CRX - N00b

[CRXproject]

Hi everyone ...
Im about to buy a CRX HF in probally about 2 weeks. Right now the car I have is a Ford Escort ZX2. It's a nice and pretty quick car but there is no aftermarket support and i just want a honda. Alot of poeple tell me Im barking up the wrong tree if i want to be fast in my zx2. My "tuner guy" has a CRX HF and he's going to sell it to me for 800 bucks. It has a nice size dent in the passenger door, and just a small rust spot above the drivers door. The drivers side fender needs to be replaced and the tail lights. The car runs but is knocking (which i dont care about the motor). The interior is pretty much gutted. The CRX also comes with a rear disc conversion. I dont care too much about the minor things like needing an interior i just want the body.

I was wondering what are the pros and cons of the car, the advantages, dislikes of this car?
I plan on getting the car in 2 weeks, then working on the body etc..., until i have enough money for a b16 swap. The guy that im buying it from said "if you want to go fast, this is the car to do it in" ...

Welcome me, because hopefully ill be around for awhile!
Thanks and hopefully you all can help me "bark up the right tree"

[FrodoGT]

Well, I would definately begin by saying that, if your looking for speed out of an HF with a stock engine..your "barking up the wrong tree", but i would also note that the HF is the lightest model of all the crx years, with the 88 being the lightest 4g of all, and with a swap will be faster than an SI. If you want to go fast with a honda, this is the car to do it in...as far as engine compatibility and the weight of the car itself. And 800 bucks sounds pretty nice, as long as you really arent concerned with the cosmeticsand interior.

[CRXproject]

Nah... Definatly not staying with the stock motor. I was thinking of throwing a gsr in, but i really dont have that kind of money. So the plan is to just get a b16. The aftermarket support for honda are crazy, unlike my zx2. My brother inlaw just done a h22 swap in his 4 door 91 accord, and now his car is pretty quick. With putting a b16 in a crx, do you know around about what kind of cars i can keep up with? As for the crx im going to buy, i dont care too much about the interior. I've been around the "ford" thing for alittle while now, and i pretty much know the ins and the outs of my car, is there anything you can tell me about this car? for example, is the hf the worst model?... being that the dash is cracked, i was wondering if they make a fiberglass overlay for a crx? i dont know of anyone to talk to about crx's so i know im going to sound like im coming off strong with questions etc...

[FrodoGT]

The HF is fine, its light because it had to be..it had an 8 valve fuel saver engine that got roughly 52 mpg. It doesnt have disc brakes, or fancy sway bars like an SI and the interior (not that it matters to you) wasa little more basic than the others.

[turtlecrxsi]

Haha. B16 HF can "keep up" with most cars off the lot. Hell, the only car stock that will run away from you like you're driving a geo metro would most likely be a WS6 TA, LS1 Camaro or Mustang GT and the ocassional turbo car... Evo, WRX with a decent driver... Haha.

Edit: Also, depends on what shape the motor and the rest of your car is in too. I can attest to a nicely tuned sohc spanking a beat b16/18... LOL

[thefooshmeister]

sounds like a good buy man i had my old 88 HF for about a year before some old guy hit me..i loved the gas mileage in that car. since youve got the rear brakes already converted to discs youre in really good shape for a swap. I just looked on the forum classified today and someones got a b16 complete swap for $600 with 103k or so on the motor. Id check that out cuz even tho you said you didnt have the cash it sounds like a good deal. My swap should be arriving any day for my Si and a lot of the guys here on the forum will help ya thru your problems. Glad to see another ford person switchin to honda

[CRXproject]

haha... Dont get me wrong bro. I like my zx2, But the problem is... well n/m, ya got me. the problem is, its a ford.. lol ... Honda's man, just have so much aftermarket support, and from what i can tell are very reliable. b16 swap for 600?.. why so cheap? So are you saying if i put a b16 on the crx, i could keep up with a gsr civic? ... that would be awsome. Im very excited about getting this car. hopefully i can get the money up quick to get the motor and tranny and all. im glad i found some folks to talk to.. only people i talk to online about cars are my zx2 buds..

[FrodoGT]

If you could keep the traction, and now how to drive...then yeah, you should keep up/whoop up a GSR, its just so much heavier than an HF

[CRXproject]

Sounds great. Do you know of anywhere i can find pics of an hf interior so i will know how most of it looks.. like i said, the interior in the car im getting is pretty much gutted. until i get the money for the swap, i'll be working on the body, and alittle bit on the interior. I should be able to buy the crx in 2 weeks, and i cant wait till i start working on something other then my zx2...

[thefooshmeister]

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...d.php?t=563826

heres the classified link for that engine swap. pm the author if youre interested and want info on what all it has and let us kno so we can tell you what else youd need.

as for interior i would recommend looking in AF classifieds or ebay for parts. Id see if you could get mostly Si interior pieces since it has a nice lockbox and "trunk" that you can remove. also make sure what color the trim pieces are cuz some have dk blue and others have black, unless you plan on just painting them.

2poor2tune had a bunch of interior parts for sale so you could see what he has left.

[skotman]

i like the HF. an 85 or 86 crx hf was the first car i ever drove. excellent gas milage. i always knew its engine was kinda underpowered, but the weight ratio of an HF in general is just right for the teeny engine if you're not concerned with "keeping up" with anyone. in other words, the speed limit on most interstates is like 70mph. you can easily do 80 or 90 on the way to work... not that i approve of such heracy.

i like my current 89 DX just fine too.

[CRXperiment]

Hey CRXproject I find it kinda funny how are names are similar... CRXperiment, CRXproject.. Its getting harder and harder to be original these days. Oh BTW definitly get the HF your gonna love it and believe me you aint gonna be getting anywhere with a Fix Or Repair Daily (aka FORD) zx2 shitbox. The HF definitly has got major potential. Good luck with it man.

[CRXproject]

Ack!! So sorry about the name bro. If ya would like me to change it, i can.
Yep where i live, this whole tuning scene is becoming more of a challenge then anything with the folks around here. If you dont have a honda,acura or nissan then you aint really shit. If your car does not do 9.5's and under, you aint shit. There are two different crowds where i live... There's the guys that have just a muffler,intake, etc... minor bolt ons or either alot of bolt ons and still only running 10's and 11's on the 1/8... and there is the different crowd... The gods of the whole tuning scene around here. And they are only running either 9 flats, or 9.5's. And there is one other guy... Thats the guy im buying the car from. He's like the only shop that does swaps and actually knows what hes doing. He's running 8 flat, which he also cant hook either. There was a cammed out mustang running with a beefed up motor (cobra) and a 100 shot. the mustang guy and the guy that i am buying the car from raced... Mustang got beat 5 links... so, yeah... he's pretty much the man around here. So i guess what im trying to say is, anything that he tells me that this is the car i want if i want some speed, im going with it.
Just to let you all know a tad bit about me... I'm 21, married... 2 kids (boy & girl).. and from alabama. If any of ya ever get bored and feel like talking about cars, lol ... Y.I.M. - [email protected] ... MSN - [email protected]

I really appreciate the responses guys. thanks

[2poor2tune]

hey. sounds like you found the jackpot. its hard to find a crx for that cheap around where i live. but as for the cars you could keep up with. my buddie has a 90 crx dx w/ bolt ons and he kept up with a 90-93 accord with an h22. to be honest the accord beat him. started pulling in 4th gear. but you should beat all the 92+ civics with there tips and intakes. no offence to the 92+ its just most ricers find those cars prime for there gay projects.

[CRXproject]

Ha ... Sounds good then. He kept up with an h22 accord, and all he had was a stock motor and bolt on's? woah... Welp, I guess all i really can do right now is save my pennies. I got acouple things ive sold and am selling on ebay, that will give me over half the money for the crx. Once i get it, ill just have to try my hardest to save up for the swap. (note: im not the best in the world at saving money. lol)
btw: do you know if they make a fiberglass dash overlay, or a complete fiberglass dash for a crx?

thanks again