This article kicks off part one of an on-going series on the conversion process of my C Street Prepared Honda CRX to a G Prepared CRX. The rule changes that are coming for G Prepared now makes my car eligible with limited engine prep, so it makes sense to go down that path. It will be a much better developmental investment from a financial perspective. But, first a little background.
My car was initially built by Ben Shaffer and driven by Dean Sapp back in the late ‘90’s before being bought by Jim Harnish. Jim, his wife Audrey and son Jason competed a great deal in the car during the time they owned it. While in their care, Jason won a class Pro Solo Championship in 1999 and Audrey won CSPL in 1999 and 2000. Jim lost interest in the car after the 2000 National Championship and it became mine in October of 2000. I had actually driven the car once at the Evansville National Tour in 2000 before purchasing it. I was eager to leave the Stock-class ranks, so it seemed like the right thing to do.
After spending the previous four seasons in my HS 1987 Integra I soon discovered that I couldn’t drive very well in something that actually had power! I spent the 2001 season trying to come to grips with the car. Following the abbreviated (due to the September 11th tragedy) 2001 National Championship I made a decision to invite Mike Feher to co-drive my car with me. I did this for a couple of reasons. First of all Mike is a great driver and would be able to begin filing off my rough edges. Second, he had been campaigning his own 1985 Honda Civic in CSP since the day he bought it. There wasn’t anyone that I could think of that would be able to teach me more about my car than him. Our partnership lasted a couple of years and forged a friendship that continues to this day.
I had originally intended to take my car to EP, and after I blew my motor late in 2004, it would have made sense at that time to make the move. Short of funds at the time, I scaled back my ambitions and had another ‘CSP’ motor built. While I was having fun it was becoming increasingly clear to me that the days of CRXs in CSP were quickly becoming numbered. At a test and tune event the weekend before the 2007 Nationals, I had an unfortunate incident and broke second gear in my transmission. What was I going to do? Fix it or stay home? I always say you can never have too many friends, so there was a third option. I called Robert Chrismas and told him I needed the ‘spare car’ (his!) and he graciously agreed to let me co-drive with him in his EP CRX. Well, I did better in his car than I have ever done in one of my own! And so the die was cast. Budget or no budget I was going to EP!
For a variety of reasons, while I made a lame attempt in 2008 to make the move, high gas prices along with other things in my life prevented me from getting too far along. In the end, all that got done was stripping the interior, and getting some 7� wheels and tires. I ran the car a total of 1-1/2 events with my son Mike before massive panhard bar mount failure occurred! And that pretty much leaves us at where this project will begin.
I am enlisting the help of 2008 E Prepared Champion Chris Raglin and all-around good guy Robert Chrismas to get me started on the right path.
Initial plans for the car include: repairing the panhard bar mount, finishing the removal of all unneeded electrical and mechanical pieces, going through all the mechanical pieces, getting ‘new’ 6� wheels (thanks Robert!), getting the weight far enough below the minimum so that I can put a partial cage to stiffen up the chassis, some engine work and a complete refurbish of the cosmetics. While I have had the car long enough now that everyone thinks of it as mine, for the first few years it was known as Harnishes’ old car! So it’s definitely time for a new class, new paint and new graphics.
Stay tuned for my articles chronicling the updates as they are done with the goal of having everything ready by the first of June 2009. I hope everyone enjoys the project as I know I am anxious to get started!
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