1977 Honda Civic

The Honda Civic played a monumental and instrumental role in the company's success in America. First introduced in July 1972 as a two-door fastback sedan, it quickly built a reputation for its reliability, fuel efficiency, adequate interior space, and for being environmentally friendly.

The Civic has enjoyed a lengthy production lifespan, and as of 2021, over 27 million had been sold. It helped Honda gain a presence in various export markets, and it would become one of the most influential automotive designs of its era. In its home market, it was the first fully modern compact car in the European style, offering unprecedented levels of prestige and inspiring other automakers to build similar models.

The first generation the Honda Civic was produced from July 1972 until 1979.

Compound Vortex Controlled Combustion engine (CVCC)
When the U.S. Clean Air Act of 1963 was amended in 1970, automakers were required to cut carbon monoxide by nearly 100%. While most automakers tried to modify their pre-existing engines to meet the new standards, Honda created a design for an all-new engine. Known as the Compound Vortex Controlled Combustion engine (CVCC), it met the Clean Air standards without the use of a catalytic converter, which allowed Civic owners to use leaded, unleaded, or low-lead fuel. It had a head design that promoted cleaner, more efficient combustion. The CVCC engine design debuted in 1975 and was offered alongside the standard Civic engine.

Displacing 1169cc (71.3 CID), the four-cylinder transversely mounted engine was water-cooled and produced approximately 50 horsepower. A four-speed manual transmission was standard and a two-speed semi-automatic (Hondamatic) was optional. A five-speed manual transmission became available in 1974. Engine displacement grew to 1,237cc for 1974, bringing output to 52 horsepower. The CVCC engine became available in 1975 and displaced 1488cc.

Standard and Optional Amenities
Standard amenities bestowed upon the Civic were power front disc brakes, reclining bucket seats, vinyl seating, and a woodgrain-accented dashboard. A three-door hatchback joined the fastback sedan that September and added a fold-down rear seat, cloth upholstery, and an AM radio. The four-door sedan version (similar to the hatchback but with a fixed rear window and opening lower trunk lid) was never available in the United States (first-generation Civic). A five-door hatchback version became available in 1978, just prior to the introduction of the second-generation model. A Civic station wagon became available in 1974 and was powered solely by the 1500 CVCC engine. The 'first gen' Civic had an 86.6-inch wheelbase for all body styles except the wagon, which rested on an 89.8-inch platform.

Optional amenities included air conditioning, the Hondamatic, a rear wiper for the hatchback, and radial tires.

Styling Updates
The styling of the first generation of the Civic remained fairly consistent year-to-year, receiving only minor updates during that time. In 1978, it was given a blackout grille and the addition of rear-facing hood louvers (replacing the previous sideway vents). Examples equipped with the standard 1237cc engine had a raised center section on its hood. Cars equipped with the CVCC engine had a flat hood. The turn signals were now located at the lower edge of the front bumpers.

1977 Honda Civic
In the United States, the 1977 Honda Civic was offered a a two-door sedan, 2-door hatchback, and a 2-door station wagon. The wagon was solely offered with the CVCC engine. The sedan was priced at approximately $2,730, the hatchback at $2,940, and the station wagon at $3,420. With the CVCC engine, the sedan was nearly $3,000 and the hatchback at $3,200.

The standard inline four-cylinder engine powering the Civic had overhead valves, a Hitachi two-barrel carburetor, solid valve lifters, five main bearings, 8.1:1 compression, a 75.5 cubic-inch displacement (1237cc), and produced 50 horsepower at 5,000 RPM and 59 lbs.-ft of torque at 3,500 RPM.

The CVCC overhead-cam four-cylinder engine had a cast iron block, aluminum alloy head, a 90.8 cubic-inch displacement (1488cc), five main bearings, solid valve lifters, a Keihin three-barrel carburetor, and produced 60 horsepower at 5000 RPM and 70 lbs.-ft of torque at 2,500 RPM.

A four-speed manual transmission was standard with a five-speed available on the CVCC hatchback. The hatchback also came with a woodgrain gearshift knob, houndstooth-pattern upholstery, a tachometer, a sport steering wheel, and a rear window defroster.

by Daniel Vaughan | Aug 2024