Intro w/my DB2 GSR project

Hey guys,

Here is my 1992 Integra GS-R. I just picked the car up from Sault Ste Marie, Ontario. About 8-9 hours away from Toronto, Ontario where I live.

A little history on the car: It was bought from Acura of Barrie (about 1.5 hours north of Toronto) by a woman back in 1992. She lived in Algoma Mills, ON, which is about 5 hours from Toronto. There is no nearby Acura dealership, so I supposed most of the servicing was done by small-shop mechanics. A year or two ago, she called a scrapper to pick the car up for free. The scrapper must have realized the car was special and worth saving, as he ended up selling it to the guy I bought it from for $400. He lived in Sault Ste Marie. He had the car towed there and didn’t do much to it. He had some plans for it but I guess he didn’t think he’d get around to putting it together.

Earlier this year, in May, I saw the car for sale on Kijiji for $500 OBO, needing body work, clutch, and tires. I was looking for another project and wanted to buy it. I emailed him asking for pictures but he said he decided not to sell it. I kept in touch with him and we’d text each other about our cars every once in a while. I ended up buying a 94 DC4 Integra RS which I am currently in the process of turning into a track/street setup car. Anyways… he ended up buying an Exedy oem replacement clutch for it but then decided to sell the car. He texted me asking me if I was still interested in it for $500 with the new clutch (not installed)… I said I’d need to see some pics and think about it. He sent the pics and I couldn’t decide if I wanted it. A week later he said $350 or it’s going to the scrapper… so I went up this past Sunday with my dad.

A couple shots from the drive:


It was a scenic drive and very nice to see some of the country I haven’t seen in a few years.

The car does need a lot of work. Fairly rusty but that can be expected from a car that spent it’s life in northern Ontario. It runs great, but doesn’t drive. It needs to have the exedy clutch installed. The interior is in great shape but sadly missing the armrest. The tires are shot too. It’s also lacking floor mats and one front flap, and the spark plug wire cover. I couldn’t find the passenger seat belt buckle so I will probably need to replace that too. It’s #579 out of the 650 we got for 92. The floor looks to be in great shape though, no rust spots. I have never really done much body work… but want to learn. So this car will be a learning experience I suppose haha. We have a brake, shear, english wheel, welders, etc etc etc… so I have all of the necessary tools to finish this car. Just need to learn some skills from my dad. Fortunately a lot of the pieces that are super rust can be replaced (ex gas door, hatch). Just the rear quarters are going to need a lot of work.

Pretty much my plans are going to be an OEM spec restoration. I’m not going to be a perfectionist and demand that everything is OEM… but the majority of it. I’m planning for aftermarket wheels, aftermarket springs/struts (or coilovers), aftermarket exhaust, and a steering wheel. Will probably need an Energy Suspension bushing kit too. Maybe an aftermarket deck? IDK. I am going to be busy finishing my Legend and other Integra before I really get around to this…but when I am home from university (I go to school in Boston) for American thanksgiving I am going to probably do the clutch install then just to get it running. Maybe start some body work the following summer.












Walkaround and startup video:

//youtu.be/e_bI-aimKdQ

did it come with the 4th gsr wheel? I admire your enthusiasm, i would have thought about parting it out from the get go. :frowning: I cant wait to see this build up. kudos on a great pick up.

Excellent pick up. Can’t beat $350 for that. Wish there was gsr here for that price. I’ll definitely keep looking on your build.

Nice find and great buy. Hope that you don’t get discouraged with it and are able to finish it. I have an extra rare cdm/jdm armrest that I an willing to let go. I’m looking for a trade for a set of cdm manual seatbelts with pillar trim.
I just bought a db2 in february and are rebuilding/restoring myself and the seatbelts are one of the things that I need.

Thanks guys! It did come with the 4th wheel, you can see it on the back of the trailer just behind the rear bumper.

I was thinking of parting it out but… I don’t think I’ll ever have an opportunity to find a DB2 GSR for that price. They are only getting rarer and rarer.

Definitely! Considering the Exedy clutch kit is like what, $150? It’s like getting the car for $200 haha.

[QUOTE=dpintos;2267560]Nice find and great buy. Hope that you don’t get discouraged with it and are able to finish it. I have an extra rare cdm/jdm armrest that I an willing to let go. I’m looking for a trade for a set of cdm manual seatbelts with pillar trim.
I just bought a db2 in february and are rebuilding/restoring myself and the seatbelts are one of the things that I need.[/QUOTE]

Thanks! I’m sure there will be parts of the build where I am going to be pissed off but… in the long run hopefully I will prevail!

I would love to make that trade. Can’t get rid of my own seat belts but there a few being parted out locally, I’ll see if I can find a set. I guess you would need the belts, pillars trim, and the buckles right?

so cool. DONT part it out!! if you can’t bring her back, someone else will! All these guys rebuilding wrecked muscle cars who are in there 50’s and 60’s are doing it because they are somewhat rare and are the cars of there youth…I believe in 20 years the same will happen with imports. They may not sell for crazy amts of money but will be highly sought after. I always wanted a 92-93 gsr 10-12 years ago and bought mine do to nostalgia!

Holy hell! Will be watching this thread, have to show some love for saving a DB2

Wana sell it

Haha nope, sorry! Ever since the guy said he changed his mind about selling it in May I’ve been wanting it ever since… glad it’s finally mine.

Thank you sir!

Don’t worry! I’m not in the Honda game to make money… though it does seem very easy to do so sometimes!

I think that certain imports will be worth the same as some of the old muscle cars in the future. The DB2 was the rarest Integra and one of the rarest Hondas of all time. The first car to feature a VTEC DOHC engine in North America that was affordable to the average enthusiast. Look how rare just the B17 engine is… never came in any other car.

Look at what some mint CRXs are going for… crazy money already. I was born in 1993 so this car is actually older than I am… but I’ve always loved the older style Tegs.

Thanks! I’m sure there will be parts of the build where I am going to be pissed off but… in the long run hopefully I will prevail!

I would love to make that trade. Can’t get rid of my own seat belts but there a few being parted out locally, I’ll see if I can find a set. I guess you would need the belts, pillars trim, and the buckles right?[/QUOTE]

My email is dpintos382@yahoo.com when you want to get in touch with me about the armrest. I will definitely hold onto it if you are serious about the trade. I have had both of my cdm/jdm armrest for a few years now so I dont mind holding onto them longer for the seatbelts. I was planning on buying some seatbelts but life and kids have gotten in the way for that so I have been waiting for the right opportunity to do a trade.

sethman2000. I want your DB2! So clean! I love the DA’s/DB2’s in White. I had a my first DA in high school. It was a 92 GS in White. Basically same set up as yours even with the armrest but black trim on the exterior. I sold it when I was in college regretting it from that day. I always knew that I would want another one and had hopes of finding a gem like yours but they are hard to find in a stock and unmolested state. I came upon a stock, unmolested, and partial restored 92 AGP DB2 with 160 k original miles back in february that I couldn’t pass up. It was a 31st b-day present to myself and I love her but my only wish that she was in white. I have plans to finish restoring her to stock/mint condition and adding some upgrades. If you ever pass through the ATL I would like to meet up so I can see how clean your DB2 is in person and drool over it.

Nice come up man, I’m so happy for you and the fact that it’s a true db2 makes it a rare piece of a time capsule that you can collect and restore it back in to that time when she was shiny red and polished wheels that she once was . Now that you saved her from the ashes that she was doomed for is it possible that you can cure her from that cancer that she has b/c it’s spreading all the way through out her like a plauge and if you don’t place her on surgery soon the cancer will spread even worse and could kill her. So I sure hope she does make it for your sake and hers and hope you can bring her to her full of joy like she once used to be like on that nice & shiny day twenty years ago.

Thanks! I am dead serious about the trade. I may be going to a junkyard sometime in the coming few weeks (before I go back to university in Boston) so I would like to grab them before I head down. Ideally I can box them up before I go down, and then ship them once I get to Boston to save some money. I’ll keep you update for sure!

I appreciate the support! I hope she can become a true “time capsule”. Will be a lot of effort to get her to that point though! Unfortunately she will continue to be sick with cancer until the spring comes around… she will probably have to spend the winter outside, raised from the ground and covered with a tarp. Hopefully the cancer doesn’t spread too much though…

Dpintos… I was just in ATL wed-thurs! But in wife’s car. I brought the gsr to the Import Alliance show last weekend at the zmax drag way in Charlotte . I was the only DB2 there and nicest of the DA’s, kinda disappointing. What’s ur email?

Dpintos382@yahoo.com and your email?

emailed you…I wanna see urs!

Scored this MINT hatch, not a spec of rust, or any dent. It’s from an RS so no spoiler holes but I will eventually fix that. Good struts too. Honestly this took care of the biggest rust patch. I will be going back to CAW sometime when I’m home from university, as I want to grab the passenger door too.

I also scored some new rims. We rent out the house at our farm… and the new tenants used to be big into Hondas (CRXs). Among some other stuff, he gave me these rims. Unfortunately he only had two but they look great on the DA. Anyone have another PAIR or individual wheel they want to “donate” to the build or sell me cheaply? haha



Car is now stored with a roof over it, and it will probably stay there for a few months. It’s sitting on dirt unfortunately but at least is raised up and has a tarp over it.

When I’m back from Boston for Thanksgiving I’ll start her up and let her run for a bit.

Hehe… car looks a little different now:

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Actually just picked up a cleaner version of my car. Haven’t seen the car in person (I’m away at university) but my Dad checked it out and bought it today, can’t wait to be home in two weeks and see it. This one actually runs and drives! Not bad for $675 lol.

Problems with this one:

  1. parking brake seized, have new cables and may order new pads if necessary
  2. gas leak near tank (have a new filler neck and tank already)
  3. dent near rear tail
  4. slight rust near pass window (not nearly as bad as other one)
  5. slight rust on rockers (but still solid and would pass safety)
  6. sunroof apparently doesn’t work properly
  7. rear bumper gap (my dad said one of the mounts needed to be fixed)
  8. obvious paint fade

Pretty much the plan is to get it all mechanically solid (brakes, suspension, exhaust, gas tank etc) and then clean up the body. Touch up the spot near the window, and whatever on the rockers needs to be done.

This week I will be ordering an Energy suspension master bushing kit and blank rotors all around. If anyone has an OEM rear spoiler (w/ 3rd brake light) or Mugen rep side skirts… please hit me up! Interested in buying both.

I’ve accumulated a ton of parts the past few months… here are a few:
2-piece volk GR-Ns:

Sony radio stuff

Momo wheel/hub, parking brake cables, stainless brake lines, cold air intake, spare tails/mudflaps

Complete spare GSR interior (so I have 3 GSR interiors LOL)

PaceSetter exhaust/cat, Progress 22mm rear sway

Tein Superstreet coilovers

Have also bought:
Password:JDM window visors, JDM 1-piece headlights, amber lower signals, JDM power folding mirrors (w/ relay and switch), skunk2 rear camber kit, and skunk2 front camber kit.

Planning to buy a couple more little things but it’s all pretty much there now. Just need to put it together and, do any body work that pops up, and then eventually re-spray the car. Not really a priority at this point in time… just really want to drive it by next summer haha

Not bad at all dude good luck with the build.

I have an extra db2 spoiler and I have the armrest for our trade.