This 1986 Honda CRX Si was totaled back in the day for a minor fender bender and has been stored ever since, with the last two owners accumulating all the necessary parts to put it back on the road. Interestingly, there’s a chance it’s a period-correct performance build, too, as the seller claims to have documentation that indicates it was built to beefier specs than what the factory provided. The other appeal here for the CRX fan is it appears the seller has a cache of NOS parts that are likely impossible to find nowadays. Find the CRX here on craigslist for a measly $700.
Thanks to Barn Finds reader Scott for the tip. The CRX is a car I had an ongoing dalliance with over the years, even going so far as to bring home a very rough project that I eventually abandoned at the shop it was brought to upon seeing all sorts of ugly rust in the door sills. It was an earlier CRX Si like this one, which made a bit more power than the base model and came equipped with a few different aerodynamic add-ons to separate it from the lower-spec models. The seller notes that this CRX was totaled by insurance 20 years ago for a very minor fender bender (literally) and has been in a state of disassembly ever since.
The photos show how the driver’s side fender was gently pressed in at the very end, and it has already been repaired. The interior photo with the carpets removed reveals absolutely gorgeous rust-free floors, which likely reflects long-term West Coast ownership. On the CRX I brought home, poorly repaired damage led to water intrusion that eventually settled below the carpets, rotting out the floors in addition to the damage we could see in the door frame. This car has none of those issues, and while the seller is apologetic for the state the car is currently in, I don’t think he realizes how badly these vehicles rusted in the snow and rust belt states.
This is the sort of thing I love to see – original Honda boxes showing brand-new parts, waiting for installation. The asking price seems far too low to me, as the unused parts, the period-correct Kosei K1 wheels, and the potential of this engine being built to a higher state of tune than stock all add up to way more than $700. The photos show that it has the Si-specific mudflaps which I’ve sold for $300 a set back in the day; they have to be worth even more now. The same goes for the nicely preserved headlights that also command a high price on the used parts market for 1G CRXs. This is a deal in the making for someone who can grab a trailer and bring this worthwhile tuner car project home.
I had an 85 back in the day, loved that little car. So fun to drive. This deal seems too good to be true. Looking for a catch.
If someone lives in the area and is into early CRX’s, which will be/is highly collectible among the import crowd, this sounds like a great deal. Whether it’s to fix as a driver, for parts or to turn into some sort race car the entry point ($$$$) is minimal.
As for this ad being legitimate, yet is still up after 3 days, people are getting lazy, you see it at swapmeets, flea markets, responding to ads, there isn’t much of a sense of urgency. People used to these events early and jump on ads immediately, not so much anymore. There are still enough people that act quickly on highly desirable items, but more obscure items don’t sell as quickly as they did a few years ago.
Steve R
Very cheap buy in to a fun project.
I am confused. why tear it completely apart for a minor fender bender? Motor not run for ? time. Parts!
The oil companies didnt like the CRX , especially the HF ( I had one) depending on how heavy your foot was it would get between 38 and 63 mpg. Suddenly they bought the rights to all the CVCC patents and parts. Try getting parts is like looking for unobtanium The SI may be the only one parts are still aftermarketed for … hence the low price
Wow, I had never heard about that. That’s crazy. I would have kept my 85, but my brother killed it. He bricked the engine by driving it without replacing the timing belt. Turned my little Xer into an 1800 lb boat anchor. I will never forget that white and blue go kart on steroids. So fun.
I would need to do some more research, but as I recall Soichiro Honda made it available (or licensed it) to other manufacturers. Honda eventually developed the PGM-FI in favor of using CVCC. With that said, CVCC was a remarkable innovation for its day.
I’d buy this if it wasn’t so far away. Wait a minute, it’s only 15 miles from my house.
Yep, too far away.
I guess this CRX is a nice cheap car for the right person wanting one. Back in ’87 I bought a new Acura Integra….When I looked at Honda’s cousins in dealer…When ask what ball price they go for, the salesman had attitude. Said what color I like, Honda owners paid the price. As it turned out to me, the Integra was cheaper and better preformance…..I kept car until 2001….it had over 200,000 miles. The reason I sold it was the transmision going out for 3rd time. After 1st rebuild, tranny only last 20k miles per rebuild. My question with this CRX is how much money and time is it worth to get in reliable running shape….. for back in the day a common car? But its only worth to right person who realy wants one.