Hey everyone, I'm Tyler and I’m pretty new to forums in general but wanted somewhere to document my journey with this car, give credit to some long-time members that have already helped me through old forum posts, blogs, FB posts, etc., and hopefully help some current and future owners if they happen to stumble on this thread in 2030. I'll keep the image sizes reasonable resolution since I hate scrolling past huge in-line pictures. (edit: this was determined to be a lie)
My new-to-me car is a 1990 Honda NSX, Chassis ID NA1-1000368, likely one of the first cars produced and came with all the classic "first model year" issues and no service records at all over the past 30 years. Picked up from an import dealer in Texas with 68,000 km/42,200 mi on the odometer and driven back the next day to my home in Atlanta, GA. The car is almost a completely stock automatic, but will be a manual soon. I plan on keeping this car for the long haul and am honored to be its steward and hopefully treat it right with an overall restoration and modernization.
(before pickup)
Here’s some background you can skip if you have better things to do. See TL;DR.
My daily is still a 2007 Scion tC, my first and only car since I was 16 and loves to eat oil, but I learned a lot from working on it and it got me into cars in general. Anyways, I’ve been obsessing over the NSX for ~1.5 years now since I drove behind one on a Fun2Drive rental car experience (highly recommend) around the Hakone turnpike in Japan back in 2018. A friend and I were in their silver BNR34, and while obviously amazing, I’m not patient enough to wait until 2024 and pay out the ass to get one. Fortunately I fell in love with the NSX styling and sound and have been looking for a JDM one ever since, especially in the classic red & black color combination.
(Fun2Drive NSX that inspired me, not my car)
JDM manual trans cars are ridiculously overpriced, and are off the table for my budget and without $60k+ to spend regardless of mileage and condition at this point. The market price for JDM manual cars is at least 50% higher than any automatic, as opposed to the 6-10% premium they bring here, and no import dealer in the US will be able to make any reasonable profit on bringing one in anymore. I spent months looking for one and turned up with nothing, and since I’m stupid and single, bought an automatic car and will convert it to a manual instead of waiting to win the Craigslist lottery.
Obviously, getting a USDM Acura would have been significantly easier, faster, less risky, and cheaper, but there’s something about the Honda version that just does it for me. The badging, RHD, reverse gear chime, etc...I wanted every time I saw or got in the car to be a special experience, and I think I did the right thing for me and my specific dream car. That being said, I would not recommend doing this unless you have way too much time on your hands and feel a similar way. Especially since imported cars rarely come with complete maintenance history, I have to assume it's behind on maintenance in most ways, and there's a lot of time and money investment into bringing it back up to my standards. There are plenty of Acuras that already have the EPS rack repaired, coolant hoses replaced, circuit boards re-capped, driveshafts rebuilt, etc., but unless I win the car lottery, all that responsibility falls on me. (spoiler: none of it was done already, unsurprisingly).
TL;DR: JDM NSX was/is my first attainable dream car, JDM manuals way overpriced, bought an auto to convert to manual, bring back up to modern standards & maintenance, and enjoy driving it.
The car has been driven less than 8000 km since 2014, is five years older than I am, and has absolutely zero records to speak of. Not even an owners manual, but I do have a leftover Japanese gas station receipt that I can frame on my wall. Fortunately, I plan on doing 95%+ of the work myself and I’m a certified YouTube mechanic, otherwise I will surely be in a debtors prison specially constructed for me. It's a combination of wanting to learn more about cars and hating paying for shop labor and parts.
Stuff to Fix, not comprehensive (UPDATED 01/31/21)
-(COMPLETED 2/8/20) Hatch & trunk gas strut replacements, bought new OEM for all 4 but could've had old ones re-charged.
-(COMPLETED 3/16/20) All critical maintenance: timing & accessory belts, water pump, crank pulley, lower timing cover update, head cover gaskets, TB cover gaskets, thermostat, coolant flush, etc. based on Kaz's parts list (http://www.nsxcb.co.uk/showthread.php?6286-NSX-Health-Check-Service/page35&p=74593#post74593). EDIT: My write-up here (https://imgur.com/a/pv9ABxv). Next time I'm dropping the engine...
-(COMPLETED 3/31/20) Turns signals don’t cancel, probably need to clean cams/contacts. EDIT: No change after cleaning, might need to replace module but not worth it at the moment.
-(COMPLETED 3/31/20) Tachometer is slow to respond or sticks, brake lamp indicator permanently on. EDIT: Gauge cluster was repaired here (https://imgur.com/a/WlvXGU5). Brake light issue continued after repair but turned out to be corrosion on brake light bulb sockets due to water intrusion.
-(COMPLETED 4/18/20) Electric door mirrors adjustment doesn’t work, needs electrical diag. EDIT: My thread here (http://www.nsxprime.com/forum/showthread.php/213444-Power-Mirror-Switch-Troubleshooting)
-(COMPLETED 4/24/20) Right door speaker is blown or the amp isn't working. EDIT: Repaired & replaced capacitors, works just fine now.
-(COMPLETED 4/24/20) Door lock occasionally acting up. EDIT: Cleaned connector contacts and seems to be working again. EDIT 2: Still intermittent issues, will replace with OEM weatherproof connectors
-(COMPLETED 4/25/20) Windows slow on up/down, needs upgraded rebuild parts & lubrication/adjustment. EDIT: Removed windows, replaced one guide, rebuilt regulators with Hugo/SoS upgrade parts.
-(COMPLETED 5/6/20) Wind noise and water leaks all around the upper door gaskets and front door sashes. EDIT: Replaced upper weatherstripping and front sashes with updated design.
-(COMPLETED 5/6/20) Lower door seal torn and missing clips, door panels missing tabs, missing vapor barriers. EDIT: repair mostly but could use new lower seal and panel mount fasteners.
-(COMPLETED 5/6/20) B-pillars, drip molding (A-pillar cover), door handles, and door belt molding need to be repainted in Berlina Black due to failed clear coat. Done.
-(COMPLETED 5/10/20) Some annoying creaking in front suspension during accel/decel, sounds like right front side. EDIT: Replaced right tie rod, problem was actually loose control arm camber adjustment bolts rubbing against control arm bushings on both front arms.
-(COMPLETED 6/21/20) EPS codes 31 and 33 appeared and speedometer started jumping around, went away after clock fuse reset. Likely VSS1 speed sensor on A/T going bad, ordered aftermarket replacement to prevent future inevitable intermittent issues. EDIT: Replaced VSS1 and will see if they come back. EDIT2: They keep coming back...intermittent MIL code 17, TCS code, and the EPS codes after driving for ~1hr or so, heat related? M/T swap with new VSS1 did not fix, only sensor left is the NC sensor. EDIT3: Replaced NC and still no good. EDIT4: Replaced VSS1 as well...no more speed sensors to replace.
-(COMPLETED 6/21/20) Replaced VTEC solenoid gaskets, oil pan gasket, and oil pressure switch O-ring
-(COMPLETED 6/21/20) Replaced fuel filter
-(COMPLETED 7/8/20) Intermittent CEL/MIL codes 1 and 2 for HI/LO O2 sensor voltage, both banks. EDIT: New Denso sensors installed w/exhaust system replacement
-(COMPLETED 8/29/20) General circuit board repairs for electrolytic capacitors & transistors: CCU, SRS, gauge cluster (done), speaker amps (done), radio head unit (done)
-(COMPLETED 9/13/20) Right inboard driveshaft boot is torn and probably no grease left in the joint. Will be rebuilt during transmission swap, hopefully is reusable.
-(COMPLETED 9/17/20) JDM cruise control limited to 110 km/hr from factory. EDIT: Have USDM cruise control brain, just need to install and see if it removes the limiter. Will replace during M/T conversion. EDIT2: USDM unit does unlock speed limiter.
-(COMPLETED 10/3/20) Need new taillight gaskets and right taillight housing is slightly warped, plus brake bulb melted the holder on the left light...
-(COMPLETED 10/3/20) Aspirator fan/temp sensor fan rattling, needs cleaning/adjustment/lube
-(COMPLETED 10/11/20) Need to replace all coolant hoses sooner rather than later, likely along with a radiator replacement of the original factory one w/coolant flush for future spirited driving
-(COMPLETED 10/20/20) Replace & re-solder main relay & fan control unit
-(COMPLETED 11/12/20) Laser wheel alignment
-(COMPLETED 01/24/21) Rebuild brake calipers, inspect or replace pistons, install stainless steel lines, new slotted rotors & better pads, refinish dust shields, flush with DOT4, powder coat calipers
-Final window adjustment & replacing door connectors with OEM waterproof
-Black trim repaint/restoration (Rear garnish, re-do A & B pillars)
-EPS rack rebuild
Goals & Mods, roughly in order (UPDATED 01/31/21):
-(COMPLETED 2/14/20) Paint repair, restoration, and extensive detailing. Write-up here (https://imgur.com/gallery/gUR6Pxg)
-(COMPLETED 7/8/20) Aftermarket headers and catback exhaust. EDIT: Ordered Pride V2 headers, exhaust, and resonated test pipes since my system is all rusted out and no GA emissions required.
-(COMPLETED 7/25/20) Rebuild the 5-speed I already purchased, already has JDM short gears installed, NSX-R 4.23:1 FD installed, several new driven gears & all new sliders/hubs. Posted in various pages here, pts. 1-6
-(COMPLETED 8/26/20) S2000 gauge cluster conversion. International shipping delays put this on hold for months.
-(COMPLETED 9/13/20) A/T to M/T conversion. Will retain A/T cams for the time being and power steering.
-(IN PROGRESS) OEM seat leather replacement, new or refinished wheel, handbrake cover, center arm rest repair or reupholstering
-New wheels & proper tires, currently on 18/19” Advan Model 7’s (very JDM) but have cheap Chinese all-seasons. Need some refinishing and too big for my liking
-Coilover suspension (Fortune Auto or KW V3’s)
-ABS upgrade to S2000 or NA2 type
-Type R style black/carbon rear wing or Modulo replica if I'm feeling spicy
-Custom WRGB LED tailights and front jiko-shiki license plate driven by Arduino
-Remove purple rear window tint, tint fronts ~35% so I don’t feel like an ant under a magnifying glass
-Center console & switchgear paint stripping & refinishing
-Double-DIN radio/center console upgrade, new speakers, subwoofer, amp, etc.
-Underbody cleaning, stripping old coating & dirt, replacing/refinishing rusted hardware & brackets
-HID or LED headlight retrofit
-Engine-out refresh with manual spec cams, harmonic balancer, gaskets, seals, plugs, updated LMAs, sensors, potentially MLS head gasket and ARP studs for future-proofing if I'm feeling dumb enough
Thanks for coming to my TED Talk, and I hope you enjoy reading and following along with me on my adventure. Feel free to ask any questions you'd like.
My new-to-me car is a 1990 Honda NSX, Chassis ID NA1-1000368, likely one of the first cars produced and came with all the classic "first model year" issues and no service records at all over the past 30 years. Picked up from an import dealer in Texas with 68,000 km/42,200 mi on the odometer and driven back the next day to my home in Atlanta, GA. The car is almost a completely stock automatic, but will be a manual soon. I plan on keeping this car for the long haul and am honored to be its steward and hopefully treat it right with an overall restoration and modernization.
(before pickup)
Here’s some background you can skip if you have better things to do. See TL;DR.
My daily is still a 2007 Scion tC, my first and only car since I was 16 and loves to eat oil, but I learned a lot from working on it and it got me into cars in general. Anyways, I’ve been obsessing over the NSX for ~1.5 years now since I drove behind one on a Fun2Drive rental car experience (highly recommend) around the Hakone turnpike in Japan back in 2018. A friend and I were in their silver BNR34, and while obviously amazing, I’m not patient enough to wait until 2024 and pay out the ass to get one. Fortunately I fell in love with the NSX styling and sound and have been looking for a JDM one ever since, especially in the classic red & black color combination.
(Fun2Drive NSX that inspired me, not my car)
JDM manual trans cars are ridiculously overpriced, and are off the table for my budget and without $60k+ to spend regardless of mileage and condition at this point. The market price for JDM manual cars is at least 50% higher than any automatic, as opposed to the 6-10% premium they bring here, and no import dealer in the US will be able to make any reasonable profit on bringing one in anymore. I spent months looking for one and turned up with nothing, and since I’m stupid and single, bought an automatic car and will convert it to a manual instead of waiting to win the Craigslist lottery.
Obviously, getting a USDM Acura would have been significantly easier, faster, less risky, and cheaper, but there’s something about the Honda version that just does it for me. The badging, RHD, reverse gear chime, etc...I wanted every time I saw or got in the car to be a special experience, and I think I did the right thing for me and my specific dream car. That being said, I would not recommend doing this unless you have way too much time on your hands and feel a similar way. Especially since imported cars rarely come with complete maintenance history, I have to assume it's behind on maintenance in most ways, and there's a lot of time and money investment into bringing it back up to my standards. There are plenty of Acuras that already have the EPS rack repaired, coolant hoses replaced, circuit boards re-capped, driveshafts rebuilt, etc., but unless I win the car lottery, all that responsibility falls on me. (spoiler: none of it was done already, unsurprisingly).
TL;DR: JDM NSX was/is my first attainable dream car, JDM manuals way overpriced, bought an auto to convert to manual, bring back up to modern standards & maintenance, and enjoy driving it.
The car has been driven less than 8000 km since 2014, is five years older than I am, and has absolutely zero records to speak of. Not even an owners manual, but I do have a leftover Japanese gas station receipt that I can frame on my wall. Fortunately, I plan on doing 95%+ of the work myself and I’m a certified YouTube mechanic, otherwise I will surely be in a debtors prison specially constructed for me. It's a combination of wanting to learn more about cars and hating paying for shop labor and parts.
Stuff to Fix, not comprehensive (UPDATED 01/31/21)
-(COMPLETED 2/8/20) Hatch & trunk gas strut replacements, bought new OEM for all 4 but could've had old ones re-charged.
-(COMPLETED 3/16/20) All critical maintenance: timing & accessory belts, water pump, crank pulley, lower timing cover update, head cover gaskets, TB cover gaskets, thermostat, coolant flush, etc. based on Kaz's parts list (http://www.nsxcb.co.uk/showthread.php?6286-NSX-Health-Check-Service/page35&p=74593#post74593). EDIT: My write-up here (https://imgur.com/a/pv9ABxv). Next time I'm dropping the engine...
-(COMPLETED 3/31/20) Turns signals don’t cancel, probably need to clean cams/contacts. EDIT: No change after cleaning, might need to replace module but not worth it at the moment.
-(COMPLETED 3/31/20) Tachometer is slow to respond or sticks, brake lamp indicator permanently on. EDIT: Gauge cluster was repaired here (https://imgur.com/a/WlvXGU5). Brake light issue continued after repair but turned out to be corrosion on brake light bulb sockets due to water intrusion.
-(COMPLETED 4/18/20) Electric door mirrors adjustment doesn’t work, needs electrical diag. EDIT: My thread here (http://www.nsxprime.com/forum/showthread.php/213444-Power-Mirror-Switch-Troubleshooting)
-(COMPLETED 4/24/20) Right door speaker is blown or the amp isn't working. EDIT: Repaired & replaced capacitors, works just fine now.
-(COMPLETED 4/24/20) Door lock occasionally acting up. EDIT: Cleaned connector contacts and seems to be working again. EDIT 2: Still intermittent issues, will replace with OEM weatherproof connectors
-(COMPLETED 4/25/20) Windows slow on up/down, needs upgraded rebuild parts & lubrication/adjustment. EDIT: Removed windows, replaced one guide, rebuilt regulators with Hugo/SoS upgrade parts.
-(COMPLETED 5/6/20) Wind noise and water leaks all around the upper door gaskets and front door sashes. EDIT: Replaced upper weatherstripping and front sashes with updated design.
-(COMPLETED 5/6/20) Lower door seal torn and missing clips, door panels missing tabs, missing vapor barriers. EDIT: repair mostly but could use new lower seal and panel mount fasteners.
-(COMPLETED 5/6/20) B-pillars, drip molding (A-pillar cover), door handles, and door belt molding need to be repainted in Berlina Black due to failed clear coat. Done.
-(COMPLETED 5/10/20) Some annoying creaking in front suspension during accel/decel, sounds like right front side. EDIT: Replaced right tie rod, problem was actually loose control arm camber adjustment bolts rubbing against control arm bushings on both front arms.
-(COMPLETED 6/21/20) EPS codes 31 and 33 appeared and speedometer started jumping around, went away after clock fuse reset. Likely VSS1 speed sensor on A/T going bad, ordered aftermarket replacement to prevent future inevitable intermittent issues. EDIT: Replaced VSS1 and will see if they come back. EDIT2: They keep coming back...intermittent MIL code 17, TCS code, and the EPS codes after driving for ~1hr or so, heat related? M/T swap with new VSS1 did not fix, only sensor left is the NC sensor. EDIT3: Replaced NC and still no good. EDIT4: Replaced VSS1 as well...no more speed sensors to replace.
-(COMPLETED 6/21/20) Replaced VTEC solenoid gaskets, oil pan gasket, and oil pressure switch O-ring
-(COMPLETED 6/21/20) Replaced fuel filter
-(COMPLETED 7/8/20) Intermittent CEL/MIL codes 1 and 2 for HI/LO O2 sensor voltage, both banks. EDIT: New Denso sensors installed w/exhaust system replacement
-(COMPLETED 8/29/20) General circuit board repairs for electrolytic capacitors & transistors: CCU, SRS, gauge cluster (done), speaker amps (done), radio head unit (done)
-(COMPLETED 9/13/20) Right inboard driveshaft boot is torn and probably no grease left in the joint. Will be rebuilt during transmission swap, hopefully is reusable.
-(COMPLETED 9/17/20) JDM cruise control limited to 110 km/hr from factory. EDIT: Have USDM cruise control brain, just need to install and see if it removes the limiter. Will replace during M/T conversion. EDIT2: USDM unit does unlock speed limiter.
-(COMPLETED 10/3/20) Need new taillight gaskets and right taillight housing is slightly warped, plus brake bulb melted the holder on the left light...
-(COMPLETED 10/3/20) Aspirator fan/temp sensor fan rattling, needs cleaning/adjustment/lube
-(COMPLETED 10/11/20) Need to replace all coolant hoses sooner rather than later, likely along with a radiator replacement of the original factory one w/coolant flush for future spirited driving
-(COMPLETED 10/20/20) Replace & re-solder main relay & fan control unit
-(COMPLETED 11/12/20) Laser wheel alignment
-(COMPLETED 01/24/21) Rebuild brake calipers, inspect or replace pistons, install stainless steel lines, new slotted rotors & better pads, refinish dust shields, flush with DOT4, powder coat calipers
-Final window adjustment & replacing door connectors with OEM waterproof
-Black trim repaint/restoration (Rear garnish, re-do A & B pillars)
-EPS rack rebuild
Goals & Mods, roughly in order (UPDATED 01/31/21):
-(COMPLETED 2/14/20) Paint repair, restoration, and extensive detailing. Write-up here (https://imgur.com/gallery/gUR6Pxg)
-(COMPLETED 7/8/20) Aftermarket headers and catback exhaust. EDIT: Ordered Pride V2 headers, exhaust, and resonated test pipes since my system is all rusted out and no GA emissions required.
-(COMPLETED 7/25/20) Rebuild the 5-speed I already purchased, already has JDM short gears installed, NSX-R 4.23:1 FD installed, several new driven gears & all new sliders/hubs. Posted in various pages here, pts. 1-6
-(COMPLETED 8/26/20) S2000 gauge cluster conversion. International shipping delays put this on hold for months.
-(COMPLETED 9/13/20) A/T to M/T conversion. Will retain A/T cams for the time being and power steering.
-(IN PROGRESS) OEM seat leather replacement, new or refinished wheel, handbrake cover, center arm rest repair or reupholstering
-New wheels & proper tires, currently on 18/19” Advan Model 7’s (very JDM) but have cheap Chinese all-seasons. Need some refinishing and too big for my liking
-Coilover suspension (Fortune Auto or KW V3’s)
-ABS upgrade to S2000 or NA2 type
-Type R style black/carbon rear wing or Modulo replica if I'm feeling spicy
-Custom WRGB LED tailights and front jiko-shiki license plate driven by Arduino
-Remove purple rear window tint, tint fronts ~35% so I don’t feel like an ant under a magnifying glass
-Center console & switchgear paint stripping & refinishing
-Double-DIN radio/center console upgrade, new speakers, subwoofer, amp, etc.
-Underbody cleaning, stripping old coating & dirt, replacing/refinishing rusted hardware & brackets
-HID or LED headlight retrofit
-Engine-out refresh with manual spec cams, harmonic balancer, gaskets, seals, plugs, updated LMAs, sensors, potentially MLS head gasket and ARP studs for future-proofing if I'm feeling dumb enough
Thanks for coming to my TED Talk, and I hope you enjoy reading and following along with me on my adventure. Feel free to ask any questions you'd like.
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