1991 Honda NSX

[dave123456789]

Hi all,

Have had this a couple months. 91 Honda NSX. Plans are intake, but its already got an exhaust so unsure where to go from there. Stock rims are growing on me but might need to go. Overall not a bad car for reasonably stock.

 

[Wild Turkey]

WELCOME to Prime! That car looks absolutely beautiful! The NSX has really stood the test of time more than many of its peers. Not a lot of folks know this, but the red ones are faster.

I wouldn't be in a rush to modify; take your time. The gains can be modest and mods can add diagnostic complexity when service issues arise. But since you've posted in the build thread instead of the new owner thread I assume you've already got some plans? (not including rims of course - there is a conspiracy theory that Honda picked the fat 5's to encourage owners to upgrade.) My mods are modest: exhaust, Tein suspension, S2000 wheel, GPS/backup cam, @drew keyless, GROM BT3, coil guards, & DRL (req'd in Canada.) It is already a classic, but it's your car so do as you like - don't let others dictate.

Here is a great thread for becoming familiar with your new ride:

Thoughts from a 20+ year NSX Owner to new NSX Owners (and maybe some not so new)

Welcome to NSX Prime website and let me introduce myself. I am Steve Glover from Monument, CO. At least that is where I "landed" at the end of my 26.5 year Naval career. I have a special affinity for the NSX Prime website. Back in the summer of 2000, I was stationed on USS ENTERPRISE (CVN...

www.nsxprime.com

The 1991 & 1997 service manuals are available in the NSX Prime Library (The links in that thread are dead.)

First, I'd review the service records if available for required maintenance to catch up; I'd also recommend coil guards (strongly), a fuel injector service, and treating the leather with leatherique, but that's just my bias. Also a GROM if you want to play music from your phone. Lose the CD changer and never put a cassette or a bluetooth cassette adapter in the player - if it jams, it bricks your head unit. I assume your JDM radio doesn't work here?

Guessing you're in the US based on the other cars in the pictures, but post your location in your profile and some car details in your sig if you're comfortable with that.

Best,

 

[RyanRA]

I wouldn't be in a rush to modify; take your time. The gains can be modest and mods can add diagnostic complexity when service issues arise.

This ^^^^^^^^^

(a comment coming from an owner with stock NSXs)

 

[Honcho]

Welcome to NSX Prime!

I echo the advice here: keep it relatively stock. I recall someone once asked Tatsuru Ichishima, the president of Spoon Sports, what they should do to make their NSX "better." He said all you need to do is put some headers and a nice sounding exhaust and that's it. He pointed out that unlike other cars that Spoon modifies like the Integra or Civic, Honda already "modified" the NSX to extract the best performance, so a lot of mods aren't necessary. I think this is good advice.

A well-sorted NSX with headers and a hot exhaust is just sublime to drive. Especially on the fat fives- they are so snappy and responsive compared to the big rimz people put on there. Rather than modding, I'd spend the money on getting the car "well-sorted," meaning refreshing the worn components. Stuff like rebuilding the brakes, replacing the suspension, changing the suspension bushings, etc. Things that will make it feel like a new NSX and not a 30-year-old sports car.

Stay clear of the intakes- most of them turn the NSX's existing cold air intake into a hot air intake that sucks from the engine compartment. The OEM intake is a resonance-tuned cold air setup that was designed to improve throttle response by taking advantage of the harmonic frequency of the intake pulse- the intake, airbox and VVIS system all work together.

 

[dave123456789]

WELCOME to Prime! That car looks absolutely beautiful! The NSX has really stood the test of time more than many of its peers. Not a lot of folks know this, but the red ones are faster.

I wouldn't be in a rush to modify; take your time. The gains can be modest and mods can add diagnostic complexity when service issues arise. But since you've posted in the build thread instead of the new owner thread I assume you've already got some plans? (not including rims of course - there is a conspiracy theory that Honda picked the fat 5's to encourage owners to upgrade.) My only mods are exhaust, Tein suspension, S2000 wheel, GPS/backup cam, @drew keyless, GROM BT3, coil guards, & DRL (req'd in Canada.) It is already a classic, but it's your car so do as you like - don't let others dictate.

Here is a great thread for becoming familiar with your new ride:

Thoughts from a 20+ year NSX Owner to new NSX Owners (and maybe some not so new)

Welcome to NSX Prime website and let me introduce myself. I am Steve Glover from Monument, CO. At least that is where I "landed" at the end of my 26.5 year Naval career. I have a special affinity for the NSX Prime website. Back in the summer of 2000, I was stationed on USS ENTERPRISE (CVN...

www.nsxprime.com

The 1991 & 1997 service manuals are available in the NSX Prime Library (The links in that thread are dead.)

First, I'd review the service records if available for required maintenance to catch up; I'd also recommend coil guards (strongly), a fuel injector service, and treating the leather with leatherique, but that's just my bias. Also a GROM if you want to play music from your phone. Lose the CD changer and never put a cassette or a bluetooth cassette adapter in the player - if it jams, it bricks your head unit. I assume your JDM radio doesn't work here?

Guessing you're in the US based on the other cars in the pictures, but post your location in your profile and some car details in your sig if you're comfortable with that.

Best,

Wow thank you for the comprehensive reply.

Intake and headers is what I’m going to start with and maybe gut or remove the cats. I see intakes are not that recommended but I would rather have an open filter for the sound even if doesn’t do anything else.

Service history is great. Cars been in the country since 1997. Gearbox rebuilt 30ks ago, engine out, everything replaced. It’s very well sorted. Came with a decent sized folder with all the history.
I’ll do some research into those things you recommended.

Stereo works here fine but the speakers are not the best. I’m located in New Zealand.

 

[Honcho]

Intake and headers is what I’m going to start with and maybe gut or remove the cats. I see intakes are not that recommended but I would rather have an open filter for the sound even if doesn’t do anything else.

If you're just after sound, get the air scoop- it's like a trumpet blasting that beautiful induction noise right into your ears.

 

[Kid]

I did downforce side intake scoop, gruppe M carbon pod intake and couldn’t be happier with the noise. Only time it’ll be a hot air intake really, is sitting in traffic or around town. It’s not my daily so doesn’t bother me.
I’ve got a GT One Ver 6 exhaust, HFC’s and DC Sports (OG) headers which is loud but can barely be heard when windows are up as the intake sound is that loud .
Imho headers, HFC’s make a huge difference. Mate’s car is a little droney with just a catback whereas my car is a tonne louder with zero drone.