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my names henry, im 17, i just got a 9 civic ex sedan with 93,000miles on it (actually it was just under 93 some where and i just got to 93...anywho...) i want to slowly upgrade it to make more hp and eventually i want to race it...not sure if on a circuit or dragstrip...probably circuit, if i find one around here (northern nj). im not quite sure where to begin the upgrades so i need some help, my dad is a mechanic so he can def help me with installation of parts and we have plenty of tools, but i dont think he wants to give me any ideas about upgrading the car

it has a d16z6 if im not mistaken, and is a 4 speed automatic

in the future i would like to add a turbo but thats a long ways off in my financial future, same with a complete engine swap unless i find something good in a junkyard somewhere, anyway enough rambling, please help a guy out and give me some ideas, brandnames etc..THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 
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Welcome to the site

Start with suspension and brakes.
GSR brake swap, SS lines, hawk hps pads, and good fluid.
Koni Yellow with GC sleeves or Progress CSII coilovers, with a 22mm sway bar and ES bushings.

 
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approx how much is that gonna run me?

 
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$1500ish

This is not an inexpensive hobby haha

 
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ok, i was expecting to hear worse then that, even though that is half of what i paid for the car , what are some good places to get parts from, and if its not asking too much would you be able to link me to some of the above changes you mentioned

 
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Lol it's automatic

 
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Thmotorsports.com is a great company to buy from, they have really good prices. Energysuspensionparts.com is the least expensive place I've found to order poly bushings from.

For GSR brakes, just look around locally on craigslist or junk yards.

 
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i know, i wish it wasnt and id like to convert it to manual, but i think there are better ways to spend that money i would put into the conversion right now...i would have gotten a manual car if i could but dad thinks it would be too much to learn while being a relatively new driver, even though ive been driving for over a year, and riding dirtbikes for years now, so i already know the theory to working a clutch and what not...on thanksgiving im gonna try to get my uncle to let me try to drive his wifes stick aveo so i can at least learn...

 
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so your saying for brakes craiglist/ebay would be okay? and in that case would it be safe to get a manual trans as well, or should i get one new?

 
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Aveo's are cool as hell

 
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well i never got the chance to try to drive the aveo, but i got really close to 100mph the other day on the highway, before everyone starts bitching about speedlimits and crap, i was watching for cops and the highway was empty, and i know i shouldnt, but it was just too tempting....and i prob wont do that again either....

 
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well i think i have my intended driving goals for the car besides daily driver, next spring/summer i intend to start going to autocross events with a coworker of mine, and i think im gonna save til then to start upgrading and get a better idea of what i want to do first, but also in my school there are a number of kids with stis, g35s etc and i want to build my car to be able to beat them at a quarter mile if i chose to race...so how different would the car configuration be for occaisonal quarter miles and autocross? and what would be a recomended order of upgrades

before i start autocross im def gonna do the above recomended gsr brake swap, but ive decided to wait on suspension til after i do a few autocross events

 
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how are the disc swaps from passwordjdm.com?
hopefully over xmas break ill either be able to purchase and install either my brakes or suspension...or maybe ill wait until february or april break and keep saving and do it all at once...im not sure, ill figure it out as i go...
22mm sway bar, is that front or rear or do you put in a front and a rear sway bar?


so far i love the car, i def feel the need for different suspension, i like to turn fast and hard since i couldnt when i was driving dads lifted cherokee or i would have flipped it, fast turn ive taken was a 90 degree or so right hand turn somewhere between 35-40mph and it felt like i was gonna flip the car, oh and the turn is pretty much completely flat, if its visible on google maps ill post a pic later...

 
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Other than suspension most people do the Headers, Intake and Exhaust as first upgrades as well.

 
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finally got a chance to upload a pic

 
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Clean start... Do you care more about looks first? then i would say suspension rims tires.
If you care more about motor first then Header Intake Exhaust.
Tint windows(if that is something you like)

 
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intake will prob be the only mod ill do over xmas break im gonna hold out on exhaust and header until after suspension and brakes...i gotta find an exhaust and header combo i like the sound of and wont annoy the crap out of my neighbors and family especially since i get home from work late...

idk when im gonna do wheels and body work...

 
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If your going for full race then it will be challenging not to annoy the neighbors LOL.

 
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i havent done anything to it yet, but thanks

i like looks just as much as motor, right now my plan is intake, suspension, brakes, exhaust, header, rims.

idk yet when i plan on rims and tires...ill see when my tires look like theyll need changing and change rims and tires then or put rims and tires on as soon as it starts to stay warm out and keep stock rims for the winter...

i want to tint the windows but its technically illegal to put any on the front windows and id think i
would just look silly with dark rear windows and clear front windows...but ill see of i can find a light enough tint that i will just put on anyway, but it wont look dark so im not getting pulled over...

 
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im going for daily driver but good for autocross as well

 
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What I meant by Clean start is the car looks nice and clean, that you have a good base set up to start with

Either way best of luck to you on your build. Enjoy the Honda life.

 
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well its not so clean anymore...


i turned a little too fast and hit a leaf pile and with the rain and leaves slid 180* and hit a parked honda CR-V which got minimal damage,

fortunately they will keep insurance out of it and i get to pay for a body shop...

im trying to see the bright side though, im still alive, the car still runs, and now i have an excuse to put in better headlights and a body kit and all of that, and get the car repainted...
im trying

 
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Damn, at least you are ok...but that sux you just got that car..sorry man.

 
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i know scariest freaking thing ever also, im looking at it also as the car still runs and the worst damage is on my car, not theirs, and only immediate repair needed on mine is the right corner marker...so im using this as an excuse to replace the headlights with better ones and get a body kit installed and have the whole car resprayed in black...so some good will come out of this, but its gonna be a ricer then since i want the body nice before i start doing any performance modifications to it...oh well...it will work out in the end...also this def teaches me to corner slower, and if it seems like im gonna crash into a leaf pile i should crash into it instead of risking sliding into a parked car...

 
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Yeah i think the leaves are more forgiving then another car. At least you are looking at the bright side of things.

 
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yeah but i thought i could save it then...mainly i didnt want to crash into a leaf pile because there was a girl from school behind me in her TT...

 
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Ahh i see.

 
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17 years old and already learning how much trouble trying to impress a girl can get you into

I'd take the leaf pile over a car, I don't care what any girl thinks.

 
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well my train of thought was crashing into a leaf pile is gonna be really embarassing and i think i can save it anyway...

 
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you should get a GSR hatch instead tht would be sick af