Red 2004 EP3 Build

[Beech2807]

Hi all,

Thought id make a build thread to keep track of the progress i make with my new civic. Its my 2nd EP3 and my 5th honda in total having owned two B16 del sol's and an Em1 coupe aswell in the past.

My first Ep3 was a prefaclift 2003 in silver with 126k on the clock, the cam chain stretched the first week i had it "/. I wantedd to make sure i had a better car this time around!

After a bit of searching i found this lovely red 2004 facelift model with 94k on the clock, 4 previous owners and almost full service history, after taking a test drive and thoroughly inspecting the car i agreed to pay the full asking price which in my opinion, was a steal at £2800.

This is how the car sat the day i picked it up which was the 16th May 2016.

 

[Beech2807]

..

The day i picked it up...

 

[Beech2807]

Sunstrip

First thing i did when i got home was give the car a clean and put on a sunstrip. Then, it was time for bed and to start to order some parts online... I had to put my mark on it before sleeping haha

 

[Beech2807]

First things i ordered were:

Skunk2 gear knob
Wind deflectors
Mugen oil cap
Tegiwa resevoir socks
Rear subframe brace (didnt use)
10x6 Number plate for the rear
Pressed number plate on the front
Honda seatbelt pads
Black and red Honda dustcaps
Few stickers on the rear window

My car was starting to look different...

 

[Beech2807]

Servicing...

I had now owned the car about 4 weeks and i had started to hear what i thought was the sound of a dead wheel bearing when picking up speed. I took my car to the garage and had it checked.

First of all my brake calipers were knackered. I had to have all four calipers serviced along with new pads on the rear so i decided to change the front pads at the same time too.


The garage also said my rear drop links were dead and could do with replacing .. he also said that i had a stepped tyre on the back left so i had both tyres replaced along with the drop links on the back. Seems as my car was allready being worked on i decided to get an oil and filter change at the same time.

I picked my car up the next day and the noise i was originaly hearing at speed was gone! I was 240 pound lighter. But my car felt a lot better.

 

[Beech2807]

Update

So, we were in the 3rd week of June by now and i wanted to continue making improvements to the car.

I went ahead and got the car proffesionaly valeted which made the car look great. I also bought a silver beaks bar and had that fitted to the rear.

I ordered a few more stickers to add to the rear window along with some silver caliper paint and red honda decals to make the brakes look better as they were looking pretty sorry..

I also added some 8 mm spacers all around which didnt really make any difference, but i left them on anyway....

I took the civic badge off the back which made the rear look a bit cleaner. I also bought a wiper bung to dewiper the rear window which is yet to be done.

Few pics of how the car was looking at this point

 

[Beech2807]

Planning the build

It was the start of July and i wanted to start planning and time scaling my build and putting together a list of what i was going to buy and when i was going to buy it...

I decided that i was going to buy some 40 mm lowering springs, i bought cheap ones cbecause i will get coilovers eventualy so just wanted something for the interim..... i got a gold asr brace and silver skunk 2 LCA's this month aswell that i will get fitted at the end of July. I have now made a list of what parts will be purchased each month for the next 6 months but i wont give too much away...

I ordered the parts and they came within a few days...

My car was looking quite dirty now after not cleaning it for 2/3 weeks and doing a good few miles driving round with my mate in his leon cupra, the wheels were caked in brake dust, the car was covered in dust entirely actually (Bit of welsh touge racing) so i got the car cleaned once again along with a polish and wax....

This is how the car was sitting now 8/7/2016

 

[Beech2807]

Update - random mod bought!

So in the last update i had the car cleaned up once again which looked great. However, i couldnt help but hate the fact my car looked so nice and shiney yet my wheels looked so wornout... i was thinking of getting them refurbed but after looking at some pictures online with civics on aftermarket wheels i started to hunt for a set of wheels i liked.. This was totally unplanned i was browsing online and i came across Rota Titans in shadow silver... a wheel i had never actually seen before but fell in love with!

After about ten minutes of consideration i went ahead and bought them before i changed my mind lol

I decided to buy 17 x 8 et42 brand new at a cost of £650 without tyres. 5 days later they arrived and they were even better in the flesh than they looked online! I love them and i think they are going to transform the car entirely.

I have decided to go with 215/40r17 Nankang tyres purely because im skint lol These should have a slight stretch which will probably be needed to avoid any scraping on the arch. I want to avoid rolling the arches if possible. The fitment of the wheel is perfect being 13mm further out than the standard wheel which fills the arch nicely..

My car is now booked in to the garage on the 28th of July to have the 40 mm springs, ASR brace and lower control arms fitted.

The 29th of July I have my car booked in to get the bonnet carbon wrapped at 10am. My tyres will be fitted along with the new Rota Titans straight after that and from there, four wheel alignment in the afternoon to complete the transformation.

Here are a few pictures of the Wheels and parts i currently have.

Next update will be when the above work is completed in two weeks time..

At the end of August i plan to get an M2 backbox, Mugen rep spoler and stuke skirt extenders... After that i will be starting to upgrade performance.. induction kit, centre pipe, manifolds kpro etc....

Cheers

 

[haGGard]

Looking good so far, i like the choice of wheels. I have Nankangs on the front of my EP3 as well, i don't think they're too bad, no good for all the pirelli and pilot sport connoisseurs but does me fine lol. I don't drive hard anyway.

Edit: Whoops, no i don't, i have Hankooks, same sort of tyre anyway

 

[simon25]

Nice, wheels look good. Do like the OEM look myself. :lol:

 

[Beech2807]

..

Thanks for the comments, wheels will be on the car Friday. ** put some pictures up.

My Lcas finally arrived today.

Next update:

Dewipered rear
Lowered 40mm
Rotas fitted
Gold ASR
Silver skunk 2 LCA

 

[Beech2807]

Update..

So today i had the car lowered 40mm and my ASR brace and lower control arms fitted. happy with how the car sits!

Getting the Rota's put on tomorrow morning and the bonnet wrap has been postponed untill next week "/

Tomorrow im goinv to order an M2 exhaust aswell seems as i had a few quid for my Birthday today!

Heres a few pics from today, will update tomorrow when its valeted and has my new wheels fitted...

Peace

 

[Vtec Col]

Car looks realy good. Nice work!

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

 

[Beech2807]

Rota's Fitted ...

Quick update,

Got my Rotas fitted today. Wheels are 17 x 8 et42 (10mm closer to the shock and 13mm further out than standard)

I decided to go with 205/45/17 tyres in the end to get the arch clearence as the car sits lower than i thought it would...

Just ordered an M2 angled backpipe and 4 inch can along with some hardrace front droplinks. Those will be fitted on Wednesday this week so ** update again when thats done...

Love how it sits on the Rotas!

 

[jimbothemagnificent]

Love those wheels, they're the exact ones I always wanted for my EP, I just never got around to it. They suit the car perfectly.

Are you putting the M2 backbox on the oem centre section?

Oh, yeah, these cars eat droplinks if you touge them! Get spares.

 

[Beech2807]

Love those wheels, they're the exact ones I always wanted for my EP, I just never got around to it. They suit the car perfectly.

Are you putting the M2 backbox on the oem centre section?

Oh, yeah, these cars eat droplinks if you touge them! Get spares.

Haha yeh this is my second pair in 3 months! Hoping the hardrace ones last a little longer tbh!! lol

Thanks, I love the wheels too they really make the car stand out!

The M2 will be on OEM centre untill next month, then im gonna get an unsilenced centre section... Its all money "/

I also bought some pre cut window tints yesterday which ** do Tuesday night, I also ripped the tacky stickers off the backwindow and replaced with a skunk 2 sticker instead which looks much better...

Cars just been valeted and looks amazing in the sun today

 

[Beech2807]

Few Pics from today.....

Just been cleaned up!

 

[Beech2807]

Spec list update...

Quick list of changes made so far and a list of whats to come over the next 6 to 12 months...

Since May 2016 ive done the following:

Mugen sunstrip
Mugen oil cap
Heko wind deflectors
Tegiwa resevoir socks
10x6 rear plate
Pressed front plate
Honda seatbelt pads
Honda dustcaps
Skunk2 rear window sticker
Skunk2 gear knob
Skunk2 Lca's
Asr brace
Beaks bar
M2 backbox
Rear window tints
Rota Titan wheels 17x8 et42
205 /45/17 stretched tyres
Extended aluminium wheel nuts
Prosport 40mm springs
Hardrace drop links
Brembo drilled and grooved disks
Silver Calipers & honda decals



Mods on list:

Mugen spoiler - Next month
Skirt extenders - Next month
Sportex centre pipe - Next month
Induction kit
Japspeed manifold
Skunk2 inlet manifold
Kpro ecu
Floor mats
Battery tie
C pillar brace
Engine brace
Rocker cover painted

Not sure where else to go with it after the above is complete. Im considering buying an airwalker front lip at the minute too ... whats peoples opinions on them?

Tints and exhaust goin on today so pics to follow in the next few days!

Thanks

 

[jimbothemagnificent]

Sportex unsilenced centre and M2 back is loud. Seriously.

Completely epic. But loud.

You have been warned.

 

[Beech2807]

Sportex unsilenced centre and M2 back is loud. Seriously.

Completely epic. But loud.

You have been warned.

Haha

Well i drive like a granny when my lil boy is in the car anyway and tbf he sleeps through anything so im not too bothered if its loud.... As long as it sounds epic happy days... the neighbours can please themselves lol

Even without an induction kit will it still be as loud as you say?