Anatomy of the NSX Sun Visor

[R13]

I saw this thread in the vendor section an moment ago and it reminded me to post a few pictures:

http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1384266#post1384266

'Great to hear that Chris & Co. are working on something.

This is one OEM part that definitely was not designed to endure significant use or last as long as the rest of the car.

My driver's side visor was a) split and b) would not hold against the ceiling when not in use. This was both obnoxious and dangerous so I replaced it with another split, but at least functional visor I picked up from a Prime member.

I considered attempting a repair but after dissecting the visor...there really isn't much to repair:

If you "skin" the visor, you find that it's really just dense foam molded around a wire skeleton. This foam is the problem. Moisture will cause this stuff to expand, which is what splits the vinyl covering over time. It always starts around the mounting pin because that's where the moisture can get in.

The mounting pin itself is another failure point because, inexplicably on a car of this caliber, it is plastic rather than the metal normally found on these devices. For reference, I went to a junkyard to see if I could find a similar mechanism and the only cars with plastic visor pins were the cheap Korean crap-cars from the mid-90s (i.e. Kia and Hyuandai before they stepped it up).

Also, it's worth noting that the mechanisms from the contemporary honda products don't quite match. I tried Acura Legends, Integras, and Vigors, and Honda Civics and Accords of various years.

Anyway, here we go:

Skinned Visor:

Visor reduced to components (less foam obviously):

Wire Frame:

Pin:

Pin Receptacle:

 

[R13]

For comparison, I pulled this unit out of a ragged-out early 90's Lexus and it was still in immaculate working order, and held snug against the ceiling even with a heavy lighted mirror unit attached.

I haven't figured out a way to mix and match the mounting hardware yet, but if I do, I may take a crack at cutting down and re-covering one like this.

 

[s14_tat]

Thanks for the write up and hard work, I hope you find a solution for the rest of us. Mine is ripped as well but it's still functional. I am afraid to use it and would rather get blinded by the sun just so it won't droop down from excessive us.

 

[R13]

Yeah, I'm curious to see what SOS comes up with, but in the mean time I'm going to keep poking at it.

Before I found used set on the cheap, I'd contemplated using some adhesive velcro dots to keep the visor secured. I'm glad I was able to get some that at least functioned normally.

 

[gdae]

Yeah, I'm curious to see what SOS comes up with, but in the mean time I'm going to keep poking at it.
QUOTE]

Wait -- have you heard that SOS is working on this? Or do you say it because they ought to be working on it? I just took a look at the site and didn't see anything.
We have so many aftermarket vendors on here; I keep hoping one of them will come up with an elegant solution.

And thanks for the pics. Very illuminating.

 

[clr1024]

Yeah, I'm curious to see what SOS comes up with, but in the mean time I'm going to keep poking at it.
QUOTE]

Wait -- have you heard that SOS is working on this? Or do you say it because they ought to be working on it? I just took a look at the site and didn't see anything.
We have so many aftermarket vendors on here; I keep hoping one of them will come up with an elegant solution.

And thanks for the pics. Very illuminating.

Chris, from SOS, posted in another visor thread that they are working on a solution:smile:

EDIT: Link http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1384195&postcount=8

 

[gdae]

Thanks, I missed that. Good news.

 

[VRY_QCK]

If it helps any, both my visors had expanded slightly thus causing the cover to split. I priced new visors with a local Acura dealer here in Houston, TX and they wanted $135 per visor. No way I was going to pay that.

So I resorted to a local upholstery shop that cater to furniture and auto interiors and had BOTH visors redone for $40 bucks and they look better than new. They didnt use the original cheap plastic covering but instead matched the interior headliner color to an also velvet material (the very same velvet material can be seen right inside the inner door jams.) Since i have the red NSX with black interior, the velvet material used matches extactly to the very same grey headliner cover. Plus, they even did the little visor in the middle within that price.

Just a thought to save the hassle and a buck or 2.

 

[gdae]

Sorry, I just noticed your post. Do you happen to have the address/number of the upholstry shop? I'm in Houston, too and it sounds like a good solution!
:smile:

 

[RYU]

I don't know about you gents but I wouldn't mind a visor made out of carbon fiber or any other material that is lightweight and will not warp in high heat. I don't care to replicate the OEM since it seems to be such a chore to do so.

 

[R13]

yeah, it's impossible to re-build the internal structure of the OEM due to the way the foam is molded onto the wire-frame. And producing a replacement of the same type would seem a bit pointless. I had to cut the foam off of the frame with a razor-knife.

I'd considered something like a CF or FRP visor, but having something that thin and rigid right in front of my face didn't seem like a good idea from a safety standpoint. I think a light board-core with some waterproof foam filler and a nice leather/alcantara/etc. wrap would get the job done and be fairly economical.

There are a few things that would make a significant improvements IMO:

1) A metal-metal pin/socket rotating mechanism that will last longer than the plastic-metal OEM mechanism

2) Related to #1, the range of motion needs to allow the visor to be folded flat against the windshield, as well as being able to remain steady at any point in between there and flat against the roof.

3) The visor needs to be vertically shorter. I'm not tall, and if I put the visor straight down, even I have to slouch to see under it. Anyone over 6' or so can probably forget about it, I don't think you can get enough of a gangsta lean in these cars to drop your line of sight that much.

4) Some type of semi-attractive covering that won't discolor from being handled.

 

[ZF Clubsport]

I remember you bringing this up last year, it's interesting to see the dissection.

 

[xsn]

Nice pics and writeup.

Seeing posts like this on the NSX forum was a little disorienting. I'm used to seeing things like this on classic / collector car forums where people are doing restorations, not on the NSX forum!

Then I realized the NSX is now a classic car. That was even more disorienting!

Suddenly I feel very old.

 

[nsxxtreme]

Nice pics and writeup.

Seeing posts like this on the NSX forum was a little disorienting. I'm used to seeing things like this on classic / collector car forums where people are doing restorations, not on the NSX forum!

Then I realized the NSX is now a classic car. That was even more disorienting!

Suddenly I feel very old.

I think you will also find the majority of the people on prime are generally more intelligent then on some other forums.

 

[clr1024]

I think you will also find the majority of the people on prime are generally more intelligent then on some other forums.

I'd agree with this for the most part...though of late there have been some odd posts...

 

[1oldpoop]

<snip>
3) The visor needs to be vertically shorter. I'm not tall, and if I put the visor straight down, even I have to slouch to see under it. Anyone over 6' or so can probably forget about it, I don't think you can get enough of a gangsta lean in these cars to drop your line of sight that much. <snip>

Looking at the pictures of how the visor is constructed and reading this post prompted me to try modifying the visor mount. When you remove the visor, you can feel that the internal cam mechanism or whatever it is that locks the thing into the down/forward position does not let the visor swing forward far enough to see under it. As near as I can tell there are two remedies: make the visor shorter so that it does not stick down as far, or modify the mounting base to cock the visor further forward when it is in the down position. The second option sounded WAY easier.

I cut a small semi circle of 1/8" plywood and stuck it to the back half of the mount with foam tape, and also beveled the front of the mount with the Dremel tool. Even with several trial and error experiments, it only took about an hour. When you put the mount back in, don't over tighten the screws, the base is no longer exactly flat and you don't want to bust it.

This has raised the visor enough to comfortably see out under, I am 5' 10". Attached are before and after pictures, before the mod, the visor seemed to hang about 1.5 ~ 2" inches or so below the level of the rear view mirror, now it is even with or a hair above the lower edge of the mirror. The pictures are not exactly representative, I think the camera was held a bit below my eye level, but you'll get the idea. The negative side of this mod is that with the visor in the stowed position, it now hangs down about 3/8" to a half inch instead of snapping tight against the headliner. I can live with it.

Pictures show the mods to the base, and the visor positions before and after. I also included pictures of a mod I made to the center visor. It is a dandy place to stick one of those little back up monitors that Advance Auto Parts is selling for $60.</snip></snip>

 

[96cxt]

If it helps any, both my visors had expanded slightly thus causing the cover to split. I priced new visors with a local Acura dealer here in Houston, TX and they wanted $135 per visor. No way I was going to pay that.

So I resorted to a local upholstery shop that cater to furniture and auto interiors and had BOTH visors redone for $40 bucks and they look better than new. They didnt use the original cheap plastic covering but instead matched the interior headliner color to an also velvet material (the very same velvet material can be seen right inside the inner door jams.) Since i have the red NSX with black interior, the velvet material used matches extactly to the very same grey headliner cover. Plus, they even did the little visor in the middle within that price.

Just a thought to save the hassle and a buck or 2.

Can you post some pictures please. Also the number of the place. I'm in Houston as well.

 

[DOCMORGY]

I'd agree with this for the most part...though of late there have been some odd posts...

Sadly, I agree strongly with your assessment. My favorite was the ongoing whining about lack of auto-up feature on driver's window & someone stating that this was the fault of 'OSHA'. I got a great laugh out of that comment...

 

[R13]

Another thing I thought of would be a little more involved, and would only make sense if the visor was mechanically sound.

If you remove the cover and get rid of the foam, one could actually probably modify the wire frame, make a mold and pour their own foam, shave it down and then re-cover it.

I have no idea what type of foam one would use for that, but I'm sure that's common knowledge somewhere.

In my case the mechanics of the visor had failed, so it wasn't staying against the ceiling when not in use.

 

[cleandmc]

Does anyone have a part number or can explain to me what the grey color for the A pillar garnishes as well as the grey sun visors for the 91 NSX with black interior would be? I see a color called HALF BLACK and PLATINUM WHITE as options on parts sites. Does HALF BLACK refer to the color grey? I can't seem to find any clarification on the forum. I assume the PLATINUM WHITE goes with the Ivory interior color for that model year.

And has the Science of Speed sun visor project been abandoned? Or does anyone know if they are still working on something?

Thanks,
T.

 

[Honcho]

Half Black is the OEM gray color. Platinum White is for Ivory or White interiors.

 

[cleandmc]

Awesome, thank you for the clarification on this.

T.

Half Black is the OEM gray color. Platinum White is for Ivory or White interiors.

 

[The King]

I came across these guys awhile ago. Haven't had to use them yet myself. Looks like they are capable of doing a quality job. Check out autosunvisors.com.