Hello all. I bought my NSX from a local prime member not too long ago. When I bought it, I nit picked every little detail about the car and there were some issues that really bothered me about it. This thread documents my build so far, which has really just been erasing the previous owners mark, and making the car my own.
So here is how the car looked when I first bought her:
Wings west kit, some homie chromies and an unpainted carbon fiber hood (not pictured, since sold).
The things that I had issues with the most were the wheels. I hate the polished look, especially on a car like the NSX. Something more subtle and clean is more my taste. So I did some shopping and bought some factory gunmetal 16/17.
At this point, I was content with the way the car sat, but I started nit picking again and started noticing some fitment issues on the wings west kit. I was looking for ways to fix the fitment issues, but came to the realization that it would never fit like OEM. This would always bother me. Whoever installed the skirts and front lip did a hack job of doing so. I dug a little deeper, and my worst fear was confirmed. . . .double sided sticky tape. EVERYWHERE. Don't get me wrong, Double sided sticky tape is a useful tool when used in moderation. I don't believe using it to attach body panels to a car as a proper fasten. The skirts and the lip HAD to go. Not to mention, the skirts had custom framework installed on the inside to help prevent the notorious wings west sagging, so on top of not fitting correctly, they also weighed about 15 lbs each.
bumper off, wings west lip off.
With the side skirts off, I had a lot of work ahead of me to get the double sided tape off. There was tons of the stuff across the entire rocker panels on both sides of the car. I tried goof off with a plastic razor blade, took forever. I tried 3M adhesive remover, worked a little better, but still took forever. I tried lighter fluid, worked the best, but still took forever. So I broke out the big guns and bought an eraser wheel. This thing is AWESOME. kills double sided sticky tape in minutes.
Only drawback is that it makes a ton of smoke and smells like ass when you're using it. it basically burns off the residue without burning through the paint.
process:
After:
So with the bumper off, I tried salvaging what I could with the bumper cover. The eraser wheel took off the double sided tape, but the cover was still all scratched up, bug gutted, pitted, and gross looking. The proper way of fixing this was to send it out for paint. So I got a hold of my painter, and ordered up a Shine GT lip. At this point, I thought I might as well send every removable panel that needed work to the painter. So off came the scratched up rear spoiler, and I also sent the factory side skirts to him.
Another thing I found wrong with the car, the previous owner had a replica NSX-R carbon fiber spoiler with an LED. Whoever installed the spoiler had cut the wires, twisted them together, and covered with electrical tape. This is a small mistake, but again, I am bothered by the littlest things that I had to do a proper fix.
cut wires:
2Pin male/female connectors I had laying around:
Splice and solder one wire:
Shrink tube:
Both wires:
Test by completing circuit:
Shrink tube both wires:
Done:
Got the panels back from the painter and went to town. I requested that the horizontal grille be painted black for a cleaner look. Also painted the Shine GT lip.
Fixed spoiler 2P connector:
First piece to go on, rear spoiler:
Next up were the factory sides. I bought these OEM Honda clips, and they are not cheap. needed 18, ended up being over $100. for CLIPS. I tried using others as alternatives, ie 3.5RL clips, 3.2TL clips, RSX clips, and I gave up after that. Whatever, beats using double sided sticky tape.
<3 OEM fitment.
Then I started assembling the front bumper cover and support.
this thing weighs a ton and it was quite the mission to get it hanging on the car by myself, but I did it.
With some minor adjustments here and there, I got it sitting flush with the fenders and in line with the headlights/hood.
. . .ugggh, those rear spats. not a fan. but unsure of which direction I want to go with them.
first wash after the transformation:
sittin pretty:
My painter did an excellent job with all the panels I gave him. They match almost flawlessly with the rest of the car.
So there it is so far. Finally everything that was wrong with the car is fixed. I've only had it for about a month, but I've done some work to make her mine. I have some more planned and will update this thread as I install more, fix more, mod more.
So here is how the car looked when I first bought her:
Wings west kit, some homie chromies and an unpainted carbon fiber hood (not pictured, since sold).
The things that I had issues with the most were the wheels. I hate the polished look, especially on a car like the NSX. Something more subtle and clean is more my taste. So I did some shopping and bought some factory gunmetal 16/17.
At this point, I was content with the way the car sat, but I started nit picking again and started noticing some fitment issues on the wings west kit. I was looking for ways to fix the fitment issues, but came to the realization that it would never fit like OEM. This would always bother me. Whoever installed the skirts and front lip did a hack job of doing so. I dug a little deeper, and my worst fear was confirmed. . . .double sided sticky tape. EVERYWHERE. Don't get me wrong, Double sided sticky tape is a useful tool when used in moderation. I don't believe using it to attach body panels to a car as a proper fasten. The skirts and the lip HAD to go. Not to mention, the skirts had custom framework installed on the inside to help prevent the notorious wings west sagging, so on top of not fitting correctly, they also weighed about 15 lbs each.
bumper off, wings west lip off.
With the side skirts off, I had a lot of work ahead of me to get the double sided tape off. There was tons of the stuff across the entire rocker panels on both sides of the car. I tried goof off with a plastic razor blade, took forever. I tried 3M adhesive remover, worked a little better, but still took forever. I tried lighter fluid, worked the best, but still took forever. So I broke out the big guns and bought an eraser wheel. This thing is AWESOME. kills double sided sticky tape in minutes.
Only drawback is that it makes a ton of smoke and smells like ass when you're using it. it basically burns off the residue without burning through the paint.
process:
After:
So with the bumper off, I tried salvaging what I could with the bumper cover. The eraser wheel took off the double sided tape, but the cover was still all scratched up, bug gutted, pitted, and gross looking. The proper way of fixing this was to send it out for paint. So I got a hold of my painter, and ordered up a Shine GT lip. At this point, I thought I might as well send every removable panel that needed work to the painter. So off came the scratched up rear spoiler, and I also sent the factory side skirts to him.
Another thing I found wrong with the car, the previous owner had a replica NSX-R carbon fiber spoiler with an LED. Whoever installed the spoiler had cut the wires, twisted them together, and covered with electrical tape. This is a small mistake, but again, I am bothered by the littlest things that I had to do a proper fix.
cut wires:
2Pin male/female connectors I had laying around:
Splice and solder one wire:
Shrink tube:
Both wires:
Test by completing circuit:
Shrink tube both wires:
Done:
Got the panels back from the painter and went to town. I requested that the horizontal grille be painted black for a cleaner look. Also painted the Shine GT lip.
Fixed spoiler 2P connector:
First piece to go on, rear spoiler:
Next up were the factory sides. I bought these OEM Honda clips, and they are not cheap. needed 18, ended up being over $100. for CLIPS. I tried using others as alternatives, ie 3.5RL clips, 3.2TL clips, RSX clips, and I gave up after that. Whatever, beats using double sided sticky tape.
<3 OEM fitment.
Then I started assembling the front bumper cover and support.
this thing weighs a ton and it was quite the mission to get it hanging on the car by myself, but I did it.
With some minor adjustments here and there, I got it sitting flush with the fenders and in line with the headlights/hood.
. . .ugggh, those rear spats. not a fan. but unsure of which direction I want to go with them.
first wash after the transformation:
sittin pretty:
My painter did an excellent job with all the panels I gave him. They match almost flawlessly with the rest of the car.
So there it is so far. Finally everything that was wrong with the car is fixed. I've only had it for about a month, but I've done some work to make her mine. I have some more planned and will update this thread as I install more, fix more, mod more.
