Whats it like owning a high mile nsx street/track car

Hey Guys,

I'm narrowing down to a few car choices, I'm looking at the NSX/Cayman S/E46 m3. My budget allows for 70-120k mile nsx's. From what I see if the timing belts and service is up to date, the car doesnt have any major issues. I was hoping I could get some first hand experience/advice from anyone who purchased an NSX with high miles and does track events regularly.

Thanks
Kyle

Owned two of the three, and for a reason. E46 M3 is a great daily and track car. To make it more of a track car means to sacrifice more of the daily comforts that you will love about it. Also, don't get the SMG. I did and lost quite a bit of money fixing things over and over. It also was trash on the track due to the overheating issue with the hydraulic pump. The Cayman is a nice car used, but you will not want to pay for any engine problems that may arise. Also, the car was personally not as fun to drive as the 911 turbo or 911 GT2/GT3 in any way. Numb and boring are things that come to mind. 993 > Cayman. It will be a good daily as long as you don't run into electrical issues or mechanical failures like a water pump breaking and ruining the motor for $6000.

The NSX was the best choice for me; still is. Great on the track, and it is better than the others on the street. Unique and feels like you are in your own world when driving one. Pay the price up front to have it repaired correctly and you will watch the miles climb.

jones83 said:

Pay the price up front to have it repaired correctly and you will watch the miles climb.

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This advice is key. The price of admission to the NSX is now accessible to many more people, but the price of maintenance often puts a bad taste in their mouth. If you are buying an older NSX with high miles it is GOING to need some work. Most cars in this range need the timing belt service. If you are going to track the car, you will also need to replace the 20-year old radiator and cooling hoses (both are consumable parts). CV joints are probably due for a rebuild and you will also need to sort the brakes with a full rebuild since they probably have not been touched since they left the factory in Tochigi 20 years ago. The brake and clutch cylinders will also probably be on their last legs. These are the big items that are most common on older NSX's not because those parts are bad or defective, but just because they are old. I would not put the car on a road course until these items have been addressed as a matter of safety. You're looking at about $5,000 in work, even for a relatively good condition NSX.

Now, once you've done that, you've got some other things to think about in terms of track duty. If the car is on its original suspension, it is probably shot. Time for Bilsteins/Konis, etc. Or more $$$ for coilovers. Are the hubs shot? Rear hubs tend to go out on tracked NSX's. Condition of trans? Clutch? It all adds up. The NSX when properly sorted is an amazing track car and a incredible daily driver. That said, if you are looking for more of a budget track horse, there are better options. Sti and 350Z come to mind.

As a data point, I bought my 1991 NSX with full service records in 2008 and 79k miles. I have over 25 grand into the car as of today in restoration work. It drives like a brand new car and is great on the track.

I bought my '96 in '99 with 21,000 miles on the ticker. In 2001 I started tracking it when it had about 40k on it.

Since 2001 I have put on 111 track days and over 12,000 track miles making up a part of almost 154,000 miles (all on the original motor/tranny).

RSO 34 said:

I bought my '96 in '99 with 21,000 miles on the ticker. In 2001 I started tracking it when it had about 40k on it.

Since 2001 I have put on 111 track days and over 12,000 track miles making up a part of almost 154,000 miles (all on the original motor/tranny).

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Though I'm sure much of your NSX's success is due to the loving care and attention of LarryB, Bob.

Honcho said:

Though I'm sure much of your NSX's success is due to the loving care and attention of LarryB, Bob.

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True, I have been blessed to be serviced by our favorite garden gnome (somehow that just doesn't sound right.........) but any car needs to keep its service updated to run well but I don't know many brands that could put up with the "abuse" I have given my NSX over the years and still run so well.

thanks for all the responses. Yikes, I dont want to spend too much to get the car track safe. 2-4K seems reasonable but more would keep me away from the nsx. Shame because I've always loved the car. I'll keep looking around. I see a bunch of 70k ish mile cars that claim to be fully up to date with service records. Whats the best way to get some pricing on things like an NSX radiator/rear hubs and stuff like that? i'm guessing I could call a local acura dealer.

jones83 said:

Owned two of the three, and for a reason. E46 M3 is a great daily and track car. To make it more of a track car means to sacrifice more of the daily comforts that you will love about it. Also, don't get the SMG. I did and lost quite a bit of money fixing things over and over. It also was trash on the track due to the overheating issue with the hydraulic pump.

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Not to derail, but any opinions on the stuff people do to prevent those things? Relocate stuff, improve the cooling of it, etc...

Hotlapkyle said:

thanks for all the responses. Yikes, I dont want to spend too much to get the car track safe. 2-4K seems reasonable but more would keep me away from the nsx. Shame because I've always loved the car. I'll keep looking around. I see a bunch of 70k ish mile cars that claim to be fully up to date with service records. Whats the best way to get some pricing on things like an NSX radiator/rear hubs and stuff like that? i'm guessing I could call a local acura dealer.

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A fully sorted early car with all the stuff I listed done is going to run you $30 to $40k today. The sub-$30k cars tend to need some work. It is possible to own and track one (as Bob has done so well over the years), but it is still an exotic car. Moreover, an OLD exotic car lol. Most of the high mile NSXs I see for sale say "fully up to date" but when you look at the records you see the timing belt job was done in 1999 and the car just hasn't hit the mileage interval yet since most people only drive them a couple hundred miles a year. What they don't tell you is that there is a time limit on the belt too- 7 years. Radiator, brakes, hoses, CV, hydraulics are not in the formal maintenance schedule, so they can say "up to date" and be telling the truth, even if all those parts are 20 years old and crusty. Just watch out for that.

For parts, check Acura of Peoria online. They have some of the best prices and Tim P. has taken care of my NSX parts since I bought the car. In fact, I just ordered a bunch of parts from him today.

jones83 said:

Owned two of the three, and for a reason. E46 M3 is a great daily and track car. To make it more of a track car means to sacrifice more of the daily comforts that you will love about it. Also, don't get the SMG. I did and lost quite a bit of money fixing things over and over. It also was trash on the track due to the overheating issue with the hydraulic pump. The Cayman is a nice car used, but you will not want to pay for any engine problems that may arise. Also, the car was personally not as fun to drive as the 911 turbo or 911 GT2/GT3 in any way. Numb and boring are things that come to mind. 993 > Cayman. It will be a good daily as long as you don't run into electrical issues or mechanical failures like a water pump breaking and ruining the motor for $6000.

The NSX was the best choice for me; still is. Great on the track, and it is better than the others on the street. Unique and feels like you are in your own world when driving one. Pay the price up front to have it repaired correctly and you will watch the miles climb.

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I hear you on the e46. My ex GF had an SMG competition m3 and I HATED that thing. I still cant understand how close to half of all e46 m3 owners have SMG's. Great description on the NSX, I've never driven one but watching endless track videos it seems different from any other car. Its underpowered for my taste but I overlook that with the chassis balance and unique nature of the car. As long as i'm not constantly repairing and I can enjoy the car at the track, I'd love to pick one up.

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Honcho said:

A fully sorted early car with all the stuff I listed done is going to run you $30 to $40k today. The sub-$30k cars tend to need some work. It is possible to own and track one (as Bob has done so well over the years), but it is still an exotic car. Moreover, an OLD exotic car lol. Most of the high mile NSXs I see for sale say "fully up to date" but when you look at the records you see the timing belt job was done in 1999 and the car just hasn't hit the mileage interval yet since most people only drive them a couple hundred miles a year. What they don't tell you is that there is a time limit on the belt too- 7 years. Radiator, brakes, hoses, CV, hydraulics are not in the formal maintenance schedule, so they can say "up to date" and be telling the truth, even if all those parts are 20 years old and crusty. Just watch out for that.

For parts, check Acura of Peoria online. They have some of the best prices and Tim P. has taken care of my NSX parts since I bought the car. In fact, I just ordered a bunch of parts from him today.

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My max buy in for the car is around 35K so I guess I can find something good. The black car in the classifieds (first on the list) seems like a good car if I can get it close to 35K. I'd need to see when that timing belt was done. I just realized its a targa... i'd rather a coupe. Thats my next question. Is the targa a "no go" for a track / street car? chassis rigidity must be less.

Hotlapkyle said:

My max buy in for the car is around 35K so I guess I can find something good. The black car in the classifieds (first on the list) seems like a good car if I can get it close to 35K. I'd need to see when that timing belt was done. I just realized its a targa... i'd rather a coupe. Thats my next question. Is the targa a "no go" for a track / street car? chassis rigidity must be less.

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Mine is a targa and is both a track rat and daily driver. I get a little more stiffness with a harness bar but it is not the same as a coupe. But I worked my way over the years from a pure novice to Open Track where I am out there with instructors/pro drivers/full blown race cars and although the car is underpowered against most of them it has nothing to do with the fact it is a targa. Sometimes it's not the arrow, it's the indian............:biggrin:

RSO 34 said:

Mine is a targa and is both a track rat and daily driver. I get a little more stiffness with a harness bar but it is not the same as a coupe. But I worked my way over the years from a pure novice to Open Track where I am out there with instructors/pro drivers/full blown race cars and although the car is underpowered against most of them it has nothing to do with the fact it is a targa. Sometimes it's not the arrow, it's the indian............:biggrin:

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Just dawned on me with the targa top. The last 2 street/track cars i've owned Evo8 and Rx7 both were eventually turned into super unlimited full race cars. I dont want to invest in a targa and then realize it should have been a coupe just incase I decide to make it a full race car.

A targa NSX is simply wonderful, especially if you live in a warm climate. Top down driving is fun and you get to hear that VTEC right behind your head. However, from a pure performance standpoint they are not optimal for the track. Per Kaz, who is active on NSXCB and one of the Honda engineers who designed our car, the NSX was never intended to be a T-top. Therefore, when Honda US demanded the change, they had to make some compromises to the structure. This means about 100 lbs more weight, as they had to thicken the aluminum extrusions on the B-pillars and elsewhere. Removing the top also reduced the NSX's famous chassis rigidity, though it is still remarkably rigid compared to other convertibles. Nevertheless, the NSX-T does exhibit cowl shake and is noticeable more flimsy if you drive it back to back with a coupe. 1995-96 NSX-T are the "worst" in the sense that they are the heaviest with the least amount of power. From 1997 on, Honda improved the reinforcement, used lighter weight aluminum, and bumped the engine to 3.2, so they are not as bad. However, Bob is right. There are plenty of folks who track NSX-T models very successfully.

When I was shopping for my NSX, it was going to be a track/weekend car so I wanted the most raw sports experience possible. That means a coupe. They are light, rigid, and lack power steering. With some weight reduction and a good suspension, it can be a fearsome track car. That is why Honda's factory version of a track car- the NSX-R- is a coupe, not a targa.

With all that said, I think your best bet is to drive a few. You know what you want better than any of us and there are plenty of members here who can help you. NSX Prime and the NSXCA are great orgs with amazingly helpful owners. Our classified section is a great place to find good cars and we can help you pick the right one. I strongly recommend having any NSX you are looking at checked out by a NSX master tech. Depending on where you live, we can tell you who that is. Most current Acura dealer techs have never seen a NSX let alone worked on one.

Hotlapkyle said:

Just dawned on me with the targa top. The last 2 street/track cars i've owned Evo8 and Rx7 both were eventually turned into super unlimited full race cars. I dont want to invest in a targa and then realize it should have been a coupe just incase I decide to make it a full race car.

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I have owned and tracked three NSX, 2 coupes and a targa, both the coupe and the targa are very capable track cars. A coupe may be a little stiffer but will it effect your feel or more importantly your track times, maybe but I doubt it. The biggest issue for me is helmet room as the targa intrudes into an already tight cabin more than a coupe does. Unless you find a Zanardi or 97+ coupe (very rare and not in the price range you are talking about) to get a coupe you will be looking at 91-94 cars. 95-96 targas are less desirable as you get the weight disadvantage of the targa without any of the improvements the 97+ 3.2l 6 spd offers. The 95-96 cars are also a little more limited in the performance upgrade path as they are not really OBDI and not really OBDII so they will be different than the more available 91-94 cars and the newer 97+ cars. Anything can be done so do not let the year scare you too much. On the plus side is if you do go full track a targa with its roof out will be easier to put a cage in and once the cage is in place the targa does not really matter any more, the coupes usually require the roof panel to be cut off and then rewelded after the cage has been installed.

Having owned and tracked a 91 & 92 coupes and now tracking a 2004 NSX-T the 6sdp and 3.2l is a big advantage for both track and street. If you can find a high milage 97 in your budget it may be worth a few extra dollars if you value the improvements the 97+ cars offer. The Engine control systems for throttle and idle and emissions are much improved on the 97+ cars and they have a more refined feel in daily use, on the track were chassis stiffness is all important the coupe shines. Keep in mind going from a 91 to a 97 will have a price premium but you are also looking at a 7 year newer car as most 91's were delivered in early to mid 90 and they really have more time on the clock than the model year would indicate.

On to your original question about tracking an NSX, for almost everything about maintaining a track prepped car the NSX is either equal to or less expensive than the cars you listed as options. Brakes are consumables and the cost of pads and rotors are not any more expensive for the NSX as any of the others listed, oil changes will be the same, fluid changes are the same, tire wear will be similar if not less in a NSX but that is really a factor of track, driver, and weight. Where the NSX has the potential to really hurt for a die hard track junky is in the other wear parts that get accelerated by the added abuse the track delivers. The main expense that will set you back the most will be ball joints. If you track any car hard and progress to r-comps and then slicks you will stress the suspension causing normal soft parts to wear faster than they would on the street. The NSX ball joints are very good and very well designed for the loads the NSX will present them, failures are not common but wear and looseness from track use is. If you buy a previously enjoyed NSX that has had a lot of track miles put on it I would want to spend some time on a rack checking the ball joints closely looking for signs of wear. Replacement ball joints are not available from Acura, the cure for a failed or loose ball joint is to replace the suspension component it is attached to, than means control arms and knuckles and in the NSX that means $,$$$.$$. Yes there is a comma in those dollar signs. There are guys that will machine the existing arms and knuckles to allow the units to be replaced from then on using lower cost solutions but the initial cost for this setup will have a comma in the price tag as well. If you are an aggressive driver and stock power does not meet you needs then other items will wear faster as the loads increase, half shafts, and clutches come to mind but these will be similar in wear rate to the other cars listed but not in price to repair as mid engine cars tend to require higher labor fees compared to a tradition front engine rear drive layout.

Over all the cost of ownership of an NSX has always been less for me than any other car I have owned or tracked. They are simple cars to work on and if you have any mechanical skills at all you can handle almost all of the track related prep work yourself in your garage with a set of jack stands and a modest set of hand tools. Fortunately NSX's rarely fail, the common failures of the early coupes transmissions are well documented and most likely have been dealt with by a previous owner by this point. The older cars will need some love as o-rings, seals, gaskets and other soft parts are going to break down and start to fail, the cooling system is another issues based on age but this is something I would address long before I hit the track with a 20-24 year old anything. One other think that should be address about tracking an NSX, if you hit something they are very expensive cars to repair, body panels are expensive and used pieces are rare. Tweaking the frame rails front or rear will spell death to the car or your wallet. Unless you are prepared to walk away from a $30k investment I am not sure I would buy a NSX to track. The good news is unless it is a total write off you can usually part out a NSX and return more than your initial investment so that will likely lessen the pain a bit. Along that note the NSX is a very safe car structurally, I have looked at many wrecked NSX's and the drivers compartment usually survives major crashed and rollovers very well.

Tracking the NSX is an experience that can not really be achieved by many other cars in its price range, the view from the drivers seat is simply like no other front engine car. There is a feeling of precise control and connectedness, that is promised but is hard to find in many other sports cars. There are less expensive routes to go a C5 Z06 comes to mind, but looking at your list of cars you do not really seam like a Corvette guy.

As you get closer to making up your mind, ask lots of questions, you will get lots of opinions, but in the end the NSX is something you need to drive to get the full effect. What part of the country are you in? I do about 15 track events a year and one may be close enough to you that it may be worth a trip out to the track for a ride along.

Dave

Good advice from above.......Personally if I was not already an nsx owner/ lover who wanted a track/street car with a mid-engine design I would not be looking at 20 y/o cars.....2012 Cayman and be done.

I agree John, if I didn't already own a NSX, a Cayman S would be the car I own with PDK. I've actually considered buying one to use as my daily.
I had a chance to drive one at a NASA event, incredible car for the money. Used one's are not all that expensive and a motor build if you had to do one is no more than it would be for a NSX.

docjohn said:

Good advice from above.......Personally if I was not already an nsx owner/ lover who wanted a track/street car with a mid-engine design I would not be looking at 20 y/o cars.....2012 Cayman and be done.

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Funny, I was going to say Cayman S too. My neighbor has one (he tracks it) and it is a wonderful car.

Thank you guys for all the awesome advice.

Dave, your feedback was great, exactly what I needed to know. I'm in the Northeast, I usually race and do time trials at watkins glen/NJMP/limerock/pocono. If you're ever out this way i'd take you up on your offer. I know the Cayman S is the smart choice because its much newer and the same buy in cost, but the car just doesnt do it for me. Its not a raw and doesnt have the same x factor the NSX has. I've considered the c5 and C6 z06. Both can be had for around my buy in range but I wouldnt enjoy looking at the car if you can understand that. It doesnt sound like the NSX has any major issues engine/trans wise that would keep me away. Good to know about the ball joints and the cost of replacing them. I typically drive my cars very hard and on very sticky race tires. I would even consider running hoosier A's or michilen slicks on the car to get maximum grip and see the true potential of the car. I've also been looking into power increases and it looks like the SOS NA engine upgrade would be a possibility. 300-320 whp in a sub 3000lb track car that handles like the NSX will win me time trials all day long. You guys have been more helpful then any other forum i've been on, I appreciate it.

Once critical engine issue for you to know is the oil pan. The stock pan is rated for 0.8G sustained (think oval or long sweeper) and 1.2G "peak" (high speed apex) lateral force. If you are seeing anything on the track beyond those numbers, you can have an oil starvation event. Several NSX engines have been lost to this problem, since folks start running slicks or R-comps without upgrading their pan. I strongly recommend installing a pan baffle if you are going to use that kind of rubber.

Honcho said:

Once critical engine issue for you to know is the oil pan. The stock pan is rated for 0.8G sustained (think oval or long sweeper) and 1.2G "peak" (high speed apex) lateral force. If you are seeing anything on the track beyond those numbers, you can have an oil starvation event. Several NSX engines have been lost to this problem, since folks start running slicks or R-comps without upgrading their pan. I strongly recommend installing a pan baffle if you are going to use that kind of rubber.

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Good point about the pan baffle, but it also only a concern in long extended left hand turns with the engine at high RPM in Vtec that could cause an issue, most guys that have a pan gasket leak do the baffle when the pan gasket is being replaced or when you are installing headers as long tube headers require the front bank header to be removed to get access to the oil pan. The baffle is cheap and when combined with the header install or gasket replacement is not a major increase in labor. Until the baffle is in place you can buy a little extra insurance by overfilling the oil by 1/2 qt. This is a bigger problem on boosted cars that have a high level of engine blowby as the PCV system on the NSX is adequate for NA applications but not very good on boosted cars.

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Hotlapkyle said:

I've also been looking into power increases and it looks like the SOS NA engine upgrade would be a possibility. 300-320 whp in a sub 3000lb track car that handles like the NSX will win me time trials all day long. You guys have been more helpful then any other forum i've been on, I appreciate it.

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300-320 whp is not going to be easy or inexpensive in a 3.0l NSX. The NSX with the normal header, intake, and exhaust will get you in the 250whp range from a 3.0l, ringing another 50 to 70whp with out forced induction will not be easy or cheap, and will require extensive mods, head work, cams, valves, individual throttle bodies, bumping displacement up, and bumping compression up are all going to be in the mix to hit that power level. With forced induction 400whp is easily and reliably obtained and happens to be about the perfect power level for the chassis with mild suspension changes. Do more aggressive suspension mods, some aero mods, and brake mods and the chassis will respond well to 500whp. Dropping a few pounds is easy with the car and a dedicated track rat can get to 2700-2800 lbs fairly easily, be more aggressive with the weight loss plan and 2500 lbs is still not hard but it will not be much of a street car anymore.

I contend that are biggest limitation to being a great time attack car is tire size, you will be hard pressed to run anything bigger than a 235 up front and that is not a lot of tire when braking is concerned, even with that tire size you will be surprised at how deep the car can go even on stock brakes, the OEM brake system works surprisingly well and if you put the car on a diet and run at OEM power levels you will not likely feel the need to move to a BBK after some minor mods to the OEM system.

Dave

Hotlapkyle said:

thanks for all the responses. Yikes, I dont want to spend too much to get the car track safe. 2-4K seems reasonable but more would keep me away from the nsx. Shame because I've always loved the car. I'll keep looking around. I see a bunch of 70k ish mile cars that claim to be fully up to date with service records. Whats the best way to get some pricing on things like an NSX radiator/rear hubs and stuff like that? i'm guessing I could call a local acura dealer.

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OEM Parts:
http://www.acuraoemparts.com/delray...tcgry4=KA5MT&catcgry5=&search=All&ListAll=All

Aftermarket parts are harder to find and verify their benefit, most tracked cars run mostly OEM parts with the exception of brake rotors and pads. There are fewer vendors for the NSX then the Porsche or BMW cars. Aftermarket prices tend to be in the same ballpark as the other brands but choices are fewer, but fewer are needed as the OEM parts are superior to most in build quality and Honda still supports the car for now in their parts warehouse.

Dave

DDozier said:

Good point about the pan baffle, but it also only a concern in long extended left hand turns with the engine at high RPM in Vtec that could cause an issue, most guys that have a pan gasket leak do the baffle when the pan gasket is being replaced or when you are installing headers as long tube headers require the front bank header to be removed to get access to the oil pan. The baffle is cheap and when combined with the header install or gasket replacement is not a major increase in labor. Until the baffle is in place you can buy a little extra insurance by overfilling the oil by 1/2 qt. This is a bigger problem on boosted cars that have a high level of engine blowby as the PCV system on the NSX is adequate for NA applications but not very good on boosted cars.

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300-320 whp is not going to be easy or inexpensive in a 3.0l NSX. The NSX with the normal header, intake, and exhaust will get you in the 250whp range from a 3.0l, ringing another 50 to 70whp with out forced induction will not be easy or cheap, and will require extensive mods, head work, cams, valves, individual throttle bodies, bumping displacement up, and bumping compression up are all going to be in the mix to hit that power level. With forced induction 400whp is easily and reliably obtained and happens to be about the perfect power level for the chassis with mild suspension changes. Do more aggressive suspension mods, some aero mods, and brake mods and the chassis will respond well to 500whp. Dropping a few pounds is easy with the car and a dedicated track rat can get to 2700-2800 lbs fairly easily, be more aggressive with the weight loss plan and 2500 lbs is still not hard but it will not be much of a street car anymore.

I contend that are biggest limitation to being a great time attack car is tire size, you will be hard pressed to run anything bigger than a 235 up front and that is not a lot of tire when braking is concerned, even with that tire size you will be surprised at how deep the car can go even on stock brakes, the OEM brake system works surprisingly well and if you put the car on a diet and run at OEM power levels you will not likely feel the need to move to a BBK after some minor mods to the OEM system.

Dave

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Thats why I love the NSX! you dont need much work or aftermarket parts to make it a potent track car. I may have read the science of speed site wrong. I thought you could get near 300whp NA. I'm not a fan of forced induction. I ran a time attack/super unlimited Evo race car at high HP levels before it was cool and that thing was a money pit. I will never ever own a car that needs race gas again. I'm also familiar with oil starvation. I nuked my LS3 in my Rx7 running slicks, if its just a baffel to solve the oil starvation thats awesome. 90% of cars need a dry sump and thats $,$$$

DDozier is one of the top guys here when it comes to track talk, as you can clearly see from his posts.
If you want to stick to NA power, a lot of people seem pretty happy with the prospeed RDX injectors and ECU tune. After headers, exhaust, prospeed, etc. and weight savings (pole2flag racing front and rear dry carbon bumper beams (-40lbs), shorai battery (-35lbs), remove engine cover (-15lbs), spare tire (-20lbs), tool kit (-10lbs), lighter headers, lighter exhaust, delete cats...), you're looking at a reliable 2700lb, 320hp mid engine street/track car that looks good anywhere.

I own a high mileage street/track NSX for the past 7 yrs. It receives twice the amount of maintenance as a street car to stay in top shape. However, if i were to retire the NSX, I'd look into either a Lotus or Cayman for a budget minded track toy (as they are very capable of track duties with little modifications).

Here's what I did:

1991 NSX purchased with 100K on it and in need of:
-LR wheel bearing (DDozier fixed)
-cam seels/VTEC gaskets (DDozier)
-oil pan gasket (DDozier)
-transmission mount (DDozier)
-new tires
-clutch master (Did myself, what a BITCH!)
-fuel filter (Did myself, remember to plug the fuel pump voltage regulator back in when your done!)

So got all of that done so I could drive it around and show off, then it was time to get serious about going to the track:
-Baffled oil pan (DDozier)
-Koyo aluminum racing radiator and all 6 hoses replaced with silicone racing grade hoses (DDozier)
-Stainless brake lines/HAWK HT10 pads/blank rotors/MOTUL (Me)
-Recaro SPG/SOS sliding rail (Me)
-MOMO monte carlo wheel with detachable hub (Me - get an alignment when your done because the wheel will not be straight)
-ditch the easy stuff for weight (spare/tools/jack/pump/engine cover)
-KW V3 (Me - bought new from COZ)
-TSW wheels 17/18
-NTO1's 235/275
-CL65Captians old splitter (Me and CL Captain - that was the type of bonding experience in which both your GF's are mad at you because you said it would take 2 hrs and its all of a sudden 630 on Sat night)
-Kognintion 2D rear wing (72" version of illwillems) (Me)
-Comptech "CT" front camber bushings (Aaron Leichty The Winning Formula)
-Solid rear toe links (ET tuning)
-Test pipes (already had Comptech headers and Taitec exhaust) (ET Tuning)

So, without the Aero and the test pipes I had a 2900lb. 260whp NA1 NSX that was good for a win in NASA TTB in my region (on a track I had never driven to boot!). I was proud of that but still not happy as TTC S2000's were still faster, albeit on R6/A6's, but still I knew I wasn't done developing this car. I still have at least 150lb.s to strip (no ABS, no AC, no stero) and I'm still testing to find optimal ride height and alignment for my driving style. Beam bushings are slated to go in this winter along with some other work - I just got done with a practice day at my home track to test the aero improvements and I can say (as usual) Billy Johnson is right as I was exactly 2 seconds faster with wing and splitter...had more width on the rear tires too which didn't hurt but I'm in love with the rear wing on this car. Unfortunately 3rd gear syncro went bye bye on the 3rd session - still shifts fine as long as your not on the track at redline out of 2nd up to 3rd :-(

Here's what you will like:
Supreme bang for the buck in its price range, you cannot find a chassis this stiff in another production car without spending mucho $$$$$, basically everything DDozier says - he knows a little bit about tracking these cars ;-), you'll swear they make more than 270-290 crank hp when your out there, you will have one of the sexiest cars on the track and if you can drive it makes it all worth it, support from the NSXprime track community is the best out there, the steering feel, the "hunkered down meaty" feel of the chassis through the corner, passing newer "better" cars , etc...

What you won't like:
The 5 spd gear ratios and final in the NA1 US spec cars are aweful, really - a real performance hindrance for these cars, SERIOUSLY what was Honda thinking? Antiquated ABS or "ALB" system on NA1's is not worth having, or rather, pull the fuse and disable it and you will like the stock brake system much better if you are accustomed to no ABS, parts are $$$$, you occasionally ponder why you are turning this piece of automotive genius with a pedigree tracing back to Honda's 5 Formula 1 World Championships from 86-91 as well as Ayrton Senna as lead development driver, Bobby Rahal, and Satoru Nakajima into your track toy? Finding someone to work on it for the stuff you can't do - not a problem for me as I live in the same town as DDozier.