New Old Member from the NorthEast

[Vermonter]

Also, here's another item I've been working on; not sure whether or not I will actually mount these and use them, but I always wanted to see what I could do with L.E.D.s and I was inspired by the VIP scene.

Home made "kouki" style sequential/chasing turn signal lights in the making:




Once I've perfected the front turn signals, I am going to try and do a complete L.E.D. tail light similar to this light that I saw on a japan yahoo auction listing (which is for the CB5, not CC2 Vigor):

[Vermonter]

Here's a quick mock-up of the L.E.D.s inside the OEM housing.





I talked to the muffler shop, and I have an appointment on Monday. I was quoted $200 or less for everything, but my muffler still hasn't showed up. Fingers crossed it will show up tomorrow.

[excalibur02]

I like the interior on the element! Was that custom?

Those visors are so thin, never really seen them for the legend.

You made the pcb for the leds?

[Vermonter]

I like the interior on the element! Was that custom?

Those visors are so thin, never really seen them for the legend.

You made the pcb for the leds?

The Element interior was all my work. I used marine grade leather-type vinyl and wrapped all the individual pieces. The center console area was just carbon fiber sticker-type vinyl, a JDM Element shifter surround, with a JDM S2000 starter button, and a JDM EP3 hazard button. The wiring for the start button was a little tough to figure out, but in the end I had it hooked up so that the key would not start the car.

The visors are thin like the subaru visors for the same reason, the doors are all glass at the top (nowhere on the door to mount the visors), so they have to be mounted on the roof line so that the windows will clear the visor. It is a very small aesthetics piece, but looks very classy.

The L.E.D. turn signal project is not entirely my project. I work with a guy who wanted to learn more in-depth circuitry type stuff, and I always wanted to test my abilities with customizing a "kouki" style light, so we are working together on it. He is doing most of the circuitry and I'm doing the hands-on stuff and making it all fit.

Here is an example of a proper "JDM" Vigor, and you can see the visors do add a touch of class:

[Vermonter]

Well, I bought the 1 headlight I could find available in the USA (came from Dubai, but had international shipping). Now I am still waiting on the deal in New Zealand to work out, and I will have the RH Headlight, Amber bumper lights, and hopefully the "Honda" airbag.

Parts acquired to date:

JDM Window Visors ($144)
JDM Fender markers ($31)
JDM 'H' Grill ($105)
JDM LH Headlight ($125)
Megan DTM Muffler ($155)
Muffler Install cost ($207)
Poly Rod Bushings ($27)
Poly Swaybar Links ($26)
Poly Fr. Sway Bushings ($13)
Poly R. Sway Bushings ($13)
L.E.D Turn Signal Relay ($11)
Inner Tie Rod Boots ($14)
Fr. Rotors ($39)
R. Brake Rotors ($35)
Timing Belt ($42)
Water Pump ($98)
SS Brake Lines ($99)
Valve Cover Gasket Kit ($40)
RR ABS Harness ($50)
LR ABS Harness ($50)
FR ABS Harness ($109)
Fr. Wheel Bearings ($36)
Clock Spring ($38)


So far, I've basically spent $1,300 just in parts to get to this point.
If I kept my previous car, my payments alone would have racked up $1,800 to date, since the day I sold it. I'm not "saving" a ton of money, but if I wasn't buying parts that I don't "need", I'd certainly be winning.

I'm still happy with my purchase, and I'm looking forward to what tomorrow brings.

[HenRoc]

Actually there's a few of us around NH and Vermont aside from AccrdWgn guy. There was a member from around your area that was trying to sell his 91 coupe a few months back, previously owned by a Honda rep from what I had read about it.

Last I knew he had sold it I believe and that car was in top notch condition once he detailed the hell out of it.

Good work with the Vigor, CBs are definitely getting harder and harder to find, I think that's why I refuse to give up on my own car.

Hope to check in for more updates..are you on MassTuning or nemotorsport?

[Vermonter]

Actually there's a few of us around NH and Vermont aside from AccrdWgn guy. There was a member from around your area that was trying to sell his 91 coupe a few months back, previously owned by a Honda rep from what I had read about it.

Last I knew he had sold it I believe and that car was in top notch condition once he detailed the hell out of it.

Good work with the Vigor, CBs are definitely getting harder and harder to find, I think that's why I refuse to give up on my own car.

Hope to check in for more updates..are you on MassTuning or nemotorsport?

I'm not on those sites. I do, however know exactly who you are talking about. He's a good friend of mine and it was a brown interior coupe that had over 200k miles on it. It was clean as hell for a northeastern car, and I encouraged him to keep it, but he fell in love with a saab. He is back and forth about buying another CB, so we may see him back here some day. I hope to, anyway.

[Vermonter]

I received my JDM Honda grill today. The parts I need are in great shape, so I will probably just swap out the colored surrounding plastic with my Acura grill and call it done!



*EDIT- The colored surround piece and the center of the grill is all one piece, with only the chrome touches being separable. Looks like I will have to get the grill painted after all.

[Vermonter]

New muffler installed. Megan dual tip.
I had new 2.25" piping run from the muffler back to the resonator. It has a great sound to it with the inline 5 cyl, but it drones inside the car like crazy. I'm debating options... wondering if dynamat in the trunk would reduce the droning?
Any ideas?

I will probably have a new resonator welded in at some point. One that reduces noise. Not sure if it will help with the droning.

[Vermonter]

I have an estimated price on the parts I need from New Zealand.

I have a guy buying the parts from a junkyard and having them shipped to his house. The cost was $98 USD

Then he is going to clean up the parts and ship them to me from New Zealand. The cost for that is estimated at $189 due to the size of the box and obviously the distance.

The total cost will be around $287 for the 2 orange JDM bumper lights, the Honda steering wheel, and the Right Headlight. It's about what I would expect to pay for the steering wheel alone IF it was on ebay. If the steering wheel shows up and it's not the right color for my interior, I might be able to sell it on ebay and make back some of the money. (My interior color is somewhat rare and the pictures I was sent don't show the color all that well).

Apparently he needs to clean the parts before shipping them because that's a law with car parts being shipped internationally??? I had no idea.
Anyway, I'm happy with the price and I'm really hoping everything comes through in good condition.

[Accrdwgnguy]

There might be a good reason for that law, like maybe there is an invasive species of beetles living in your parts and you unleash an epidemic of these things on pine trees when you open the box.

[Vermonter]

There might be a good reason for that law, like maybe there is an invasive species of beetles living in your parts and you unleash an epidemic of these things on pine trees when you open the box.

That's what I was thinking. I have no problem with the regulation, I just had no idea that it was a thing. Either way, I'm glad to have the parts arrive clean. One less thing I have to do!

I have not heard back from my intermediary in a couple days, but I was told it would take a few days to get the items shipped to him, and then I have to wait even longer to get them here.

[Vermonter]

I did some searching on google and found better pictures of my Wagon in an archive. I figured I'd share them with you guys while I impatiently wait for more parts to arrive in the mail.

Shaved rear door handles, antenna, emblems, side moldings, roof rack holes, and minor dent repair. circa 2005?







Fresh out of paint. circa 2005?





Shortly after paint work, I bought a JDM spoiler and had it painted.





Around the same time as those spoiler pics were taken, I had a JDM H22 tore down, rebuilt, and installed.

[Vermonter]

I want to say sometime in 2006 I had this equipment installed. 2 10" Alpine Type-R's, a 4 channel Alpine V12, mono Alpine V12 amp, alpine component door speakers, and a Stinger capacitor.





More random pictures from 2006 (I think)








I think these pictures were taken in 2007...










After having those hideous mirrors removed...

[Vermonter]

I think I only have 2 pictures from the last of it's days, unfortunately. I installed an oem rear bumper with the exhaust cutout moved to accept a sedan exhaust and bolted up a Pacesetter Monza exhaust. Then I did a rear brake disc conversion with new e-brake lines. I also had better looking rims then those awful 5-spoke Riax wheels that I still to this day never liked.