Last year I made a list of the big projects I wanted to do on my car. I got most of them done, so here’s a new list.
It’s a 1997 Honda Civic LX with a manual transmission and just passed 197,000 miles. With this high mileage it’s likely something else will go bad this year besides what I’m planning on fixing, but here’s what I’m planning to do.
- Replace right rear strut and lower control arm. I was able to the right rear during my Day-Off Debacle, but I need to replace the right side too so everything’s new on each side.
- Install second accessory outlet and USB charger. I’ve already gotten most of the work done on this besides running the wires for it, so this should happen soon.
- Replace the engine. This is a big one. The engine currently in the car is running fine, except for some piston slap on cold starts and oil leaking all over my driveway. It’s also pretty tired. I’m hoping to be able to put a used engine in this year, along with a new clutch.
- Try autocross. This isn’t so much a repair or upgrade project as it is an experience. If my car passes tech inspection I want to try driving in some local autocross events to improve my driving skill and have some fun.
As always, I’ll try to take pictures of what I do during these repairs and if there’s anything interesting or a good story I’ll write a post.
New blog posts every Monday and Thursday, plus pictures throughout the week on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!
Mechanical Malarkey stickers available for $5 anywhere in the US!
-Dan
Mechanical Malarkey 