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preludeh22vtec
02-19-2012, 09:11 PM
Hello, I'm Justin, live in Youngsville, NC(just outside Raleigh), and here is my story.

I've always loved Hondas, I used to have two 4th generation Preludes with JDM H22a swaps, hence, the user name(which is a carry over from Honda-tech). I've pulled the motors out more times than I can count, not one bolt left untouched. After 5 years, I literally knew everything about my Hondas.

Well, a year and a half ago, I decided two Preludes were too many, so last in, first out. Sold one dirt cheap on craigslist. 3 months later, some dumb lady pulls out in front of me in a Camry and my other Prelude was totaled. The insurance only gave me $3500 for a car that I dumped about a billion dollars into, not to mention all the hours spent underneath the darn thing.

So I swore off Hondas forever. No more. So I bought a cheap DD. 99 Saturn SC2, $1500....

....after a year of driving the worst car ever, I decided it was time for another Honda. But not another Prelude, and not some old beater EG/EK/DA/DC.

So I started looking around for EP3s and DC5. I really wanted to get a DC5-S, because of the K20a2, but I've always liked the looks of the EP3 more. I test drove a few of each, and really couldn't find a decent DC5-S in my price range, I found a few high-mileage beaters, but they were all clearly driven hard and put up wet.

So I ended up settling on a 2004 EP3, in Nighthawk Black Pearl. 100k, bone stock. Its been 2 weeks. I'm loving it, its a bit slower than the old H22 ludes I used to play with, but worlds better than what I've been driving for the last year. Feels much more refined than the old Hondas me and my friends all had.

So inevitably, a motor swap is in order, just as soon as I can come up with the $$$

So I look forward to wasting hours and hours on this forum with you guys,

Justin G.

Jo7man4
02-19-2012, 09:46 PM
Nice, welcome to the forum. Post pics of said NHBP and for shits and giggles some pics of your old Ludes would be pretty cool.

K20wagon
02-19-2012, 10:08 PM
Welcome to ephatch. It's nice to see that ep3's are really starting to get bigger in NC. We are having a meet in statesville march 17th.

preludeh22vtec
02-20-2012, 04:22 AM
Welcome to ephatch. It's nice to see that ep3's are really starting to get bigger in NC. We are having a meet in statesville march 17th.

Cool, I'll try to make it out

preludeh22vtec
02-20-2012, 04:48 AM
In no particular order:

Heres my 93 lude. When I got it, it looked like this:
Gimme a break, it was 2004, and I was 17 or 18. It had the H23 when I got it, and with the help of a friend, swapped in an H22a motor and trans.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v97/sumisdumb/mylude12.jpg
So I ripped off all the junk, painted it in the backyard only to crash it a few months later.
Brought it back from the dead only to have it crashed again a few years later.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v97/sumisdumb/side.jpg

Here's what it looked like last. I never repainted after the last crash. It was just a daily beater, but it was super light, quick and reliable.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v97/sumisdumb/prelude.jpg

And here was my 96. I bought this as a shell and threw an OBD1 motor in it. Then they changed the inspection laws in NC, so after I could no longer have it inspected(illegally), I pulled the motor and sold the shell for $400.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v97/sumisdumb/96%20Prelude/1106081510.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v97/sumisdumb/96%20Prelude/0531080928a.jpg

Last day before I pulled the motor.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v97/sumisdumb/96%20Prelude/0620102012.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v97/sumisdumb/96%20Prelude/0712101733.jpg

So I've learned a lot, and starting over.

Heres the EP3. Sorry for the cell phone pic. Haven't had a chance to take a good picture yet.
Its not perfect, and has some minor scratches on the body, but the interior is great and it runs good.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v97/sumisdumb/0211120843b.jpg

Jo7man4
02-20-2012, 08:11 AM
Nice, the first pic of your Lude is real harsh on the eyes lol I realy like your black Lude and your NHBP of course is clean again, what are your plans for the Civic Si?

ep3allstar
02-20-2012, 08:39 AM
welcome to our community, there are quite a few of us on here from nc and your preludes lol i went through the same thing as you. I had a 98 sh then went to a 96 with a jdm obd1, sold the shell and put the motor in a 94 prelude si. I sold my prelude and bought my ep3.

ep3allstar
02-20-2012, 08:41 AM
oh yeah we are having a meet on march 17 if you wanted to swing by if you have a facebook we got a little ep3 group on there too just with the nc guys

T.White04EP3
02-20-2012, 09:19 AM
welcome to the forum and it seems the NC group is getting bigger. hope you can make it out on the 17th

preludeh22vtec
02-20-2012, 11:37 AM
Nice, the first pic of your Lude is real harsh on the eyes lol I realy like your black Lude and your NHBP of course is clean again, what are your plans for the Civic Si?

Yes, Idk what I was thinking when I bought that silly blue Prelude.

But with the EP3. I'm not sure quite yet. I have a pretty strong urge to modify it, yet keep it simple.
For now I'm thinking just lower springs and Hondata reflash, hopefully a K24 or K20a2 by next year.
As far as appearance is concerned, I probably won't change much.