I think it is time for the Wagon and I to part ways

"Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo" (akioohtori)
06/06/2019 at 15:17 • Filed to: project golf ball

Don’t get me wrong, I really like this car. It is quirky, ergonomic, surprisingly comfortable, and well made. It, however, was never meant to have a permanent place in my garage.

When I bought it, it was partially disassembled, non-running, dirty, and came with a box of parts. With a little elbow grease and generous application of cash, I got it running and driving essentially perfectly. Even the AC works!

Is there stuff that I would do if I were going to keep it? Hell yes. The calipers are still a little sticky, there is some of the plastic armor that needs attention, and it could use a tint. Also the carpets are pretty threadbare and poorly fitted.

Mechanically it is in excellent condition. Everything works as it should. The only concern I have is the mystery oil consumption, which I am 90% sure is valve guides. Running another round of Seafoam through it and replacing with a thicker oil seems to have tapered it way off.

I really like this car... but I don’t like driving it. I t just doesn’t have enough power. The Saab, Alfa, and Disco aren’t exactly power houses either, but, despite having the same power to weight ratio as the Disco, this thing just feels like a chore to drive on the highway. Around town it is a delight, but 70+ it really is out of its comfort zone. Kicking on the AC makes it even worse.

Right now the thinking is get it cleaned up for some beauty shots and then put it up on some specific enthusiast Facebook groups. This car deserves a good home and I’m OK with hanging onto it for the right buyer. Which shouldn’t be hard because my asking price is going to be on the high side of normal for one of these.

Dog A for your time.

DISCUSSION (36)

HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
06/06/2019 at 15:25

Hmm. How much would you sell it for? I’m uh, asking for a friend.

dogisbadob > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
06/06/2019 at 15:32

How much rust is on it?

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
06/06/2019 at 15:33

Too bad you are not bringing it to the PNW on your drive....

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute
06/06/2019 at 15:34

Haha! Plan is to put it up for $3, 500, but to someone who would take care of it (or at least not tell me about the abuse) I’d knock a few hundred off that.

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > dogisbadob
06/06/2019 at 15:35

None. Texas/Arkansas car its whole life.

HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
06/06/2019 at 15:49

Very interesting. Where you located?

AuthiCooper1300 > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
06/06/2019 at 16:00

Interesting what you say about lack of oomph at 70 mph. Could it be that the bigger tyres have messed up with the original final drive ratio, and now in top gear you are unable to pull enough revs ?

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
06/06/2019 at 16:18

Clearly it is time to do an engine swap.

I mean, if it doesn’t make you happy, modify until it does. A simple D16ZC swap would really wake it up.

dogisbadob > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
06/06/2019 at 16:20

Cool!

You could sell it to someone up north that would love a rust-free Civic

Or you can always keep it and VTEC swap it :o)

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
06/06/2019 at 16:37

Would show up late because google maps assumes your car can do the speed limit.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
06/06/2019 at 16:37

I have that issue in the truck. Driving it to Downtown Vancouver the other night. I hit a max of 55mph on the freeway.

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute
06/06/2019 at 16:41

Tulsa, OK

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > AuthiCooper1300
06/06/2019 at 16:42

To some extent probably, but the tires also aren’t substantially bigger.

HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
06/06/2019 at 16:48

That’s a bit far from me, but I have a good friend in Austin, Texas who might be interested. If there’s any more details let me know so I can pass it on.

AuthiCooper1300 > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
06/06/2019 at 16:56

Right. T he contact patch does seem to be bigger too, so you also suffer friction losses there.

I do understand you have to streamline a little your, uh, s t a b l e s , however. I should probably do the same with mine; most of them are non-runners at the mo ’ .

L o v e l y c a r t h o u g h , I ’ l l m i s s i t .

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
06/06/2019 at 17:15

C an’t a 318 go faster than 100 kph?

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
06/06/2019 at 17:22

225 Slant 6 . Look at it. LOOK AT IT.

I like to think of it as half a V12.

Kinja'd!!!

Just Jeepin' > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
06/06/2019 at 17:40

I had a very belated Mother’s Day dinner this week with mom, who said she hated her old Accord wagon but loved her Civic. Shame you’re so far away.

twodudesnape > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
06/06/2019 at 17:49

I’m selling mine and if your name is anything to go off of, I’m close to the BC border, albeit on the US side. You can find the posting on craigslist under “1986 Honda Civic Wagon 4wd Manual”

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
06/06/2019 at 18:24

I would have assumed that, like most small Japanese family cars of its era, it would have struggled to do 70 mph comfortably even when it was fresh off the lot.

I do however support your choice. If you don’t enjoy or, better still, look forward to driving it...then move it on to someone who will.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
06/06/2019 at 19:10

I know idiot some one who wants it.

It’s me, I’m idiot.

But unless you want to sell it’s stuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuupid cheap. I can’t buy it.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness
06/06/2019 at 19:28

And the place to go for power-adding info is here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/redpepperracingdotcom

https://www.redpepperracing.com/

That’s where I used to go for info when I had my 1987 Civic Wagovan.

Stock, the EW1/D15A1 engine made 76HP.

With a different carb, exhaust headers and a less restrictive exhaust and other mods, I recall reading that 120 HP is attainable.

OR... the DOHC D16A1 from the first gen Acura Integra (good for about 113HP) could also be swapped in.

The D17A2 SOHC VTEC (127HP) from the 2001-2005 Civic EX (US)/SI(Canada) could possibly work too.

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
06/07/2019 at 07:14

The later D16zc was good for 130hp/106ft-lbs stock, which is why I suggested that, but a ny D-series should be a direct bolt in and tons of places make adapter harnesses and engine management systems, so getting it running properly shouldn’t be an issue either.

I’ve always wanted an AWD Wagovan to make a sleeper out of, sadly when they come up around here their either complete shit, or the owner wants $5k for them.

My line of thinking was always to find one, swap it to a D16Y8 or one of the B18s, keeping the stock trans and AWD in tact. If one could get it around 200 HP, combined with it’s sub 2400 lb curb weight, should make it a WRX killer.

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
06/07/2019 at 07:32

It’s a Slant 6 though, just mat your foot on the floor and let her work. She’ll get you up to 85...........in her own time.

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
06/07/2019 at 07:38

It doesn’t take much. My ATs are only 1.2" taller and 1" wider than my factory tires. They also weigh 6 lbs more. That mild difference is the difference between my van going like a bat out of hell and feeling sluggish. It’s also the difference in me getting 27 mpg hwy and me getting 22 mpg hwy.

Point is, tires make a huge difference. A small change in height/weight/width ( or all 3 ) makes a huge difference in how a car feels.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness
06/07/2019 at 09:39

Only thing is good luck finding a ZC these days.

Some variant of the B-series would likely work well too.

Lots of old Integras with the ‘regular’ 140hp 1.8l

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
06/07/2019 at 10:08

I looked for a Wagovan for a long time, mostly because there was a ZC powered Integra sitting at a local JY, so the engine I needed for it was right there.

Since then they’ve crushed almost all their pre-1999 stuff thanks to a new regulation saying JYs can no longer have vehicles older than 20 yrs unless they have an antique license.

Future Heap Owner > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
06/08/2019 at 15:46

You did great work on this thing, and I really enjoyed reading all your posts about it. I bet you’ll feel a lot of pride when you watch the buyer drive it away.

jminer > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
06/08/2019 at 22:34

There are some vehicles that seem perfect when you drag them home, but then you fall out of love. I’m feeling that way with my Scout. It’s perpetually a project, and every time I fix something another breaks.

They sometimes seem perfect on paper but for some reasons just don’t really fit.

Nunyurbizz > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
07/14/2019 at 19:24

You are l etti ng go o f a honda jewel.

Ill pay you not to sell it. think about it well. If power is al l u need, dont hesitate to give an over haul. Wish u the best!

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute
07/14/2019 at 20:03

Sorry just noticed this. Located in Tulsa, OK.

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > Nunyurbizz
07/14/2019 at 20:04

Thanks! It is a great car but time to let it go. Too many other projects. I’d like to think I did right by it and I’m going to try and sell it to someone who will take care of it.

HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
07/14/2019 at 20:43

Um but you answered me when I asked already ...lol

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute
07/14/2019 at 21:15

>_>

I need more coffee.

Or whiskey.

Junkrat aka Rick Sanchez: Fury Road Edition > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness
08/02/2019 at 22:00

Well my slant six Valiant will go almost 60 according to GPS, and I got like 1.93 gears. I’ve been commuting in it for the past two weeks while I do major maintenance on my daily and luckily I don’t see a speed limit higher than 55.

Junkrat aka Rick Sanchez: Fury Road Edition > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
08/02/2019 at 22:23

Well I have the other half, but mine can do almost 60 comfortably. I have been commuting in my Valiant the past two weeks, mostly highway but 55 speed limit. I have been averaging right about 20mpg and I have only replaced the distributor and alternator.

I saw a guy that adapted the Holley two barrel EFI TBI, that’s made for straight six Fords, to the slant. It would be a minimally invasive install but still improve your overall enjoyment of the vehicle. It’s been something I’ve been thinking about lately. I want to keep the car very stock as long as I can, but decent carbs for these things are drying up.

If you haven’t seen Uncle Tony’s Garage two episodes on the slant six, you should check it out. I’m on mobile so no link, sorry. I learned a lot and I’ve been dealing with these engines for 25 years.