Honda CRX track car build (270bhp N/A)

[Partyvan]

Hi all, I thought I'd upload a brief history of one of my cars

I bought it back in 2016, as a 1988 Honda CRX with the D-series engine. It had a few modifications, but I pretty much only wanted the shell for a track car build.





The year before, I'd written off a high spec Civic EP3. But kept the engine. It was a very well developed engine that made 270bhp on the dyno. I thought of re-shelling into another EP3 but the CRX represents a better suspension design in a much lighter shell. Ideal for track.

Here's the EP3 K-series engine



Next up was getting a gearbox built. Grinspeed obliged, building me a box with short final drive and Mfactory LSD


The conversion was not easy. New mounts are needed, new shafts, a new subframe, a new exhaust. The clutch from cable to hydraulic. The speedometer from cable to electric. Whole new cooling and fuel system. Even then it doesn't physically fit. Engine touched the bonnet, headlight and front panel. In hindsight a 90's Civic would have been better. But it's in and running.





By this point I'd chosen Ford Frozen white as the colour, and fitted a Mugen bodykit made by Fibreworx. I also sourced some wider, lighter GRP wings and bonnet. Paint was done in 2k.


Prep consisted of a lot of welding, fettling and sanding


Out of the garage and unmasked


Here's what I hope will be the first part of a mad, functional aero package. It's properly braced. Future plans include flat floor, diffuser, splitter etc


On to the chassis build, as it's a track car this is the most important part




The car benefits from camber and caster adjustable suspension, with a mix of rosejoints and polybushing. Everything is either new or fully refurbished.

Geometry setup at Grinspeed


Wheels wise I have 15" Team Dynamics Pro race 3 with R888 on them, and a second set with Rainsport 3's.

Brakes are new all round, including a Wilwood kit


Seats are in with harnesses and a billet gear shifter


And just for fun I had a go on a vinyl plotter. Hopefully Nissan won't sue.




There's been lots of detailed modifications, like deleting the sunroof, deleting the heater, relocating the lightweight battery etc. All things that in themselves gain you little, but together should make it a bit of a weapon. I've seen enough Best Motoring DVDs to know these things can outpace Skylines, Evos and the like on track with under 200bhp. I'm hoping this will be a sub 8 car at the Ring and sub 1min 40 around Cadwell park. My Civic was close.

Since getting it running I've taken it to Racing Circuits in Leeds, who thinned out the loom and rewired it to include more modern relays and fully tested it. Amazing service.

Here's the full list of work done

CAR:
1988 Honda CRX originally red

ENGINE:
(Originally 1.6 16v D-series non-vtec)
K20a2 engine from Civic Type-R
Innovative polybushed engine mounts
Spooner restorations cam cover
High compression pistons
TDi North cams
TDi North mapped Hondata K100 ECU
Ported and modified RBC inlet manifold
Ported throttle body
K-tuned exhaust manifold
K-tuned heater system delete
MIJ custom 3" exhaust system, manifold back
Baffled sump
Aircon deleted
EVAP system deleted
Stock battery deleted
AEM fuel rail
AEM adjustable fuel pressure regulator
Aeroquip -AN fuel lines
Billet aluminium fuel filter
Civic EG Alloy radiator with slimline 10" fan
Alloy header tank
Mocal oil cooler
Fiat punto upper rad hose!

TRANSMISSION:
6 speed EP3 gearbox built by Grinspeed
Mfactory helical LSD
Mfactory 5.83 final drive
Mfactory magnetic sump plug
Lightweight flywheel
EP3 driveshafts with CRX outer CVs. Rebuilt with high temp grease.
K-tuned billet shifter
K-tuned billet shifter cables
Hydraulic clutch conversion

BODY:
Fibreworx Mugen bodykit including door pods
Fibreworx GRP bonnet with bonnet pins
GRP flared front wings
Sunroof delete
Aerial delete
OEM spoiler delete
Roof vent
Fuel filler replaced with flush aeromotive filler
VT model rear lights
Pro Car Innovations spoiler mount kit
Full 2k re-spray inc door shuts in Ford Glacier white
Vinyl graphics by Gateway Signs & Graphics

CHASSIS:
Gaz coilovers, height and damper adjustable. Solid topmounts
K-tuned traction bar
Alloy rosejointed caster adjustable front arms
Skunk2 pro series polybushed upper arms (camber adjustable)
Polybushed front lower control arms
Double front anti-roll bars linked with custom billet aluminium joints
Polybushed anti-roll bar drop links
Rosejointed rear toe arms
Polybushed rear camber arms
Polybushed rear trailing arms
Skunk2 polybushed rear LCA
Tegiwa rear LCA brace
15x6j Borbet alloys with Rainsport 3 tyres (road / wet track wheels)
15x7j Pro Race 3 alloys for track with R888

GEOMETRY
(Grinspeed)
2.2 deg camber front
1 deg camber rear
2mm toe out front
2mm toe in rear
4.5 degrees caster

BRAKES:
Wilwood 4-pot front brakes
DS2500 front pads
MG-ZR rear brake upgrade
Pagid rear pads
No ABS
ATE Super Blue brake fluid

INTERIOR:
Fully stripped
K-tuned billet shifter
K-tuned billet shifter cable grommet
Momo steering wheel
Minimal dashboard
Fully thinned out, tested, re-wrapped car loom by Racing Circuits
Lightweight Oddysey 680 battery in alloy cradle
Integra Type-R clocks
Stack oil pressure gauge
Stack oil temperature gauge
Stack voltmeter
Dash mounted battery killswitch
Dash mounted switchable Go-pro 12v (battery delete)
Dash mounted fan override
Corbeau winged bucket seats
FIA spec seat rails
Adjustable roof vents

SPECS/PERFORMANCE:
Dyno'd at 270.1bhp, 229 N-M torque, 9,000rpm rev limit
800-850kg

Hopefully more updates soon. Any questions welcome

[Tommie38]

Wow, great post!

Could you say a bit more about how the suspension is superior to an EP3 Civic?

[anonymous-user]

Looks great. Any video of the dyno run?

[Evoluzione]

Good work, I used to have a CRX Vtec many years ago, a fantastic car.
Who is or where can I find 'Racing circuits Leeds'? They've named it in such a way it's not easy to find via Google.

[Butter Face]

Beautiful, absolutely love it.

[PixelpeepS3]

great surprise buiild thread, thank you for bringing it into my life

great car, great colour choice... now.. where's the supercharger ?!

[TheJimi]

-thud-

[Fastchas]

I've had two CRX's and a V-Tec, miss the latter so much.
Giz a go!

[Partyvan]

Cheers guys

Tommie - The front is double wishbone, so you get increasing negative camber with load. Certainly seems to help turn in, (which the EP3 struggles with). The weight is more of an advantage though.

Faz - No video but do have a graph!


Evoluzione - here you go!
https://www.facebook.com/racingcircuits/?ref=br_rs

or 07979918888

Pixelpeep - The majority of charger kits only make around 300bhp, so I'm not far off. If ever I kill the engine I'll be aiming for around that figure N/A. It's so much more pure Honda than any forced induction.

[E36Dan]

Epic build! Always nice to see stuff like this coming from the UK.

Final drive is crazy short though! You'll be bouncing off the 6th limiter at the 'ring

[Partyvan]

E36Dan said:

Epic build! Always nice to see stuff like this coming from the UK.

Final drive is crazy short though! You'll be bouncing off the 6th limiter at the 'ring

Thanks dude. It was good for 145mph on the limiter in 6th in the EP3 on 17" wheels. So maybe a touch lower on my 15's now.

And yes you're right, that would be on the limiter on the main straight. Not that you'd want to go much quicker in what's basically a tin can.

[Podie]

Nice.

How did you solve the engine touching the bonnet and light?

[Partyvan]

Podie said:

Nice.

How did you solve the engine touching the bonnet and light?

For the bonnet I bought a GRP one, for the later VTEC CRX, it has a bigger bulge in it.

I then chopped out sections of the webbing until it fitted. I also had to use bonnet pins.


For the headlight, it still touches the alternator. But only just, and there's no movement in the engine mounts so we'll see how she goes

[Podie]

Oof... nice work.

[Partyvan]

Podie said:

Oof... nice work.

Thanks

[Pig benis]

Superb engine build and in white she looks stunning. I'm personally not a fan of the vinyl stickers, have you considered leaving the CRX in white?

[Partyvan]

The stickers will be coming off soon

[d_a_n1979]

Great car and build...

Thought I recognised that workbench with your gearbox on...

Popped over to see Stevie @ Grinspeed yesterday; the lads mashed one of his fingers and he's useless currently as only one handed haha...

Think I saw this when it was on the ramps too. Great track weapon!

[E36Dan]

Partyvan said:

The stickers will be coming off soon

Noooooo. I thought the stickers were epic, nice 90s super touring homage. Though did remind me more of Nissan than Honda

[Partyvan]

I did a poll on the stickers and 70% of people prefer it with them on. My plan is to do a few photoshoots and maybe a trackday like that then do something else, maybe another colour scheme.

d_a_n1979 said:

Great car and build...

Thought I recognised that workbench with your gearbox on...

Popped over to see Stevie @ Grinspeed yesterday; the lads mashed one of his fingers and he's useless currently as only one handed haha...

Think I saw this when it was on the ramps too. Great track weapon!

Thanks!

Let's be honest now, Stevie was never a grafter anyway. Don carries the whole operation!