Ergghhhphhhhhtt.......
Meet my 2000 Honda Insight 5-speed.
You guys have enjoyed these so I thought I'd post my next side project. Plus, it's fun to write about my passion for project cars.
So, in the last year I've restored and sold a 2001 Prelude SH, a 2001 Insight, and a 2003 Mini Cooper S. Wrenching on cheap cars is a safe bet, and it's a better hobby than cocaine and hookers. I've netted a cool ~$5000 profit from those three cars combined, so there's a bit of money involved if you're careful. But that's not why I'm doing this....it's just fun.
After selling my Insight I found myself longing for another. Something about those cars. The Prelude and Cooper S were nice but the Insight is in a class all it's own. So I hunted and after calling on a few dozen I found one I liked, made a road trip north this morning, and came back with another 5-speed G1 Insight. Ahh....the rare manual transmission 1800-lb hybrid.
Gonna do some restoration to this one like my other beaters, and also some hacks. These cars can be modified by a bit of soldering work (fuse/resistors) on the hybrid BCM (brain) to the tune of +30% power/torque with no ill effects to the engine after years of testing. Insight guys have been doing this since 2009. Once I get the bolt-ons finished I'm gonna take the BCM apart and do some advanced work.
Anyhow this was a good day and the condition of the car exceeded all my expectations. 122.5 mile drive home netted 75.9 mpgs. WOW. Best I got on my last one was 73.
I've been ordering parts for a week or so and have a collection of stuff in my garage (pic) to install and more on the way. S2000 steering wheel, Civic armrest, better springs, short shifter, and some other goodies.
A few pics for the interested...
Meet my 2000 Honda Insight 5-speed.
You guys have enjoyed these so I thought I'd post my next side project. Plus, it's fun to write about my passion for project cars.
So, in the last year I've restored and sold a 2001 Prelude SH, a 2001 Insight, and a 2003 Mini Cooper S. Wrenching on cheap cars is a safe bet, and it's a better hobby than cocaine and hookers. I've netted a cool ~$5000 profit from those three cars combined, so there's a bit of money involved if you're careful. But that's not why I'm doing this....it's just fun.
After selling my Insight I found myself longing for another. Something about those cars. The Prelude and Cooper S were nice but the Insight is in a class all it's own. So I hunted and after calling on a few dozen I found one I liked, made a road trip north this morning, and came back with another 5-speed G1 Insight. Ahh....the rare manual transmission 1800-lb hybrid.
Gonna do some restoration to this one like my other beaters, and also some hacks. These cars can be modified by a bit of soldering work (fuse/resistors) on the hybrid BCM (brain) to the tune of +30% power/torque with no ill effects to the engine after years of testing. Insight guys have been doing this since 2009. Once I get the bolt-ons finished I'm gonna take the BCM apart and do some advanced work.
Anyhow this was a good day and the condition of the car exceeded all my expectations. 122.5 mile drive home netted 75.9 mpgs. WOW. Best I got on my last one was 73.
I've been ordering parts for a week or so and have a collection of stuff in my garage (pic) to install and more on the way. S2000 steering wheel, Civic armrest, better springs, short shifter, and some other goodies.
A few pics for the interested...
