Never seen snow! Just kidding, the seller of this 1978 Honda Civic doesn’t say that but it always makes me nervous seeing vintage vehicles being driven in the snow unless they’re vintage snowmobiles. They have this solid time capsule listed here on eBay in Spokane, Washington. The current bid price is $5,100 and the reserve isn’t met. Thanks to Lesly L. for sending in this tip!
The first-generation Honda Civic was made from 1972 to 1979 and they were just over twelve feet in length by 1978, or the two-door version was such as with this car. That’s about a foot-and-a-half shorter than a 1978 Ford Pinto, that’s small. For the record, Spokane, Washington does use road salt in the winter, several types in both liquid and solid form but some of them do contain salt which is corrosive to very thin sheet metal. Ouch.
I know that people used to drive these cars in the winter when they were new, what’s the big deal now? I’ll let you vintage vehicle fanatics answer that one in the comments section. Especially those of you who have personally restored a rusty car or paid to have one restored. I cringe every time I have to drive a new vehicle on salty roads, I would never drive a vintage car in the winter but that’s just me.
This car does look rock-solid, though, and it appears to be in beautiful original condition other than a couple of noticeable dings. There is no mention of rust at all and they talk about it having brand new all-season tires so clearly it’s a winter car. The interior looks outstanding and very fancy for an early Honda Civic with the woodgrain dash and nice seating materials. The driver’s seat bottom needs help but otherwise, it looks basically like new inside, right down to the small cargo space behind the rear seat.
I had such high hopes for the new year but, sadly, 2022 is already starting off on a bad foot since this seller, on eBay no less, didn’t include any engine photos. This one has Honda’s 1.2L (1,238 cc) inline-four CVCC (Compound Vortex Controlled Combustion) engine with around 60 horsepower. This one runs great and has new brakes. Have any of you owned a first-gen Civic? And even more important: do any of you drive your vintage vehicles in the snow?
from the looks of it I doubt its driven in the snow, more likely driven outside to take pics…..no snow stuck in wheel arches, looks like its not registered, just because it has all season tires doesnt mean its driven all seasons…in some tire sizes all you can get is all season tires
Right on the money. This is never driven snow, just for pictures and yes the all season we’re all that was available in this size tire.
Pictures were taken at Riverfront Park,
home of Expo ’74 (World’s Fair),so it would
have to been driven there.
Couldn’t it have been trailered there?
I think somebody spiffed up a relatively clean car, I saw a LOT of Civics, and I don’t remember that stripe. I think every American that bled red,white and blue, said “oh,oh” in 1972 when the Civic hit the shores. It wasn’t this toy anymore, and short of the VW Bug, I can’t remember a more popular car. Civics were everywhere. With PNW’s wet weather, and 101K, this car saw service in a dry area, not the sloppy NW. Still, amazing find, and like the VW, everybody knew someone with a Civic. This was the car that caught Detroit with their pants down, and never recovered.
I think you’re right, Howard. When I was in 9th grade, a “rich kid” in my class, who wasn’t necessarily a smart kid since he was two years older than I was, got one of these from his developer dad. We all thought it was pretty cool because we had never seen one before. None of us had cars because we were all 14 years old but this kid got a new what? Honda Civic? I bet he wishes that he still had it.
I had a friend who had a similar year sedan.
Were they called ‘Accords’?
That last sentence really summed it up nicely!
they might of driven it there an then back to its warm garage….theres no way that car has lived its life in a snowy climate an looks like that ….i live in maine and am well aware what salt does to 70’s foreign cars that are driven yr round….the last time i saw a 1978 civic was 1979….
Back in ‘76, my dad had a new Civic, right at the time I had learners permit in hand. His didn’t have the cvcc, so it had the 4 speed opposed to the 5, but neat little car nonetheless. He traded cars sometimes once a year, I gave one hell of a sales pitch why he should hand it down to me, but………
This machine is not equipped with a CVCC engine as those came in at 1500cc’s and larger. While the CVCC concept was amazing engineering the EB 1200cc engine is much more durable for the long run. CVCC’s suffered from pre-chamber oil leaks (the third CVCC valve), 3bbl carb issues and failed exhaust manifolds along with other issues. Also most 1200’s rolled on 12in wheels. This one looks like it was possibly upgraded to 13’s from a 79 Accord (hard to tell for sure without better photos). Either way this looks to be a solid survivor.
Thanks for the update, JohninCM and alphasud! I knew that but apparently was on autopilot after reading the seller’s listing.
Yea, this is a base model Civic with the non CVCC engine. It would have a badge on the right side of the hatch if it were the CVCC engine. I live a hour south if Spokane. Back in the 70’s salt and magnesium chloride were not in wide use. In fact most east counties in WA still use sand and stone fines for traction aids. The car could have seen some winter use in this area and survived. This part of the country is pretty easy on cars as compared to the NE and with less sunshine the interiors don’t get as trashed.
I few years back I saw a guy driving a 76-78 orange Honda Civic wagon with the CVCC and 5-speed. I asked him how many offers he gets to sell it. He said just about every day he is approached to either purchase or compliment. These early Civics are what I call happy cars. Like when I drive my Corvair or Beetle people smile and wave. When I drove old Porsche 911’s people would usually have something derogatory to say like “it must be nice”, or “someone’s rich”
“I had such high hopes for the new year but, sadly, 2022 is already starting off on a bad foot since this seller, on eBay no less, didn’t include any engine photos.”
Don’t fear, this seller is actually potentially a good one. In the write up they state that they have videos of the interior, exterior and engine available upon request. Question is, how good are they. What’s missing then, most importantly, is the undercarriage. I’m loving this thing and whether the stripes are original or not, they make the car. Would it be sacrilege to do a restomod hot hatch? NO, not with an LS *eye roll*. A newer civic Si would do just fine.
You’re 100% right, Eric, sorry for always being so down on sellers who don’t give engine photos. That should be one of my resolutions for this year, to do less of that.
I dunno, Scotty. You’ve got the experience insofar as these ads go, and though as Eric pointed out this is an exception, for the most part those that don’t/won’t offer engine/undercarriage photos are generally trying to gloss over the potentially serious flaws. Not so much the case here but more often than not.
Please don’t change what you’re doing-IMHO it’s working and doesn’t need fixing (unlike my recently acquired ‘79 F150, but that’s another thing altogether..).
Last and only time I’ve seen a ‘70s civic was mountain biking behind my house and finding an abandoned one with no roof. Engine, trans, and interior were complete, including all the VINS and stuff. Always intriguing and jaw dropping for some reason to find an abandoned vintage auto, even (especially ) if it’s a wreck.
This Civic looks pretty nice in these pics,…and the 1200’s certainly were great cars in the day. But, as mentioned, some under carriage and suspension pics would be nice, as well as under hood. In these pics,..it looks to be snow and rust free…but, it is 44 years old…and its had lots of oppurtunities to be exposed to winter driving and salt, etc, and repaired…especially being from the state of Washington? I was a Honda technician all thru these early years (still today) and these early Civics rusted – badly. In upstate NY, 3 to 4 winters was enough to kill one. Honda had extensive recalls replacing rusted fenders, and complete under-carriage/subframe/suspension replacement programs. These recalls put Honda as being the manufacturer with the most extensive rust recalls of its kind. Several Civics were deemed too far gone to fix, and were bought back. so,..maybe some more pics?
Fact: the stripes add 20 up to these.
20 dollars?
20 mph! ;)
Cute car. That’s what folks used to say back when these were new. Not sure I like the Pontiac (usually on GTOs) GR-RRR! plate on the front. That just seems way out of place on this car.
Reverse donuts in the snow in these things are wicked fun
My 1st ex had a ‘79 CVCC very much like this one she’d gotten as a HS grad present in ‘81, same color, all dolled up with the same color hand painted thin line pinstriping and her name on the door. When we met she had just moved from Whittier CA and being used to doing the Whittier Blvd Saturday night cruises she asked “Where do you cruise?” The closest we had was downtown Reno-just not the same.
She kept it until she decided we needed a bigger car with four doors but it ran like a champ with no problems for a number of years (easy to keep track of cars in what was then a small town).
FWIW-later on, After a nighttime 4WD Jeep ride up a mountain goat path she wondered if she’d what the heck she was thinking in moving here!
Formerly owned by Tony the Tiger.
Beautiful looking car. Although I was way too young at the time to drive a car, I remember when the Honda Civic looked like this. If only the car was on my side of the state, I’d love to see the car for myself. Given its condition and originality, I’d be willing to pay around the asking price. I’d still have enough money on-hand to have an inspection done.
I was fortunate enough to have wonderful relationships with generation I Civics. The Pontiac dealer I worked for, while in college, signed up to be a Honda car dealer almost as fast as the franchise was available. (Once the general manager heard about the Civic) The original new “Honda” dealer parts package was 95% 600 parts. (I think the total amount of parts sales we made form that initial order was a set of points.) We were the only dealer when the car first came out to sell headers, spoilers, stripe kits and alloy wheels and many of the cars we sold were “up-fitted” with goodies before delivery. We “campaigned” a Civic in the SCCA Solo(II?) competition and our Driver Kern Fischer took 2nd in the Nationals. (a slogan on the roof rail read, “WE BEAT THE NICEST PEOPLE WITH OUR HONDA” These little 1,200 CC engines really screamed once a distributor re-curve job was performed, a bump in initial timing and opening up the exhaust a little. These engines would pull like crazy to 8,000 RPM. (at about 8,150 the valves would float) I also bought a 1978 new and it won every autocross,(most times fast time of day) rally and ice race (won 4 1st place trophies ICE Series the first 3 days we owned it) it was entered in. It was my (now EX) wife’s daily driver. When recalled for the rust issues, the service manager called and asked how the miles had been accumulated, as the underside of the car looked like it had been parked it’s entire life. Since we lived in Northern Illinois (the serious rust belt) at the time it was a complement. The secrete? was putting the car up on the lift twice a year and flushing out every nook and cranny with high pressure water. This usually took me almost 2 hours each time. I sold the car in 1983 as I was moving across the country. The “new” owner finally sold the car in about 1986 because of rust issues. Yes, the 1,200 CC engine was fantastic! A couple of corrections to the above story and comments. The car shown was not the baseline car as the car shown is a hatchback. The base model had a trunk. (kind of like a Rabbit convertible) Also an automatic transmission was available on the 1,200 engine. (more like an original VW auto) where there was no clutch, but you still had to shift it. However the comment about the auto on a CVCC model may be true for 1978. (I was no longer working for the dealer at that time) We (the dealership) were very fortunate in the fact that we started getting Civics right when the fuel crisis started. Many times when car transporters came through town it was a parade of people following to “claim” their car. It was a very good and fun time to be a Honda dealer! I tried to upload a picture of our little giant killer, but don’t know how to do that. It participated in a Corvette club autocross which is typically a very OPEN (as in “not tight”) course and beat all the Corvettes except one. (Most Likely the winning “Vette was driven by Clair Ball.) The “vette crowd was not amused!
Great story about becoming a Honda dealer and being active in SCCA. I didn’t realize they were used that early in events. People complain about the rust issues but for others in the rest of the country they were great cars and held up well. It certainly opened the eyes of the public and cemented Honda as a quality product in our country.
My dad would visit the Honda dealer in San Antonio several times and when he found out Honda was going to make a wagon he placed a deposit. He often bragged he got the first wagon sold in San Antonio. Light metallic blue with a 5-speed and A/C which in Texas was a must. I imagine it was dealer installed A/C. We outgrew the little wagon which was the only reason he moved on to a bigger car.
I have fond memories of these cars. In the late 70’s, I worked for Honda as a traveling service rep. I was out in the sticks and thought it would be interesting to wind it out on a long steep downhill. I managed to almost hit redline in 5th, (about 120 mph) when I felt the back end start to float up. A rather sick feeling came over me and I very gently backed off the throttle and slowed down without issue. Who knew that a Civic would need a wing ? Great cars, tough as nails (the 1200, not so much the 1500 CVCC).
I love this series of vintage Honda civics and had four brand new at once! My parents and I owned a messenger service and in early 1979 ordered 3 automatics and bought one left over 1978 model with standard transmission all in brilliant blue. Local Ford, GM and Chrysler dealers could not touch the price we got, $5,650 for the 4 spd (or 5 spd can’t remember) and $5100 a piece for the automatics. I have to tell you that the fit and finish of those cars was spectacular for the time. When I compared the quality of assembly and paint on new Ford Pintos and Chevy Chevettes at the time I knew had to find something else and Honda was the one! Our drivers had to get used to the manual chokes on the cars and shifting the automatics but eventually they did. A lot of hard miles were put on those cars but they kept on going and going. Sure wish I had any one of them now. I would have liked to post a picture of them but not possible here I guess.
I don’t think I’ve seen one in person that didn’t have a 2×4 or 2×6 for a back bumper when these were everywhere you looked in Canada. Also a pretty rare site to see the Honda letters still on the back hatch. Usually there be 5 round holes in their place . A real treat to see one still in such good shape. Definitely didn’t see any road salt in its past. And well cared for.
As the owner of a collection that includes several Hondas, my interest in a car drops by about half when I see photos in the snow. I dont care how careful a person is that road poison will get up and in every possible crack and crevice.
There are places where even a thorough underbody wash and even hand scrubbing can fully get clean.
Currently my oldest civic is an 83 2nd gen and I’d like to pick up a gen 1, but after seeing these pics, only a complete in person inspection would calm my jitters.
Frankly I’m surprised the seller cares so little about this car to even consider driving where exposure to road poison,….er salt is possible.
It does in fact look like later year accord steel wheels.
There is a guy here in my town that has a mint survivor 77 civic with documented 38000 actual miles give or take a few. Currently he is just a bit high on the price or I would have moved on it already.
Hope this goes to someone that will appreciate and value it.
I went to the ebay ad and seller has added some comments:
>”TYPO in title. This is a 1.2L NOT a 1.5L. This is described correctly in the description as a 1.2L”
> “Just to clarify, this car is never driven on snow, except to photograph for sale. It is usually in a nice covered home :). Also the new all season tires were not purchased as snow tires, they were the only ones available in this size 13″”
And, he does say the stripes are original in title of ad.
Cool car IMO. I had a beater version some 25+ yrs ago and also remember them well when I was a young man.
My CVCC was exactly like this one minus the stripe. I traded a beatup station wagon that a buddy wanted for it. I had it for years and it was a great car, great mileage,always started right up, even in subzero weather. Gave it to my sister in law who drove it several years before a rod blew out a chunk of the block.
During a cold snap one winter (minus 80 with the wind chill) the wife called to complain (nothing new about that) that the Civic would not start. It would crank over, but not fire. When I got there I gave it a shot of either while she turned the key thinking she had flooded the spark plugs. The car started right up, WIDE OPEN! While screaming and gesturing to kill the engine, I watched in horror as the oil filter spun right off (yes, the oil filer hit the ground with a thud) and started dumping it’s load of oil onto the Sears parking lot. When she pulled the choke and pumped the throttle a couple of times, the secondary on the carburetor had frozen wide open. (no choke on the secondary side creating a “no choke” starting situation. I was able to screw the oil filter back on and I had some bottles of oil in my truck to replenish the 3.2 qts. oil capacity. (It took 2.75 to refill) The engine did not appear to have been injured at the time, but later on started using oil. Itook the engine apart and had the bores opened up so that I could install 1,500 pistons. It just made the engine even more fun! The added torque made the car steerable with the throttle. (and the next owner installed a 5 speed from a CVCC car as it now had enough torque to pull the 5th gear) Step on the throttle a little harder and the torque steer would pull one way, then let off the throttle and it would torque steer the other way. And when standing fully on the loud pedal from a stop, you better have a firm grip on the steering wheel! And yes, all the Paddy Hopkirk Mini fun of reverse spins, handbrake turns, left foot brake trailing to tighten up your line when the under steer raised it’s ugly head. I really miss that car.
I had a friend whose older sister had one, an “automatic”. I laughed at it the first time he picked me up in it, but I really learned to respect that car! Peppy, economical, handled like a sports car. I actually never owned a Honda (other than to flip) until 3 months ago. I bought an 8 year old Accord, a stick shift one at that. I am now a believer! Sadly, you can’t buy a new stick shift Accord, or I would have one by now. So I guess I gotta keep driving my 8 year old one. Sad…our streets are covered in salt here in Milwaukee. This car might not go with me when I move to Arizona in a couple years.
Auction update: this sweet and solid Civic sold for $6,900! A potential bargain given the crazy market right now.
The 1978 Honda Civic CVCC 5-speed Hatchback is the best car I ever owned. Purchased new in Lima, Ohio for as I recall $23,000 it was an upgrade from the basic CIVIC Hatch which sold for about $18,000. The CVCC engine achieved 40 MPG with ease and was great in the snow. At 30,000 miles the muffler failed. The dealer replaced it at no charge saying only that it should not have failed. If only they still manufactured this car, I would purchase another one or two of them just for the fun and smiles. Honda owners at this time would waive when passing another owner on the roadways. We have purchased 23 new Honda vehicles over the years and only changed brake pads, filters and oil. We averaged 150K miles per vehicle before trading in or selling outright the vehicle to another happy owner.