Hey guys, I have a 1977 Accord that I'd like to restore and was curious if anyone knew of a shop/person in/around Los Angeles that does great metal work for a reasonable price. I'll be doing the mechanical stuff, but the roof/quarters will need some cutting and welding, possibly a whole new roof panel. We are the original owners so we'd like to keep it alive and preserve an early original Accord. Thanks Andrew

 

Welcome new member. I can not help you in that area as I am from the East Coast, however I would be very interested in seeing picture of the progress as it is complete.

 

Thanks L2R, it will take some time to get the ball rolling but I will post as it comes together.
It's an interesting story. At 10, I rode Honda minibikes as a kid and started subscribing to Road and Track.
I got the new Road and Track that year, Jul. 1976 (Aug. issue)and they raved about Honda's first "big" car.
The cover car was a silver Accord. I showed my mom, she was going to buy a Toyota Celica.
I told her she could have a plain Toyota, or a killer motorcycle engineered Honda Accord and be cool. LOL
She finally gave in to the pleadings of a 10 year old, and put herself on the6 month waiting list.
I was at school two weeks before Christmas, 1976, and the dealer called her at work and said a lady
had backed out of the first silver, no option, automatic Accord they had gotten and it was hers if she
could come down and pick it up. She left work, went straight to the dealer and brought it home for $3995.
Needless to say, I can't let it go to the scrap heap. Here is how it looked that day I came home from school.



[IMG]local://upfiles/19121/0E3AAD76977D4D3BBE4DE8019C74FABA.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]local://upfiles/19121/44A6487E41594AEA95DA26083F0C97F9.jpg[/IMG]

 

How many miles are on it now?

 

128,000 original in 32 years....lol.
I did the head at 80,000 as the thermal reactor frys the seals and CVCC gaskets on those.
Bottom end and transmission are original.
Unfortunately in Cal. I have to leave it on to pass smog, '77 is still tested.

 

damn mine is almost to that mileage and its 20 years newer.

 

LOL, yeah no kidding.
Here's a picture of one in a museum. Mine looks identical.


[IMG]local://upfiles/19121/EBC3BA9CD24841B886648FB6D7BD15DF.jpg[/IMG]

 

If you could restore it to that condition, it would be one sweet ride. Bet you could take some trophies home at some car shows as well.

 

Yeah, thanks, probably would be a rare sight.
Don't know if I'd do the car show thing, it's more of a representation of my family's hardships at the time.
We were pretty poor at the time and she and I were on our own, no dad. She got a promotion at work and needed
reliable transportation, so the 4K was justified to go to the new job, but a huge chunk of her savings.
Since then, I've made it in my field, bought her (at 75 years old) a new BMW and took the Honda back for myself.
It represents a time when we didn't have much and pulled through. That car was a big deal, and reminds me daily
how we had to fight to make it. Well, sorry for the story, but the more I think about it, the more I have to bring it back.

 

[sm=noooo.gif]Somebody please help me, Severe Flashbacks............ pre-chamber days, AAARRRRRUUUGGGHHHHHH. Stand off Voltage regulators.............Please No More....
Vacuum controlled vent switching........OMG I can't take it anymore...................diaphram fuel pumps...........Make it Stop.............Kill me Now

And people wonder whyI became an Alcoholic [sm=partyparty.gif]