I'd say sacrificing a clean LS in the name of restoring a GSR and Type R closer to factory condition is a worthy cause. It will be a honorable death for the LS lol.
The easiest thing to do would be swap the engine and trans from the rotting GSR to the LS but I can see the main draw back from that is not having a numbers matching car
for real. kinda upsets me to see nice rust free cars cut up to temporarily fix a ruster. we call it cancer for a reason. once it starts it goes everywhere
A GS-R being numbers matching car is not as critical as having a numbers matching Type-R but on the Type-R if you change any parts on it it becomes a no numbers matching car so either way its devalued once you change parts on it the GS-R is not as rare so its not as crucial
Hondas from this era are notorious for clear coat failure. Perhaps those fenders were peeling and flaking badly enough to where the previous owner wanted it fixed. Seems to be well taken care of
@@nemesisazn The same could be said for pretty much all Japanese car manufacturers. Look at Nissan especially. I love my 1994 300zx. After working on the newer Nissans, I realize that many of them likely are just coasting on their previous reputation instead of keeping the same standards. As usual, it is probably all about the money.
@@nemesisazn lately I have been seeing a lot of General Motors vehicles broken down. 1 newer 2018 + Trax, and an Encore. I also saw a 2018 ish Malibu on the side of the road with the hood up. With all I have heard of the 2.4 engines failing, and the 3.6 timing issues, GM has got to be one of the worst. I never see a broken down Toyota or Honda unless its 15-20 years old.
Something to consider about the paint. Honda's around 2000 - 2006 loved to peel the clear coat fairly quickly when sat out side over the years...Could have been just a simple re-spray due to that issue. I know I've done that to mine.
I've noticed over the years that silver has been a real pain to keep together. All the manufacturers had issues with the formulation for silver paint for a very long time.
Or it could have been a direct front-end collision that crumbled both of the fenders and broke the radiator. This is just speculation though and i think clear coat wear and peeling is more likely.
Hadn't thought of that, but could be. Lord knows my 01 Accord's got clear coat mange going on, mostly on the driver's door. Gonna have to paint that door soon as I get all the mechanical issues finished up.
Totally understandable, Eric. I definitely wouldn’t GS-R-swap the LS. A true DC2 will always be more coveted than a DC4, even if it has GS-R bits. Besides, even though you’ll be disassembling a clean LS, it’s not like the car is being put completely to death. It will live on in other ways, just in two other Integras.
Like the ending. I remember (probably back in ‘96) taking in my 5 speed 1992 Legend LS for service and they gave me an Integra LS automatic as a loaner. The automatic does not so justice to the 1.8L engine. With the auto, Integras are not very interesting.
Hi ETCG1 and followers I have a 2001 Acura Integra LS 5 speed manual with only 84k original miles. I am the only owner. The car is in great shape. I do have some mods but I still have the original parts. I loved these cars. I hate to see you chop up your new LS but as you said it is hard to find some parts so I understand. Looking forward to seeing more of the restoration on both the Type R and GSR.
Eric, if I new you were looking for a silver Acura Integra untouched, about 8 months ago there were a silver 2000 Integra at my junkyard completely untouched, body panels were completely straight, interior was spotless, was not a single rip on the interior leather.
Erik, you broke my heart. The first new car I ever bought was a 1995 Acura Integra LS, I wanted the LS because it did not have a wing on the back. I moved overseas (Norway) and sold it over there to a guy near the arctic circle. The car is only driven in the summer. if I could find one in the condition of the one you have there, I would pull a Peter Brady and treat her like a Queen. You have saddened me Erik.
I think this is brilliant idea. The parts for these cars are extremely hard to find. I know because I have a 2000 GSR that I am building and I can’t find any exterior parts that are in mint condition.
Totally agree with this, I have a 98 Prelude Type SH and everytime a Prelude shows up to the yard, I just part hoarding what I need and leaving what other people might need for their car, granted the prelude isn't as high demand as an integra but smart move! I would have done the same to an SH.
I found a red 1994 gsr about three years ago with 195,000 miles on it, the owner bought it new and had all the maintenance and any repair work papers still. He sold it to me for $1000. I was able to drive it home the day I bought it. It does need some TLC like the brake hoses at the calipers and a radiator hose. It has NO aftermarket parts on.
Where we live, a rust free straight body is massive. A good call on getting it shipped. Rarely does picking it up and driving it back yourself work out cheaper, and that's from personal experience. Put all the stuff from the other cars that you are going to replace on it, and you'll probably be able to sell it and recoup some of your cost.
Not bothersome at all. It’s a fact that the cleanest mid 90’s hondas around today are automatic. Just like you said who wants to modify and automatic? Anyway i like the idea. It’s understandable and NO do Not swap the GSR into the LS. That would just make it a GSR replica not a restoration. The GSR will have a greater value later on. You have clean quarters on the LS so you can repair the quarter panels on the GSR. Im honestly really excited about this decision. Love the content Eric keep it going!
It makes total sense what you're doing, and I agree with it. After you're done I'd put the LS back together - as complete as you can get it, anyway - and sell it for a good price to someone who needs their first project car. The more Hondas and Acuras from that era we can keep on the road, the better. (Even if they're slightly gungy automatic Integra LSs with bright red air filters.)
@@ETCG1 Just put the old rusty GS-R rears on...unless they just turn to dust when you take them off. Rust repair isn't *too* difficult if someone has the time. Though, I guess you'd have to find a particularly determined young person for all that. 😆
I don't see a lot of stone chips for that mileage, so I'd guess the nose was repainted also. Could it be a previous owner gave the front a respray just to tidy it up and keep potential rust at bay? Or maybe just a damaged/replaced nose cap from a parking lot incident, and the fender paint was from blending the old and new paint?
For me you allow me to look at things in a different way. Until now I would have had a difficult time to do what you are going to do. But now I can see why.
been trying to find a clean Integra for myself and I laughed when you mentioned all of them being molested because I cant find one that doesn't have some form or rice or lack of maintenance and general upkeep. I hope I can find a similar clean example soon thanks for the Integra content.
Good idea Eric. I did something similar myself a few years ago when locally there were a fair few knocking about in scrapyards(JDM 1.6/1.8's and the occasional R) and for very little money. The JDM non R's seem to have been better rust protected so I got both doors, hatch, bonnet(hood 😁), wings, front and rear, interior trim and a host of other bits and bobs. I even got three rear spoilers, two for free. It's already worked out after my hatch got damaged.
Its getting harder to find parts for the older cars. I just bought a 98 camry as a second vehicle and im trying to get it all fixed up and some parts are kinda scarce, at least at new oem quality unless i were to go straight to the dealer and id rather not pay that for parts.
There’s a well-known Toyota wholesaler based out of California who offers OEM parts for VatoZone prices. Go to him first if you’re ever in need of good, OEM parts. Had a 99 4Runner and let me tell you how much more easier it was buying from him than the local dealers that often didn’t have what I needed or did but charged a premium for it.
It's great that you're restoring the other two Integras than switching out the engine with a k swap and transmission like everyone else does. That silver color is in great shape.
Doing the same thing to my 96 civic right now, it has been such a good car though i felt it deserved a good restoration back to the way it came from the factory, I've been slowly but surely finding the best condition parts that i could find off of other civics of the same generation at the junkyard and I'm about 99% there as far as completing the restoration, the only things i have left to do is find good condition lower window trim pieces for all the windows, reseal the driver side headlight and find a good condition rear seat bottom, other than that for a now 25 year old car she runs perfect, other than little things like needing to swap out a rear main seal and a new ac compressor
Thanks for posting. Sold a 2000 LS Integra 10 years ago Thought I could get KBB ($5500) price on private sale my mechanic at that time laughed. Selling that Acura was a pia. Gave a young 20year old a good deal on his 1sr car. 2000 Ingegea LS engine seemed weak. May have had some bad mechanic work done by previous owner. I'm trying to stay dirty Eric. I guess when I reached 48 years old getting in an out of Sports car became more of a challenge. Drive safe in the Natty!
I would totally use that to save the other two Integras as well! Once that LS integra gets the beat up panels back on it you should consider doing a k series engine swap to it.
So question. I know you made a video on what to replace when the trunk won't open by the switch. But how do you get the trunk open in a 2000 Integra when both the key and switch won't open it.
Hey I purchased a decently running B5 Audi just to strip it down for parts. I mainly got it for the seats! So I get it... You gotta do what you gotta do sometimes. Nobody like to trash a perfectly good car to make another one better but we all do it!
A local search,. 150 miles away, for a 2000 LS, found one for $5,500 FIRM. 139 K, clean carfax, Very good condition. Recent tune up. oil change , water pump & timing belts etc. Auto trans, body- rims all look great, Orig interior.
Breaks my heart. I’ve had my 2000 Acura Integra LS for 21 years and have put my heart and soul into her when everyone tells me to get rid of her. She’s never failed me. I have “molested” her as you say because it’s hard to find parts but I’ve gone too far to give up on her. Almost everything has been changed once or twice and I’m about to get her painted in a week or so. She’s silver as well. I have the LS because I got her when I was 18 and even though I knew how to drive a stick I didn’t want to deal with it as my everyday driver. If there’s any parts you don’t need from your girl I’m willing to buy or trade. I have some body parts that aren’t in great condition but they are original. Just throwing it out there. Damn you lucked out on how immaculate your LS is.
I cannibalized a derby-bashed Crown Victoria last year for parts for Arcee; totally get it, Eric. Do what you must to see Blackbeard and the GSR fully restored; I for one look forward to seeing what comes from this effort! :)
Sounds like your plan is solid. You acquired an unmolested vehicle which can turn two other vehicles into valuable cars for you. Nothing to apologize about. Smart move. Looking forward to the journey.
As an owner of a pretty much stock 2001 Integra LS owner, I understand why you're doing this but, it still hurts to see such a nice condition Integra getting parted out. I'm slowly repairing and restoring mine as well, the parts are definitely getting harder to find.
Let me get the shell when your done with it, my 2000 integra ls is getting too far gone with rust and mine is also the same color same rear and everything
@@ETCG1 Isn't this shell generally in better condition than the GSR? wouldn't it be more pertinent to just swap over the parts from the GSR into the better shell? That way you not only have better quarters, but also better rockers (the inside of the GSR is crunchy at this point for sure), suspension points etc etc. I've never heard of someone finding a good shell then cutting quarters to weld onto a worse one, a whole shell swap (or in this case, just an engine swap) would be better fo the car IMO.
Initially, I was like "Awwee maaan! this could've been a good first car for someone, an auto Integra LS 😩" but as someone who's also restoring a 1999 EM1 Civic Si, I would probably have done the same with an auto EX coupe or something similar 😅
I 100% support what you are doing. You can even put the imperfect but functional parts back on the parts car & use the car as a winter beater. As far as swapping the gsr parts into clean body, that sounds good, but not sure about the legality of it since you are a public channel. Might be better to restore the gsr however so the body VIN matches the engine and tranny so when old Eric is retired he can get a good return on investment for this future classic
If the drive train on the donor car is good, I would just put the ugly parts back in and sell it for as much as you can and then recoup some of the money you spent on it. I am sure someone can use it as basic transportation.
I noticed right away that the front of the hood doesn't close completely to the bumper. As a retired auto body guy, i look at panel gaps first. Like you said, carfax is not a good gauge of past damage. I've been saying that for years. When i look at a used car, i take a quiet friend, a flashlight and a tape measure. I do X measurements on as many planes as possible. I also avoid modded cars like the plague. Boys with toys may not rack up the miles, but those miles are extremely harsh. I like the ways you revealed all the good and bad.
Car looks good! I didn't see anything that looked like it had been in an accident, hard to say for sure from a video though. If the paint job turns out to be done well it is a win. It is in much better condition then a factory paint job would be at it's age and a paint job isn't cheap.
Awesome! I have an un-molested 2001 GS. Stock everything. Same wheels as the LS. I hear you about parts. I cannot find OEM floor mats for a GS. Also, my leather on the front two seats is in bad shape. Everything else is pretty good though. My mechanic calls it a unicorn! Any idea where I can get OEM leather seats and front floor mats?
You are living the dream!!! A friends boss has a mint 2001 sedan looks like it just came out the dealer bad motor but won't sell it sentimental value 😭
As soon as you showed how clean it was I knew it had been painted or some body work done to it because there's no way a 21 year old car can have no dings or scratches if it was a daily driver but the car looks great!
Right? I have my ‘01 silver Integra LS and it’s at ~97k miles. Others have scratched my car from just parking in parking lots; there’s a bit of light scratching on my rear bumper from tapping cement parking rod blockers; and I sadly have a large dent over my front right wheel (doesn’t affect the hood though). It’s only cosmetic though and I can’t afford to fix it. However, other than the dent and the bottom of a side view mirror that has paint flaked off for some reason, the rest of the paint has stayed in pristine shiny condition. I never wax it or anything, but most of it’s life it has been kept parked under a parking structure so the sun doesn’t beat down on it. I will say though that my car did suffer a front end collision and had to have body work done up there when before it was 2 years old, so it needed new paint then. I don’t know if they only painted the front end with the body parts they replaced, or if they painted the entire car. Perhaps they did paint the entire car, so that is why I have the bit of paint chipping from the bottom of one of my side view mirrors?
I agree with the other comments that keeping the GSR shell and doing what you presented in the video is the best way to go since it truly would be an original GSR. I know it would be extra work, but I think it might also be worth the effort to put the old GSR stuff back onto the LS and then sell that for 3500 bux or so since the engine and everything actually works, it just isn't pretty. That would recoup the extra costs for the parts car and get a mechanically sound Integra back on the road. Even one is poor-ish condition is worth a good bit if it is working well mechanically. It is a Honda after all and would still have a clean carfax.
Good move. Even if you GSR that LS the VIN number is going to describe an LS. Is like if I swap an B16a2 into my Ej8 is going to still be a Ej8 not a EM1. 👍🏻
Eric in the aircraft world we call taking parts from one aircraft to another is called cannibalizing. We always seemed to have one or two aircraft we used for parts. It had to be done no parts no fly. Thanks for sharing and stay safe and well Artie 🇺🇸👍
Same story in the auto restoration industry. Even 30 years ago. Now even more so. Years ago a neighbor of mine sacrificed a Cord Beverly to save a Roadster 812. Sacrifices always have to be made.
I just bought a 97 Integra LS last month for $1400. It’s pretty clean, clear coat is a disaster and it’s sat for 2 years so it idles a little rough and I am finding all the bushings are trashed. It’s my project car and don’t need it as a daily driver so I hope to restore it and maybe do a GSR swap later.
Eric, glad you're going to restore the GSR and R. Can't wait to see them get the love the deserve with restoration. Serious inquiry, if you want to sell those LS wheels let me know! I don't even need the center caps ;)
I like your plan with the LS to help purify the Gs-r and type-R! You kept saying it looks like they did a good job on the front fenders and I would of agreed with you a year ago when I was just a honda tech for 6.5 years but I am now the auto tech at a very reputable body shop and if they would of done a good job they would of took the wheel liners out so there wouldn't of been a paint line or ANY over spray what so ever! I also noticed when looking at the window run channel on the type R there seams to be some orange peel on the mirror molding (triangle part that attaches to the door) which indicates to me it has been painted before . The run channel is a second indicator that the molding was painted, You may be able to remedy it by pulling the mirror off and pulling the run channel up or down so it is seating properly but depending on how long ago it was done it may just be stuck like that.. But worth a try in my opinion. Love the Integra content and looking forward to the future videos on restoring the old gems!
Congrats Eric. I had my ABS removed on my 1990 Accord. my mechanic made new lines for the front and used compression fittings for the existing rears. He said he doesn’t want to touch that again. Might be worth swapping the GSR engine into the new shell. Looking forward to see how you get on.
I had a black 95 GS-R and it was the first car I ever fell in love with. Sadly it was stolen and stripped of its engine just a few months after I got it (2002 maybe). I eventually got a purple 98 GS-R to replace the stolen black one, and got a lot of good years out of that. I learned a lot of the ins and outs of working on Hondas with that car (subsequently owned a green Element like yours, and now have an HR-V and a Fit). Looking at the paint at first, I couldn't believe a 21 year old car with 134k miles on it could possibly look that good, so the repainted front fenders made more sense. I also notice that the headlight lenses are really clear for a car that old. It makes me wonder if it was actually in a minor rear-end collision, which would explain the clean front. The red valve and air box covers are bizarre if this wasn't owned by someone who reads Import Tuner magazine. As far as I remember, the only difference between the GS-R and lower trims is the engine and gearbox, the spoiler, and the DOHC VTEC badge. Therefore it would seem a lot simpler to just swap the engine and spoiler/trunk over. Does anyone in the Honda world really care about "numbers matching?"
Yah I would be swapping all good stuff from the GSR to the LS. You'd loose the GSR chassis status and that may affect resale value but it would me a mint example of a swap, especially being done by you. Id think a GSR is more rare than a Type R these days. Glad to see you got another one though and can't wait to follow the progress!
I would like to bet that it was involved in a front impact collision. The two fenders and aftermarket radiator indicate to me that those three items have been replaced at the same time. If this is the case, the front bumper and hood would be in the same situation. Do your body panels have nonmatching Vins, or a Honda OE sticker?
I had the same color ls integra but it was a 98. Loved that car. Beat the hell out of it and it would just keep going. I had to replace the clutch after a friend blew it up trying to do a burnout lol. It was smashed in the front end and i had to streach the frame and then buy cheap fenders and bumper and hood. Would of kept it but it was already a piece of junk. I drive a 2003 honda crv 5speed now with a acura tsx swap.
are you parting out the rest of the integra? it seems like not much is being removed from it, i would have put a new stereo in anyways and missing or bad body panels just seems like a good excuse to put on carbon fiber panels. i assume you'll be getting rid of it, what are the remains of the other half the integra worth? and how much is really missing?
FYI primewell tires are from Firestone they are the economy line of tires👍 good buy. I remember about 10 yrs ago integras in Cincinnati were a dime a dozen now you can’t hardly fine one at all
I have to live through you, Eric lol.You've owned, currently own or driven every car I've ever wanted to own or drive. I say do what you have to. The Integras I see near me are usually modded to hell and poorly at that (or at least not my liking). If you have to use another Integra to restore two others, that are your project cars, then I'm all for it.
Hay man, it's your $$$. Do what you want. And tanks for all the info on 01 to 05 Civics. I have plans to do the clutch on my 04 HX civic this fall. I'm gonna take it on myself tanks 2 U. Take care and we will stay dirty.......
Let me know if you intend to part ways with the engine. I have a 97 intergra that could use a newer b18b1. It’s been difficult to find a decent lower mileage replacement
Any chance you would sell me the passenger door from the LS? Mine has had some shoddy work done to repair a small collision. I think it would fit a 2001 GS coupe? Same color. I would probably have to swap the interior door panels, which is ok.
I recently drove my cousin’s husbands 99 EX civic, it was a pleasure to drive , garage kept for the last 4 years, just hit 150k and he scored it for 1200
I'd say sacrificing a clean LS in the name of restoring a GSR and Type R closer to factory condition is a worthy cause. It will be a honorable death for the LS lol.
nope its sacrilege-
@@bikeman1x11 Don't worry, we're still gonna put an LS7 in it and take it to scrabber after she gets stripped.
:(
Sounds like a win win to me.
Pleasantly surprised to see you here sir. Love your channel
The easiest thing to do would be swap the engine and trans from the rotting GSR to the LS but I can see the main draw back from that is not having a numbers matching car
for real. kinda upsets me to see nice rust free cars cut up to temporarily fix a ruster. we call it cancer for a reason. once it starts it goes everywhere
Add the badge and you’re done
Also, the GSR has sentimental value to him...
A GS-R being numbers matching car is not as critical as having a numbers matching Type-R but on the Type-R if you change any parts on it it becomes a no numbers matching car so either way its devalued once you change parts on it the GS-R is not as rare so its not as crucial
he wont either taking parts from one and will be destroying an ls in good shape
Hondas from this era are notorious for clear coat failure. Perhaps those fenders were peeling and flaking badly enough to where the previous owner wanted it fixed. Seems to be well taken care of
Usually starts on the roof though. Honda clear coat from this decade was just terrible.
They still are. Look at the 2010s and up. Honda is getting very unreliable and craftsmanship is going down. But it’s just one guys opinion.
@@nemesisazn The same could be said for pretty much all Japanese car manufacturers. Look at Nissan especially. I love my 1994 300zx. After working on the newer Nissans, I realize that many of them likely are just coasting on their previous reputation instead of keeping the same standards. As usual, it is probably all about the money.
@@nemesisazn lately I have been seeing a lot of General Motors vehicles broken down. 1 newer 2018 + Trax, and an Encore. I also saw a 2018 ish Malibu on the side of the road with the hood up. With all I have heard of the 2.4 engines failing, and the 3.6 timing issues, GM has got to be one of the worst. I never see a broken down Toyota or Honda unless its 15-20 years old.
98 preludes with that issue on the foof eucalyptus green
Something to consider about the paint. Honda's around 2000 - 2006 loved to peel the clear coat fairly quickly when sat out side over the years...Could have been just a simple re-spray due to that issue. I know I've done that to mine.
I thought the exact same thing.
The dealer probably had it painted and it payed off.
I've noticed over the years that silver has been a real pain to keep together. All the manufacturers had issues with the formulation for silver paint for a very long time.
Or it could have been a direct front-end collision that crumbled both of the fenders and broke the radiator. This is just speculation though and i think clear coat wear and peeling is more likely.
Hadn't thought of that, but could be. Lord knows my 01 Accord's got clear coat mange going on, mostly on the driver's door. Gonna have to paint that door soon as I get all the mechanical issues finished up.
Great find for a parts car and awesome that you can help restore 2 classic Acuras with this. Smart move IMO
Goes to show you how programed we are these days.. I read that title and the first thing I thought is you were gonna LS swap it.
😆 Well some swapping will be going on either way.
I guessed he was gonna part it out, probably to make up some deficiencies in his Type R. :D
Hahaha!!! Same here!!
Totally understandable, Eric. I definitely wouldn’t GS-R-swap the LS. A true DC2 will always be more coveted than a DC4, even if it has GS-R bits. Besides, even though you’ll be disassembling a clean LS, it’s not like the car is being put completely to death. It will live on in other ways, just in two other Integras.
Like the ending. I remember (probably back in ‘96) taking in my 5 speed 1992 Legend LS for service and they gave me an Integra LS automatic as a loaner. The automatic does not so justice to the 1.8L engine. With the auto, Integras are not very interesting.
Congrats on your happy period mate! You sent me a personalised bday wish back in 2017 and it made my day. So glad your life is on the up!!!
Hi ETCG1 and followers I have a 2001 Acura Integra LS 5 speed manual with only 84k original miles. I am the only owner. The car is in great shape. I do have some mods but I still have the original parts. I loved these cars. I hate to see you chop up your new LS but as you said it is hard to find some parts so I understand. Looking forward to seeing more of the restoration on both the Type R and GSR.
Good tip about the refrigerator magnet
Eric, if I new you were looking for a silver Acura Integra untouched, about 8 months ago there were a silver 2000 Integra at my junkyard completely untouched, body panels were completely straight, interior was spotless, was not a single rip on the interior leather.
Couldn’t you look for the VIN sticker on each front fender? Missing VIN sticker = replacement part.
Erik, you broke my heart. The first new car I ever bought was a 1995 Acura Integra LS, I wanted the LS because it did not have a wing on the back. I moved overseas (Norway) and sold it over there to a guy near the arctic circle. The car is only driven in the summer. if I could find one in the condition of the one you have there, I would pull a Peter Brady and treat her like a Queen. You have saddened me Erik.
I think this is brilliant idea. The parts for these cars are extremely hard to find. I know because I have a 2000 GSR that I am building and I can’t find any exterior parts that are in mint condition.
Totally agree with this, I have a 98 Prelude Type SH and everytime a Prelude shows up to the yard, I just part hoarding what I need and leaving what other people might need for their car, granted the prelude isn't as high demand as an integra but smart move! I would have done the same to an SH.
I found a red 1994 gsr about three years ago with 195,000 miles on it, the owner bought it new and had all the maintenance and any repair work papers still. He sold it to me for $1000. I was able to drive it home the day I bought it. It does need some TLC like the brake hoses at the calipers and a radiator hose. It has NO aftermarket parts on.
Where we live, a rust free straight body is massive. A good call on getting it shipped. Rarely does picking it up and driving it back yourself work out cheaper, and that's from personal experience. Put all the stuff from the other cars that you are going to replace on it, and you'll probably be able to sell it and recoup some of your cost.
Sacrificing one car to restore 2 is a win win. I see it as an investment into the other 2 cars.
Hey Eric, my brother did some time in prison and said they use your videos to teach the guys in there. Didn't know if you knew that or not.
Congrats to your son! I miss having the summers off, winter break, spring break, no bills etc. Just being a teenagers overall
Not bothersome at all. It’s a fact that the cleanest mid 90’s hondas around today are automatic. Just like you said who wants to modify and automatic? Anyway i like the idea. It’s understandable and NO do Not swap the GSR into the LS. That would just make it a GSR replica not a restoration. The GSR will have a greater value later on. You have clean quarters on the LS so you can repair the quarter panels on the GSR. Im honestly really excited about this decision. Love the content Eric keep it going!
I'm glad you're bringing back both of those cars
It makes total sense what you're doing, and I agree with it. After you're done I'd put the LS back together - as complete as you can get it, anyway - and sell it for a good price to someone who needs their first project car. The more Hondas and Acuras from that era we can keep on the road, the better. (Even if they're slightly gungy automatic Integra LSs with bright red air filters.)
There really won't be much to the car after I remove the rear quarters.
@@ETCG1 Just put the old rusty GS-R rears on...unless they just turn to dust when you take them off. Rust repair isn't *too* difficult if someone has the time. Though, I guess you'd have to find a particularly determined young person for all that. 😆
I don't see a lot of stone chips for that mileage, so I'd guess the nose was repainted also. Could it be a previous owner gave the front a respray just to tidy it up and keep potential rust at bay? Or maybe just a damaged/replaced nose cap from a parking lot incident, and the fender paint was from blending the old and new paint?
For me you allow me to look at things in a different way. Until now I would have had a difficult time to do what you are going to do. But now I can see why.
been trying to find a clean Integra for myself and I laughed when you mentioned all of them being molested because I cant find one that doesn't have some form or rice or lack of maintenance and general upkeep. I hope I can find a similar clean example soon thanks for the Integra content.
Congratulations on your son graduating Eric @ETCG1
Good idea Eric. I did something similar myself a few years ago when locally there were a fair few knocking about in scrapyards(JDM 1.6/1.8's and the occasional R) and for very little money. The JDM non R's seem to have been better rust protected so I got both doors, hatch, bonnet(hood 😁), wings, front and rear, interior trim and a host of other bits and bobs. I even got three rear spoilers, two for free. It's already worked out after my hatch got damaged.
My 1999 Acura CL 2.3L is just as clean. All stock. 144,400 orig. miles. Nice find!
I say you should get started right away brother!
Its getting harder to find parts for the older cars. I just bought a 98 camry as a second vehicle and im trying to get it all fixed up and some parts are kinda scarce, at least at new oem quality unless i were to go straight to the dealer and id rather not pay that for parts.
Yup. My 95 Camry needed an ECU recently; dealer wanted $986 for one. I ended up taking it to a local computer repair shop for a re-capping.
There’s a well-known Toyota wholesaler based out of California who offers OEM parts for VatoZone prices. Go to him first if you’re ever in need of good, OEM parts. Had a 99 4Runner and let me tell you how much more easier it was buying from him than the local dealers that often didn’t have what I needed or did but charged a premium for it.
@@taimaishu-nao1922 whats the name of this wholesaler? Are they on ebay or do they have a website?
I think your thought process is spot on 👊👊
Parts cars are a GREAT way to go! Harvesting parts to fix your other cars sounds like a fun thing to follow! I'm looking forward to it!
It's great that you're restoring the other two Integras than switching out the engine with a k swap and transmission like everyone else does. That silver color is in great shape.
Doing the same thing to my 96 civic right now, it has been such a good car though i felt it deserved a good restoration back to the way it came from the factory, I've been slowly but surely finding the best condition parts that i could find off of other civics of the same generation at the junkyard and I'm about 99% there as far as completing the restoration, the only things i have left to do is find good condition lower window trim pieces for all the windows, reseal the driver side headlight and find a good condition rear seat bottom, other than that for a now 25 year old car she runs perfect, other than little things like needing to swap out a rear main seal and a new ac compressor
You got a gem of a parts car for sure.very clean.wasnt expecting that outcome,but great idea.
Thanks for posting. Sold a 2000 LS Integra 10 years ago
Thought I could get KBB ($5500) price on private sale my mechanic at that time laughed. Selling that Acura was a pia. Gave a young 20year old a good deal on his 1sr car. 2000 Ingegea LS engine seemed weak. May have had some bad mechanic work done by previous owner.
I'm trying to stay dirty Eric. I guess when I reached 48 years old getting in an out of Sports car became more of a challenge. Drive safe in the Natty!
I would totally use that to save the other two Integras as well! Once that LS integra gets the beat up panels back on it you should consider doing a k series engine swap to it.
I have a silver 2000 LS as well! It has 62,000 miles and is modified but definitely a keeper
Primewell tires are from Firestone. They're pretty good economy tires. Usually 40,000 miles tires. Keep up the good work. Love the videos. 👍💪
So question. I know you made a video on what to replace when the trunk won't open by the switch. But how do you get the trunk open in a 2000 Integra when both the key and switch won't open it.
Glad you found what you needed! Cheers!
Hey I purchased a decently running B5 Audi just to strip it down for parts. I mainly got it for the seats! So I get it... You gotta do what you gotta do sometimes. Nobody like to trash a perfectly good car to make another one better but we all do it!
OMG, SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY KNOWS HOW TO MAKE A PRO-UA-cam VIDEO. CONGRATS AND KEEP UP THE GOOD VIBRATIONS😀👍
It’s my daughter’s birthday today so I’m gonna forward that cake to her. Thanks Eric.
A local search,. 150 miles away, for a 2000 LS, found one for $5,500 FIRM. 139 K, clean carfax, Very good condition.
Recent tune up. oil change , water pump & timing belts etc.
Auto trans, body- rims all look great, Orig interior.
Breaks my heart. I’ve had my 2000 Acura Integra LS for 21 years and have put my heart and soul into her when everyone tells me to get rid of her. She’s never failed me. I have “molested” her as you say because it’s hard to find parts but I’ve gone too far to give up on her. Almost everything has been changed once or twice and I’m about to get her painted in a week or so. She’s silver as well. I have the LS because I got her when I was 18 and even though I knew how to drive a stick I didn’t want to deal with it as my everyday driver. If there’s any parts you don’t need from your girl I’m willing to buy or trade. I have some body parts that aren’t in great condition but they are original. Just throwing it out there. Damn you lucked out on how immaculate your LS is.
Your hands are tied, I see this as your best and smartest options. Hope we get lots of videos of the work.. take care
Looks like a great parts car for 2 other vehicles to be honest you do what you gotta do restoring 2 other vehicles is a win win Eric @ETCG1
I'm in the mind set that: Stock is the new modified!
I cannibalized a derby-bashed Crown Victoria last year for parts for Arcee; totally get it, Eric. Do what you must to see Blackbeard and the GSR fully restored; I for one look forward to seeing what comes from this effort! :)
Sounds like your plan is solid. You acquired an unmolested vehicle which can turn two other vehicles into valuable cars for you. Nothing to apologize about. Smart move. Looking forward to the journey.
Ebay, Eric! You'll be able to unload the remainder of the LS on there and recoup alot of the money you paid for the LS.
I think it's a great plan Eric ! Also it's about the only way you could get all those parts for that kinda $$ .. ENJOYED
Good luck with the restoration Eric.
As an owner of a pretty much stock 2001 Integra LS owner, I understand why you're doing this but, it still hurts to see such a nice condition Integra getting parted out. I'm slowly repairing and restoring mine as well, the parts are definitely getting harder to find.
Let me get the shell when your done with it, my 2000 integra ls is getting too far gone with rust and mine is also the same color same rear and everything
I would imagine if he’s parting out the LS he’s gonna cut-remove the good quarters and fenders to fix the GSR
Given I'll be removing the rear quarters there likely won't be much left unfortunately.
@@ETCG1 Isn't this shell generally in better condition than the GSR? wouldn't it be more pertinent to just swap over the parts from the GSR into the better shell? That way you not only have better quarters, but also better rockers (the inside of the GSR is crunchy at this point for sure), suspension points etc etc. I've never heard of someone finding a good shell then cutting quarters to weld onto a worse one, a whole shell swap (or in this case, just an engine swap) would be better fo the car IMO.
@@90Rex I talked about that in the video.
@@90Rex - True, but only one shell has “DC2” engraved on the firewall and that’s the one worth saving imo.
Initially, I was like "Awwee maaan! this could've been a good first car for someone, an auto Integra LS 😩" but as someone who's also restoring a 1999 EM1 Civic Si, I would probably have done the same with an auto EX coupe or something similar 😅
Primewell tires are sold by Firestone Complete Auto Care; they're the 'affordable' tire line there.
They kinda suck.
I have them on my tacoma... can confirm, they suck.
chinese cheapies?
@@bikeman1x11 yeah.
I 100% support what you are doing. You can even put the imperfect but functional parts back on the parts car & use the car as a winter beater.
As far as swapping the gsr parts into clean body, that sounds good, but not sure about the legality of it since you are a public channel. Might be better to restore the gsr however so the body VIN matches the engine and tranny so when old Eric is retired he can get a good return on investment for this future classic
If the drive train on the donor car is good, I would just put the ugly parts back in and sell it for as much as you can and then recoup some of the money you spent on it. I am sure someone can use it as basic transportation.
Given that I'll be removing the rear quarter panels it won't be a viable vehicle when I'm done with it.
@@ETCG1 Hey that car will be worth something for someone less fortunate. As long as it runs, it's not dead.
@@pedrofernandez8729 he’s cutting out structural pieces of the car it’s not going to be anyone’s transportation
Our 97 Civic EX had a changer, and you can get a cable to replace the changer with an aux cable. Still got to keep my factory look!
What your doing makes sense to me. I should have done the same with my AE86 but instead I've spent twice as much buying individual parts
I noticed right away that the front of the hood doesn't close completely to the bumper. As a retired auto body guy, i look at panel gaps first.
Like you said, carfax is not a good gauge of past damage. I've been saying that for years.
When i look at a used car, i take a quiet friend, a flashlight and a tape measure. I do X measurements on as many planes as possible. I also avoid modded cars like the plague. Boys with toys may not rack up the miles, but those miles are extremely harsh.
I like the ways you revealed all the good and bad.
could have been repainted up front to take care of numerous road chips. I've done that to a few of my cars.
Car looks good! I didn't see anything that looked like it had been in an accident, hard to say for sure from a video though. If the paint job turns out to be done well it is a win. It is in much better condition then a factory paint job would be at it's age and a paint job isn't cheap.
Awesome! I have an un-molested 2001 GS. Stock everything. Same wheels as the LS.
I hear you about parts. I cannot find OEM floor mats for a GS. Also, my leather on the front two seats is in bad shape. Everything else is pretty good though. My mechanic calls it a unicorn!
Any idea where I can get OEM leather seats and front floor mats?
What about the VIN stickers on the front fenders, are they present? Thats another way to see if the fender was replaced.
You are living the dream!!! A friends boss has a mint 2001 sedan looks like it just came out the dealer bad motor but won't sell it sentimental value 😭
As soon as you showed how clean it was I knew it had been painted or some body work done to it because there's no way a 21 year old car can have no dings or scratches if it was a daily driver but the car looks great!
Right? I have my ‘01 silver Integra LS and it’s at ~97k miles. Others have scratched my car from just parking in parking lots; there’s a bit of light scratching on my rear bumper from tapping cement parking rod blockers; and I sadly have a large dent over my front right wheel (doesn’t affect the hood though). It’s only cosmetic though and I can’t afford to fix it.
However, other than the dent and the bottom of a side view mirror that has paint flaked off for some reason, the rest of the paint has stayed in pristine shiny condition. I never wax it or anything, but most of it’s life it has been kept parked under a parking structure so the sun doesn’t beat down on it.
I will say though that my car did suffer a front end collision and had to have body work done up there when before it was 2 years old, so it needed new paint then. I don’t know if they only painted the front end with the body parts they replaced, or if they painted the entire car. Perhaps they did paint the entire car, so that is why I have the bit of paint chipping from the bottom of one of my side view mirrors?
I agree with the other comments that keeping the GSR shell and doing what you presented in the video is the best way to go since it truly would be an original GSR. I know it would be extra work, but I think it might also be worth the effort to put the old GSR stuff back onto the LS and then sell that for 3500 bux or so since the engine and everything actually works, it just isn't pretty. That would recoup the extra costs for the parts car and get a mechanically sound Integra back on the road. Even one is poor-ish condition is worth a good bit if it is working well mechanically. It is a Honda after all and would still have a clean carfax.
Could you tell me what that spring does inside the distributor? Its inside the one nub that has no wires. Thanks
Good move.
Even if you GSR that LS the VIN number is going to describe an LS.
Is like if I swap an B16a2 into my Ej8 is going to still be a Ej8 not a EM1.
👍🏻
Eric in the aircraft world we call taking parts from one aircraft to another is called cannibalizing. We always seemed to have one or two aircraft we used for parts. It had to be done no parts no fly. Thanks for sharing and stay safe and well Artie 🇺🇸👍
Same story in the auto restoration industry. Even 30 years ago. Now even more so. Years ago a neighbor of mine sacrificed a Cord Beverly to save a Roadster 812. Sacrifices always have to be made.
It would be very interesting to watch this cannibal operation take shape. Looking forward to this series.
Same. Love stuff like that.
I just bought a 97 Integra LS last month for $1400. It’s pretty clean, clear coat is a disaster and it’s sat for 2 years so it idles a little rough and I am finding all the bushings are trashed. It’s my project car and don’t need it as a daily driver so I hope to restore it and maybe do a GSR swap later.
I can’t wait to see the restauration process
Eric, glad you're going to restore the GSR and R. Can't wait to see them get the love the deserve with restoration.
Serious inquiry, if you want to sell those LS wheels let me know! I don't even need the center caps ;)
I like your plan with the LS to help purify the Gs-r and type-R! You kept saying it looks like they did a good job on the front fenders and I would of agreed with you a year ago when I was just a honda tech for 6.5 years but I am now the auto tech at a very reputable body shop and if they would of done a good job they would of took the wheel liners out so there wouldn't of been a paint line or ANY over spray what so ever! I also noticed when looking at the window run channel on the type R there seams to be some orange peel on the mirror molding (triangle part that attaches to the door) which indicates to me it has been painted before . The run channel is a second indicator that the molding was painted, You may be able to remedy it by pulling the mirror off and pulling the run channel up or down so it is seating properly but depending on how long ago it was done it may just be stuck like that.. But worth a try in my opinion. Love the Integra content and looking forward to the future videos on restoring the old gems!
Congrats Eric.
I had my ABS removed on my 1990 Accord. my mechanic made new lines for the front and used compression fittings for the existing rears. He said he doesn’t want to touch that again.
Might be worth swapping the GSR engine into the new shell. Looking forward to see how you get on.
I mentioned doing that in the video, but no. The GSR is worth more than the LS chassis.
I had a black 95 GS-R and it was the first car I ever fell in love with. Sadly it was stolen and stripped of its engine just a few months after I got it (2002 maybe). I eventually got a purple 98 GS-R to replace the stolen black one, and got a lot of good years out of that. I learned a lot of the ins and outs of working on Hondas with that car (subsequently owned a green Element like yours, and now have an HR-V and a Fit).
Looking at the paint at first, I couldn't believe a 21 year old car with 134k miles on it could possibly look that good, so the repainted front fenders made more sense. I also notice that the headlight lenses are really clear for a car that old. It makes me wonder if it was actually in a minor rear-end collision, which would explain the clean front. The red valve and air box covers are bizarre if this wasn't owned by someone who reads Import Tuner magazine.
As far as I remember, the only difference between the GS-R and lower trims is the engine and gearbox, the spoiler, and the DOHC VTEC badge. Therefore it would seem a lot simpler to just swap the engine and spoiler/trunk over. Does anyone in the Honda world really care about "numbers matching?"
Yah I would be swapping all good stuff from the GSR to the LS. You'd loose the GSR chassis status and that may affect resale value but it would me a mint example of a swap, especially being done by you. Id think a GSR is more rare than a Type R these days. Glad to see you got another one though and can't wait to follow the progress!
Meh, I wanted to do a color change on the GSR anyway. Thanks for the comment.
I would like to bet that it was involved in a front impact collision. The two fenders and aftermarket radiator indicate to me that those three items have been replaced at the same time. If this is the case, the front bumper and hood would be in the same situation. Do your body panels have nonmatching Vins, or a Honda OE sticker?
I had the same color ls integra but it was a 98. Loved that car. Beat the hell out of it and it would just keep going. I had to replace the clutch after a friend blew it up trying to do a burnout lol. It was smashed in the front end and i had to streach the frame and then buy cheap fenders and bumper and hood. Would of kept it but it was already a piece of junk. I drive a 2003 honda crv 5speed now with a acura tsx swap.
I had a 99 Monte Carlo and had an extremely hard time finding parts, I did the same thing. No worries.
are you parting out the rest of the integra? it seems like not much is being removed from it, i would have put a new stereo in anyways and missing or bad body panels just seems like a good excuse to put on carbon fiber panels. i assume you'll be getting rid of it, what are the remains of the other half the integra worth? and how much is really missing?
Sounds like a wise choice to me.If you're happy I'm happy.
Nice looking car, I spotted that painted fender when you first panned over the car in the beginning of your video. Ever so slightly a different shade.
FYI primewell tires are from Firestone they are the economy line of tires👍 good buy. I remember about 10 yrs ago integras in Cincinnati were a dime a dozen now you can’t hardly fine one at all
What you plan to do with this Silver Bullet works for me.
ya man i feel you i bought 2 vw sciroccos just to part out to rebuild a 3rd one. you got to do it somitemes when no parts are availible
I have to live through you, Eric lol.You've owned, currently own or driven every car I've ever wanted to own or drive. I say do what you have to. The Integras I see near me are usually modded to hell and poorly at that (or at least not my liking). If you have to use another Integra to restore two others, that are your project cars, then I'm all for it.
Hay man, it's your $$$. Do what you want. And tanks for all the info on 01 to 05 Civics. I have plans to do the clutch on my 04 HX civic this fall. I'm gonna take it on myself tanks 2 U. Take care and we will stay dirty.......
Great find and smart thinking!
Let me know if you intend to part ways with the engine. I have a 97 intergra that could use a newer b18b1. It’s been difficult to find a decent lower mileage replacement
Any chance you would sell me the passenger door from the LS? Mine has had some shoddy work done to repair a small collision. I think it would fit a 2001 GS coupe? Same color. I would probably have to swap the interior door panels, which is ok.
Sounds like unless you make it a summer car (living up north) you will be in the same boat with the new car or parts in five years.
Good video!
I recently drove my cousin’s husbands 99 EX civic, it was a pleasure to drive , garage kept for the last 4 years, just hit 150k and he scored it for 1200
Wouldn't it be faster to move the good parts from the GSR into the new one?