My Project

[Honda_Boy]

they weren't cheap and I got them from O'Reilly's.

[Bubba Bob]

they weren't cheap and I got them from O'Reilly's.

O'Reillys/Walmart/Auto Zone. All the same cheap crap, just at different prices.

Just be warned. When those wear out get a good set of steels.

Well, I would anyhow. No need dicken around under a car with sub-par ramps.

Edited May 22, 2008 by Bubba Bob

[Honda_Boy]

well they're rated up to six ton vehicles and we've had a 4500lb 4Runner on them without a problem. I'm eventually gonna replace them with some metal low-pro ramps so I don't have to remove the lip every change. Also if I decide to lower it more, I'll definitely need low-pro ramps.

[Honda_Boy]

OK, some updates to the plans:

1. Replace CF Replica J's Racing Lip with ABS Plastic Replica EK9 Civic Type R Lip

2. I've got a bead on a rebuilt B16A2 Long block with new gaskets, bearings, seals, timing belt and water pump for $500. Basically all the maintenance done on a essentially new motor for somewhere close to what I'd pay for all the maintenance and repairs to my current motor with 100,000 miles. I could buy this Long block for $500 then turn right back around and sell my old one for $350-400 and only spend in the end $100-150 for something that should cost MUCH more.

And no I still haven't washed my car or taken any new pics with the new exhaust on. I'm both busy and lazy.

[JDoors]

Hope this deal comes through for you, it sounds just about perfect.

[Honda_Boy]

Got the new lip ordered. I'm gonna be glad to have that thing swapped before Import Alliance. That CF lip has GOT to go.

I never heard back from the guy about the motor so that's out the window. Gonna just do the maintenance on mine and if I still have it in a coupla years, I'll have the engine rebuilt.

I guess up next, it's new JDM Fenders and JDM Sidemarkers. They're relatively cheap and I need new fenders bad. I just would have to get them painted. It'd give me a good excuse to paint my hatch.

[Honda_Boy]

Can't wait!

and I'll eventually get on of these to compliment it, an ABS Plastic Replica Civic Type R Rear Lip

Then hopefully my car will look like this soon but still in Midori Green Pearl unless I just snap and paint it up in Championship White:

It's gonna take a lot of time and work (not to mention PARTS) to make it look that good though. The car pictured is a real EK9 Civic Type R.

[JDoors]

That does look good. The rear spoiler looks a bit out-sized, but I guess it's right for the car's purpose. The white also looks good, and tempting, but keep the green! It's more "interesting."

[Honda_Boy]

believe it or not, the wing is stock. Civic Type R's came with stock wings while US DX Hatches, UK/EU VTi's, and JDM SiR's came with color matched spoilers, and CX's like mine had smaller black spoilers. MAN I'm itchin with anticipation on the new lip. I want it on ASAP. I hope it gets here quick.

[Honda_Boy]

PM'ing a guy back and forth on TennSpeed at the moment about getting an OBD2A P30 ECU from a 96-97 Honda Del Sol VTEC from him for a measly $75. I'm sick of my OBD2B P2T from a 99 Civic Si throwin a CEL for something non-existent. I've been looking FOREVER for one of these. They are harder than crap to come by and the only other I've been able to find was on eBay for $220.

Only thing is, I'm gonna have to convert my harness back from OBD2B to OBD2A. It was converted for the P2T but I'm gonna have to change it back I think.

Also, that Lip. Yeah Honda_Boy is pissed. I've yet to receive any form of confirmation that my order has been processed. It's been over a week now. They finally charged my card Wednesday, 5 days after the order was placed but I still see nothing on the site that says they've processed or shipped it and I haven't gotten any emails either. I believe I'm crossing Weaksauce Parts off my list of places to buy from. I don't care how many people vouched for them. So far I've had 2 bad experiences with them. It may cost more, but I believe I'm keeping my business with Password JDM and InLineFour.

[JDoors]

Patience!

I recently ordered a gadget and it took probably a week (or more) for the charge to appear, and, like they always say, "Four to Six Weeks for delivery," and yup, it took six weeks to get it. That's a long time sitting around waiting for something, but it is, or it was, common practice for mail order (and by extension, online orders). Lots of places are quicker but as you say, you generally have to pay more.

[Honda_Boy]

well, I'm used to the likes of Newegg, Amazon, Best Buy (and I consider them slow), InLineFour, Password JDM, and eBay (and yes, I get stuff off eBay faster).

[Honda_Boy]

OK, I emailed them today. Something just ain't right that I ordered on the 19th of June and I still haven't seen any confirmation it's been shipped AND their site says I haven't paid when I most certainly have. I got the receipt on Paypal and the bank statement to prove it.

[JDoors]

They could just be poorly organized, but how many red flags do you need before you cancel?

[Honda_Boy]

Ok, FINALLY I got some info on the lip. I called them today and it was apparently backordered. I'm probably not going to order from them again. Last time I ordered something it was backordered too. They seriously need to list that crap on the site. Password JDM and just about every other top site lists whether items are in stock or not.

[JDoors]

"Backordered" is code for "We don't actually carry that item in stock so when you order it from us we have to go out and find it cheaper than we charge, buy it, then wait for it to be delivered to us before we can fulfill your order, and if we can't buy it cheaper then we'll tell you something like it's no longer in production or some such lie." Yeah, stay away from such places, unless you have more time than money.

[isteve]

Last week I ordered seat covers for my miata, from Moss Motors. About a hour after I ordered I got a e-mail saying they were backordered, not a big deal. The next day I got a e-mail to tell me it's being shipped from the factory... got them today.

I guess it all depends on the vendor.

[Honda_Boy]

well I waited for over two weeks and finally called them. Said they didn't have it in stock and was shipping from the manufacturer. He checked with the manufacturer and found out it was not in stock when I ordered so it doesn't ship till later this week. He said he would email me the tracking information when they received it from the manufacturer. Geez, man Password JDM and InLineFour from now on for crap like this.

[Honda_Boy]

Lip FINALLY came in. It came from ABS Dynamics. The lip was actually made by HC Racing. It came with mounting hardware but unfortunately no instructions. I tried to look them up but HC Racing is a Taiwanese company. I'm sure I can figure it out and if can't figure it out using all the hardware, I'll just mount it the same way the carbon one was mounted.

Here it is:

[Honda_Boy]

I got it installed. Couldn't find anywhere some of that hardware was supposed to go so I just mounted it like my old lip. It ain't comin of either. Took some fighting to get it on right. Actually the upper part of it on the front was in the way of the foglights (cheap replica fitment for ya) so I broke out a grinder bit for the drill and ground it down until the fogs fit back in. So here we go:

Old lip (definitely needed to go):

up close:

NO LIP!!!

Lip on (and my parents baller new 08 Civic EX Coupe, thank god that POS PT Cruiser is gone):

Backed it up to get a full front shot:

wanted to get a pic of the new muffler too but it was too dark. When I was the car I'll get pics. It's still filthy. I need to Plast-X the headlights again, particularly the passenger one.

[JDoors]

Wow, that looks REALLY good.

The old one was actually carbon fiber? Did YOU damage it or was it broke when you got it? (If you already said, I don't remember, 'cause I got CRSS.)

Suddenly remembered my Manta; got an inexpensive spoiler (that's what "lips" were called back then, same thing) but couldn't figure out how to mount it without it looking like crap, so I never wound up putting it on. It's still in the attic (along with a rear spoiler I had the same problem with). Know anybody with a 30-year-old Opel Manta?

-----

Edited July 10, 2008 by JDoors

[Honda_Boy]

I got the lip with the car and it was already damaged when I got it. It just wasn't near this bad. It got worse over time. Just the rattling of everyday driving for over a year and it being taken off for oil changes made it worse to were just a few fibers were holding it. I'm giving it to another TennSpeed member at Import Alliance 08 (July 26th and 27th and Nashville Super Speedway for anyone who cares). He apparently has the knowledge to repair carbon fiber. I'm just gonna let him have it.

I like CF lips and all but what I really want is to create an OEM looking EK9 Civic Type R replica. I will eventually (money permitting) switch to an Authentic EK9 front and rear lip along with EK9 power folding mirrors, an EK9 Wing, and EK9 grille with new JDM fenders (the same on all JDM/EDM 96-98 Civics), new hood (the same on ALL 96-98 Civics worldwide), and new USDM/JDM EK9 front bumper. Funny, the US 96-98 Civics ALL had the same front bumper (and hatches had the same rear bumper) as the JDM Civic Type R, while every other Civic shared the SiR/VTi bumpers.

I swear Honda's decisions on styling and power throughout the various markets has been strange. The North American market gets unique solid one piece mirrors..... that are uglier and less attractive than the rest of the world's break away mirrors, strictly SOHC engines in Civics (not including the Del Sol) until 99, sidemarkerless fenders, unique headlights that are kinda fugly unless blacked out like mine, CTR front bumpers on all Civics, CTR rear bumpers on the hatches, unique rear bumpers on coupes/sedans, complete lack of lips from 96-98, unique steering wheel that's plain, unique seats which too are plain, unique trim naming that's totally different from the rest of the world (CX, DX, LX, HX, EX and Si instead of 1.4, VTi, SiR, etc.), lack of foglight choices (only available from 96-98 were clear round and I've never seen one with them, Japanese buyers had the choice of Clear or Yellow Round or Clear or Yellow "square"), and MANY other things.

Sorry, went off an another "Honda (and subsequently Nissan and Toyota) shafted the North American market big time" Rant.

[JDoors]

One of my problems with U.S. manufacturers is that they stress their cars are less expensive than the equivalent import. The problem with that is, WE KNOW! Because the cars are OBVIOUSLY cheaper, inside and out. I say put another thousand dollars into the darn vehicle and maybe we won't feel like we're getting ripped off. Yeah, you'll lose sales to people who just want something cheap, but you just might gain sales to the people willing to fork over another grand to get a MUCH better car.

Now you're saying imports are "cheaped out" for the U.S. market too? I've known we don't get the "best" models or options, but I never equated that with being ripped off. I never actually heard a car owner complaining they can't get the best stuff here.

Ah well, we want our stuff cheap (look at the market domination of Wal-Mart), so I guess we get what we deserve.

That might change once the weak dollar trickles down to give us less expensive imports (unless they just use the weak dollar to increase their profits).

[Honda_Boy]

Ignore this, went off on a rant and decided to delete it. It just sucks that the North American market with multiple manufacturers got shafted. But hey, we have the second best Civic now. The current Si is better than the Euro Type R but the JDM Type R is top dog with more power, better suspension and devilish good looks (wait, why our civic get different front and rear fascia?, not that it looks bad but I really like the JDM one too)

Edited July 14, 2008 by Honda_Boy

[Honda_Boy]

Oh and I just bought a cruise control unit for my car. No tellin how long it'll take me to decide to put it on though.