a lot of questions about the setup so here are some pictures of the project
The idea for this project came in mid 2008, shortly after completing a turbo setup in my Integra daily driver. It made 210 whp and 210 lbs of tq out of a stock b20b. I managed a 13.01 1/4 mile with full interior, but only with slicks. I not only wanted something faster, but more unique. building on the bone stock turbo b20 idea (I already had a spare one) and the fact that I enjoy fabrication much more than bolting together stuff, I decided that I would attempt a gutted mid engine RWD crx. the goal was a stock(ish) looking POS that i could drive to the strip on street tires, and keep up with some decently fast cars. I figured this was my chance to actually do something different instead of a different combination of the same bolt on parts...and maybe even have a chance at some traction! I set out with a budget of less than 400$ to find as cheap of a crx as possible to start my project.
The origional project is complete, but this post will cover the process that I went through. Pages 1-6 contain pictures of the origional conversion with the b20b turbo powerplant. the b20 made 280hp and 240 lbs of tq to the rear wheels using hondata. Complete with a full tank of gas, the car weighs 1900 lbs. I was able to pull a 12.08@115mph quarter mile on 8/22/09 at my hometown dragstrip Samoa, Ca. (www.samoadragstrip.com)
------------------------2010 Verson 2!!!---------------------
After what I would consider a sucessful 2009 drag racing season with the car... wintertime rolled around again and I started kicking ideas around of what I could do next. My daily job leaves me with a lot of spare time in the dead of winter, so It wasnt long before I started dreaming of other things I could do with the car. An engine with forged internals was definitely first on the list, followed by suspension, paint, intercooling system, and a general cleanup of some of the origional systems that were hacked together to make the car run. pages 7 and on have pictures of the second, or V2 build. Paint, new motor, more boost, even made it in Honda Tuning magazine!
-Caleb
As alway I love the feedback, Enjoy!
-Caleb
some oldschool videos of V1
some videos of the completed origional project (Verson 1)with the stock b20.
The trip to the dyno
I miss second gear in this vid but you still get the idea...
More youtube videos can be seen at:
http://www.youtube.com/user/zimsplat
The idea for this project came in mid 2008, shortly after completing a turbo setup in my Integra daily driver. It made 210 whp and 210 lbs of tq out of a stock b20b. I managed a 13.01 1/4 mile with full interior, but only with slicks. I not only wanted something faster, but more unique. building on the bone stock turbo b20 idea (I already had a spare one) and the fact that I enjoy fabrication much more than bolting together stuff, I decided that I would attempt a gutted mid engine RWD crx. the goal was a stock(ish) looking POS that i could drive to the strip on street tires, and keep up with some decently fast cars. I figured this was my chance to actually do something different instead of a different combination of the same bolt on parts...and maybe even have a chance at some traction! I set out with a budget of less than 400$ to find as cheap of a crx as possible to start my project.
The origional project is complete, but this post will cover the process that I went through. Pages 1-6 contain pictures of the origional conversion with the b20b turbo powerplant. the b20 made 280hp and 240 lbs of tq to the rear wheels using hondata. Complete with a full tank of gas, the car weighs 1900 lbs. I was able to pull a 12.08@115mph quarter mile on 8/22/09 at my hometown dragstrip Samoa, Ca. (www.samoadragstrip.com)
------------------------2010 Verson 2!!!---------------------
After what I would consider a sucessful 2009 drag racing season with the car... wintertime rolled around again and I started kicking ideas around of what I could do next. My daily job leaves me with a lot of spare time in the dead of winter, so It wasnt long before I started dreaming of other things I could do with the car. An engine with forged internals was definitely first on the list, followed by suspension, paint, intercooling system, and a general cleanup of some of the origional systems that were hacked together to make the car run. pages 7 and on have pictures of the second, or V2 build. Paint, new motor, more boost, even made it in Honda Tuning magazine!
-Caleb
As alway I love the feedback, Enjoy!
-Caleb
some oldschool videos of V1
some videos of the completed origional project (Verson 1)with the stock b20.
The trip to the dyno
More youtube videos can be seen at:
http://www.youtube.com/user/zimsplat
Last edited by zimsplat; 07-08-2015 at 07:51 AM.
07-17-2009, 01:54 PM
#7
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: mckinleyville, ca, usa
Posts: 174
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: My mid engine RWD turbo CRX
anybody have some good input about liquid intercooling? my new engine setup will definitely be including it....
Trending Topics
07-17-2009, 02:05 PM
#8
Re: My mid engine RWD turbo CRX
Nice work man. Looks like a fun car to beat on.
Have you pushed it on fast corners much? Does is oversteer when you're not on the throttle? swaybars?
Have you pushed it on fast corners much? Does is oversteer when you're not on the throttle? swaybars?
07-17-2009, 02:22 PM
#9
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: mckinleyville, ca, usa
Posts: 174
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: My mid engine RWD turbo CRX
it handles decently actually. when i first put it together it was a little on the scary side. After i fixed the camber and toe all the way around things got better. the real breakthrough however was when i added 2 degrees of caster to the front end, which really made the car feel a lot more stable at higher speeds. I have a feeling that the welded differential is the main culprit in the remaining oddities in the handling :-)
07-17-2009, 04:38 PM
#14
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: mckinleyville, ca, usa
Posts: 174
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: My mid engine RWD turbo CRX
Some "Before" Pictures
1989 HF
the car was a total POS when i got it with this project in mind. Check out the costom battery relocation the last owner did lol.
First step was to rip off the ugly *** body kit that was attached with drywall screws..
This will be in here only long enough to pass smog...
1989 HF
the car was a total POS when i got it with this project in mind. Check out the costom battery relocation the last owner did lol.
First step was to rip off the ugly *** body kit that was attached with drywall screws..
This will be in here only long enough to pass smog...
Last edited by zimsplat; 07-17-2009 at 06:04 PM.
07-17-2009, 05:08 PM
#15
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: mckinleyville, ca, usa
Posts: 174
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: My mid engine RWD turbo CRX
The next step for my planned mid engine conversion was to find a doner vehicle's front core support to use as a jig to line everything up in the back of the crx. I was blessed in the form of a FREE 1990 civic 4door from a friends back yard, as long as I agreed to take the rest of the car to the junkyard. A fun and sawzall filled afternoon with from friends produced the desired result of front core support including, suspension, motor mounts, front crossmemember, some 13's for a later burnout, and even a d15 I threw on the ground...
the junkyard was a little confused when I brought this in, Ha ha
the junkyard was a little confused when I brought this in, Ha ha
07-17-2009, 05:24 PM
#16
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: mckinleyville, ca, usa
Posts: 174
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: My mid engine RWD turbo CRX
my plan for getting the rear suspension streight in the car was relatively simple.
1) Level the car, and measure the center point of the stock rear suspension with plumb bob, and the fender gap at the desired ride height.
The doner core support was completely stripped down to the bare minimum. the steering rack was removed in favor of small 1/8' steel brackets to hold the stock tie rods straight, and as much excess metal was cut off as possible for weight savings. I was aiming more to use to core support only to line everything up, and not so much to be structural.
2) I then figured out at what point in the suspension travel of the stock front end the axles were as straight as possible. I took a spare set of front shocks and installed them on the core support and welded them solid in this position. this might be used as stiff drift suspension later (joke)
1) Level the car, and measure the center point of the stock rear suspension with plumb bob, and the fender gap at the desired ride height.
The doner core support was completely stripped down to the bare minimum. the steering rack was removed in favor of small 1/8' steel brackets to hold the stock tie rods straight, and as much excess metal was cut off as possible for weight savings. I was aiming more to use to core support only to line everything up, and not so much to be structural.
2) I then figured out at what point in the suspension travel of the stock front end the axles were as straight as possible. I took a spare set of front shocks and installed them on the core support and welded them solid in this position. this might be used as stiff drift suspension later (joke)
Last edited by zimsplat; 07-17-2009 at 05:39 PM.
07-17-2009, 05:55 PM
#17
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: mckinleyville, ca, usa
Posts: 174
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: My mid engine RWD turbo CRX
Once the core support was prepped and ready to install, It was time to cut out all the stock rear suspension, gas tank, brake lines etc and make a huge hole in the floor big enough to fit the core support into. I had wait a few days to do this until the car finished passing smog...
No turning back now...
stay tuned for more!
No turning back now...
stay tuned for more!
Last edited by zimsplat; 07-17-2009 at 06:00 PM.
07-17-2009, 07:51 PM
#18
Honda-Tech Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: the bern, nc, usa
Posts: 756
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: My mid engine RWD turbo CRX
looks fun, a friend of mine is doing a k series mid engine del sol that should be street legal in a few weeks (needs front end) but its running and driveable now. seeing alot of rwd and mid engine conversions lately
07-18-2009, 11:39 PM
#23
Honda-Tech Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: San Antonio, TX, Bexar
Posts: 105
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
07-19-2009, 04:06 AM
#25
B*a*n*n*e*d
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Bay Area, CA, USA
Posts: 464
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
