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Help! Identify this NSX.

Joined
6 August 2001
Messages
7
Location
Middletown, OH
I went to an Acura dealership today to drive an MDX (helping Mom get one), and what should I see but a '92 Red/Black NSX. Being the super-obsessed future NSX owner that I am, I go get the keys and take a look.

Background: Dealership bought car at an auction, has no clue about previous owner.

Quick Visual Inspection: 17/18 Momo Arrows; Under trunklid are H&R and ZEX stickers. H&R is obviously the springs, ZEX the N20 (again, obviously). No bottle in trunk, but the little hoses are still hooked up to the throttle body. Open the ashtray lid to find no ashtray, but unplugged wiring harnesses. The car had stock exhaust and a RM intake.

The idle was slightly erratic, even after it idled for awhile... common NSX thing or do you guys think it may have an aftermarket cam? Looked at Serial on Tranny, car does fall into SRF range, but nailing the 1-2 shift left me at ~5600 RPM, so it's got to have the short gears, which would negate SRF possibility, would it not?

The car felt perfect. I'd previously driven a stock '92, which felt great, but grossly underpowered. This one just felt perfect. Suspension was marginally firmer, but still comfortable. 70% confident it had a short-shifter... seemed notchier than the stock one I drove, but that was a couple of months ago, and I haven't been in one since, so I can't put a ton of faith in subjective opinions. Just remembered, no spare tire, little weight reduction I assume.

Car has 52k miles, sticker is 38.9k I believe.

My Questions:

Agree/disagree with my assumptions?

Anyone happen to know the previous owner?

Near the closer right corner of the valve cover (looking from behind the car) was a shiny purple thing... roughly 1 inch diameter, 1.5-2 in tall? I didn't study it too closely as I was in post NSX-driving bliss, any clues as to what this is?

Salesman said an NSXCA officer lived right near the dealership (Fairfield, OH (near Cincy)), and I can't seem to hit the site right now, anyone know who he was referring to.

I got the VIN, and the salesmen is faxing me a Carfax report Friday.

Thanks in Advance, I'll GREATLY appreciate any input you guys have.

[This message has been edited by Ryan Kauffman (edited 09 August 2001).]
 
Of course it's tough to tell these things without looking at the car - but based on your description the price sounds kind of high for a car that's been toyed with.

Is the paint and body ultra perfect or something?

-Jim

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1992 NSX Red/Blk 5 spd #0330
1991 NSX Blk/Blk Auto #3070 (Sold)
1974 Vette 454 4 spd Wht/Blk
Looking for 76-79 Honda Accords
 
Paint/Body are in excellent condition... The reason for the high price: The dealership knows nothing about the car. My particular salesman didn't even realize that the big RM intake was aftermarket, lol. Should I choose to purchase it, I can probably use the fact that it's modified and the fact that my folks are probably getting an MDX simultaneously for a price break...
 
That sounds like a lot of money for a '92, but if it is perfect.....

The shiny purple thing you described sounds like a fuel pressure regulator. Hard to be sure w/o a photo.

By the way, the NOS install tells you something about how the previous owner drove it. The poor idle is also a bad sign. Aftermarket cams would not affect the idle, by the way.
 
Looked at Serial on Tranny, car does fall into SRF range, but nailing the 1-2 shift left me at ~5600 RPM, so it's got to have the short gears

That doesn't make sense. If you upshift from first to second at redline, the RPM's would drop to 4499 RPM with the stock gears, or to 5085 RPM with the short gears. Even if the tach is off by a couple hundred RPM, that doesn't account for a 5600 RPM second gear.

which would negate SRF possibility, would it not?

Not necessarily (assuming they put in short gears). Depends on whether they replaced the transmission case when they changed the gears.

The car felt perfect. I'd previously driven a stock '92, which felt great, but grossly underpowered.

Maybe something was wrong with the one you previously drove.

Anyone happen to know the previous owner?

Oh sure, a red NSX, I know EXACTLY who it would have been.
biggrin.gif


Seriously, send me the VIN by private e-mail and I'll see what I can tell you.

Salesman said an NSXCA officer lived right near the dealership (Fairfield, OH (near Cincy)), and I can't seem to hit the site right now, anyone know who he was referring to.

Yes I do. He's referring to someone who is active in the club, but is not an officer. I'll send you his name and e-mail address in private. However, I don't know how much he knows about modified NSX's.

The fact that this car has been modified, and some of the mods have been removed, makes me a bit leery of its history. If I were looking to buy it, I would want it gone over with a fine-toothed comb by an NSX tech who's familiar with various mods and what problems to look out for.
 
Thanks a lot for the advice. After a few hours of coming down off of the "I just drove my dream car" buzz, I'm definately leaning away from purchasing this particular NSX.

I was pretty wary at first, especially due to the fact that it's modified but they have no real prior information about the car, but I'm sure you can understand how driving an NSX for the second time (and the first time I can actually afford one, lol) could get me so excited about the car I just wanted everything to be right...

RE: 5600 RPM - HMM No clue, I must've misread the tach or looked to early/late; unsure.

RE: Stock one feeling grossly underpowered - Stock 3.0l I drove felt like a 14.0 car. I drive a 15.2 car daily (SLK), and steal my friends' 12 second cars (Viper, Stage 7 300ZXTT, BPU++ SupraTT) pretty often, so for such a purebred sports car, the NSX felt slow. (I know she's not a 1/4 mile car, but I was coureous enough not to take it above 95 w/ the saleswoman in the car).

RE: Idle - I thought aftermarket cams affected the idle in most vehicles, but I wasn't sure, thanks for the input.

RE: Purple Thing: Fuel Pressure Regulator was my first guess, but I figured I'd hypothesized about the car enough in that post, wanted to just "ask" about that one.

Again, thanks to everyone on the board, I've learned a ton from reading it... Had a damn good time explaining SRF to the uninformed salesman (who attempted to close the trunk by pushing on the spoiler, GRR!). Alas, it looks like I'll be a "future" NSX owner for awhile still...



[This message has been edited by Ryan Kauffman (edited 10 August 2001).]
 
Since this was mentioned, does anyone offer cams other can comptech or a custom grind? Just curious. Couldn't a way too aggressive cam cause a lumpy idle David? Would have to be something custom I assume, either way. If you are considering modding your NSX anyway then like the guys mentioned, get it checked real close by someone who has experience w/mods. If the car is mechanically ok, and you were gonna modify anyway, think of the cash you would be saving. Especially if you can negotiate some, I agree seems high for a 92. Some feel mods hurt the car. I don't feel that way, just my 02. Good luck.

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Jason
 
Originally posted by Jason Weaver:
Couldn't a way too aggressive cam cause a lumpy idle David?

Yes, and often does. However no one - ever - has been able to improve on the lower cam profile for the NSX, so the aftermarket cams use the stock lower profile. Therefore, no change in idle for an NSX. The second cam profile (VTEC) has much higher lift with the CT cams and all of the JDM versions I am familiar with.

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Don't no nuttin 'bout no NSX;
Don't no nuttin 'bout birthin' no babbies.
 
Cool. Makes sense. Are you running a custom cam in your car? By the way, a friend of mine here in Raleigh has one of the Miatas that was in the contest, I have been telling him more about your car. He is thouroughly impressed (as we all are
wink.gif
Did you ever make it back to the dragstrip the 2nd time? Thanks again for the fuel system info on the NOS post.

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Jason
 
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