Honda VTEC powered Mark I

[914turboford]

You guys will probably hate me for this but here is my latest project. I took a 1984 VW rabbit and sold off the lame 48hp diesel motor. Then I cut the front clip off. Then I cut the front clip off a 92 LX and welded it in place. I have a Z6 sitting on the garage floor and a IHI RHB5 turbo from a Subaru I plan to run. I am running an RHB5 on my AWD first gen civic too.

[URL=http://s140.photobucket.com/user/914turboford/media/VtecBunny3_zps5968ee36.jpg.html]

[914turboford]

[Toby]

That's an SI motor, not the hot rod twin cam V-Tech. And yes we do hate you! ;<)

[914turboford]

Haha yes that's right. The real BA motors are the B series and K series. Those are the DOCH vtec. There are versions of those that made right at 100hp/litre NA. And that was in the mid 90's.

 The d series motors are the little guys. The biggest version is only 1.6 litres and they never combined dohc with vtec. The best ones make 130hp stock. They only weigh about 225 pounds. I'm running a turbo'd d15Z1 (the vtec-e fuel economy version) in my AWD 74 civic. I get 32mpg in town with about 130hp in a 2450 lb car with AWD. I know VW makes good motors too but I'm partial to the d series motors. But I love the way Mark 1's look. Can't say I'm a fan of the door handles though. haha

[745 turbogreasel]

Hmm, I  probably would have stopped  at the engine cradle.  Which sheet metal are you going to run up front?

[libbydiesel]

[facepalm] 

[theman53]

I could think of many VW engines that would be more powerful and less work, but to each his own.

[Dennis Froelich]

[facepalm] 

X2

[Syncroincity]

[facepalm] 

X2

Please, allow me...

[745 turbogreasel]

IDK, the Honda rack is a pain to change, but the shifter is a world better.

[914turboford]

It's going to have all Rabbit sheet metal. The front wheels did end up about an inch farther forward than the fender openings and the track is wider so I am going to do some sort of flares and I plan to widen the rear track to get it closer to the new front track. I know it's a crazy idea and I know there are VW motors that can make this power. What amazes me about the d-series motors is the power vs. fuel economy. I think you can make 200hp with a turbo and get 35 mpg on the freeway and 30 in town. I don't think I could do that with a VW motor but I may be wrong. But a 1.8T swap would have been really cool too. If I had done that I would have used the donor car's front clip like I did with this one so it wouldn't have been any less work. And yes, I'm glad to be free from the VW shifter. I wish I could find a way to be free from the door handles though.

Brian

[bbob203]

It's going to have all Rabbit sheet metal. The front wheels did end up about an inch farther forward than the fender openings and the track is wider so I am going to do some sort of flares and I plan to widen the rear track to get it closer to the new front track. I know it's a crazy idea and I know there are VW motors that can make this power. What amazes me about the d-series motors is the power vs. fuel economy. I think you can make 200hp with a turbo and get 35 mpg on the freeway and 30 in town. I don't think I could do that with a VW motor but I may be wrong. But a 1.8T swap would have been really cool too. If I had done that I would have used the donor car's front clip like I did with this one so it wouldn't have been any less work. And yes, I'm glad to be free from the VW shifter. I wish I could find a way to be free from the door handles though.

Brian

Are you familiar with Tdi motors?

[Dakotakid]

Please don't forget to install a good fartcan. Therefore, it will all be in prospective!

[RabbitJockey]

quite an interesting swap and way of going about it.  i think it would have been more fun to swap the front end on from a k-series powered car tho...

[914turboford]

I think TDI motors are pretty awesome. However, they are pretty pricey and I don't like the electronic injector pump. Going with a manual pump is pretty cool but I've heard timing it is difficult. Also, TDI swaps are still pretty pricey. Then there's the cost of diesel fuel. I think I can achieve 190-200 hp with this D series and run on 87 octane gas on 7 psi on the stock long block and get 35 mpg on the highway, 30 in town. I think on diesel I'd need to get like 42 on the highway and 35 in town for my fuel costs to be comparable. I suppose a TDI would do that but would it do that while making 190hp? I bought the civic I cut up for $500 and a d16z6 (vtec d series motor) for another $175 at pick n pull. I think I would have had to spend at least $1500 for a TDI swap.

TDI would have been a really cool way to go, don't get me wrong. I just made a different choice.

A K swap would have been awesome but I probably would have paid at least $1500 for that front clip, maybe more like $2000. Also, they run on 91 octane.

Incidentally, in my 74 all wheel drive civic I am running a 93 vtec-e d series motor. I burn 87 octane gas with 6 psi boost and no intercooler. I never hear any pinging.