A New (burnt) Nsx Owner

T

tahoensx

Registered Member
Joined
2 January 2007
Messages
52
Hi all, I am now the proud owner of a blue 2000 NSX-t with 21,320 miles.
Just one thing, It had an engine fire and requires restoration. As for the body not too bad just burnt above the fuel filler door. The car came with a new trunk lid and back glass. It needs headrests as the small window broke sending heat into the headrests. Just about all of the top of the engine needs replacing including the throttle body, intake etc, etc. should be fun to get her back in shape though. It was definately someones baby as it has an extra cooling system, braded fuel lined, ww body kit, Comptech performance exhaust, and probably more. It also has a large array of Kenwood amps in the trunk. I just got a quick look at the car today and it was filled with extra parts. Does anyone know who was the orignal owner of this car? the vin is
jh4na2168yt000130 and was from Chicago. I would rteally like to know what mods were done and if it has a chip etc.
 
Yep that is the one, As for the damage stated in the posts it is not as bad as all that. The headrests were burnt but the seats are servicable. The guy I bought it from bought a rear clip that included most of the parts needed. main wire harness, Back glass, rear deck engine cover etc. The interior is in better shape than the pictures show. should clean up to look as new. The head unit was ripped out (bought a new one). Yes it will take time. and patience I know, The guy I bought it from was into it for a hell of alot more than I am (for now).
 
hey im interested in how much you got it for? did you check the engine for compression?

guy was asking 27K then someone stole his supercharger that he had just laying around in the garage and he dropped the price down to 21k.

even at that price, i would not have touched the car as it could very easy have a warped engine and frame. I offered him 21K for the car with the SC and he should have taken it. I dont know how much he sold the car for but if you bought it at any where close to 21K, your going to take a loss and he has already taken a big loss. Regardless of how restored the car is, it will always have a fire damaged salvage title and everyone that owns or is going ot buy an nsx is going to be on prime and a simple vin search will show the history.

did you get a free engine also in the rear clip?

also if the ecu was chipped i dont think it would be any good. the fire came in through the harness hole in the fire wall and licked the ecu right up to the harness. silicone does tend to melt under heat.

hey if you want to sell it, when you run out of money or the task gets too daunting let me know. :biggrin: ill make that baby in to a proper track only nsx. My plan was to strip everything and have it as an empty shell track only car.

this baby is a money pit and has claimed its first victim
 
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Thanks for the info, I thought that car came with a supercharger but the guy claimed ignorance. I will be getting into the nuts and bolts of this project this week and will then decide my future with this car. I think the main factor will be parts that have yet to be purchased. The guy I got it from was into it @ $34,000 I still have to look through all the parts to see what is what. Hopefully members of this forum and some of my other contacts will provide these parts. The rear clip came with a complete rear suspension which I will try to sell.
 
ya i told him the throttle body is going to be expensive & hard as hell to source.

The FI guys want to keep it cause if they want to sell their car, they'll take off the SC and return the car to stock and sell it that way and get their money back.

The junk yards will charge you an arm for it and Acura wants a kidney.

Also all the sensor's are cripsy and im not sure how your going to hook them up.

The guy told me that the rear suspension you can get 3000$ for.. but you really cant. If he is just talking springs and structs, i have a OEM set sitting in my garage as im sure so does 50% of the nsx owners who have upgraded to coilovers. The rest of the suspension systems are hard to sell cause if you crash your car and mess up the suspension system... you probably just salvaged your car.

Maybe you can get a few bucks for the A arms but no where near what this guy quoted me.

Giveit a shot and see what you can do with it.

He tired and failed.... and that was when he had the SC and complete stuff to get the car running.:rolleyes:

before you start dumping $ into this car. get a compression test and a make sure the engine cranks over... but you cant get a complete compression test since the engine usually should be up to operating temp... also a leak down test is better.... but you need a warm engine also....

get that done first. if it does not hold compression.. or you got a blown headgasket or warped heads / cracked block, just sell the car for what you can get for it since it is going into mid 4 digit figures for you to over haul that engine. if you can deck the block and do the head gasket and all that good stuff than you'll be able to afford this project.... or if you have deeeep wallets.... which if you did, u would probably not have bought a burnt up salvaged nsx.

if you dont know how to do a compression test... sell the car :)

i was going to personally rebuild the engine if it was all messed up..... acturally i would have probably passed :)

good luck on the rebuild.
 
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Thanks for the advice. Yes I can do a compression check. I am a certified aircraft mechanic and at least some of that knowlege transfers. I also have a good friend in an exotic car service center (where the car is now). he will be a lot of help in figuring out this puzzle. I know it will take all of my internet skill to find all the parts needed at a resonable price but that is part of the fun......
 
Geez guys cut him some slack, No sense being critical or negative after the fact he purchased the car. Best wishes Tahoe and I hope you prove everyone wrong.
 
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Zennsx said:
Geez guys cut him some slack, No sense being critical or negative after the fact he purchased the car. Best wishes Tahoe and I hope you prove everyone wrong.
Click to expand...

It looks like just 1 guy doing all the crying to me, sounds a lil upset that the seller found someone else to sell to instead of taking his lowballed offer!

Good luck on this rebuild, that is a desirable year and color combo, should be nice when done.
 
lol obiviously im pissed he didnt take my 14k:mad:

or my 21K with SC:mad: lol the seller was pissed he didnt take my 21K either. guy was asking me for advice on how to sell his car after the SC was stole and how he should put it back togeather so he can sell it for 27K. i told him FORGET it. sell it for what you can before a house fire claim it all.

Greed owned him as did the guy that took his supercharger.

however it was for the better. If i got that car i would not have had enough for my Ferrari F355 which i purchased and still have funds left to start my second business.:biggrin: good thing i didnt buy. im sure i would be kicking myself to have $ tied up in that thing.

good buy for you sir, just hope you didnt pay his asking price since i saw it in person, its not worth the 21K. if your a aircraft mechanic than your set. keep us posted. I wish you better luck than the previous owner had.
 
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I have to say that I have been on quite a few boards and have seen many flaming, nasty, derogatory posts usually on un-moderated forums. And one thing I have learned is not to take the low road or otherwise be dragged into
mutual combat online. For you ron98 all I can say is that I am here for encouragement and getting to know the community, and hopefully a bit of help with parts. The fact that YOU were unable to talk the prior owner out of his dream for less than half of what he had put into it is of little concern to me. Better luck next time.
Thanks to those of you cheering me on.
 
Tahoensx,

There is a guy at ERZ Car 1434 Eastern Parkway Brooklyn, NY 11233 that has salvaged out over 100 NSXs! His name is Joe Toth and you can e-mail him at:

[email protected]

You may check with him to see if he has any of the parts that you need.

If you don't have one, get an Acura Maintnenace manual, they are great, not cheap though. You are going to need one.

Welcome aboard Prime and Good Luck on your project,
Brad:smile:
 
TahoeNSX - I say good luck to you and your project. Take lots of pictures and take your time. I am sure you will get the car together and have a nice driver.
 
lol mututal online combat.

great term.:biggrin:

well he paid to much for it. Talked to someone who was at the auction in which the car was sold.... he has owned many nsx and was blown away by the frenzy of silly bidding this car received. non of the other cars at the auction got any love but this one.

the price i offer is based on what the car is worth and not what he paid for it..... if someone purchase a nsx 1991 nsx for $100,000... would i be low balling if i only offered 25K since that is what the car is worth? :tongue:

he could have paid 80K for that burnt car it does not change the worth of the car itself. after speaking with the expereinced nsx owner who was at the auction and saw the frenzied bidding we both came to the same conclusion that the car was only worth 14K with out the SC and that guy over paid.... and we where proven right with the loss he took. No one knew if the engine held compression, if the alunium frame was melted or the strengh of the frame was deminished due to high heat, the engine was not even cranked over prior to auction.... paying 27K for a car that has fire damage and an engine worth 10K to replace is just silly.

To tell you the truth, the reason why that car came with a black trunk instead of the original blue one was cause the trunk got so hot that it completely melted. There was a hole big enough you can put 2 fists through it. so.... it would be reasonable to assume that since the trunk melted and it was not even in the heart of the inferno that the engine and chassie could be effected in a negative way due to heat since they are also made out of alunium. if the compression was tested and frame was pre inspected and given a bill of good health, i would adjust my offer accordingly. Since no such information was given, it is only prudent that i error on the side of cauction.... after all this is not the arena to throw caution to the wind.

oh ya, where was the original fuel tank? yes that burnt up too along with all the gas... so you had a nice gas fed bake oven going on in the back of that nsx.

he was asking originally for 27K. who convinced him that the SC was worth 6-7k? and that he instantly lost that much when his SC was stolen? yours truly. nothing pervented him from listing the car for 27K and you making him a much higher offer. I was off and on with this guy on the phone for 3 month laying the ground works for you, with out my 14K offer as a basis of comparison... do you think you would have gotten the car for what you offered him? :rolleyes: ............ you are welcome.:biggrin:

congradulations to your purchase. You sound like a very capable individual and this is car definitly calls for such competence.

im enjoying the 355 and as much as your enjoying your purchase... probably more so. carving canyons with active suspension is bliss.

I personally am cheering you on from the stands and am very very eagerly look foward to the phenix like rebirth of this nsx. :wink:

ps. get us a few pictures of the car so everyone knows what im crying about

pss. just read the previous owner was into it 34k! OMG. if he spend $3000 more he would have gotten a perfectly running and low milage 3.2L 6 speed nsx WITH a clean title, no accidents & NO WORK required... or even a better a SC 3.0L putting out 350-400HP :tongue:
 
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I did a similar project with a 93 RX-7. As an aircraft mechanic, this should not be too dificult for you. You are already used to having no space to work in and taking your time to do it right. When I was done with my project, the only wayyou could tell that any work was done, was if you pulled a body pannel off and from the factory it would have been primer grey, it is now Guards red.

I spent too much money restoring it to factory. If your harnesses are toast, Remove all that stuff and go aftermarket, ie. fuel managment.

It seems I have seen a lot of fire cars. I a starting to think there is an issue here with NSXs. I think the fuel tank is too close to the engine. In your case, while you have the opertunity, I would consider a "Fuel Safe" fuel cell for the front of the car. I would install a fuel shutoff valve like they have for APUs.

Have fun with the project, and don't sell the car.

Document your refurb well with photos. If you want to sell it in the future, you will get a lot more money for it if it is documented.

John
 
Hi all just a quick update...
Went to see the car today and take invantory of the extra parts.
ecu replaced, new panels behind the seats, new behind the head glass, new engine harness, new tail lamp assys. trunk lid curved rear glass. Fuel tank looks to be unscathed. close inspection shows no major damage to the frame or body with the exception of a small area on the 1/4 panel above the fuel filler door. (repairable). Actually a lot better than I expected. But I still have quite a few parts to replace. and a ton of electrical to do.
 

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