well folks...

[Shadow1]

ive decided. i got about 4 CBs lined up right now. i have my plan in my head. i have my budget. just gotta execute it. im getting another CB. screw the 240. 1st off id end up spending too much money on it. SR20DET swap, $1400 suspension, "too expensive for me" rims, all that jazz. then get me in trouble with the popo. cause you know, ill have to attempt to drift it and end up wrecking it.

i thought about it. i have a full block in my shed. a rebuilt head in the shop. the know-how to swap the motor in. screw finding a decent running CB. just as long as i got a title and a good body, ill be fine. but yall wont get pics til im done. teaser shots...maybe. ill make a build thread for it later....im ready for this. no half assing none of this no more. no more $25 paint jobs. no more leaving 2 bolts out of 6 because 4 holds it fine. yall shall see....ill put my screen name to the test....


but anyways. my points of inspiration....

[deevergote]

Now you're in the right mindset! You can't halfass with these old cars, man. They need proper maintenance, and usually some restoration at this point. When you modify and halfass the modifications before you even bring the car back to somewhere near stock health... problems arise.

I know you're on a budget, just like the rest of us. 95% of the active members here that still have CBs work on those cars because they can't afford "better". The other 5% could afford "better" but loves the chassis enough to stick with it (OR they have a "better" car as well...)

Here's Deev's plan to a car that you won't hate:
1) Buy one that has what you are looking for... no or little rust. no or few dents. transmission of choice. coupe, sedan, or wagon. color. Don't buy something that has something you must absolutely change right away... that'll only add to the to-do list.

2) Once you've picked your project base, start simple. Refresh everything that needs refreshing. This is the frustrating part, because you're putting money into things that don't seem to make the car "better". They do. Trust me.
Suspension refresh (bushings, ball joints, tie rod ends, etc... if it's rubber, or has a rubber boot, inspect and replace as needed.) Brake refresh. Ignition tune up (new components, properly set timing.) EGR cleanup. Electrical cleanup (grounds, battery cables, damaged wiring...) Change all fluids and filters with QUALITY products. If there are any oil leaks, replace seals and gaskets.

3) Now that the car is safe and running well, let the mods begin! Personally, I think a car that looks worthy of modification is a better inspiration than a car that looks like crap with a monster under the hood... so step 3 is "Paint it!"
I've had great luck with Maaco. Not with their rust repair, but their painting has been satisfactory for me. Go in when they're having a sale (winter months are good for that.) I got the $500 job for $250. Nothing spectacular, but it makes the car much better to look at. I've gotten plenty of compliments. For a daily driver, that's as expensive as I'll ever need.
The easiest and cheapest way to ensure it comes out as you want it... get it repainted the stock color. This is why it's important to find a color you like from the start!

4) Simple suspension mods: Suspension is a biggie. Big dollar mods here, to do it right. Minimum mods... Koni STR.T and quality springs of your choice. Of course, a camber kit and alignment are the way to go. Sway bars and strut bars are also useful and fairly inexpesnive.

5) Simple engine mods: Intake, exhaust, H23 manifold... That's $500-$600 tops, and that much alone will make the car more fun to drive.

6) This is the floater entry... as it can be done anywhere in the list. Wheels and tires. DON'T CHEAP OUT ON TIRES! That's something I learned from uslspct. He always spends top dollar on really good tires... and after driving with him, I can totally see the difference! At least get a good brand's lower-end all-season. Never settle for the budget crap that comes with the cheap wheel bundles. Nankang, Wanli, etc... no. Dunlop and Falken make decent inexpensive tires.


Follow those 6 steps. You'll be spending about $3000 over the cost of the car to do everything right, I estimate... but once those things are done, the car will be worth driving.

[MikeW]

Deev, where was this post when i first joined the site?

That exact post should be copied, pasted and stickied in a seperate thread that the newcomers read.

shadow, good on ya man. Doing it right and being smart is the right way. Im glad you were smart enough to know that the 240 might end up being more trouble than it's worth. Good luck with your future ride and i cant wait to see it.

[deevergote]

It's my own personal experience. Granted, my H22 was my first mod... and I loved it. BUT, a properly maintained car, a nice paintjob, and a quality suspension make you want to keep working on it. I used to regard my car as the shell that was temporarily carrying my engine. Not much pride there!


And yeah, a 240sx and a DSM... two great project cars. Two very bad daily driver budget projects!

[Shadow1]

Now you're in the right mindset! You can't halfass with these old cars, man. They need proper maintenance, and usually some restoration at this point. When you modify and halfass the modifications before you even bring the car back to somewhere near stock health... problems arise.

I know you're on a budget, just like the rest of us. 95% of the active members here that still have CBs work on those cars because they can't afford "better". The other 5% could afford "better" but loves the chassis enough to stick with it (OR they have a "better" car as well...)

Here's Deev's plan to a car that you won't hate:
1) Buy one that has what you are looking for... no or little rust. no or few dents. transmission of choice. coupe, sedan, or wagon. color. Don't buy something that has something you must absolutely change right away... that'll only add to the to-do list.

2) Once you've picked your project base, start simple. Refresh everything that needs refreshing. This is the frustrating part, because you're putting money into things that don't seem to make the car "better". They do. Trust me.
Suspension refresh (bushings, ball joints, tie rod ends, etc... if it's rubber, or has a rubber boot, inspect and replace as needed.) Brake refresh. Ignition tune up (new components, properly set timing.) EGR cleanup. Electrical cleanup (grounds, battery cables, damaged wiring...) Change all fluids and filters with QUALITY products. If there are any oil leaks, replace seals and gaskets.

3) Now that the car is safe and running well, let the mods begin! Personally, I think a car that looks worthy of modification is a better inspiration than a car that looks like crap with a monster under the hood... so step 3 is "Paint it!"
I've had great luck with Maaco. Not with their rust repair, but their painting has been satisfactory for me. Go in when they're having a sale (winter months are good for that.) I got the $500 job for $250. Nothing spectacular, but it makes the car much better to look at. I've gotten plenty of compliments. For a daily driver, that's as expensive as I'll ever need.
The easiest and cheapest way to ensure it comes out as you want it... get it repainted the stock color. This is why it's important to find a color you like from the start!

4) Simple suspension mods: Suspension is a biggie. Big dollar mods here, to do it right. Minimum mods... Koni STR.T and quality springs of your choice. Of course, a camber kit and alignment are the way to go. Sway bars and strut bars are also useful and fairly inexpesnive.

5) Simple engine mods: Intake, exhaust, H23 manifold... That's $500-$600 tops, and that much alone will make the car more fun to drive.



Follow those 5 steps. You'll be spending about $3000 over the cost of the car to do everything right, I estimate... but once those things are done, the car will be worth driving.

1.) found a few that i like. either a coupe or sedan. either is fine with me. haha. doesnt matter if its an auto or 5spd. i would KIND of prefer 5spd because most down here in NC dont take really good care of the autos. they just drive it. by the time the car is ready to be sold, the tranny is going back and damage has already been done. but i wouldnt mind buying one off one of these JDM engine importers.

2.) the bushings and all are the main things ill be replacing. like i did with this one. i replaced the UCAs, UCA bushings, upper and lower ball joints, tie rod ends, and sway bar end links. the steering felt AMAZING after i replaced those. response went up dramatically. so those are the 1st things ill be replacing. ill be replacing the whole motor so i wont have to worry about any leaking seals.

3.) paint ill be doing myself. i wont do it rush and cheap like i did the last time. some times it looked good in a pic but up close it looked like ass. no more $8 can of Rustolium anymore. lol. ill be using actual car paint for this. and ill be taking my time with prep for sure. and i would do the stock color but i priced it and its expensive. lol. and i would have a shop do the paint, but i want the experience doing it. that way way when i open my shop, it'll be something i can add to things that can be done at my place. and yea. id like to be able to fix any scratches or chips myself instead of having the shop do it and have to spend $200 for 3in fix. lol.

3.) suspension is gonna be the MAIN focus of this CB. 1st thing ill be getting put on is the Koni/GC set up. i have that set up already. haha. front CD5 V6 sway bar and a rear Progress bar. im uncertain if i wanna get a c-pillar bar this time. it doesnt help all that much but it looks nice on the interior. lol. i just gotta make sure i cut the rear pillar spots right this time.

5.) engine mods are an iffy for right now. maybe a basic I/H/E set up would be nice. but this will be mainly my DD. dont want it to be too loud or nothin. might get an intake and header. thats about it tho. i know if i add all that stuff, ill end up going overboard because ill want more speed. just found myself looking at some turbo parts. lmao. i was like "NO!!!! not worrying about speed right now." lol.

thanks Deev that helped narrow down that stuff a lot more.

[Shadow1]

Deev, where was this post when i first joined the site?

That exact post should be copied, pasted and stickied in a seperate thread that the newcomers read.

shadow, good on ya man. Doing it right and being smart is the right way. Im glad you were smart enough to know that the 240 might end up being more trouble than it's worth. Good luck with your future ride and i cant wait to see it.

thanks man. the vision of my CB came to me one day while i was day dreaming and i was like "thats it. THATS gonna be my CB before winter sets in." and yeah. the 240 would cost me more than its worth. ive yet to see a real nice looking one. most are now in that "i drift this so the broken bumper, 3 different kind of rims looks good". lol.

It's my own personal experience. Granted, my H22 was my first mod... and I loved it. BUT, a properly maintained car, a nice paintjob, and a quality suspension make you want to keep working on it. I used to regard my car as the shell that was temporarily carrying my engine. Not much pride there!


And yeah, a 240sx and a DSM... two great project cars. Two very bad daily driver budget projects!

lmao@the shell carrying my engine.

[deevergote]

It's all about focus. Figure out exactly what you need, and pursue that... and only that. HondaFan81 taught me that. If you get sidetracked, you'll never complete a project, and you'll never be happy with your progress.

I say this as my CB sits immobile for 2 years, and I make plans to buy a Cadillac... Do as I say, not as I do!

[mtnbikaah]

do it up. do it right.

[Shadow1]

It's all about focus. Figure out exactly what you need, and pursue that... and only that. HondaFan81 taught me that. If you get sidetracked, you'll never complete a project, and you'll never be happy with your progress.

I say this as my CB sits immobile for 2 years, and I make plans to buy a Cadillac... Do as I say, not as I do!

Lmao. Yea man. I haven't seen any pics of ur cb for a while now. Since then u done got a pontiac(ugh) then a Fit. Lol. And now you plotting to get a Cadi. You better go out there and fix that thing. Lol

And as far as getting side tracked. That was my problem with this thing. I went to different areas instead of sticking with just one area til it was done. Not this time round tho.

do it up. do it right.

Ima try my best to man.

[crx08]

screw the 240!!! My friend are so against my build and my plans. and saying FWD sucks. Later that night I was looking at 240's... what a bad idea. but I never gave in! I want to finish my build and let the haters hate on FWD. Because they were like you can afford it. just sell all your stuff. but I thought to myself. no one would have the money to buy the parts I have collected. and then I would have to start over on the 240 if I had bought one. It would cost me even more than just finishing the CB. and buying tires and what ever else you wear down drifting will add up really fast. not worth it unless you have a steady job and you don't have to be there much.

[deevergote]

I'm getting over FWD myself... mainly because I've never owned a worthwhile RWD car, and never owned an AWD car at all. The CB7 is probably the last FWD car I can really get into. At least for now.

Still, FWD can be plenty fast. Faster than anyone needs on the street!

[Gemini]

Now you're in the right mindset! You can't halfass with these old cars, man. They need proper maintenance, and usually some restoration at this point. When you modify and halfass the modifications before you even bring the car back to somewhere near stock health... problems arise.

I know you're on a budget, just like the rest of us. 95% of the active members here that still have CBs work on those cars because they can't afford "better". The other 5% could afford "better" but loves the chassis enough to stick with it (OR they have a "better" car as well...)

Here's Deev's plan to a car that you won't hate:
1) Buy one that has what you are looking for... no or little rust. no or few dents. transmission of choice. coupe, sedan, or wagon. color. Don't buy something that has something you must absolutely change right away... that'll only add to the to-do list.

2) Once you've picked your project base, start simple. Refresh everything that needs refreshing. This is the frustrating part, because you're putting money into things that don't seem to make the car "better". They do. Trust me.
Suspension refresh (bushings, ball joints, tie rod ends, etc... if it's rubber, or has a rubber boot, inspect and replace as needed.) Brake refresh. Ignition tune up (new components, properly set timing.) EGR cleanup. Electrical cleanup (grounds, battery cables, damaged wiring...) Change all fluids and filters with QUALITY products. If there are any oil leaks, replace seals and gaskets.

3) Now that the car is safe and running well, let the mods begin! Personally, I think a car that looks worthy of modification is a better inspiration than a car that looks like crap with a monster under the hood... so step 3 is "Paint it!"
I've had great luck with Maaco. Not with their rust repair, but their painting has been satisfactory for me. Go in when they're having a sale (winter months are good for that.) I got the $500 job for $250. Nothing spectacular, but it makes the car much better to look at. I've gotten plenty of compliments. For a daily driver, that's as expensive as I'll ever need.
The easiest and cheapest way to ensure it comes out as you want it... get it repainted the stock color. This is why it's important to find a color you like from the start!

4) Simple suspension mods: Suspension is a biggie. Big dollar mods here, to do it right. Minimum mods... Koni STR.T and quality springs of your choice. Of course, a camber kit and alignment are the way to go. Sway bars and strut bars are also useful and fairly inexpesnive.

5) Simple engine mods: Intake, exhaust, H23 manifold... That's $500-$600 tops, and that much alone will make the car more fun to drive.

6) This is the floater entry... as it can be done anywhere in the list. Wheels and tires. DON'T CHEAP OUT ON TIRES! That's something I learned from uslspct. He always spends top dollar on really good tires... and after driving with him, I can totally see the difference! At least get a good brand's lower-end all-season. Never settle for the budget crap that comes with the cheap wheel bundles. Nankang, Wanli, etc... no. Dunlop and Falken make decent inexpensive tires.


Follow those 6 steps. You'll be spending about $3000 over the cost of the car to do everything right, I estimate... but once those things are done, the car will be worth driving.

thats why I loved Sexxi....thats the format i followed, I made sure she ran flawless before I did any major mods(damn I miss that car). As much as i say i dont want another CB Ive been looking for something really mint in 5spd to pop up

[rob_is_legend]

I'm getting over FWD myself... mainly because I've never owned a worthwhile RWD car, and never owned an AWD car at all. The CB7 is probably the last FWD car I can really get into. At least for now.

Still, FWD can be plenty fast. Faster than anyone needs on the street!

awd is worth getting but im biased.


goodluck terrance

[Shadow1]

awd is worth getting but im biased.


goodluck terrance

im sure you are. lol.

thanks man. and its Terence. not terrance. lmao

[Shadow1]

found my victim. its a '91 SE. its having tranny issues. the owner said he has to shift thru the gears manually. said he had a mechanic look at it and its the TCU. eh. if its the tranny, ill order another one. no worries. but ill be sure this CB is done right. the paint is getting done for sure tho. the clear is fading bad on the hood, roof, and trunk.