The Bargain Audi's replacement... Civic Type R with mods
Discussion
Bit of an unplanned update this one, but sometimes shiny things appear for sale at the right price even when you shouldn't really spend the money on bits you don't need right now... Ad a result this has been posted out to me today...
It's a Hybrid Racing short shifter. Do I need it? No not really but I did want it enough to send a speculative message. I've heard nothing but good things about these, and if it can somehow improve the shift of a Honda gearbox it must be pretty bloody good. Even if the shift feels barely any different it will be nice to have the gear lever lifted up slightly. And they look kind of cool once they're in the car also.
I might even use my new found mechanical bravery to fit it myself, Hybrid claim It's around an hour to fit, so I'm going to predict it'll take me around 3 hours with some shouting and swearing.
It's a Hybrid Racing short shifter. Do I need it? No not really but I did want it enough to send a speculative message. I've heard nothing but good things about these, and if it can somehow improve the shift of a Honda gearbox it must be pretty bloody good. Even if the shift feels barely any different it will be nice to have the gear lever lifted up slightly. And they look kind of cool once they're in the car also.
I might even use my new found mechanical bravery to fit it myself, Hybrid claim It's around an hour to fit, so I'm going to predict it'll take me around 3 hours with some shouting and swearing.
DanielSan said:
Bit of an unplanned update this one, but sometimes shiny things appear for sale at the right price even when you shouldn't really spend the money on bits you don't need right now... Ad a result this has been posted out to me today...
It's a Hybrid Racing short shifter. Do I need it? No not really but I did want it enough to send a speculative message. I've heard nothing but good things about these, and if it can somehow improve the shift of a Honda gearbox it must be pretty bloody good. Even if the shift feels barely any different it will be nice to have the gear lever lifted up slightly. And they look kind of cool once they're in the car also.
I might even use my new found mechanical bravery to fit it myself, Hybrid claim It's around an hour to fit, so I'm going to predict it'll take me around 3 hours with some shouting and swearing.
Good buy. I fitted one to my EP3 a few years back (would recommend the HR gearknob to match!) and it really is a superb bit of kit.It's a Hybrid Racing short shifter. Do I need it? No not really but I did want it enough to send a speculative message. I've heard nothing but good things about these, and if it can somehow improve the shift of a Honda gearbox it must be pretty bloody good. Even if the shift feels barely any different it will be nice to have the gear lever lifted up slightly. And they look kind of cool once they're in the car also.
I might even use my new found mechanical bravery to fit it myself, Hybrid claim It's around an hour to fit, so I'm going to predict it'll take me around 3 hours with some shouting and swearing.
sam.rog said:
Nice car!
Any specs on those wheels. They must be extremely rare. Ive been looking for some but they are all staggered fitment, too wide or a low et.
If you ever think of selling them give me a message please. They would look marvellous on my championship white fn2.
Beyind them being 17's I'm actually not sure to be finest with you. They're on a 225 tyre so I think they're an 8x17. I keep meaning to get the tape measure out then forget about it again. There's no spacer on them that I can see so at a rough guess they're around et35 offset. Any specs on those wheels. They must be extremely rare. Ive been looking for some but they are all staggered fitment, too wide or a low et.
If you ever think of selling them give me a message please. They would look marvellous on my championship white fn2.
The Rotrex Kid said:
DanielSan said:
Bit of an unplanned update this one, but sometimes shiny things appear for sale at the right price even when you shouldn't really spend the money on bits you don't need right now... Ad a result this has been posted out to me today...
It's a Hybrid Racing short shifter. Do I need it? No not really but I did want it enough to send a speculative message. I've heard nothing but good things about these, and if it can somehow improve the shift of a Honda gearbox it must be pretty bloody good. Even if the shift feels barely any different it will be nice to have the gear lever lifted up slightly. And they look kind of cool once they're in the car also.
I might even use my new found mechanical bravery to fit it myself, Hybrid claim It's around an hour to fit, so I'm going to predict it'll take me around 3 hours with some shouting and swearing.
Good buy. I fitted one to my EP3 a few years back (would recommend the HR gearknob to match!) and it really is a superb bit of kit.It's a Hybrid Racing short shifter. Do I need it? No not really but I did want it enough to send a speculative message. I've heard nothing but good things about these, and if it can somehow improve the shift of a Honda gearbox it must be pretty bloody good. Even if the shift feels barely any different it will be nice to have the gear lever lifted up slightly. And they look kind of cool once they're in the car also.
I might even use my new found mechanical bravery to fit it myself, Hybrid claim It's around an hour to fit, so I'm going to predict it'll take me around 3 hours with some shouting and swearing.
[quote=DanielSan]I like it when parcels arrive sometimes. Just need to find a free afternoon and some bravery to fit it now. How hard can it be..?
You will find out
TBH is not that bad job but be careful with the twist lock shifter cables as if they snap you are in trouble .
Also you will need to trim the plastic surround as the shifter will foul on the plastic .
You will find out
TBH is not that bad job but be careful with the twist lock shifter cables as if they snap you are in trouble .
Also you will need to trim the plastic surround as the shifter will foul on the plastic .
Kaveney]anielSan said:
I like it when parcels arrive sometimes. Just need to find a free afternoon and some bravery to fit it now. How hard can it be..?
You will find out
TBH is not that bad job but be careful with the twist lock shifter cables as if they snap you are in trouble .
Also you will need to trim the plastic surround as the shifter will foul on the plastic .
The trimming part I'm fine with, the shifter cable part now has me worried :lol:You will find out
TBH is not that bad job but be careful with the twist lock shifter cables as if they snap you are in trouble .
Also you will need to trim the plastic surround as the shifter will foul on the plastic .
The Rotrex Kid said:
It’s not ‘hard’ just very fiddly. Once you’ve got the old one out it all kinda makes sense.
It's a job for next Saturday I think, going to take it down to a mates garage and do it there, if I cock it up or something breaks it's a lot easier to leave it there than get the car there otherwise. Plus it means the finishing touch to the shifter can arrive before it all goes in. Yup, so much for patience, I've ordered the knob to give with it today. It seemed rude not to finish the look off properly so black it is. 
This looks to be a superb build; some great work going on
I'm a big fan of Buddyclub wheels; ran them on quite a few of my Jap import Honda's; I'bve got SPD Automotive local to me here in Preston and they were one of the main dealers back in the day
Had the P1 Racing in 17" on my 5th Gen Prelude many moons back
I'm a big fan of Buddyclub wheels; ran them on quite a few of my Jap import Honda's; I'bve got SPD Automotive local to me here in Preston and they were one of the main dealers back in the day
Had the P1 Racing in 17" on my 5th Gen Prelude many moons back
When the FNs were launched I was really not a fan compared to the outgoing EPs.. but I couldn't stand the EPs when they were launched in comparison to the outgoing EKs.. nearly two decades later, I actually quite like the FN shape and I'm willing to admit that maybe I'm the issue and just don't like change*.
I also think that Clarkson panning them when they first came out made them 'the unwanted CTR' for a while and the values were absolutely rock bottom for longer than I remember EP3s being down there for.. with a few small modifications you can remedy the issues and you end up with a bargain high revving hot hatch that has a fantastic manual gearbox.
I also think that Clarkson panning them when they first came out made them 'the unwanted CTR' for a while and the values were absolutely rock bottom for longer than I remember EP3s being down there for.. with a few small modifications you can remedy the issues and you end up with a bargain high revving hot hatch that has a fantastic manual gearbox.
- Please also see 'Grants reaction to E60 5 series after the E39 5 series' for reference.
RS Grant said:
I also think that Clarkson panning them when they first came out made them 'the unwanted CTR' for a while and the values were absolutely rock bottom for longer than I remember EP3s being down there for.. with a few small modifications you can remedy the issues and you end up with a bargain high revving hot hatch that has a fantastic manual gearbox.
Indeed, fortunately all the Top Gear morons swallowing Clarkson's Kool-Aid enabled the unblinkered to have cheap VTEC thrills for a while; no reason not to get an FN2 for a road car if looking at an EP3, IMO the styling on the FN2 has even aged better than the 'breadvan' earlier cars. I did some more DIY yesterday, with some assistance when I was about to make a small problem worse... The Hybrd shifter is in! I was going to take some pics of the fitting process but you've seen the car with it's centre console out once so here's just the finished article.
I did have one tiny mishap along the way, because I am at times an massive flute, I managed to trip over the front lower/dash centre console part as I'd left it on the floor outside the car managing to snap a chunk off the drivers side panel so I'll be on the hunt for a replacement one of those at some point when I get round to it. It's right by the seat so not an obvious eyesore at least but bloody annoying none the less.
More importantly the shifter is a huge improvement over the standard FN item. Way more precise, a shorter throw and it just feels so much nicer. Certainly a worthwhile mod if anyone has been considering it.
Mod wise that's it for a while now, I've got an AC radiator arriving on Monday as I found the current one to have a large part of the current one on the car hanging out of the rear side so that's the next DIY attempt. Then it'll be a regas and some nice cool air coming out of the vents again.
The next biggish job for now is a wheel refurb along with the cam cover and brake calipers also being repainted
I did have one tiny mishap along the way, because I am at times an massive flute, I managed to trip over the front lower/dash centre console part as I'd left it on the floor outside the car managing to snap a chunk off the drivers side panel so I'll be on the hunt for a replacement one of those at some point when I get round to it. It's right by the seat so not an obvious eyesore at least but bloody annoying none the less.
More importantly the shifter is a huge improvement over the standard FN item. Way more precise, a shorter throw and it just feels so much nicer. Certainly a worthwhile mod if anyone has been considering it.
Mod wise that's it for a while now, I've got an AC radiator arriving on Monday as I found the current one to have a large part of the current one on the car hanging out of the rear side so that's the next DIY attempt. Then it'll be a regas and some nice cool air coming out of the vents again.
The next biggish job for now is a wheel refurb along with the cam cover and brake calipers also being repainted
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