Lo Key
New Member
I figured I'd go ahead and make one of these since I've been a member since forever ago...and finally have my car back.
Before I get started, I might as well tell you a little story. I'm currently, and have been, an 11B in the US Army. I bought my 2000 GSR back in 2011 off of an El Paso local. At the time, I was really wanting out of the honda game having already owned a 93 Prelude with a JDM H22 and a 98 civic hatch. After quickly realizing that insurance was definitely an issue on the bike dreams, I instantly started looking up hondas and bought this the same night, even with the front bumper/quarter panel damage.
After driving it around a total of 6 weeks, the old b18c just decided it was going to start acting up. I tried diagnosing it, but then realized I had overlooked something big when I bought the car. One of two things had happened. The guy who sold me the car had either cut the wire that runs to the CEL, or it was either removed/blown. I couldn't pull a code, but no biggy. Took it to autozone to find out it was the o2. Problem is, this didn't fix it. By this time my inspection sticker was about to expire, so I just parked the car.
Where the "Might As Well" comes in...
Three weeks after, I left for a deployment to Afghanistan. In the spare time/limited access to the internet that I had overseas, my focus was my car (and coming back to my wife and son). During my time in 'ol trashcanistan I figured with the extra money I was making I might as well fix up my teg, while my wife made sure it would get shipped back to my friends house in TN for safe keeping.
The Bad News
THE EXACT SAME DAY I got on the plane for deployment, someone hit my car where it already had quarter panel damage, nothing big. Two weeks later, someone decided they wanted to hit the exact same spot- caving in my quarter panel, messing up my rear bumper, and busting my passenger tail light. To top it off, when my wife finally went to put the car on a hauler...my motor seized, awesome.
And Now, The REST of the Story
I had front bumper damage. Just the bumper. In my mind...might as well get the JDM front end.
I needed a motor. Might as well go Type R.
Found a good deal on a front clip w/motor. Might as well have two JDM fronts with a RHD conversion.
Didn't like the suspension, might as well go Ksport Pro.
Didn't like my headers, might as well try out BWR.
Sold my Rota Slips, I like Grids.
I had quite the stash waiting for me when I came home for R and R. Like I said, I did my best to see my family but if they needed me they knew I was in the garage.
Me and some of my friends I've had since my early childhood spent 99% of my "Rest and Relaxation" time working on this car. We ran into a few problems that took longer than you'd think, like uncrating/unboxing things or taking the APC skid plate off that came on the front clip.
We took out the motors, and decided the easier way to go was to jack the car up and slide out the motor from underneath. Pretty awesome.
We put the new motor in, and discovered I need a new dizzy. No problem. Engine fired up and we were done. Unfortunately by this time, I had two days left before I had to get back on the plane to head back overseas. I did what any sane person would do, partied like nobody's business for 48 hours. My car unfortunately would end up sitting like this for the next year:
Well, I had made it home safe and my unit was going to give us a few weeks off after coming home. So I drove back to TN to reunite with friends and family....and my car. With the help of my friends and father(s) I finally got the front end, suspension, tires/rims, and rear end pieces on.
But once again, something had gotten in the way. By the time I was done with everything and the car was supposed to be "driveable" we took it out on a road test to actually break in the motor- 1500 miles back to TX was a long trip. Turns out the car wasn't road worthy and I would have to make the drive back without her, and wait for my Tax Return so I could ship it to El Paso. A few months, and a lot of phone calls with shady shipping companies later, she finally arrived and I legitimately drove her for the first time in almost 2 years that wasn't just a trip around the neighborhood.
So now I'm where I am now, trying to sell what parts I have laying around in order to paint my multi-colored teg. Hopefully, have it running smoothly enough to where I can run auto-x next season, but we'll see. For the mean time, my main focus is to fix the body damage and paint.
Before I get started, I might as well tell you a little story. I'm currently, and have been, an 11B in the US Army. I bought my 2000 GSR back in 2011 off of an El Paso local. At the time, I was really wanting out of the honda game having already owned a 93 Prelude with a JDM H22 and a 98 civic hatch. After quickly realizing that insurance was definitely an issue on the bike dreams, I instantly started looking up hondas and bought this the same night, even with the front bumper/quarter panel damage.
After driving it around a total of 6 weeks, the old b18c just decided it was going to start acting up. I tried diagnosing it, but then realized I had overlooked something big when I bought the car. One of two things had happened. The guy who sold me the car had either cut the wire that runs to the CEL, or it was either removed/blown. I couldn't pull a code, but no biggy. Took it to autozone to find out it was the o2. Problem is, this didn't fix it. By this time my inspection sticker was about to expire, so I just parked the car.
Where the "Might As Well" comes in...
Three weeks after, I left for a deployment to Afghanistan. In the spare time/limited access to the internet that I had overseas, my focus was my car (and coming back to my wife and son). During my time in 'ol trashcanistan I figured with the extra money I was making I might as well fix up my teg, while my wife made sure it would get shipped back to my friends house in TN for safe keeping.
The Bad News
THE EXACT SAME DAY I got on the plane for deployment, someone hit my car where it already had quarter panel damage, nothing big. Two weeks later, someone decided they wanted to hit the exact same spot- caving in my quarter panel, messing up my rear bumper, and busting my passenger tail light. To top it off, when my wife finally went to put the car on a hauler...my motor seized, awesome.
And Now, The REST of the Story
I had front bumper damage. Just the bumper. In my mind...might as well get the JDM front end.
I needed a motor. Might as well go Type R.
Found a good deal on a front clip w/motor. Might as well have two JDM fronts with a RHD conversion.
Didn't like the suspension, might as well go Ksport Pro.
Didn't like my headers, might as well try out BWR.
Sold my Rota Slips, I like Grids.
I had quite the stash waiting for me when I came home for R and R. Like I said, I did my best to see my family but if they needed me they knew I was in the garage.
Me and some of my friends I've had since my early childhood spent 99% of my "Rest and Relaxation" time working on this car. We ran into a few problems that took longer than you'd think, like uncrating/unboxing things or taking the APC skid plate off that came on the front clip.
We took out the motors, and decided the easier way to go was to jack the car up and slide out the motor from underneath. Pretty awesome.
We put the new motor in, and discovered I need a new dizzy. No problem. Engine fired up and we were done. Unfortunately by this time, I had two days left before I had to get back on the plane to head back overseas. I did what any sane person would do, partied like nobody's business for 48 hours. My car unfortunately would end up sitting like this for the next year:
Well, I had made it home safe and my unit was going to give us a few weeks off after coming home. So I drove back to TN to reunite with friends and family....and my car. With the help of my friends and father(s) I finally got the front end, suspension, tires/rims, and rear end pieces on.
But once again, something had gotten in the way. By the time I was done with everything and the car was supposed to be "driveable" we took it out on a road test to actually break in the motor- 1500 miles back to TX was a long trip. Turns out the car wasn't road worthy and I would have to make the drive back without her, and wait for my Tax Return so I could ship it to El Paso. A few months, and a lot of phone calls with shady shipping companies later, she finally arrived and I legitimately drove her for the first time in almost 2 years that wasn't just a trip around the neighborhood.
So now I'm where I am now, trying to sell what parts I have laying around in order to paint my multi-colored teg. Hopefully, have it running smoothly enough to where I can run auto-x next season, but we'll see. For the mean time, my main focus is to fix the body damage and paint.
