Kat's JDM 2000 Logo TS GF-GA3

[JalopnikKat]

You might remember my introductory new member thread, but I thought I'd go ahead and make a full Members Rides thread so I can make updates. This is my JDM (registered in Japan) 2000 Honda Logo TS GF-GA3. I bought it in pretty rough condition and I've slowly been rebuilding and building it (and posting about it over on Jalopnik from time to time). It's not an EK, and it'll never be an EK9, but it's a nice hatch, and I like it.

When I first got it, it looked like this:

Pretty bad, huh? I went back to the stock wheels, lowered the car with springs, and did some touch up around the passenger side problems. The car was mechanically sound and only cost me $975 or so with exchange rates at the time, and I really needed a car. Still do, it's a daily driver. Yes it's an automatic (the TS model only came in an automatic) and yes I can drive a manual (but not legally, my Japanese license is only for AT, not MT, I'll change it in the future).

To make the car more livable, I'm working on putting a Type R inspired interior inside. This has no pretension of being something it's not. The TS is the highest model, but I thought I could make something a bit better. As if there has been a Type R, Si, or SiR style trim above the TS. It has a 2001 TS instrument cluster (more red), it already had the DC2 ITR steering wheel on it stock, put in an EP3 CTR carpet (I need to fabricate some side walls, but otherwise it was a good fit), DC5 ITR Recaro front seats, and a red carpet false floor rear seat delete (the car is honestly too small to be a four door!).

On the outside, I've had some further problems on that passenger side. Oh, yeah, and I have a cracked windshield that now needs to be replaced (though you cannot see it in pictures, usually). In addition to what was already on the passenger side, I got attacked by birds, typhoons, and various things... A crow smashed right into my passenger mirror!

So I tried installing a new door, and it looked nice, except none of the innards have been changed and none of the electronics work except audio and mirror adjustment, so that, hopefully, will be fixed on Friday. I need to color match the B-Pillar to black though. On Saturday, my new passenger side fender will arrive, and I'll use the old one to test various clearcoat scratch removal and polishing before I do it on the rear door (which also needs some small body work, and a door handle swapped in).

Once that's done, then I'll have a body shop go around and do some repainting/paint correction around that back rear quarter panel and bumper area. Then the entire car should be washed, clay barred, buffed, etc.

As for engine well... I learned early this year that I can't do a full engine swap legally, so I need to figure out how to do something with this D-series. Anyone got any ideas?

Further plans include: creating a center console portion for that gap that currently exists in the interior, figuring out the wheel situation (do I get new wheels? Do I repaint what I have?), and otherwise just keeping the thing clean and legal.

 

[terry_em1]

Spanky little car. Following this thread now

 

[Pete180]

Cool little car!

 

[AzAc54]

Loving this dude, like the Type R features in the cockpit, red carpet is definitely a good upgrade. How come you can’t do a full engine conversion legally?

 

[JalopnikKat]

Loving this dude, like the Type R features in the cockpit, red carpet is definitely a good upgrade. How come you can’t do a full engine conversion legally?

Well, it's technically possible just really really difficult. Basically, if you swap and engine, you have to redo registration, and in order to do so, you have to supply documented evidence that every single part you use is rated for your application and can stand up to the extra power. Either that means a lot of documentation from your legally certified mechanic (expensive) or documentation from Honda (which is very conservative and probably will state that many of the Logo parts are in fact NOT rated to handle something like a B16 or B18). In the end, I've been reliably informed that between parts, labor, and documentation, you'd end up spending more than an EK9... so just buy an EK9. Something like a Mini-Me d16y8 vtec head swap I could probably get away with. Turbo I could get away with. Lots of power mods designed for this D-series application are probably fine, but a B-series... Just not worth it.

 

[JalopnikKat]

Tomorrow my mechanic will tackle the door innards, and he’ll check out anything that he thinks is a problem. Also he will give me full run of the shop for anything I want to do (except spray painting, he’s concerned about traveling mist). So here’s what I’m planning to do:

• Pull out DC5 ITR Recaros, hatch false floor, and various trim pieces for deep cleaning
  
• Spot clean and vacuum EP3 carpet
  
• Clean and oil dash and the DC2 ITR steering wheel
• Strip off the fraying fake “carbon fiber” from the center console (I will paint it later the same gun metal gray as the 2001 TS Instrument Cluster)
• Clean out and reorganise the glove compartment
• Deep clean the engine bay and underside of the hood
• De-badge the entire car (for cleaning and for replacement)
• Clean the wheels
• De-yellow/cloud the headlights (permanently sanding it and redoing the clear coat requires spray can, so later)
• Deep clean all the way around the exterior of the car, clay bar, and retouch various chipped spots with touch up paint
• Explore potential polishing options on bad fender, if they work, do so for the passenger side rear door maybe (but it might require spray can clear coat, so maybe not)
• Try to put a new handle on the the passenger side rear door (maybe my mechanic can do this, since he’ll be dealing with doors already)
  
• Wax the car. Probably multiple times.

There’s a lot of other actual body work to be done, and I’ll try to sand or buff what I can, but since I won’t be able to apply clear coat, it might not be the best idea to do it tomorrow. I also still need to order my new windshield, so that’s not going to be done tomorrow. The number one priority honestly is to make the car look nice enough to not attract cops. I’m attracting cops, and it’s not because of the sporty styling, after all, that’s almost all OEM options! It’s the body damage, the biggest issue of which was the door, so with a nice clean, it shouldn’t attract any more attention, except for perhaps the windshield, and I’ll get that done asap. I think Saturday, I will install the new fender, and it has no dents and perfect paint, so that just leaves the rear door and rear quarter panel with their clear coat scratches...

I’m also thinking of painting my rocker cover red or black, just to make the engine bay look less pathetic, and thinking of making the front lip black... Everything is just too silver. Also, the wheels, maybe gunmetal, lots of clear coat, and red Hs.

 

[JalopnikKat]

Door is fixed, window works, mirror doesn’t fold because it’s not a motorised version (derp), yes I can (slowly) fix all those clear coat scratches myself. While my mechanic worked on swapping the door innards, I worked on pulling everything out of the car for a cleaning:

I spray and washed the DC5 Integra Type R Recaros and did a lot better job fitting the carpet. There’s still some modification to be made, but it’s a lot better now underneath the center console, and I’m getting it ready for under dash console build and side wall additions. I reinstalled my dead pedal foot rest thingie, and imagine my surprise when it was exactly molded the same as that part of the EP3 carpet. Now I just need to get a metal dead pedal to put over it! Then of course, I vacuumed. I also pulled off the fraying faux carbon fiber on the center dash cover. I’ll be painting it gunmetal to match the 2001 TS instrument cluster.

I de-badged everything so I can clean/refresh everything for new badges. I still need to do a better job getting the gunk off the back. The Honda emblems will be replaced with red ones as befits this car, and the TS with a double red version (I polled some folks who have been following the build).

Significantly less obvious clear coat scratches (found a polisher that was working just by hand buffing, but I didn’t quite finish the job). I wanted to get everything washed and waxed. ALSO FIXED REAR DOOR HANDLE. It’s been broken since I bought the car! Yay!

Also, new fender came in. It was dirty and there was some rust (?) stains on the clear coat, and a few light scratches. It’s got one big scratch down to metal I am spot repairing (it’s only halfway done), for everything else, a bit of polish/light cutting compound, lots of elbow grease, and about twenty coats of two different types of waxes and I’ve got a literal mirror finish.

Oh, yeah, did I mention... My mechanic says he CAN do the paperwork for a B-series swap. Yup, I buried the lede all the way at the bottom. Deal with it.

 

[JalopnikKat]

A thing came in today. I'll put it on the car when I have a chance and snap a picture. I still need the front emblem and the TS badge. Also, tomorrow I'll install the new fender and my mechanic will install the new windshield. Yay.

It's on:

 

[JalopnikKat]

New TS emblems are in. The GA3 is currently getting the windshield replaced. Then I'll put the emblems back on it. I'm planning to move them down to the lower right hand corner of the hatch door.

 

[MarkMcG]

Super cool! I'd love one of these turbo'd!! Keep up the good work

 

[JalopnikKat]

Super cool! I'd love one of these turbo'd!! Keep up the good work

Much obliged, Mark. It's honestly tiny, so even turboing the D-Series would probably do a lot...

New windshield installed:

 

[ITR MARK]

Cool little car a b series would Be awesome in this.