Recently I went to see the movie, Ford vs. Ferrari, this is a great Motorsport film and I highly recommend everyone take the time to see this film. As I watched the movie it struck me that the Honda NSX has a very similar story to its own history. Honda, prior to the NSX, was much like Ford, perceived to be a car company that built reliable affordable daily drivers that had no performance or sex appeal.
Enter the NSX a reliable all aluminum light balanced comfortable mid engine sports car that set a new bar in performance cars. Prior to the NSX, many mid engine cars were heavy steel full of water pockets that turned them into rust buckets. They were unreliable and difficult to drive with no hydraulic steering. The carburetors were temperamental; the cooling systems hated summer street driving. They leaked oils and fluids like a black bird SR71 spy plane. If my wife’s Porsche didn’t leak oil I knew it was out of oil. Most exotic cars were driven less than 4000 miles a year because owning required a strong commitment to maintenance and repairs. A labor of love was a large part of ownership.
The NSX changed all of those standards in performance cars
So At Ford they had Carroll Shelby as the builder and Miles input as the driver to make the GT40 a winner. The street performance parts and modification to the Ford came out in the Shelby Mustang and years later in the GT40 street version. Shelby Fords and Ford GT40 are the most collectible cars in the world.
In Japan, the NSX contributors were Hirotoshi Honda, Masamito Nakano Design, and Shigeru Uehara.
In America with the NSX it was CompTech Doug Peterson and Don Erb with great input from great drivers such as Aryton Senna and Peter Cunningham to provide the input and skill to show the true potential of Honda and the NSX. The CompTech Spice car was 2 time winner of the 24 hours of Daytona, winner of Sebring that delivered 3 consecutive driver and manufacturer championships for Acura. CompTech power gave Honda its first Indy racing pole in Michigan.
CompTech, like Shelby, took the NSX to the next level. They changed the chassis with Brembo brake kits, stiffer shocks, springs, and anti sway bars for better handling. They changed the engine with better intakes headers and exhaust. Camshafts and ported heads were all available at the machine shop, and all were American made.
The development of the NSX supercharged gave the NSX its true potential of power. They even designed the CompTech NSX wide body that bolted directly to the NSX chassis.
The CompTech wide body kept the original body lines and characteristics, but made it sexier.
Unfortunately just like Ford lost Miles, we lost Senna. This is the curse of Earth bound misfits who always want to fly higher and faster. But, while they are gone they will never be forgotten.
Just like Ford GT40 absent for a while, the second generation NSX is here for our enjoyment.
I know from some of the NSX purist haters who call any modified NSX car a “ricer” or less value than a total stock factory build. CompTech cars are different; they are the Shelby’s of Honda. These cars are a part of Honda’s racing heritage and if you have ever driven one you will understand.
Enter the NSX a reliable all aluminum light balanced comfortable mid engine sports car that set a new bar in performance cars. Prior to the NSX, many mid engine cars were heavy steel full of water pockets that turned them into rust buckets. They were unreliable and difficult to drive with no hydraulic steering. The carburetors were temperamental; the cooling systems hated summer street driving. They leaked oils and fluids like a black bird SR71 spy plane. If my wife’s Porsche didn’t leak oil I knew it was out of oil. Most exotic cars were driven less than 4000 miles a year because owning required a strong commitment to maintenance and repairs. A labor of love was a large part of ownership.
The NSX changed all of those standards in performance cars
So At Ford they had Carroll Shelby as the builder and Miles input as the driver to make the GT40 a winner. The street performance parts and modification to the Ford came out in the Shelby Mustang and years later in the GT40 street version. Shelby Fords and Ford GT40 are the most collectible cars in the world.
In Japan, the NSX contributors were Hirotoshi Honda, Masamito Nakano Design, and Shigeru Uehara.
In America with the NSX it was CompTech Doug Peterson and Don Erb with great input from great drivers such as Aryton Senna and Peter Cunningham to provide the input and skill to show the true potential of Honda and the NSX. The CompTech Spice car was 2 time winner of the 24 hours of Daytona, winner of Sebring that delivered 3 consecutive driver and manufacturer championships for Acura. CompTech power gave Honda its first Indy racing pole in Michigan.
CompTech, like Shelby, took the NSX to the next level. They changed the chassis with Brembo brake kits, stiffer shocks, springs, and anti sway bars for better handling. They changed the engine with better intakes headers and exhaust. Camshafts and ported heads were all available at the machine shop, and all were American made.
The development of the NSX supercharged gave the NSX its true potential of power. They even designed the CompTech NSX wide body that bolted directly to the NSX chassis.
The CompTech wide body kept the original body lines and characteristics, but made it sexier.
Unfortunately just like Ford lost Miles, we lost Senna. This is the curse of Earth bound misfits who always want to fly higher and faster. But, while they are gone they will never be forgotten.
Just like Ford GT40 absent for a while, the second generation NSX is here for our enjoyment.
I know from some of the NSX purist haters who call any modified NSX car a “ricer” or less value than a total stock factory build. CompTech cars are different; they are the Shelby’s of Honda. These cars are a part of Honda’s racing heritage and if you have ever driven one you will understand.
