JDM WTF – 1991 Honda Civic Si

October 25, 2013

Given the common perception of Honda today, it may be a little surprising that Honda was late to the hot hatch party. While VW had had their GTI out since 1983, with significant improvements to horsepower and handling, Honda’s 1983 Civic S only got improved suspension and had to make do with a paltry 62hp. It was only by 1989 that Honda got its act together, by which time Toyota’s Corolla FX16 GT-S with the 16-valve 4AGE engine from the MR2 and AE86 Corolla fastback had come and gone, and VW had already released its 134hp 16-valve Mark 2 GTI. Honda’s first true entry in this market had a 16-valve 1.6-liter engine with 108hp and 100 lb.-ft. of torque to motivate a sub-2300 lb. car. You can find this 1991 Honda Civic Si for sale in Marysville, WA for $4000.

1991 Honda Civic Si left front

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Triple Threat – 1975 Datsun B210 Trio

October 25, 2013

It’s always funny when a car you think is nearly extinct shows up in multiple listings (although – when’s the last time you saw a Honeybee version?). Succeeding the B110 Sunny, or Datsun 1200 as it was known in North America, the B210 was a rebodied B110 platform with a 1.4-liter A14 engine, sold for $2849. That sounds cheap now, but on an inflation adjusted basis, it’s over $12,000 – think of what you can pick up for $12K now. It may not be the best car in the world, but it probably has cloth seats, a stereo with at least 4 speakers, and air-conditioning, never mind all the new safety features. But who wants all that crap weighing your car down? The B210 weighed in around 2000 lbs., and for some reason they have an exceptionally high survival rate in the Los Angeles area. Our first 1975 Datsun B210 hatchback is available for sale for $3000, straight outta Compton (sorry).

1975 Datsun B210 turquoise

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Small Bumpers – 1974 Datsun 260Z

October 24, 2013

Datsun 240Zs are rising in price, so what’s the next step to get similar style for cheap? Well, taking a page from Porsche collectors who have turned from 356s and early 911s to 911SCs and (gasp!) 914s, let’s take a look at later versions of Datsun’s Z. And you don’t eeven have to go that much later – for 1974, Datsun introduced the 260Z. You still get the nice small bumpers, some of the classic lines, and the sound of that straight six. The trade-off is you have to settle for 2+2 styling and an engine the smog regulations choked to 140hp. You can find your budget Z in this 1974 Datsun 260Z for sale in Long Beach, CA for $3900.

1974 Datsun 260Z right front

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