Up and running!

Back together and on the road.
Got a rebuilt carb from Carb X in CA and had it installed and dialed in. Car runs great.

Put the back seat in, put all the bits back together and it runs like a champ.

Everywhere I go people have to say something about this car.

Next step is to get original seat fabric to match the original hounds tooth pattern. Then it gets painted this winter.

Bits back from paint

New bumper brackets and front bumper valence are back, fender arrives soon along with the re chromed bumper and headlight trim.

Maiden voyage

Got the carb rebuilt and installed.

Put in a new brake master cylinder.

Fired up the car (once I hooked up the choke right) and she started and ran. Has a vacuum leak so the car won't idle on it own.

Took it out for a spin around the block and it was a hoot. Revs nicely once it get above 3000 rpm.

Drove it 6 blocks and parked it back in the garage.


Evening was rolling in so the civic goes back in the garage along side its younger sister (the '89) for the night.

Will get the car off to the shop for them to fine tune the carb/idle and get it running smooth.

Trim rings are polished

Sent out the old ratty trim rings to be straightened and polished and they came back looking awesome.

All the curb rash was gone and they were super shiny.














Looks good on the car too. Tried to get a new set but cannot find 12" trim rings anywhere but China... and then I would have had to have them made.

Old ones look just fine to me.

Now onto the little nits

Pulled the carb off the car and sent it off to be rebuilt. Car runs but does not idle at all. Needs a bit of TLC in the fuel delivery department.

Thanks to eBay, got a carb kit for $20 and off to have it rebuilt.

She starts, she runs!

After 22 years, the cars started and ran.

Well, started up and ran after I cleaned out the fuel lines that were clogged with tar and the carb floats were stuck.

Fuel pump gave out a minute into the run but I have the donor car fuel pump and hooked it up with great success.

Smoked for a bit, then ran great after about 2 minutes. Engine sounds great and smooth despite the carb being jammed with crud.

Swapped out the "new" engines' black valve cover with the period-correct cast CVCC valve cover just to make it look better.

Donor Car

Got a FREE '76 donor civic to help me on my way the '77. Pulled off the front bumper and trim to get it cleaned up. The '77 had a crunched right corner so '76 came into save the day.

Bumper and headlight trim goes in to be re-chromed and the bumper supports to be painted.