The Dark Wob

In the steering wheel's defence it's better than the decrepit MX5 one that was in there, and the thing looked like leather, not painted(?) wood in the eBay ad. I might change it again yet.

Does JM not like the steering wheel? I'm kinda getting that hint...

I don't either tbh.

Yeah, because it looks like shit.

If I were on my other computer I would start a steering wheel thread as I bought in a Clio some years ago that had a wheel far worse than that. I also have had a few really nice ones especially the Hotchkiss which was a lovely wheel. Steering wheel "upgrades" are always a matter of personal taste the same as some of the other god awful things that get done to poor old cars. I am thinking of that poor old 403 Peugeot that has been gang raped by a VW Golf !

Having had some more thought about the carb/VTEC setup, I think it'll be fine. VTEC doesn't engage until 5500rpm on the standard setup. Remains to be seen of course but this is a common swap and I've not been able to find anything to suggest it doesn't work.



Most ancillaries have been removed.



And the front bumper.

More tomorrow.

Pic 1 is of a 4.4 M62 and its trans in a Ford Transhit. Yes, it's the lower pic.

Pic 2 is of the bastard on the ground. I achieved (2) on my own sans crane. I just tipped the fucker out onto some old tyres.

Yeah, we got it out of the Volvo without a crane no problem. I have a dodgy back though and Old Man has had 4 hernias in the past few years so we can't be too careful.

It was such a nice unmolested car.

That's the first time I've heard you speak decidedly positively of pretty much anything I've owned! And I thought you didn't like Japanese cars...

Fear not anyway; for it is all reversible, and the car remains unmolested. I won't do a single thing I can't undo, I don't believe in that; every single part I remove is and will be kept for posterity, and further to that entirely possible future reinstation, from mere nuts and bolts to the engine itself; after all I have the space. I'll never have to bodge a thing to undo something I've changed, never have to touch a welder, paint or filler. The Civic can easily be returned to standard, and one day may well be. I can easily see a time when a standard Civic GL will be something to truly behold: a rarity, something unique, especially so in a colour such as white (not many are white, and a lot of other coloured ones are resprayed or wrapped in silly colours. As far as Civics go I'm restrained). Bear in mind also that I've been sourcing missing or damaged parts to replace since I've had the car: headrests, the parcel shelf, and several other things were entirely missing, and further to that there's a fair amount of filler and crash damage to the shell, as well as damaged trim pieces, and I had to clean out a good lot of staining and detritus caused by smokers before I owned the car. If it was clean and original enough, I'd be pained to do anything to it. Hell, I'd be anxious to own the damn thing, it'd be too good for me, as was the case with my Prelude.


Do let me have my fun though: after all, we're all young and foolish once. If you saw what some people did to once equally good cars, whatever they may be, my Civic would pale in comparison. Once those sorts were done with a car they'd only be good for scrap.

I enjoy owning and driving the Civic, it's my way to learn about a lot of things, from carburettors to engine swaps, as well as a good way to spend time with my dad, who's also wanted to take on a project like this for a long time.

I'll be moving on to bigger and older things when the time comes for my next car, that's for sure. I don't know what it'll be aside a true classic, to be treated as one.

^ What he said.

We've all got to learn somewhere, and a 1990s Civic is probably as good as anything else to learn on.

I just wish he'd get over this auto gearbox aberration though, he's the wrong side of 60 for one of those