I might have a shot at an 85 Honda Crx, on of those crazy Mexican models, the "Si". I know I've read threads here about what to look for on one of these little puppies but I CANNOT FIND THEM.
Please, please, please give me the poop on these puppies so I know what to look for when I go to buy it. I mean LOOK at it. Oh berkeley it, who am I kidding, I am going to buy it.
Lots of plastic to cover up lots of rust. Make sure to look behind and under the plastic rocker panel covers, especially the jack points. Pull up the carpet if you can and look at all the corners for rust. Rust, rust rust....They're really fun cars, but from the outside a good one and a bad one don't necessarily look that much different, so be careful.
Plastic clading is made from an alloy of bullonium and unobtanium. Most seem to crack for reasons unknown. Replacements are hard to find.
My suggestion is that you play it safe and in order to per-empt any structural concerns, you install the accessory pictured below.
Rust rust rust.
Rust in the rockers. Rust at the bottom of the A pillars. Rust at the base of the windshield. Rust behind the rear wheel opening. Rust on the suspension mounts. Rust from the streets in the town of New Haven.
But such a fun, fun, fun car, it might even be worth it.
Yes, rust and unobtanium parts. Like front fenders that like to crack, front panel that likes to crack, plastic cladding that likes to crack...
Oh, and more rust.
The main problem with buying a good 'un is that you can't pull off the plastic panels that are likely to hide rust (because they'll break) until you have bought the car.
I'd pop the interior panels covering the rear shock towers for inspection, very carefully look around the windshield and check everything structural that you can see.
For the first time in years, I no longer own one. 
Redpepperracing.com
And
http://www.fastlineperformance.com/medieval-pro/
are your friends. Good luck! Out of a half dozen or more that I owned, I only had one with rust issues. But when they rust, they RUST.
A quick glance at the mounts for the torsion bars will give you a pretty good idea of what you're getting into.
Heed all the advice you've read here. Having owned three first-gen Crx's (two were '85 Si's); I can attest to the validity of the above posts.
Mine were all southern cars so rust was never an issue but from what I've seen on cars from northern climes, be careful even of surface rust. If no rust is visible, follow poopie's advice on checking the torsion bar and shock mounts.
Don't convince yourself that you HAVE to buy it if its' in marginal shape. Even a second-gen Dx can be as much fun (with some judicious tweaking).
I am now expecting to look at a pile of rust in the shape of a Honda, held together by plastic & hope & dreams. I will probably need to supply the hope & dreams.
In reply to etifosi:
If it's been in PA all it's life, you may very well be right about that...
Where is the car? Again, in my experience, no salt = no rust. Never had an issue till I bought a 3rd gen hatch from coastal FL.
Poop, it's in Pennsylvania.
Check the panhard bar mounts for rust too. I had a mounting point break in one of my 1G's, not fun. As mentioned, plastic cladding hides rust and breaks if you look at it funny. Other than that normal 30 (is it really that old now!?) year old car stuff. I sure do miss mine.
I have a classic plate on my '86. Still freaks out people. Heck, I remember when you could buy them new.
So my plan of attack is to see if there is any metal left & go from there. Allegedly it isn't rusty but those words carry a different meaning in Pennsylvanian compared to English.
If it is a rusty hulk, are there any especially valuable components that would make it worth buying to strip/scrap if the price is right?
Being a Cleveland Browns fan allows me to be hopeful despite knowing better.
etifosi wrote: So my plan of attack is to see if there is any metal left & go from there. Allegedly it isn't rusty but those words carry a different meaning in Pennsylvanian compared to English. If it is a rusty hulk, are there any especially valuable components that would make it worth buying to strip/scrap if the price is right? Being a Cleveland Browns fan allows me to be hopeful despite knowing better.
Uncracked fenders, header panel, and other plastics go for a mint. I raided salvage yards to flip corner lenses for a while and got some good money from them. The 85 Si exclusive foam spoiler and 140mph speedo also go for some money iirc.
I suspect that the car that you're going to see is an '86.
Woody,
Other than VIN, how would I spot the difference between 85/86/87?
1985
1986-1987 (No white cars in 1987)
http://www.hemmings.com/hsx/stories/2007/06/01/hmn_feature21.html
You sir, are correct! Pretty sure it has the flush headlamps. Thanks!
Look at the wheels too.
Yep, those goofy wheels.....
etifosi wrote: If it is a rusty hulk, are there any especially valuable components that would make it worth buying to strip/scrap if the price is right?
Front lip if it's in good shape (especially if it's an 86). In fact, I'd be happy to give you a decent amount of money for it.
Uncracked body panels, undamaged interior, motor that's in good shape (IIRC there are some motor parts that are NLA), sun visors in good shape...
Being a Cleveland Browns fan allows me to be hopeful despite knowing better.
In that case, CRX's are E36 M3. You don't want one. And, go berkeley yourself.
JOKES!
Thanks all for the good info. I looked at the car on Saturday and decided to pass. The front fenders are badly cracked and one of the rear quarters looks crazed. The seats have blown-out bolsters, you start it with a box wrench, the cat is a glass pack and a corvette muffler resides in the stock muffler place. I had to clean 5 inches of snow from the car so couldn't really see the whole body. The sunroof is developing rust on the leading edge, didn't see rust around the windshield but it was icy/snowy so it could be there. Fit of fenders & center panel up front was really, really, really bad - maybe repaired with non-Si piece. Rust bleeding out of character lines on hood. Cracked lower door sills I missing lots of fasteners so lower trim pieces were loose.
Under the car, it actually seemed solid. Looked like panhard bar area was good, couldn't really see where it attaches to car. I didn't pull carpets but pushed on the area behind the seats, it seemed like metal. Where the front suspension attached to the body looked nice, the floors had undercoating but seemed solid.
The deal-breaker for me: he pushed it with a pickup truck and the rear bumper support disintegrated. The drivers side of the bumper is completely loose, the bumper bracket in that area now consists of air. The post is attaches to is also is composed of air now and where is bolts into the body is a collection of oxides in the general shape of the mount.
I saw 2 of the wheels have very minor damage, the other two were ice crusted & I couldn't see and damage.
I'd love to buy it and turn it into a racecar but I have a lot of stalled projects already.
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