The Manhattan Project II: Sporty's Civic Build

[12,000 RPM]

You think $750 is a steep initial investment and you want to do track days in your daily driver?

And you've been talking about changing internals on your civic.

I can't follow your train of thought at all.

You built up a track car and don't even drive it, let alone track it. I am not surprised you can't follow basic logic.

[Cookie Monster]

You built up a track car and don't even drive it, let alone track it. I am not surprised you can't follow basic logic.

I wouldn't say coilovers and wheels/tires on a BRZ is building a track car.

He didn't even do any sweet, resale killing weight reduction mods!

[SVT666]

You think $750 is a steep initial investment and you want to do track days in your daily driver?

And you've been talking about changing internals on your civic.

I can't follow your train of thought at all.

Well, nobody can follow yours either, so.....

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Is civic nation a real thing?

Do they have local chapters and such.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

I knew this thread was gonna be epic............

[68_427]

If Mike built a track car then so did I 

[MrH]

Brah. Coilovers and wheels = race car. Civic with fully built engine, coilovers, wheels = backroads fun

[68_427]

Brah. Coilovers and wheels = race car. Civic with fully built engine, coilovers, wheels = backroads fun

Oh thank god I upgraded passed track car. 

[MrH]

Oh thank god I upgraded passed track car. 

You go full custom turbo setup, you might even get downgraded to junker, only fit to sit in driveway status.

[CaminoRacer]

Brah. Coilovers and wheels = race car. Civic with fully built engine, coilovers, wheels = backroads fun

I qualify for backroads fun.

[68_427]

I wouldn't have a choice

[12,000 RPM]

So you can't just enjoy a sports car on winding roads?  The vast majority, including your old Z, are designed as road cars, not race cars.  They are designed first and foremost for use on the street.

I get that the Z was simply too impractical for your needs.  To small, too uncomfortable, no trunk, expensive to run...  But this notion that you MUST take your car to a track if you have a sports car is a bit... much.  If we were talking about a track-day toy like an Atom or X-bow, yeah, I'd agree with that, but those aren't built to be road cars.

I also get fine tuning a vehicle's ride to suit your preferences (either firmer or softer).  Maybe even some bolt-ons like an intake or exhaust for a nicer sound.  Boring/stroking a motor and installing a hotter cam is more than some springs and shocks or bolt-on intake/exhaust mods.  That's right up there with adding forced induction to an NA motor.

OK, maybe I should just limit that sentiment to myself. For me, the Z would only be justifiable to keep as a track focused beast. But it was wayyyy too expensive for that. Esp given how limited my time on the weekends are. I get the same thrills and then some from the bike, and much more utility out of the Civic.

Z is kind of a wack road car. Too loud, too fast for speed limits, too impractical for daily use if you are older than like 24. We had our moments, and as I watched it drive away I thought "damn that is a SEXY ass car".... but to borrow an old saying from the streets, "you show me a dime (a beautiful woman) and I can show u a dude tired of [sleeping with] her." Just having a back seat and trunk to throw shit is huge.

[CaminoRacer]

Too loud, too fast for speed limits, too impractical for daily use if you are older than like 24.

Need to get you into a pro-touring beast. I think you'd piss yourself.

[12,000 RPM]

On a track Id be yellin hell yea. 458 Italia was fun as fuck on the track

[FlatBlackCaddy]

On a track Id be yellin hell yea. 458 Italia was fun as fuck on the track

You could mod the civic to match the performance of a 458 for hella cheap. Plus it would get 30+ on your daily and have mad functionality.

[Cookie Monster]

4 doors for more whores

[AutobahnSHO]

I knew this thread was gonna be epic............

4 doors for more whores

[12,000 RPM]

I don't disappoint.... I am definitely with the shits

Things have been chill with the Civic.... I really want to get the front end fixed so I can do this headlight retrofit. Lighting SUCKS right now.

[MrH]

You're doing a full projector swap into it?

[12,000 RPM]

Yea, Morimoto Mini D2S 3.0s from The Retrofit Source.... have had oen in the bike for like 2 years and it works great. Still works great sitting in the elements. Easy to install too. Those and suspension/brakes will probably be it this year

[AutobahnSHO]

I'm jelly.

I'd like to have the money to spiff up the car(s)- Odyssey needs those hideos black fillers replaced with fog lights, would love better stereo.
Impreza could take a double-DIN Bluetooth stereo, already has powered sub under passenger seat and some decent speakers. Needs some paint attention..

Once I get a Miata I'm torn between just keeping it stock or zooming it up. I would want to do longer trips, so real harsh suspension wouldn't be my thing. But would be sooooo much fun!

[12,000 RPM]

I would pass on the Miata and put that money into your other cars. You will prob spend more time in the Odyssey and Impreza than the Miata... might as well make those rides nice instead of taking money from them for a car you might not get to drive often. $2-5K would go a LONG way in mods. I could afford a Miata on the side but I know I would never drive it.

[AutobahnSHO]

I would pass on the Miata and put that money into your other cars. You will prob spend more time in the Odyssey and Impreza than the Miata... might as well make those rides nice instead of taking money from them for a car you might not get to drive often. $2-5K would go a LONG way in mods. I could afford a Miata on the side but I know I would never drive it.

As we sit right now, Odyssey should be good for a long while but while I would 'like' a little more in it, I'll never get around to it.
Impreza is wife's baby and at only 90k miles it will be with us for a long long time. So I figure in a few years we might be able to afford something else, I would get a daily driver slash 'cheap fun car'.     

I cannot describe the 6months of joy when I could pick which car to drive to work- I had Miata, my old Subie, and wife never wanted to drive either so I could pick whichever one caught my mood. Subie was my go-to when the weather was crappy, otherwise I rocked the top down as often as possible.
-safer than a motorcycle
-no helmet necessary
-got 28mpg even driving it full-throttle up to 3rd gear EVERY stoplight. That right there is a blast!!
-way low maintenance costs.

My former in-laws (in New Hampshire) bought one around the same time I bought then sold mine, maybe I'll plant the bug if they ever want to sell it I'll buy it. They keep it in a neighbor's garage during the winter.  You really can see why they are so successful if you can spend a little time in one with top-down weather!

[Cookie Monster]

As we sit right now, Odyssey should be good for a long while but while I would 'like' a little more in it, I'll never get around to it.
Impreza is wife's baby and at only 90k miles it will be with us for a long long time. So I figure in a few years we might be able to afford something else, I would get a daily driver slash 'cheap fun car'.     

I cannot describe the 6months of joy when I could pick which car to drive to work- I had Miata, my old Subie, and wife never wanted to drive either so I could pick whichever one caught my mood. Subie was my go-to when the weather was crappy, otherwise I rocked the top down as often as possible.
-safer than a motorcycle
-no helmet necessary
-got 28mpg even driving it full-throttle up to 3rd gear EVERY stoplight. That right there is a blast!!
-way low maintenance costs.

My former in-laws (in New Hampshire) bought one around the same time I bought then sold mine, maybe I'll plant the bug if they ever want to sell it I'll buy it. They keep it in a neighbor's garage during the winter.  You really can see why they are so successful if you can spend a little time in one with top-down weather!

We've been over this - you can't compare riding a motorcycle to driving a car, unless it's something batshit crazy like an Atom.

[AutobahnSHO]

We've been over this - you can't compare riding a motorcycle to driving a car, unless it's something batshit crazy like an Atom.

I haven't been on that conversation- but I understand and disagree. You can compare whales to pencils, in that you'll find a lot of dissimilarities.
People compare helicopters to airplanes- super different.
Miata vs. motorcycle= both vehicles are transportation, ICE, rubber tires, built more for "fun" than utility.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I'm jelly.

I'd like to have the money to spiff up the car(s)- Odyssey needs those hideos black fillers replaced with fog lights, would love better stereo.
Impreza could take a double-DIN Bluetooth stereo, already has powered sub under passenger seat and some decent speakers. Needs some paint attention..

Once I get a Miata I'm torn between just keeping it stock or zooming it up. I would want to do longer trips, so real harsh suspension wouldn't be my thing. But would be sooooo much fun!

If the question cannot be answered completely with Miata, then the obvious answer is Miatas.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

I would pass on the Miata

the fuck you say??

[12,000 RPM]

I only have so much time, and I'd rather give it to bikes than cars. I know if I got a Miata it would just sit.... if the weather is good for top down stuff it's good for riding.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

That's just poppycock.

[Cookie Monster]

The solution is to have several bikes and a Miata.