This ’86 Honda Civic is one of those cars you never really see anymore. They started showing rust badly somewhere in the mid-1990s, so two decades later it’s a joy to see one around. Mechanically they are unburstable, but the rockers could only take so much Bondo.
These SB3 body cars were called “Glassback” Civics over here for a good reason. This one, with region-correct plates, has a 1300cc, 80-horsepower engine, which should move the 850 kg car very nicely. I would keep it just as stock as it is, and the rose metallic colour is an excellent choice for it.
Weekend Edition: 1986 Honda Civic Hatchback
By Antti Kautonen
Mar 20, 2016
By Antti Kautonen
The resident Finn of Hooniverse. Owns old Peugeots and whatnot, writes long thinkpieces on unloved cars. These two facts might be related.
I always wanted one of those. It’s such a clean, pure, fully resolved design. And a damn decent small car. The CRX edges it out, but only by a little.
The next gen hatchback is still my favorite Civic, mostly due to very fond memories of a girlfriend who got a new ’89 in high school. Base model, no frills (the Civic, not the girl – her dad was frugal, and his daily driver in the late 80s was an ’80ish Dodge Colt with 400,000* miles). I doubt very much I’ll ever bother trying to find one – how many of the remaining ones aren’t badly molested, to say nothing of rust?
*yes, a Colt with 400,000 miles. Rusty as hell, and loud as hell – he’d wear ear protectors while driving. I’d never seen anything but a NYC cab with that many miles, and didn’t know about Irv Gordon & his 1800S yet.
http://www.automobile-catalog.com/img/pictonorzw/honda_usa/91Civic_Hatchback.jpg
My friend has a base model white one of about that era. Completely stock, looks pretty nice.
He loved driving it, but IIRC it has a cracked blocked or something serious like that, and it caused it to continually overheat, so now it just sits at my local mechanics.
Honda had some of the crispest styling of the ’80s. Indisputable fact.
Which is why, given the chance, I bought the shuttle/wagon version when one became available. Maybe I should try and make a ‘Rover’ version using the front of a 216. Since I have to have the front off to fix the rust. Which is the Achilles heel of Japanese cars of this era.(& newer?)My ’86 BX Citroen has worse paint, but no rust at all, and despite having spent more time sitting on ships. But both cars have the crisp-edged styling that I like.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3H9PW5n2ISQ/UJwY3WXVNSI/AAAAAAAAD6M/nop_JX2YL4Y/s1600/$(KGrHqJ,!r!FCS567kecBQmqtSLnGQ~~60_3.JPG
Yep. Loved mine for 13 years until the tinworm and emissions testing killed it. Still miss it.
Also spectacularly good interior design and materials for an econobox.
I must admit that Rover Shuttle has a nice ring to it!
The glassback always reminds me of another somewhat…eh…crisp design:
http://www.swedespeed.com/emAlbum/albums/Cars/01%20Volvo%20(Historic%20Era)/400%20series/480/from%201986/(EU)/1989-Volvo-480-1.jpg
My folks bought one in the metallic maroon in ’85 with the 1500cc, 73hp lump and a 5-speed. Turned it into the “goatmobile” a few years later, used as basic farm transport for hay bales and sheep. Pops put 40K on it in its 1st year with a 50 miles to work commute. It sheared the camshaft at 186K in like ’98. Still, a fun, light joyride.