i have looked at getting a civic and have found a 87 for cheap adn want to be able to upgrade the engine and want to put in a b16a if i can from a 88-91 civic and want to know if it is a drop in (with minimal engine compartment work or if i need to do extencive modding of the engine compartment) also what is needed to swap the engine?
also is the stock trans from the 87 civic mount to the 88-91 b16a?

well, with that swap you're definatly going to need engine mounts ( www.hasport.com has them) and i dont know if the 87 civics were fuel injected or not, but if it's carbed, then you're going to either replace the fuel system (carb is like 3-4 PSI, and FI is 30-40 PSI) or put in a carbed b16a(i dont know if those exist or not...i'm still learning) but that's the info i've learned...

P.S. read the thread about the b16a swap info (located here http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=199192 )

That is for the D16a not the B... A B16 would fit with the right mounts, but from what is sounds like your's is carbed.. That means that you would need everything from the wiring harnesses to the ECU, since the 87 non-Si doesn't have an ecu. And the B16 is not from the 88-91 Civic, I believe it's from the 96-00... Correct me if I'm wrong.... But anyways... Have fun!