My NSX
 

Hello FT86Club!

Thanks everyone for the continued support on this site. I spend a lot of time in and around the 86, and with the owners, and I have come to really love the cars and the community. I know my build is not an 86, but I hope you'll enjoy it anyway.

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5/4/12

I've been a long-time Honda fanatic, and the NSX has been my dream car for a very long time. About 2 and a half years ago I was able to find the car in the exact trim that I wanted, a white 5speed coupe.

I hope to bring an interesting build with my car, with the vision I have for it, my NSX will be unique and my style in a progression over some time. My personal philosophy with car builds is slow and quality, so over the next 5 or so years, I hope to bring some of the best pieces of quality parts to this car.

This is as I bought it, it's stock except for 17/18 BBS LMs.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7140/7...907154f9_b.jpg

My goal with this car is balance and lightness, so a few weeks after purchasing the car I stripped out the trunk and spare tire.
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I took off the BBS LMs and bought some Enkei RPF1s. They are my interim wheels until I mount my CE28Ns. I was really glad to bring the tire sizing back down closer to stock, because I want to experience the car in its 'purest' form so I can feel every single mod. Also put on Advan AD08s which are a truly wonderful tire.
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Over time, I've been slowly correcting the paint issues. I spent about 8-9 hours on the roof itself, and it has paid off tremendously.

It's the first time I've REALLY polished a car, and it's been really fun. The paint has taken 20 years of abuse and daily driving and it showed. I wish I could've gotten better pics of the condition but I found it's really freaking difficult to take pics of scratches in paint.

The entire surface of the car has micro scratches, and some areas have some really caked in oxidation and water spots.
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And here is how it stands after 9 hours of work. Amazing difference.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8019/6...52130b1a_b.jpg

What I used (In this order too):
3M Rubbing compound
Meguiars Swirl Remover 2.0
Meguiars Show Gloss
Meguiars Hi Tech Yellow Wax x2 coats
Meguiars Synthetic Sealant

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7/5/12

Added a small suite of interior bits, provided by Mugen.

Mugen Wheel by Momo, NSX-R Horn, Works Bell Rapfix II Hub with Flapper quick release.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8156/7...69aaf94f_b.jpg

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9/28/13

More paint correction pics:
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12/9/13

I finished my mini amp powered stereo project, and it turned out great! It's bluetooth connected.
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7/14/14

Mounted the BBS LMs again to take this photo, it's something I've been meaning to do for a while. I also wrote this blurb for the internet which has gotten a nice response:

"Two and a half years ago I was fortunate enough to pick up my NSX. It was a single owner car daily driven by a man who at the prime of his life was able to attain his dream car. Years later, misfortune struck, and he suffered a debilitating stroke which caused him to put the car up for sale. I was the lucky one who was able to purchase it. To say that owning the car has positively changed my life is an understatement. Throughout my ownership, I have grown my business, made lifelong friendships, and have had unforgettable experiences. Before embarking on the car's new direction, I had always planned on doing a simple photoshoot for the original owner, in the way he remembers his cherished NSX. I finally got around to doing that today. One thing that has always been fascinating to me is how we are merely stewards of the cars we own. Automobiles are mechanical marvels that, if taken care of, can outlast many human lifetimes. I am currently the keeper of this car, and I will do my best to enjoy it, and honor it with my own uncompromising vision for Honda's greatest car, one of the best cars to come out of Japan, and my favorite car of all time. The NSX."
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I'm going to start modding the car soon, so I wanted to get a baseline dyno.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5559/...4945d25e_b.jpg

Ideally I am going to do multiple dynos to document the power increases, but we will see, as multiple dyno sessions add up.

I'd preferably do:
Baseline
+Exhaust
+Header, high flow cat
+Intake
+Injectors, Tune

Excited to finally start modding this thing! I'm looking to add about 30hp and lose 100 more pounds, where the car will be at ~265whp and weigh about 2700 pounds wet.

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7/16/14

One of the things I was very excited about upon purchasing my NSX is being able to step into the arena of modifying a car with high quality JDM parts. To me, the NSX is such a legendary car with amazing heritage, that my way of honoring it is to modify it with parts mostly sourced from Japan. Compounding on that, my aim is to exemplify the car's strengths, so lightness and balance are key for me. You will see that my car will be a modest NA build with a focus on adding lightness. It's certainly not the popular or cheapest route, but I told myself I would not compromise on my personal goals for this car, as it is my favorite car of all time.

To start, one of the key parts to my build is the GT-One Ver 6 titanium exhaust. I've worked in "the industry" for quite some time and have held some incredible examples of high end titanium exhausts, and the GT-One is amongst the best quality pieces I've ever held in my own two hands. One thing I thought about while it was being made is that the exhaust was being put together by a master titanium craftsman. It is a true work of art.
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Weighing in at 14.16 pounds, it should be about a 34 pound reduction in weight over the stock exhaust.
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To go along with the exhaust, I also purchased the high flow cats from GT-One which uses SARD catalytic converters.
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At a combined weight of 10.54 pounds, I expect them to be about half the weight of the stock units.
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7/18/14

I installed the exhaust earlier before heading to the monthly San Gabriel Valley meet. I was amazed at how easy it is to install an exhaust onto the NSX. Since it's just that rear section, you don't have to deal with long piping!

With the stock exhaust weighing 44.56 pounds, I've lost a little over 30 pounds, quite significant!
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A couple things one should do when installing an exhaust is to wear gloves and then wipe the exhaust down with acetone after installing it. That'll ensure the oils from your hands don't get burned onto the exhaust and cause semi permanent finger prints.
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I was surprised at how good the car felt. It just felt better overall. Better acceleration, and I could also feel a difference in the handling. I guess taking the weight off of the extreme end of the car helped with the handling characteristics. I also wasn't expecting the cabin to be so quiet, but since there are no pipes underneath the car to resonate into the cabin, I can understand why. I had a great time ripping around, it's a really good sounding exhaust!

I CAME

Also one of my dream cars.:cheers:

Replacing the stock steering wheel makes a huge difference in these things...the oem wheel just looks so clunky and dated :w00t:

Totally agree!!


Great car, and that exhaust work looks fantastic especially with those tips. Also always wished I drove one of these some day. Totally a dreamy ride, and in my opinion a totally underrated car!


Enjoy it!

Thank you for sharing... dammit I love the NSX!

Beautiful car, amazing write-up and goals are spot on for the car.

My only gripe is with such a gorgeous and classic car, why would you ever hang blue exhaust tips on it???? It just looks so out of place, that beauty deserves the nicest, polished tips money can buy. The stock tips looked great on the car already.

Would love a walkaround video and exhaust video or Dyno videos.

Thanks for sharing.

Thanks everyone, I appreciate it!

Yes, changing the steering wheel was a huge difference and one of my favorite mods since it's such a tangible piece. Not to mention the OEM wheel was infused with 20 years of the original owner's hand oils!

Thank you! Yes it is fairly underrated, although within the past couple of years it's been getting a lot of attention.

Thank you!

I can definitely understand not liking the blue tips. I personally love them. Honestly though, in normal lighting conditions, it's very subtle. Not to mention the entire exhaust is full titanium, not just the tips, so it's not some poser look. Besides, it's how the manufacturer decided to make it, and I had no choice! Even if I did have a choice though, I'd still opt for the thin blue tips.

I will definitely take some videos of the car, and have been video documenting the dynos.

Growing up I was really into muscle cars. That has changed greatly in part because of cars like the lamborghini diablo coupe vt and the NSX. I some day dream of owning one of these two cars, or both.

I remember I had posters for both of them on my wall. Thank you for sharing.

Another cool car of my past that I will be inheriting is my uncles 1995 mazda rx7 red convertible with only 55k miles, all of which he put on the car.

What year is your NSX and how many miles on it?

Its not a NSX, its a freaking spaceship 22:50
[ame]http://youtu.be/E7-GjzIUs14?t=22m50s[/ame]

For the exhaust, what's the purpose of the muffler if there's a pipe that completely bypasses it?

Awesome!

It's a 92 with now 218000 miles :eyebulge: I bought it with 196k on the clock.

Lots of miles but it was a single owner car which attracted me to it. Not to mention it was in the exact configuration I wanted.

For the sounds!

You'd actually be surprised how mild it is until you get on it.

In for this sexual build!

Mileage is not as important as the configuration. I have friends htat have bought older cars with 200k on the clock to get the configuration they wanted.

Single owner though, That is a total score. Needless to say Im in for this.

This calls for a sexy party :thumbup:

Has anyone here driven both a twin and NSX? I'm curious how they compare.

Pure SEX!

I've driven both, and they're quite different.

NSX has very sharp turn in, which is exemplified by no power steering. The steering feel is very direct and you can feel everything that goes under the front tires. That being said, due to no power assist, the car can be a workout to drive. The chassis dynamics are also very different, as one would imagine between a FR car and a MR car. The NSX doesn't dive much under braking. Not to mention the torque difference, since it's the Honda with torque. Only owning lower HP torqueless Hondas, the torque difference was immense for me.

I've found the BRZ to be more akin to how my Prelude feels. Peppy car where you wring out the engine when you're driving it. I actually quite like cars like that.

@mokinbird87 has driven my car, he can chime in as well.

The GT-One exhaust has to be ordered 1 at a time from japan?

It doesn't have to be ordered 1 at a time, but it's made to order in Japan by a titanium craftsman. Waited about 4 months to get it.

That shot if your interior..so clean!!!

Went to go check out how things are going and the exhaust is burning in quite nicely!

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5551/...ab0c4ae2_b.jpg

It has a very subtle tone inside the cabin, surprisingly quiet.

Amazing car... I love the NSX!

two different cars in two different leagues if I`m honest. the NSX with no power steering gives you so much direct feedback of the road it is really really good... makes the twins steering feel numb and artificial when you jump back in the car. I think both do well in what they are designed to do (go fast), but it`s how they go about doing it. The NSX, with a special interior ergonomics has the dash almost at your knee level with a long windshield, creating a very unique view of the road. the cantilevered window switches and the intake sound right behind your left ear... all these small details make this car very very special. Torque is also a big difference when you drive the two cars back to back.

Somethings that I feel are better in a BRZ vs the NSX: chassis rigidity, steering ratio and throttle sensitivity. Even with the help from Senna, NSX really shows age here as the modern day chassis of the BRZ does feel much stiffer; I can feel the NSX twisting a bit. It's not as bad as something like the original hachi, but definitely softer than the BRZ.

In addition, the steering ratio on the NSX is a bit slow. I`m not saying it's a bad thing, but I just prefer the ratio on the BRZ. when you get the NSX up to speed though, I like the fact that the ratio is not too fast as it doesnt feel as nervous as some of the mid-engined cars... Like a Cayman for example. I could sneeze while driving on the highway and it would probably change lanes :) some people like that, some people dont. NSX seems to favor the latter.

Lastly, the throttle sensitivity. Notice I say sensitivity, not response. I think a bigger displacement engine, especially with a physical throttle cable will always have better throttle response. However, throttle sensitivity that I am talking about here is how well your engine reads the minute movement of your right foot. In the BRZ, I can modulate the throttle within small rpm increments and the tach reads those few rpm changes very quickly. Maybe it`s because the NSX isnt mine and I dont drive it everyday so I`m not that familiar with the go pedal, but I liked the sensitivity on the BRZ better. maybe it`s the high compression that allows a more sensitive feel... the RPMs felt much smoother/quicker to modulate. It feels like the BRZ almost has a lighter flywheel than the NSX.

Back to pros on the NSX :). NSX rides more comfortable than the BRZ and is also easier to get in and out of... this blows my mind as it is much lower ( in fact, there will never be a car this low any more because of all the safety regulations on new production cars). I think it has to do with the fact that we have high door sills that we have to step over, whereas the NSX does not. I`ll take the hit on the convenience to get in/out of the car for a more rigid chassis, but it is definitely something that you notice.

To me, the NSX is so special because it has features that only in the 90s were possible. there will always be faster cars, but there will not be too many cars that cantilever the window switches to have perfect alignment with your fingers. it`s the attention to such small details that puts the NSX in the super car category. It was Japan's ambition to surpass the Italians and you can see/feel how hard they tried EVERY time you get in the car as a driver or a passenger. This sort of attention to detail is also represented on the twins as well; the relocation of the starter motor, emphasis on low center of gravity, an interior that accommodates a roll cage without too much modification, rolled fenders, etc. The difference is that the NSX team was out to create the best car possible, and the twins team had a price target.

Andy

That was a great comparison!

Always wanted to drive a NSX with the original alignment settings and the original NSX specific tires.

This was in a coupe or a targa?

Great info, thanks.

Colin`s is a coupe.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLJ2lw0bCkk"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLJ2lw0bCkk[/ame]
Nice post.
Doesn't it have E Power Steering?
At 3:00 in the video.

The LaFerrari is actually lower. P1 also.

I adore the the NSX. It's an 80's car yet ...amazing features though.
Great thread.

Taken from another forum:

Holy shit thats gorgeous :eyebulge::eyebulge:

More pics of the rear

I think the overall height is lower in some cases but the hood line has to be a certain height to meet pedestrian safety. Jaguar XK had springs to prop open the hood at a higher position for pedestrians :)

hopefully the new one will have some of the nuances in the interior as Ken Okuyama originally intended...

no matter what, these are still one of my faveorite cars.

I NEED to drive an NSX flat-out through some corners at some point before I die. I still think this is one of the best platforms you can get right now for serious motorsports. Too bad they are so pricey...

Took some photos of my Mugen intake.

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5581/...e18457e2_b.jpg

I thought it was interesting how the intake uses two velocity stacks, one that goes into the filter, and one that goes in the fender.
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The fender velocity stack is one of my favorite parts of the intake. It's incredibly rigid.
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Note the two different types of carbon.
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Installed the intake last night, it was quite easy.

Here's the velocity stack that sits in the fender. I was wondering why it was flat on one side, and it's to give room to the fender liner.

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5552/...eb6835f3_b.jpg

The induction sound is awesome, and really matches the car. The throttle response actually feels a bit better. Butt dyno didn't feel anything, but I'm not expecting to see much gain from anything until the car is tuned.

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5594/...e4a117de_b.jpg

Super envious. Its perfect. Love it in white and with exactly the mods I would do. Well done sir and congrats on owning a beautiful car.

That exhaust's welds are amazing.. Don't think I have ever said that before.. lol

So cool!
About the exhaust, I'm curious how did you pick it over the Fujitsobo titanium? I would love to have this dilemma one day.