1977 Honda Civic Hatchback

In 1970, the US Clean Air Act of 1963 was amended, mandating that automakers cut carbon monoxide by nearly 100%. Instead of trying to make their pre-existing engines conform to the new standards, Honda designed the new Compound Vortex Controlled Combustion engine, also known as CVCC. This allowed the Civic to comply with the Clean Air standards without employing a catalytic converter, giving Civic owners the option of using leaded, unleaded, or low-lead fuel. It combined diesel technology with traditional gasoline-powered engine designs that allowed it to run efficiently without the catalytic converter. The ED1 CVCC first appeared in 1975 and traced its roots to the 1970 Honda N600 hatchback.

Introduced for the 1972 model year, production ceased in 1979 with about 936,000 Civics built in various body styles. Rust was a problem for many of these cars, so Honda resolved the issue by offering customers free replacements of body panels that rusted.

The 1977 Honda Civic was available as a 2-door sedan or a 2-door hatchback. The inline, overhead-cam four-cylinder CVCC engine displaced 90.8 cubic-inches and offered 60 horsepower. A four-speed manual was standard with a five-speed available as optional equipment. Power front disc brakes, a heater/defroster, two-speed wiper/washer, hinged rear side windows, and reclining front bucket seats were also standard equipment. The hatchbacks were given an AM radio and fold down rear seat.

This particular example is a Honda Civic CVCC Hatchback that wears its original white paint with original factory pinstriping and a tan vinyl interior. The ED3 1488cc inline 4-cylinder engine is fitted to a 4-speed manual transmission. It has a heater and a radio.

This is an original California 'Blue Plate' vehicle with just over 19,950 original miles. It has been garage kept and well maintained.

By Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2018