Greetings from my '98 CX Hatch

Art101

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I'm new here... just wanted to say hi to '98 CX Hatch fans.

Stats:

One owner (me). 80,000 miles on the odometer. No major engine or performance modifications (yet). I'd like to drop a Honda B16A2 DOHC VTEC engine under the hood if I can find one.

New front and rear bumper covers. New 16" custom wheels and tires. Custom grille, painted to match the original silver. Projector headlights with LED daytime running lights. Custom LED tail lights.

I told my restoration guy that I didn't want anything crazy or extreme. I said, "Give me a 2022 version of a 1998 CX hatchback." He delivered exactly what I requested.

So, that's my story. Please share yours.

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nd4sped

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Welcome to the site and nice looking hatch. These are becoming increasingly hard to find unmolested. Keep up updated on your progress and ask all the questions you need.

As for finding a B16A, its also getting more difficult. You may be far luckier finding a H22. Do your research though as the H is a more expensive option to modify as there is significantly less support for the H22A engine versus and B series or D series for that matter. Lastly the FRM sleeves in H22's generally are frowned upon by engine builders due to the fiber reinforced steel sleeves cause a higher rate of wear on piston rings.
 


Art101

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Welcome to the site and nice looking hatch. These are becoming increasingly hard to find unmolested. Keep up updated on your progress and ask all the questions you need.

As for finding a B16A, its also getting more difficult. You may be far luckier finding a H22. Do your research though as the H is a more expensive option to modify as there is significantly less support for the H22A engine versus and B series or D series for that matter. Lastly the FRM sleeves in H22's generally are frowned upon by engine builders due to the fiber reinforced steel sleeves cause a higher rate of wear on piston rings.
Thanks for your welcome, nd4sped. Good to meet you. And thanks for the H22 info... I'll research that option and post anything that might prove helpful.

Meanwhile, here's today's news. We're installing a Boss BE7ACP-FT digital multimedia receiver with 7" floating display.

I researched dozens of similar products and chose this one. It replaces the single DIN original factory radio with a touchscreen on an adjustable stem. It works seamlessly with my iPhone (and according to Boss, also works with Android devices). Best of all, it has a real volume knob. Today was a good day.
 

nd4sped

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Make sure you secure the bracket assembly GOOD. At some point in time you might put on a turbo or swap motors. Point is when you start launching the car, the radios notoriously vibrate to f**king death and sometimes shake right out of the center console.
 


Art101

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Thanks. I'll keep that in mind. My team is aware of this issue. I trust them. They'll nail it.
 

Art101

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Make sure you secure the bracket assembly GOOD. At some point in time you might put on a turbo or swap motors. Point is when you start launching the car, the radios notoriously vibrate to f**king death and sometimes shake right out of the center console.
I've been living with the new Boss Audio Systems BE7ACP-FT radio for a while now and wanted to post some comments in case anyone here is thinking about buying one.

In general, I'm pleased. Hardware quality and fit is quite good. Installation was pain free. Definitely order the optional wiring harness. Boss didn't charge for it at the time of my purchase.

Touchscreen response is acceptable (not great, but OK). Display is bright and clear. The screen swivels and stays where you position it, so finding the best viewing angle is easy. When you reach behind the display, you'll feel two quick release buttons on the head unit to remove the display when you're not in the car.

Boss offers larger displays with this unit but I chose the 7" and recommend it. This size provides easy access to the heater, AC, and fan controls. A larger screen in the '98 Civic might not.

User interface is a bit fussy. In particular, the volume settings for Apple CarPlay are tricky to adjust and not intuitive to locate. Listening to the radio while Siri is navigating with the Maps app was extremely annoying until I got things tweaked (Siri was barely audible at first no matter how I set the iPhone volume). The printed user manual is generally useless. Boss should revisit it or offer detailed instructions and tips on their website.

Audio quality is fine, depending on your speakers. No complaints. Built in EQ settings are helpful. You can set your own EQ preferences and save them.

Bottom line: 4 stars out of 5. The main selling point for me was an actual physical volume knob instead of a clunky virtual slider.

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nd4sped

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I do like the knob but for me that headunit does not really fit the styling of 6th gen Civics. Thats simply my opinion so it doesnt really matter. As long as you like it thats what matters. Overall the car is looking good.

in the 90's double din stereos were the rage as they filled up the bin space and allowed for large touch displays. There are even nice modern units that do this as well. Thats what I would do.
 

Art101

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I do like the knob but for me that headunit does not really fit the styling of 6th gen Civics. Thats simply my opinion so it doesnt really matter. As long as you like it thats what matters. Overall the car is looking good.

in the 90's double din stereos were the rage as they filled up the bin space and allowed for large touch displays. There are even nice modern units that do this as well. Thats what I would do.
Thanks, nd4sped, and I agree with you. The look is a little jarring from a pure design standpoint. My CX came from the factory with a single din; a double din would have required major surgery (at least that's what the installer said). So, I went with the volume knob. The installer quipped, "Well, you did say you wanted a 2022 '98 civic - heh!" Thanks for the feedback – and thanks for moderating things around here.
 

nd4sped

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DD installs are just as straight forward as a single din. The 5th and 6th gen Civics are by far the easiest to install aftermarket stereos into. Im just going to go out on a limb and guess your installer was a young guy. Probably not even as old as the car LOL
 

nd4sped

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Next is a nice lip, it will dramatically change the front end to a more aggressive appearance.
 

Art101

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Next is a nice lip, it will dramatically change the front end to a more aggressive appearance.
Thanks, nd4sped. I've been thinking about your suggestion and looked at several options. In the end, I'm happy with the way it looks now. I'm just not an aggressive sort of guy. ;)

It's fun how this car is turning heads. People approach me often to talk about it. I was filling up at a gas station the other day. A guy at the pump next to me was driving a kickass 1990 BMW M3. He said, "Wow. Is that for sale? I'll give you $20K." I said, "Sorry, not for sale." We had a nice little chat and swapped contact info. I called my insurance agent when I got home to upgrade the policy.

Oh, and I've added a well-hidden GPS tracking chip, registered with the local police. In this crazy world, it seemed like a sensible thing to do.
 


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