Prepping 1991 red/ivory, 710 miles JH4NA1151MT000868

[Honcho]

Looks like an aftermarket exhaust? Tips look different.

That's a factory exhaust

 

[Honcho]

Sorry, I don't want to abuse the topic.
But, I also own a '91 NSX with VIN 868. How can that be?
Mine is a Europa car with a Euro VIN. Is the VIN country specific?
Would be very nice for me, to know more about it.
Thanks.
Best regards
Micha

Sry for my bad English

NSX VINs are unique for each region where it was sold: Japan, USA, Europe and rest-of-world.

 

[pvmike]

That's a factory exhaust

Indeed it is. For some reason I thought the tips looked less oval in the first set of photos.

 

[Walt Mitty]

Data point: I recently paid $142,000 for my current and final NSX, a 1993 with 3600 miles on it. Then I paid about $8000 to SoS to get it up to perfection mechanically after sitting for so long. Worth every penny. I actually prefer it to the Zanardi I sold. Feels so pure to me.

It will be interesting to see how it goes on BaT. I found mine there, but it was a no sale and I bought it privately afterward.

 

[Scott_Ales]

Data point: I recently paid $142,000 for my current and final NSX, a 1993 with 3600 miles on it. Then I paid about $8000 to SoS to get it up to perfection mechanically after sitting for so long. Worth every penny. I actually prefer it to the Zanardi I sold. Feels so pure to me.

It will be interesting to see how it goes on BaT. I found mine there, but it was a no sale and I bought it privately afterward.

Thank you very much for that insight.

What main mechanical items were addressed if I might ask.

Since you have a low mileage example, how do you feel about the black undercoating in the wheelwells and lightly sprayed here and there on the underbody? Meaning, if it were taken off, would it have bothered you?

Anyone else is welcome to chime in as well. The premise being, if it is removed, the surfaces can more easily be hand cleaned and maintained in the future. That the undercoating serves a great purpose if the use is to drive the car in poor weather/road conditions. But if the cars' life is fair weather driving and show, it's more pleasing to be flawlessly clean.

Here is a black exterior car which is 50% cleaned. Notice the factory black overspray which drifted in from the painting process near the right rocker. If this car were a red car, that would of course be red.

I'm sincerely interested in this polite discussion or debate. There is not a 100% answer across the board to be sure. So I completely understand this is opening a controversial topic. But it's important to listen to perspectives I believe. Something, as a society, we are trending poorly at.

What do you think?

 

[Honcho]

My opinion is that buyers of a super-low mile collector cars are interested in the originality. The closer it is to the way it left the factory, the more valuable it generally is. Removing the undercoat disturbs the history of the factory assembly process, so I'd keep it. You want this NSX as close as humanly possible to how it was delivered to the dealer in 1991, as if the new buyer got to pull off the white plastic wrap himself. That's what they pay for.

Since this car had a timing belt service, I'm less concerned mechanically. I'd still change all the fluids (brake, clutch, trans, oil, coolant) and check the brake pistons and A/C system. You want it to blow ice cold like a new car would. I'd also check the power window rails and guides. At 710 miles, it's unlikely that this NSX had the window regulator update TSB from Acura performed. There's pros and cons here: originality says keep the faulty regulators, but if the buyer actually wants to drive the car outside, it might be worth having them replaced per the TSB (see attached).

I'd also make sure to check the status of capacitor-related items. The early cars are starting to pop their caps due to age:

• The gauge cluster should not show the "BRAKE" warning light
• The radiator and blower fans should operate normally and the engine bay fan should NOT turn on when the car is started (fan control unit)
• The radio should operate properly in all modes with no static
• The speakers should not have any static or clipping while operating

 

[Scott_Ales]

My opinion is that buyers of a super-low mile collector cars are interested in the originality. The closer it is to the way it left the factory, the more valuable it generally is. Removing the undercoat disturbs the history of the factory assembly process, so I'd keep it. You want this NSX as close as humanly possible to how it was delivered to the dealer in 1991, as if the new buyer got to pull off the white plastic wrap himself. That's what they pay for.

Since this car had a timing belt service, I'm less concerned mechanically. I'd still change all the fluids (brake, clutch, trans, oil, coolant) and check the brake pistons and A/C system. You want it to blow ice cold like a new car would. I'd also check the power window rails and guides. At 710 miles, it's unlikely that this NSX had the window regulator update TSB from Acura performed. There's pros and cons here: originality says keep the faulty regulators, but if the buyer actually wants to drive the car outside, it might be worth having them replaced per the TSB (see attached).

I'd also make sure to check the status of capacitor-related items. The early cars are starting to pop their caps due to age:

• The gauge cluster should not show the "BRAKE" warning light
• The radiator and blower fans should operate normally and the engine bay fan should NOT turn on when the car is started (fan control unit)
• The radio should operate properly in all modes with no static
• The speakers should not have any static or clipping while operating

I'm leaning towards offering the dry ice cleaning at no additional cost if the buyer wants it.

 

[Scott_Ales]

All original exhaust system came out very nice. Original markings still intact.

 

[Scott_Ales]

 

[Honcho]

Amazing...

 

[Scott_Ales]

One more, now back to work!

 

[DA NSX]

Epic.

 

[Streaky09]

Wow dry icing. Really worth the money i see.

 

[Scott_Ales]

Wow dry icing. Really worth the money i see.

What is not understood about this process is the benefit after the job is completed. Of course it looks better, but the key point, is that the surface can forever be cleaned with traditional methods moving forward, very simply. If this were not a 710 mile car, I would 100% remove the black undercoating in the wheel wells, and the sprayed areas on the leading and following floorpan edges also. This would allow a simply mist spray detailer to touch up those areas easily forever as a collector car.
Back in the 1970-80s, Mercedes Benz actually sprayed the ENTIRE exterior (topside also) of the incoming cars from Germany with a light film of cosmoline. The same stuff they liberally sprayed underneath IF, the car was being shipped to the US via ocean transport. This was a unique option code for US delivered cars. If the car was meant for domestic use or German highways, it was not covered in cosmoline. This product was applied to preserve the surfaces from the highly corrosive salt environment of ocean travel. The problem was getting it off once it arrived! I was speaking recently with Richard Buxbaum, former CEO of AMG North America about this. He is the man responsible for first bringing AMG cars to the US and recalled spraying the cars down with diesel fuel and kerosene to remove the coatings. There frankly wasn't a great solution for this preventative exercise once the cars arrived. Can you imagine diesel fuel all over the exterior! Yikes!!
Each manufacturer had its own idea of what mattered and how to address it. As we now have 50+ shops around the world in our DryceNation group, we're discovering daily how the programs differ from manufacturer to manufacturer and period to period! It's actually quite fascinating to learn and work with the various coatings efforts. Especially now that the cars are considered collectible. As a veteran dealer since 1984, I remember buying and selling all these "Collector" cars when they were simply, "USED" cars! And by the way, I don't hold the regret that many share, "I wish I still had that car." One wife, many cars, cheaper that way. I'm told!
The predominant point of view largely exists in this space, that if the factory put it on there, leave it! We understand the intent, and there is certainly no final right or wrong answer. There are viewpoints which apply to ownership that must be accepted. The grey area enters when presenting or preparing any car for a transfer of ownership. Obviously, one could impact the desirability in a very negative or positive way in any given scenario. Because you can NEVER know who will be interested in the car offered at the exact moment it is being presented. No matter if it is via auction or a traditional marketed sale. Or even a quite private treaty for that matter. With over 45 years of experience, selling vehicles and listening to prospective buyers, I have determined that you must accept the choice you make once presented. And it will not always be perceived as the right choice no matter the outcome. Because you can never know what might have been or how someone could have acted in a given split second of decision making.
Most people reference an offering that sells or doesn't sell as "The market spoke." There is only one way this could actually be accurate. If every possible human being were aware of the offering and chose to NOT participate in the sale at the exact moment of the offering. No matter if traditional offering or auction platform. The "Market" is an impossible term. Because we all cannot be attentive to the moment at the same time. It's never happened and never will. There will always be one or many who were unaware of any given offering that MIGHT have paid more. You know exactly what I am referring to. "Really? Shoot, I would have paid that!" My point is, there are dynamics to every presentation which are as unique as we are. And there have never been two persons in history who are the same. Trends? Sure, that's fair and I believe important to recognize. Just understand the pendulum swings, always. It cannot swing eternally one way.
What we're trying to help everyone see at DryceNation are the possibilities using dry ice to safely remove unwanted molecules from surfaces. Without an abrasive or harmful process to the underlying surfaces. It's an art, and a very fine line to execute at our level. Prior to dry ice cleaning (at the level we are executing) you didn't have that choice. You couldn't decide to remove the black undercoating sprayed on your NSX without harming the underling surfaces. Any other method used would in some fashion, scratch the surface coatings at minimum. Without proper equipment and experience, a dry ice system can also do more harm than good. But now that it is possible, one must decide for themselves if it is right for their car. And while they own it, they have that right. Nobody needs to agree with them, because it is only the owner who has to be satisfied.
I personally respect any owner's decision as an owner and caretaker. In the end, none of us will own any of these cars 100 years from now! As we are unique, so will the future stewards of our precious gems. Bottom line, you don't have to be all things to all persons. Just one, and it may be only YOU!

 

[Scott_Ales]

Finished up the sympathetic undercoating removal. Left it in the wheel wells, and most other places. Just tidied it up on suspension and certain parts. Might still upset some folks, but it is for certain, we cannot please everyone at the same time.

 

[bogle]

Crazy how good the rubber bits look, not a crack in sight

 

[Scott_Ales]

Crazy how good the rubber bits look, not a crack in sight

That's interesting for me to see while performing the work. The gun has a light on it, if there's a crack of flaw anywhere, you see it!
Wait till you see the ORIGINAL tires! Seriously, not a single crack to be found. Not safe to drive on of course, but nonetheless look new.
Comes with an aftermarket set of wheels and tires.

 

[Scott_Ales]

Getting closer!

 

[DA NSX]

Can’t wait to see what this goes for and where it goes, but probably into somebody’s living room. I think I would still have in the back of my mind what connection, seal, hose, relay, etc is going to fail because of age. I suppose if it ends up on display, it won’t really matter.

This really is amazing though. Fun to see a 30+ year car that looks brand new.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Scott_Ales]

Thanks.
It's an interesting thought about what would break or fail first. Something for sure. And when you consider how many original 30 year old parts are on a 100k mile example, it becomes less daunting to think it would happen any differently than all cars.

 

[DA NSX]

This car reminds me of the very first NSX I saw in person - Esserman Acura in Miami. It was sitting on the showroom floor with the red velvet ropes around it. IIRC it had a $20,000 markup on the $60,000 sticker. Ludicrous at the time but ironic that’s where we are now with some cars with lower MSRP (CTR, Integra Type S).

Memories

 

[The King]

Awesome car! A Honda oil filter might be a good addition!

 

[Scott_Ales]

Awesome car! A Honda oil filter might be a good addition!

Yes sir, great suggestion! We'll do an oil service too of course.

 

[Scott_Ales]

I just approved the Bring-A-Trailer draft, likely will go live sometime in the next few days. Here's a few picture previews...

 

[DA NSX]

Records to be set I’m sure.