Just bought my 97 EX ......

2216 Views 22 Replies 16 Participants Last post by ajn, Feb 19, 2002

oomuskablindoo

Discussion Starter · Feb 18, 2002

Hey guys, i'm new and I need some advice. I just bought my 97 Civic EX. What do you think i should do first? I wanna go for a little show and a little go. It's my first car so I'm not planning on it being anything fast, and I don't want to get an engine swap ... although i might if my next car is a civic. I was thinking about HP Motorsports exhaust and header, Iceman cold air intake, Hiper Gen 3 altezzas and reverse indiglo gauges. I don't have a lot of money to spend. I have 2 grand in the bank but wanna keep at least $500 in there after I buy my stuff incase of any emergencies. I might switch the HP Motorsports E/H for either Apexi N1 or Greddy Evo exhaust and DC Sports header. What do you guys think?
Oh, and have you guys ever heard of Hp Motorsports stuff? No one that i ever ask knows anything about it.... Just hoping i can get some feedback here so I don't buy crappy stuff if i decide to go that way. Thanks in advance

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HybridJDMHonda

· #2 · Feb 18, 2002

well sounds like you want to follow the crowd and do the i/h/e. and theres nothing wrong with that(although i would do otherwise, but thats a tottaly new thread)
as for the company i would do this: Iceman cold air, dc4-2-1 or 4-1 and apex n1 exhuast with 2.25" piping
you will get flamed for wanting altezzas but if you want them thats cool, get them.
good luck tuning man,.
trevor

oomuskablindoo

Discussion Starter · #3 · Feb 18, 2002

I would do a jdm swap but i don't have the money ... I'm only 16 and have a minimum wage job (heh oh well at least i'm working) so its hard as hell to buy a car, pay insurance, and try to put stuff on it all at the same time ... so I'm just gonna go with what I can afford for now ... cuz turbo is too much, supercharging is too much, everything is too much ... so I'll save that for my next car. Cuz like i said, this is my first so since I'm new to the hobby and I'll learn as I go on. And about getting flamed for wanting altezzas ... someone would have found something to flame me about ... they always do, but oh well ... it's my car and if they don't like it they don't have to do it to theirs, so whatever.
Oh ... and sound wise, is the n1 loud with the silencer on? My friend has one w/o the silencer on his type r and i can hear it from almost a mile away when he downshifts at the stop light, I don't really want mine THAT loud heh.

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civperc

· #4 · Feb 18, 2002

I would DEF. w/o a single doubt go with an AEM intake. Iceman isn't as cool (literally, temperature-wise) and does not perform as well as AEM. For headers I would easily go with DC Sports SS 4-2-1 and then finish it off with a quality exhaust, such as Tanabe Racing Medallion, Apex N1, Matrix, 5Zigen.

97Civic_Duty

· #5 · Feb 18, 2002

???

Go with the HP racing header. They dynoed 8hp and 6.6 ft/lb of tq to the wheels. I have never seen a dyno chart for DC headers on an SOHC civic, so don't get them just cuz everyone else has them. Also, Iceman has dyno proven more horsepower to the wheels than AEM. I have a Tanabe super medalion and there was a little difference in power that I could feel, so I recommend that. Although it loud and gets annoying after a while, but that is what the silencer is for. I have a 97 EX sedan.

HybridJDMHonda

· #6 · Feb 18, 2002

civperc said:
I would DEF. w/o a single doubt go with an AEM intake. Iceman isn't as cool (literally, temperature-wise) and does not perform as well as AEM. For headers I would easily go with DC Sports SS 4-2-1 and then finish it off with a quality exhaust, such as Tanabe Racing Medallion, Apex N1, Matrix, 5Zigen.

just because everyone and their brothers has an aem cai dosent mean that they are the best. who made the original? iceman. who perfected it? iceman. the tubing is desgined to give you more velocity into the intake manifold thus increasing the hp/tq gains. the filter is also more aerodynaically correct than the one on the aem cai. the iceman is also dry/wet interchangable meaning if you dont want to risk getting water in your engine you can quickly and easily change it to a short ram intake until its dry.
i am down for a good debate as always if you want to try me. maybe the aem cai is better than the iceman- prove it to me.

97CIVICoupe

· #7 · Feb 18, 2002

HybridJDMHonda said:
just because everyone and their brothers has an aem cai dosent mean that they are the best. who made the original? iceman. who perfected it? iceman. the tubing is desgined to give you more velocity into the intake manifold thus increasing the hp/tq gains. the filter is also more aerodynaically correct than the one on the aem cai. the iceman is also dry/wet interchangable meaning if you dont want to risk getting water in your engine you can quickly and easily change it to a short ram intake until its dry.
i am down for a good debate as always if you want to try me. maybe the aem cai is better than the iceman- prove it to me.

haha, Let me go find BlackDeuceCoupe, he'll put up one hell of a fight.. I agreed with everything he said on SHO before the reset about Iceman intakes..

ajn

· #8 · Feb 18, 2002

if you have $2000 to spend. Get a Greddy turbo right off the bat.

The kit costs $1500. Just as much as I/H/E would be and you will get a minimum of a 40 whp increase.

later,

aj

pushVTEC

· #9 · Feb 18, 2002

suspension first, koni sports with gc coilovers. then i\h\e

Ick

· #10 · Feb 18, 2002

pushVTEC said:
suspension first, koni sports with gc coilovers. then i\h\e

I agree. Suspension first.

AztecEJ

· #11 · Feb 18, 2002

originally posted by ajn

if you have $2000 to spend. Get a Greddy turbo right off the bat.

Werd

Johnny Tran

· #12 · Feb 18, 2002

HybridJDMHonda said:
i am down for a good debate as always if you want to try me. maybe the aem cai is better than the iceman- prove it to me.

AEM is better!!!

honda115

· #13 · Feb 18, 2002

you could get neuspeed sport springs for 140... that knocks your price down to 1860.... build a "junker" turbo from a t25 or t3 turbo... bout 180 or less, custom downpipe and exhaust manifold... about 400... so now you're down to 1280. Get a filter for like 40 bucks.... down to 1240. Get custom intercooler piping made... about 350... so now you're down to 890. Get an intercooler for like 700... so now your have 190... get all the necesary lines etc and then get a manual boost controller made for like 40 bucks.... run 4 pounds of boost

now that there is a recipe for a FAST car that looks lowered.... a HUGE sleeper... save up for another 2 grand and then get some pistons and rods, do some tuning and spend like 600 on some 16" rota sub zero-s with some tires.... maybe a lil more than 600... maybe like 750.... then you have a car that looks bad ass... is fast and looks like a sleeeper

hope i helped

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Itchy

· #14 · Feb 18, 2002

ajn said:
if you have $2000 to spend. Get a Greddy turbo right off the bat.

The kit costs $1500. Just as much as I/H/E would be and you will get a minimum of a 40 whp increase.

later,

aj

That's what I would be doing if I could do it all over again. From what I hear, you should get a cat back exhaust system before the turbo though.

Itchy

· #15 · Feb 18, 2002

v00tecsi said:
AEM is better!!!

Word!!!

OR-G

· #16 · Feb 18, 2002

I/H/E is pretty expensive. Our civics are not speed demons until you swap or get your SOHC built with a turbo.

The I/H/E will give you like 10hp.. big whoop. Instead I would concentrate on getting suspension down first, it's so much more fun having a ride that handles great.

Springs/Shocks
Rims/Tires
Get a new rear sway bar
Upper Front strut tower bar

That should be good enough for the suspension.

Then go for show, forget about power, until you are ready to swap or do major modifications.

Indiglows, red/clear tails, front spoiler(or bodykit), short shifter(fun), shift knob, blacklights, strobes(R U A Raver?), Fix any dents, new paint job, clear corners, HID or Catz lights, Wash n Wax every month, Paint Dash, Paint side moldings, New Seats, Sound System, New carpet mats, and the list goes on....

Remember, don't make the interior more than 2 colors. It'll just make it look straight up fugly.

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mhardy

· #17 · Feb 18, 2002

Well if you want a sleeper you could be like me

i would start with the greddy until you build up the low end
then upgrade the turbo for some serious boost .
but like alot of these guys are saying suspension is a good idea
what good is alot of power if you cant control it

im in the process of doing my low end as you can see from the sig but suspension is moving up the list fast..................if anyone wants to get rid of some rims drop me an email

peace

LX98Civic

· #18 · Feb 18, 2002

I would drop that biiiiitch and grab a cat-back!
Clear the head lights ($5)
Forget about played out Altezzas and go clean ==> red / clear!

That will have you looking nice

ajn

· #19 · Feb 19, 2002

Itchy said:
From what I hear, you should get a cat back exhaust system before the turbo though.

Not necessarily. You can always get that later, and when you do, you will gain a lot of whp from the less restrictive exhaust flow.

later,

aj

bertg16

· #20 · Feb 19, 2002

if i had it to do all over again, i wouldn't have wasted my time with bolt ons on a SOHC. i would have either gone with a swap or forced induction to begin with. then i would have gotten a good set of coilovers, after that some rims, then a good sound system, then back to the engine, building it up, and adding things to the suspension along the way. but thats just what i would have done.

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