DIY Network

1993 Honda Civic: "Racing Diet" Andrew Totolos puts a '93 Civic — already partly race-ready — on a weight-reducing program, lowering curb weight by 325 pounds and shaving standing 1/8-mile track time to under 10 seconds! From "Tricked Out" episode DTRK-401

The project car: 1993 Honda Civic hatchback with modified engine, turbo, intercooler and EMS.

In this Tricked Out project, a 1993 Honda Civic hatchback goes on a "drag strip diet." I n a quest for better times at the track, host Andrew Totolos pulls out more than 300 pounds of unnecessary weight from the car and installs lightweight racing gear.

The car has already been modified by its owner to perform on the drag strip, but Andrew hopes to improve its performance on the strip.

It's important to note that, in this project, we're turning this car into a dedicated race vehicle. Once the project is done, this car's daily-driver days are pretty much over.

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Racing Mods to Lean Down the Civic

The rule of thumb is that you can gain a half second in the 1/4-mile for every hundred pounds you remove. Andrew will remove more than 300 pounds of excess weight within the car, beginning with the cargo area and the interior, so that the car will be lighter and faster on the strip. Andrew will also install a lighter-weight racing seat and four-point safety harness.

	High-visibility tach with adjustable shift light
	Four-point racing harness

Materials and tools for all modifications in this project:

In addition to standard auto-mechanic's tools (wrenches, ratchets, extenders, screwdrivers, nut-drivers, torque wrench, etc.), the essential tools required for this project are listed below.

tachometer with shift light
set of molded plastic windows
black silicone sealant
sports seat
harness bar
four-point harness system
dot-approved drag radial tires
corner weight scales
self-tapping screws
spade taps
split loom
masking tape
utility knife
sticky-back shelf liner paper
center punch
vacuum

DIY Difficulty Rating for This Project: We gave this a difficulty rating of 2 on a 5-point intermediate-level scale. The weight reduction projects are all pretty straightforward.

Important: Included in this summary are the steps in this automotive procedure as shown in the episode. These steps are general guidelines that are applicable to most vehicles. With any particular car or truck, there may be procedures, specifications, settings, tolerances, components, etc. that are specific to that vehicle. There are also variations according to the type and brand of upgrade-kit you select. Always consult your vehicle's service manual when undertaking significant automotive repairs, and read and follow the manufacturer's directions and precautions that come with your kit or replacement parts.

The Project Car: 1993 Honda Civic

The fifth generation Honda Civic hatchback has developed something of a cult following among the tuner set. A budget price and smooth styling make them a thrill to modify for show-winning looks and white-knuckle performance. This car's owner has decided to go the drag car route. He has already dropped in a hybrid dual cam engine, with a wild turbocharger and a piggy back engine management system that's putting over 400 horsepower to the tires. However there's a lot of extra weight in the car, and reducing weight is one of the most cost effective things your can do to increase speed.

In this project we pull all of the unnecessary weight out of the Civic. We also replace the rear windows with a plastic racing set and swap the everyday radials for DOT approved drag radials.

This particular Civic belongs is painted hot rod black, and accented with JDM headlights and corner lights. The street fighter stance comes by way of lowered struts and springs all around, and contact with the road is handled by a set of Civic SI wheels wrapped with standard street treads.

The interior sports every aftermarket gauge known to the tuner world plus a short shifter and custom steering wheel to keep michael in complete control.

Michael's best work lies under the hood where a "Frankenstein" engine waits to hurl this already hot Civic down the track. The modified engine features a B20 bottom end out of a Honda CRV topped with a B16 VTEC head.

Airflow is handled by an aftermarket T4 turbo and a huge front mount intercooler.

Turbo

Intercooler

Spent gasses exit through a wrapped manifold and a 3" exhaust. To keep this race engine running smoothly, the owner has installed a piggyback engine management system that he programs himself via a laptop.

Programmable engine management module

Want to see just how much Andrew Totolos can carve off this revved-up runabout in his dedicated effort to make it a real track demon? Keep reading.

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