Found two photos of my “rebuildable” 1977 Honda Civic #TBT
Posted By RichC on July 18, 2024
There have been several times that I wish I had photos of the cars I’ve owned and now realize that very few actually exist or have been lost. I commented to my car friends about rebuilding
the 289 cubic inch V-8 engine, derusting and repainting the 4-door family car that I learned to drive on (mom’s car). It was a 1967 Ford Custom 500, but I really haven’t found any photos of it during the time I was working on it (maybe my brother has one in addition to this one when we wer kids?)
I’ve also blogged a couple time previously about my “real” first car before (steering wheel inserts), it was a 1974 “junkyard rebuildable” Capri for $600, which included a second front clip needed to rebuild. This turned out to be a great college car and way for me to make money (sold for $2400 after driving a year or so).
The next couple of cars were project vehicles … a 1973 Cadillac Coupe De Ville (purchased after it was slid off the road by a train) and a body filler project car — a 1967 first generation Camaro, like 
the one on the right (not my car); I sold it to my brother to buy Brenda’s engagement ring.
About this time, I also purchased a wrecked 1977 Honda Civic that stickered for about $2800 when new. It was an inexpensive and underpowered Japanese import (with a 1200cc engine and 12-inch wheels). The car was amazingly durable and an economical car during the years I was teaching and in graduate school at Miami University. At that time, I was also driving almost every weekend to Northeastern Ohio to visit my fiancé … Brenda … as we were planning our wedding and looking for a place to 
live (she rented a room from a family in University Heights for that years). When my college roommate was visiting last month, we talked about those days and taking this tiny car camping in Florida after our college graduation. We drove nearly the entire length of the Cape San Blas peninsula … “on the beach” … back when it was semi-legal (I need to find those photos).
This little early Honda econobox carried Brenda and me into our first year of marriage and even on a variety of trips — a memorable one to a wedding in New Jersey, where Brenda made me park it around the corner — she was rightfully embarrassed (it suffered damage from hitting a deer and wasn’t really fully restored or painted yet).
For the life of me I could really prove that I even own the car, except for a couple garage photos (above) and NOW a couple photos I found in my desk draw (below). They are from after our wedding in 1982 and behind our Aurora, Ohio farm house … after I hit the deer on I-71 (note the brown parts) and I might as well make it a ThrowBack Thursday #TBT post?
1977 Honda Civic
Here are some key features and specifications of the 1977 Honda Civic:
Engine:
- 1.2-liter inline-four cylinder engine (EB1)
Transmission:
- 4-speed manual transmission
Dimensions:
- Wheelbase: 86.6 inches (2,200 mm) or 89.8 inches (2,280 mm)
- Length: 134.1 inches (3,405 mm) to 147.8 inches (3,754 mm)
- Width: 59.3 inches (1,505 mm)
- Height: 52.2 inches (1,325 mm) to 53.5 inches (1,360 mm)
- Weight: Curb weight: 1,323 pounds (600 kg) to 1,742 pounds (790 kg)
Fuel Economy:
- EPA rating: up to 54 mpg (4.3 L/100 km) highway
Features:
- Front-wheel drive
- Transverse-mounted engine
- Fuel-efficient design
Price:
- Original price: approximately $2,730 to $2,940 (USD)
The 1977 Honda Civic was known for its fuel efficiency, reliability, and affordability, making it a popular choice for many car buyers. It was also praised for its innovative design, which included a transverse-mounted engine and front-wheel drive.
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