my Honda Civic (don't worry - it's not totally bland)
Discussion
It's a 1978 1st generation 
Mine is a rather rare 4 door (the 2 or 3 doors are more common), but there's not many of any sort left to be honest. Rust is the real killer, and the thing that I will need to stay on top of. It looks quite clean in the pics, but up close it needs some improvements. The good thing is it was waxoiled from new, which has saved it. So the chassis is actually pretty sound, but the front leading edge of the bonnet is starting to go. Not too late though. It has a this chrome strip attached which of course allows water to sit behind it, so I will need to remove the chrome strip, take back to fresh metal and go from there.
1.2 litre petrol engine. The thing I really love
about it is the 2-speed Hondamatic gearbox!! Yes two speed. Makes you wonder about the latest 8-speed autos...
here's a vid of it driving home. (not riveting, but some of you may be interested
)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jB286GnrEs
It did of course break down on the way home - the mechanical fuel pump has given up the ghost. New one on it's way to me now. Other than that unfortunate circumstance, there's no reason why it won't be totally reliable - pretty simple engines, and no sensors to go wrong!
Mine is a rather rare 4 door (the 2 or 3 doors are more common), but there's not many of any sort left to be honest. Rust is the real killer, and the thing that I will need to stay on top of. It looks quite clean in the pics, but up close it needs some improvements. The good thing is it was waxoiled from new, which has saved it. So the chassis is actually pretty sound, but the front leading edge of the bonnet is starting to go. Not too late though. It has a this chrome strip attached which of course allows water to sit behind it, so I will need to remove the chrome strip, take back to fresh metal and go from there. 1.2 litre petrol engine. The thing I really love
about it is the 2-speed Hondamatic gearbox!! Yes two speed. Makes you wonder about the latest 8-speed autos...here's a vid of it driving home. (not riveting, but some of you may be interested
)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jB286GnrEs
It did of course break down on the way home - the mechanical fuel pump has given up the ghost. New one on it's way to me now. Other than that unfortunate circumstance, there's no reason why it won't be totally reliable - pretty simple engines, and no sensors to go wrong!
I seem to suffer less 'road rage' feelings in it. In my normal car I'm rather road-ragey and impatient, but in this I go into chilled out cruise mode.
I had one about 15 years ago (a three door) but back then it was just a regular old shonker (300 quid jobbie) and no-one cared about them, including me. Now of course I wish I'd kept it as I feel very nostalgic about it.
I had one about 15 years ago (a three door) but back then it was just a regular old shonker (300 quid jobbie) and no-one cared about them, including me. Now of course I wish I'd kept it as I feel very nostalgic about it.
PaulG40 said:
retro in every way
The 'safety features' are rather retro! - the seat belts feel like a couple of flappy bits of material that might retard your deceleration into the steering wheel by 5% if they feel like it, on a good day! Apparently the curb weight is something like 680kgs, compared with (runs off to google to look one up) a modern Mini of 1210kgs!! 
The size is comparable, so I'm guessing a lot of safety stuf flike airbags; abs; catalyst exhaust and err...? make up the difference.
NadiR said:
How much?
2 grand.Re: motorway & brakes. It has servo-assisted brakes, disk front / drum rear same as a lot of vehicles (even recent) so to be honest the brakes are fine. The lack of ABS is the main difference compared with modern cars. However tyres & suspension also play a part in braking efficiency, so overall braking efficiency would be less than a modern car. But not so much as you'd notice really - in other words the brakes work fine in normal everyday application, but in an emergency / the wet you might notice a difference.
CoolHands said:
2 grand.
Re: motorway & brakes. It has servo-assisted brakes, disk front / drum rear same as a lot of vehicles (even recent) so to be honest the brakes are fine. The lack of ABS is the main difference compared with modern cars. However tyres & suspension also play a part in braking efficiency, so overall braking efficiency would be less than a modern car. But not so much as you'd notice really - in other words the brakes work fine in normal everyday application, but in an emergency / the wet you might notice a difference.
I see. My main worry would be if the worst was to happen, how well it would stand up in a crumple test against something more modern and stiff. Hopefully it never happens though!Re: motorway & brakes. It has servo-assisted brakes, disk front / drum rear same as a lot of vehicles (even recent) so to be honest the brakes are fine. The lack of ABS is the main difference compared with modern cars. However tyres & suspension also play a part in braking efficiency, so overall braking efficiency would be less than a modern car. But not so much as you'd notice really - in other words the brakes work fine in normal everyday application, but in an emergency / the wet you might notice a difference.
Of course being rather light will help with stopping distances but best brush up on your cadence braking...
No sure about something like that but on my 1988 bike (and 1986 introduced) Honda kept using the same pads until only a few years back. Meant that by buying genuine Honda I got decent Nissin branded sintered ceramic backed pads for only £12.50 a caliper (gone up now in price now, this was a few years back
). There has been a lot of advances in pads more than anything else and a modern set of pads on an old vehicle along with modern tyres (assuming you can get decent radials as I imagine those are) would likely transform the braking.
No sure about something like that but on my 1988 bike (and 1986 introduced) Honda kept using the same pads until only a few years back. Meant that by buying genuine Honda I got decent Nissin branded sintered ceramic backed pads for only £12.50 a caliper (gone up now in price now, this was a few years back
). There has been a lot of advances in pads more than anything else and a modern set of pads on an old vehicle along with modern tyres (assuming you can get decent radials as I imagine those are) would likely transform the braking.Bohally said:
I see. My main worry would be if the worst was to happen, how well it would stand up in a crumple test against something more modern and stiff.
It won't. <700Kg vs 1200Kg+ Bigger heavier car will always come off best and that's assuming they're built the same.Still, I ride a bike so my crumple zone is about 1 inch of foam and a layer of fibreglass...
Fastdruid said:
It won't. <700Kg vs 1200Kg+ Bigger heavier car will always come off best and that's assuming they're built the same.
Still, I ride a bike so my crumple zone is about 1 inch of foam and a layer of fibreglass...
Very true. Lot of respect for "all year round" bikers.Still, I ride a bike so my crumple zone is about 1 inch of foam and a layer of fibreglass...
Edit:Feck my spelling is crap!
Edited by Bohally on Thursday 19th January 16:13
Bohally said:
Fastdruid said:
It won't. <700Kg vs 1200Kg+ Bigger heavier car will always come off best and that's assuming they're built the same.
Still, I ride a bike so my crumple zone is about 1 inch of foam and a layer of fibreglass...
Very try. Lot of respect for "all year round" bikers.Still, I ride a bike so my crumple zone is about 1 inch of foam and a layer of fibreglass...
Then again there's nothing *quite* like the feeling of getting up one morning and its bright, crisp and dry, the grass is short at the sides of the lanes so you have better visibility and the cold gives you and extra HP or two, the wail of a 180 degree V4 on full song... I want to take the bike out now!
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