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As the cryptic title implies...... Tell me all their dirty little secrets. I remember that Ian “Bias” was converting one to Suzuki 4x4 years ago, that now is a Smeg refrigerator in someone’s house So the question is, how good, bad, or indifferent are they?? We knew them as Honda Balade in SA in the 80’s and it seems that they have all but disappeared now. I know they were available in the U.K. and probably as 1300cc and 1500cc Are they expensive to maintain, own, run and can they be a practical classic and daily ?? Many questions but fire away.  Love this colour.   Guess American spec.    |
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Mine's a 1335 cc Hondamatic which has been in the family from new. The only real trouble I've had with is that it has eaten a couple of head gaskets which could be down to me not checking the antifreeze/corrosion inhibitor often enough. They are just as water soluble as anything else Japanese from the era. I got 37 mpg out of it on a hard thrashed thousand mile road trip (17.5 hours driving time). I believe driven more sensibly 40 mpg is possible. This one only gets used as a farm vehicle now. It's too rusty to ever be road legal again but it always starts.  |
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ferny
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 981
Club RR Member Number: 13
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I bought my acclaim (our ballade) for £220 in 2008. I've replaced the lower control arms, the timing belt twice and welded the sills a few times. I paid someone to weld up the lower o/s a-post when I got it as a permanently open window caused rot. A couple of years later it had to be redone so I did it myself. Recently I spent less than £100 upgrading the engine and transmission cooling to modern high pressure system.
Running costs are cheap!
Parts sourcing is impossible.
I need windscreen and rear window seals as well as new sills. Without them this car used daily by my mum will eventually have to be waved goodbye to.
They're also fun to drive. No power and lots of tyre squeal when you press on. But they stick to the road better than physics predicts.
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Mine's a 1335 cc Hondamatic which has been in the family from new. The only real trouble I've had with is that it has eaten a couple of head gaskets which could be down to me not checking the antifreeze/corrosion inhibitor often enough. They are just as water soluble as anything else Japanese from the era. I got 37 mpg out of it on a hard thrashed thousand mile road trip (17.5 hours driving time). I believe driven more sensibly 40 mpg is possible. This one only gets used as a farm vehicle now. It's too rusty to ever be road legal again but it always starts. This car made my heart melt. It could so easily become a cartoon, in a “Cars” movie style. With those front tyres, the rusted hood and who knows what else. Thank you for sharing it. I bought my acclaim (our ballade) for £220 in 2008. I've replaced the lower control arms, the timing belt twice and welded the sills a few times. I paid someone to weld up the lower o/s a-post when I got it as a permanently open window caused rot. A couple of years later it had to be redone so I did it myself. Recently I spent less than £100 upgrading the engine and transmission cooling to modern high pressure system. Running costs are cheap! Parts sourcing is impossible.
I need windscreen and rear window seals as well as new sills. Without them this car used daily by my mum will eventually have to be waved goodbye to. They're also fun to drive. No power and lots of tyre squeal when you press on. But they stick to the road better than physics predicts. What sort of parts? Mechanical, or body/cosmetic? A 10 year life is very good based on the initial invest,ent and subsequent propping up of the car. I wonder, only because that’s what I do..... if you have looked far and wide enough for parts? Sounds a good car though. |
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79cord
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,607
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These didn't sell quite as well as most other generations of Civic, possibly due to their evolutionary styling & mechanicals with the 3rd gen obviously more revolutionary with almost nothing shared & notably changing to a beam rear axle as the short lower control arms (spare wheel-well between) induced some roll oversteer in the earlier 1st & 2nd Civic's independent strut setup (Accord doubled their length & wagons were already beam to accommodate load variation).
Their production was also delayed so that more expensive derivatives like the Quintet & first Prelude arrived earlier. They shared the Civic Sedan wheelbase (longer than 3dr hatch) & basic floorpan design, but were fitted with bigger/heavier Accord 1.6l iron block engine.
It's not obvious but the Ballade & Acclaim bodies differed from the Civic sedan with an extra crease along their length below the door handles so few panels were shared, & Acclaim also benefited from twin carburetors that relatively few Civic received.
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Last Edit: May 25, 2019 11:28:58 GMT by 79cord
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May 25, 2019 12:24:31 GMT
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Then there is this
Hmmmmmmmm.........
Gotta be a bit rare.
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BiAS
Club Retro Rides Member
Insert witty comment here
Posts: 2,230
Club RR Member Number: 147
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May 25, 2019 12:29:34 GMT
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Mine was a 1st gen, but have owned a couple of 2nd gen 1.3s' previously and would thoroughly recommend them. Was quite surprised how the values have started to climb in the last few years
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(car+wheels)-rideheight=WIN
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May 25, 2019 23:07:54 GMT
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This Accord was mine. Similar to the Civic. Although it was immaculate and drove spot on I got bored with it after I finished with it. It was a bit of a boring ride and as it was so clean it became almost unusable for me, always worried about damage. I sold it soon after. Having said all of this it was super reliable, cheap to run and maintain.  |
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Parts car was badly rusted in different places.
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Last Edit: May 27, 2019 0:32:16 GMT by igor
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May 27, 2019 10:12:38 GMT
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Parts car was badly rusted in different places.
Just a bit rusty. But hey...... It seems to have done well. Those front tyres make me grin madly. |
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May 27, 2019 15:32:28 GMT
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. It's not obvious but the Ballade & Acclaim bodies differed from the Civic sedan with an extra crease along their length below the door handles . Ahhhh, so thats what makes them look different, finally the penny has dropped. Imo the civics look better for it, but id still have the Triumph over a Honda. Or put Triumph badges on a Civic estate. Ahhhh..... |
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60six
Posted a lot
(╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻
Posts: 1,654
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May 27, 2019 16:48:16 GMT
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Mine's a 1335 cc Hondamatic which has been in the family from new. The only real trouble I've had with is that it has eaten a couple of head gaskets which could be down to me not checking the antifreeze/corrosion inhibitor often enough. They are just as water soluble as anything else Japanese from the era. I got 37 mpg out of it on a hard thrashed thousand mile road trip (17.5 hours driving time). I believe driven more sensibly 40 mpg is possible. This one only gets used as a farm vehicle now. It's too rusty to ever be road legal again but it always starts. I absolutely LOVE that - Can we have some more pictures? So much character - Looks like a wiley old farmer ... |
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Some 9000's, a 900, an RX8 & a beetle
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May 27, 2019 18:49:56 GMT
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. It's not obvious but the Ballade & Acclaim bodies differed from the Civic sedan with an extra crease along their length below the door handles . Ahhhh, so thats what makes them look different, finally the penny has dropped. Imo the civics look better for it, but id still have the Triumph over a Honda. Or put Triumph badges on a Civic estate. Ahhhh..... 😁 Copied from a different forum. |
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May 27, 2019 22:12:45 GMT
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My and my wife's dailies were both made in 1990. My previous daily (purchased in 2006) was made in 1971. Where we live today's world isn't that different from the 1970s as far as driving conditions go apart from a few less unsealed roads.
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May 29, 2019 21:21:41 GMT
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My dad had one of these when I passed my test. My main recollections are the red interior and the engine, which really would scream.
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Jaguar S-Type 3.0 SE
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rodharris83
Club Retro Rides Member
Day Dreamer...
Posts: 759
Club RR Member Number: 4
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May 30, 2019 12:17:11 GMT
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retrotoe spotted an Acclaim for Sale on another thread:  link |
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Ritchie
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 765 
Club RR Member Number: 12
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A red Acclaim was the first car I was ever sick in.
It wasn't even ours.
Just thought I'd share that.
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Thank you Ritchie. We all needed to know that.
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