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ILLa KiLLa from MaNiLa
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Mississauga, Ontario, CANADA
Age: 32
Posts: 753
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So what is an Acura EL anyway?
Originally written for Speedbump.info
Well, I’m sure people are saying “What the hell? It’s just a fancy Civic!”. Well, either that or “Stop putting Acura badges on your Civic, ricer!”
But WAIT! The Acura EL is not very well known because it was created exclusively for the Canadian market. This is why most Americans have to do a double-take if they see one on the road.
The Acura 1.6EL was first created for the 1997 model year, and basically, yes, until today has been a gussied-up Civic EX sedan. No coupe was ever available. The 1.6EL (97-00) is outwardly distinguishable from the Civic sedans by:
- different rims (standard 15” steelies on the base model, Sport and Premium models came with 15” alloys)
- totally different front end, fenders to headlights to bumper
- unique trunk lid
- corner taillights with a clear indicator strip, as opposed to the amber strip found on Civics
The 1.6 resembles the equivalent-year Civics more on the interior, but also came with:
- optional sunroof and heated leather seats
- cruise control
- power heated mirrors
- keyless entry with trunk release and alarm
- standard CD player (did this come on Civics or did they have tape standard?)
The D16Y8 motor (1.6L VTEC) came standard with all models of this first-generation EL. The “JDM” appeal of an EL front-end conversion rests in the fact that Honda Japan did the reverse of its normal process and brought the EL to its own market, making such changes as clear bumper and corner lights, RHD (obviously) and adding the option of all-wheel-drive. Thus getting an EL front-end on your Civic and badging it with the H instead of the Acura A, you could pass it off as a Domani front-end conversion. But it didn’t stop there! There are Domanis in Jamaica (I’ve seen pictures!) and Isuzu eventually ended up selling the same chassis and body with their own engine in it, calling it the Isuzu Gemini and selling it in South America. Just like the EK/EJ Civics of the same years, the 1.6EL got a minor facelift in the 99-00 model years, with slight differences in the front grille and engine hoses (number coming in and out of the intake). Everything else pretty much stayed the same.
The Acura 1.7EL came out at the same time as the 7th-gen Civics, and was also only available in Canada. No one else in the world is selling these. Also based on the American Civic EX sedan, the Acura 1.7EL came with a 1.7L VTEC motor for both Premium and Touring editions, as well as a Limited edition that was simply a gold-badged Premium with spoiler. 15” multi-spoke alloys, heated power mirrors, cruise control, rear disc brakes, heated leathers and sunroof (on Premium and Limited only), unique trunk lid and interior taillights, remote keyless entry and immobilizer with trunk release and alarm, and cruise control all come standard. The front end is what really distinguished the EL from the equivalent-year Civic. Instead of the gentle curving of the Civic front bumper, an Acura EL’s hood and bumper come to a pronounced point, not unlike that of the TSX and RSX. Headlights, hood, bumper, and fenders are all different. The EL shares the Civic sedan’s suspension and interior components for the most part, except that EL center consoles and door trim come in a faux-wood plastic, which most find gaudy. In 2003, the EL (like the Civic) was upgraded featuring a tweaked suspension, improved gauges, auto climate control, and slightly changed shifter console (more faux-wood trim). An expensive dealer-installed Aero kit was offered as an option this year as well, consisting of a proprietary front lip and the same side skirts and rear lip found in the Civic OEM aero kit. Yes it WILL fit the 01-02. In 2004 (again like the Civic), there was another round of changes, now featuring a glossy painted front upper grille, blacked-out headlights, yet another set of gauges, indigo wood trim (less ew, but still ew nonetheless), yet another tweaked suspension, and two different sets of rims, further separating the Premium and Touring lines. A new front bumper (with standard foglights), rear bumper, and trunklid also came out. The taillights were all changed to EL-only sexy (IMO) ones, whereas the 01-03 shared their corner tails with the Civic. Side moldings, which were stock on the 01-03 1.7EL’s, were omitted, and Acura stopped badging the car with “1.7”, instead following their current practice of using only letters to designate models (ie TSX, TL, MDX, etc etc). An aero kit for this model year has also recently been made available.
So now the big questions: What fits? What do I do to convert? It is relatively easy to convert front ends. If you have an EK or EJ civic, the 96-00 1.6EL front clip is all you need – fenders, hood, headlights, bumper (with foam reinforcement dealie), bumper lights. You will have to extend your signal wiring so it runs down into the bumper instead of up at the headlight. Since the Civic and EL share the same doors and frame, the front end bolts right on with hardly a mod to speak of. The EM and ES Civics can just as easily bolt on a 1.7EL front end, using the same parts listed above. EL’s and Civics of equivalent years share the same doors and rear fenders. Swapping trunks to get the taillights is dead easy on both cars, but you WILL have to do something about the fact that EL’s of all years do not have keyholes in the trunk lid. They are remote-release only, either by cable next to the driver seat or the trunk button on the remote. You could probably just swap your keyless unit or deal with pulling the trunk release by your seat. If you want EL tails, you will have to swap your trunk and pick up the full taillight assembly. This will only work for Civic sedans. The 1.7’s rear disc brakes are easily swapped in, as evidenced by several cases on the forum, but from what I see, they’re just Si (Canadian=SiR) rotor/caliper assemblies anyway, no point going all the way to Canada for it.
The main problem with getting parts for an Acura EL to fit on a Civic is AVAILABILITY. No EL’s in the States means you have to go to Canada for everything. If you go to the dealership, I’ll tell you right now, an unpainted 04 EL bumper is $500 Canadian. Add paint, fenders, headlights (another $600 Canadian) bumper lights, and wiring, and you’re looking at a very expensive modification. May as well get that turbo right? Well, if you’re feelin lucky, you can try poking about in junkers in Canada – I see wrecked EL’s weekly. Problem is, if an EL is totaled and in a junker, it’s probably due to a smashed front or rear – the parts you’re looking for are history. But well, there you go, a brief rundown of the Acura EL and its relationship to the Honda Civic. I know I’ve missed something, please let me know if there are details you want me to add.
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