The Gas Classic this week is near and dear to my heart. How about this nice, clean first generation Honda Civic hatchback? It is rare to see second generation Civics any more. As you know, I’m a big fan of the second generation wagons, third generation hatchbacks, and fourth generation LX and DX sedans.
There are several neat things about this 1978 or 79 Civic. First are the alloy wheels, which I can almost guarantee are not original. They are a nice addition and are obviously from the 70’s or early 80’s, so they look right on the car. Second are the “1200″ badges on the side, which mean this one has the smaller 52hp 1.2L non-CVCC engine instead of the powerhouse 60hp 1.5L CVCC engine you find in most survivors from this era. Don’t forget the “Hondamatic” badge on the hatch, that means it has an automatic transmission, in this case a TWO speed automatic! You can just imagine the blistering speed the combination of a 52hp engine and a two speed automatic can generate. Before you laugh too hard, remember that these only weighed 1,500 lbs, so I bet they are still a fun drive.
The final cool thing is the “Bart Starr Honda” badge on the hatch. For those of you out in Internet world, that means this car was purchased new at Bart Starr Honda here in Hoover, Alabama, which is now Tameron Honda. Most of you know Bart Starr from his days as the quarterback for the NFL Green Bay Packers. Only the hard core fan knows that Mr. Starr was born in Montgomery, Alabama (my hometown), and played college football for the University of Alabama before playing in the NFL. After his NFL days he returned to Alabama and among other businesses he owned Bart Starr Honda, selling it to the Tameron family in the 80’s. Mr. Starr still lives in Hoover, Alabama, which is now more famous due to the “Two-A-Days” series on MTV.
August 16, 2008 at 10:10 am |
There’s a special place in my heart for Hondas. As a kid, we had an 83 Accord Hatchback, an 84 Accord sedan, and an 87 Civic. My parents have since had a few more Accords, and I’ve owned a 1990 Prelude, a 2004 Accord, a 2005 s2000, a 2005 Pilot, and now, the gas sipping 2008 Civic.
September 10, 2008 at 4:29 pm |
Great website about 1st Gen Honda Civic’s. I started with a 1982 2nd Generation Civic, then I went up to an 1986 3rd generation Civic and now I’m working on my 5th Generation 1993 Civic for racing. Great cars and very reliable. Here is my site http://www.1993-honda-civic.com where I mod and customize my 5th Gen.
May 17, 2009 at 12:22 am |
Wow.
I cannot believe I am seeing this car. I owned one just like it back in Greeley Colorado during 1978-79 when I was in high school and it was exactly the same white and with the brown/green stripes. I’ve owned a total of 9 Hondas and recently was in an accident where my 1999 Civic Si was totaled. Hondas are great cars! Thanks for posting this!