The road to twin turbo... an NXS fantasy come true...

[flabuf]

Well guys, I've decided to blog it on out here on NSX Prime!!

Long ago, and far away I got the bug for an NSX. After a few years of ignorance where I owned the truck of sports cars - '66 vette with a beast of a 454 punching out 550HP and TONS, not ft/pounds, of torque and then shifted my automotive plaything to the British side and owned the antithesis of the Vette - a 59 Austin Healey Bugeye Sprite with almost 65 HP and a top end nearly 1/2 that of a non-boosted NSX, I saw the car that I thought I couldn't own... the NSX.

Surely it was too expensive to buy, and certainly too expensive to own. You can't have something that beautiful without having to buy it flowers and take it out to fine restaurants and spend down your pension just to have another day of being seen with it. But NO. It wasn't so... the New Sportscar eXperimental was AFFORDABLE! Life was good!

And the quest was on...

The forays into purchase included several attempts including private owners and dealerships. Pre-T and all the color combinations. I said to myself after driving a '92 red/black top (they all come that way) and looking, looking, that I just couldn't buy red, or black, or white ... too common for me. Purple, blue, silver or green. Yeah, that's the trick, green.

Ebay had me hooked, I looked nightly for a candidate and bid and bid even missing one by just $100 at the end of the auction. A '96 in Vancouver where I talked and talked with the owner who, at one point, asked me how I'd get it back to Florida and I responded, "I'll drive it!" astonished him to the point where he said "I'm so jealous!"

That one falling through I managed to be the highest bidder a couple of months later - nearly 6 years ago and picked up #000001. Yup, the first Acura built in 1996.

Dang, this is getting too long, isn't it?

 

[kookoo4nsx]

Ole, Congrats!

What are your power goals? Any other work/mods while she's in the capable hands at SOS? Bet you can't wait to twist the key and bring her back home.


If you are keeping the cats you will loose about 20-25 HP. You may want to use this opportunity to have full SOS headers installed as an offset.

 

[flabuf]

Ole, Congrats!

What are your power goals? Any other work/mods while she's in the capable hands at SOS? Bet you can't wait to twist the key and bring her back home.


If you are keeping the cats you will loose about 20-25 HP. You may want to use this opportunity to have full SOS headers installed as an offset.

The exhaust down to the cats is included in the twin turbo system. I'll be having the conversation with Chris about the cats (Which I just had replaced for WAY too much money!)

 

[Juice]

Ole, you got the deal of a life time. Soooo jealous. Keep us posted.

 

[flabuf]

So, I bought the car from a young man outside of Chicago, IL. Flew up to O'Hare and saw it in the parking garage and fell in love (Don't we all?) and drove it home.

How's that for cool? My first ride in my new NSX is a 1200 mile jaunt from Chicago to Sarasota. Woo Hoo. I kept it under the speed that most police find us of interest most of the way bumping it into triple digits only to get away from tailgaters who don't have the desire to follow at those speeds. I remember the fastest I went for any length of time was around 90 from south of Atlanta on down to Lake City Florida a comfortable speed from a quarter to half mile behind another car (I had no radar dectector). The only embarassment was that the other car wasn't a Corvette, Viper, or other muscle car but a Grand Caravan! A minivan hanging it out. Oh well, one doesn't choose their company sometimes.

So, for a while it was just me and my Brooklands green baby, tooling around Sarasota and loving the attention, loving the sound of the exhaust (I don't think I turned on the radio for over a year and don't use it much now either.), loving it's hugging the road around the sharp left hander by Marina Jacks - just how fast can I take that corner - 60 is my best so far and it's still gripping. Don't want to put it into the curb you know.

And then... I met Jim and Robert - Hey Skippy here on Prime for Jim, and I don't know if Robert is here at all.

Taking my kid to cub scouts, we left after the sun went down and traipsed up to my car. It really looks black in the dark. Put my key in the passenger door and... it doesn't work! What the heck? I step back and, it's NOT MY CAR! There's another one in town! Robert's is a 91 or 92 super shiny black CTSC version and just beautiful. If you're around Florida you'll have met him at NSXcapades and on runs to Sebring..

And then there's Jim. Jim I met as I was leaving Office Depot with supplies in hand. My Brooklands Green securly parked at the end of parking so as not to get any more door dings than is absolutely necessary and as I was walking to my car I saw a Brooklands Green motoring off! Running up to the car I saw my own still sitting there and he saw me running up and stopped. The typical conversation followed with all the gushing and woo-hooing about the cars and we determined that while mine was obviously the first made in 1996, it was quite possible that his high number was the last made in 1995 - twins as it were. (When are you going to put turbos on your car Jim?)

More meetings with locals were to follow, there are probably around 8 here in SRQ (Sarasota) and even more in the Tampa Bay area. But with meeting Jim I found out about NSXPrime and the NSXCA and life as an owner changed.

 

[flabuf]

Ole, you got the deal of a life time. Soooo jealous. Keep us posted.

You read about it! My car was ripped from my loving clutches yesterday and taken ignominiously aboard an 8 vehicle carrier to it's destination in Tempe. It's expected to arrive there on Wednesday where the work will begin.

 

[Juice]

You read about it! My car was ripped from my loving clutches yesterday and taken ignominiously aboard an 8 vehicle carrier to it's destination in Tempe. It's expected to arrive there on Wednesday where the work will begin.

No, I was there. I ate dinner with you at the church the night before. I had a Brookland green NSX as well.

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

 

[heySkippy]

Jim I met as I was leaving Office Depot with supplies in hand. My Brooklands Green securly parked at the end of parking so as not to get any more door dings than is absolutely necessary and as I was walking to my car I saw a Brooklands Green motoring off! Running up to the car I saw my own still sitting there and he saw me running up and stopped.

LOL, that was about the funnest day of random motoring I can remember. I had walked out of the store and directly up to your car and was all puzzled that my remote didn't open the door. In hindsight I guess I should have noticed your wheels, but I didn't. I was parked 1 row to the left and once I found my car I motored in a circle a couple times until I spotted you coming at a run in my rear view.

Good times....

 

[docjohn]

I was sitting next next to juice at dinner, and all I kept saying when you had bid and noone else countered....he is at the right place at the right time....you did get a bargain even with shipping. From what I can see Hugh has had many miles on the tt system.

 

[flabuf]

Ole, Congrats!

What are your power goals? Any other work/mods while she's in the capable hands at SOS? Bet you can't wait to twist the key and bring her back home.


If you are keeping the cats you will loose about 20-25 HP. You may want to use this opportunity to have full SOS headers installed as an offset.

OK, so no 'Power goals' at this point. My goal is to have a car that's a ton of fun to drive and is still as reliable as a Honda can be. My understanding is that the system with the exhaust should add around 170 HP which is a ton over the 270 original and nearly what I had on my 66 'Vette on a pound for pound basis.

 

[shawn110975]

OK I am here. what gives on the cats being a must have in Florida?

they are not required

 

[NetViper]

I think the nice thing about the SOS kit is being able to keep the cats. No Cats smells like ASS.

 

[flabuf]

OK, ok, cats not required, but Chris at SOS says retain them anyway. Since I'm not going over 500HP the turbos actually need the cats to slow the exhaust gasses down. It's actually more efficient and they'll spool up quicker with them on than off.

 

[flabuf]

OK, ok, cats not required, but Chris at SOS says retain them anyway. Since I'm not going over 500HP the turbos actually need the cats to slow the exhaust gasses down. It's actually more efficient and they'll spool up quicker with them on than off.

Also, we should wind up between 470 and 500 HP at the crank and 400 plus-minus at the wheels.

 

[flabuf]

So now I'm getting anxious...

Just bought my ticket to Phoenix (Tempe is next door) and I chose to fly early, early, early out of Tampa so I could spend some time at the shop before driving into the sunrise the next day.

My trip home looks like a great one with stops in Albuquerque, Canadien, Texas (friends there), Memphis (again with friends) and possibly even New Orleans before cruising into Sarasota.

Life is good!

 

[docjohn]

please keep us entertained with your experience!

 

[NetViper]

please keep us entertained with your experience!

Come over to the Boost side of the force John. You know you want to.

 

[docjohn]

Come over to the Boost side of the force John. You know you want to.

you've been beckoning me for years....but what would I do with another 100-200 hp? esp on the track

 

[NetViper]

you've been beckoning me for years....but what would I do with another 100-200 hp? esp on the track

Just think, you could finally keep up with the mustangs!:biggrin:

 

[The Kid]

I was sitting next next to juice at dinner, and all I kept saying when you had bid and noone else countered....he is at the right place at the right time....you did get a bargain even with shipping. From what I can see Hugh has had many miles on the tt system.

Super deal indeed. I wish I had something to MOD and not feel guilty:frown:

 

[docjohn]

Just think, you could finally keep up with the mustangs!:biggrin:

damn you Reutimann!!!!!!!!:wink:

 

[heySkippy]

Come over to the Boost side of the force John. You know you want to.

I know I want to...

 

[Mugen NSX-R]

Good stuff, your gonna have a great drive all the way on I10, hit me up when you stop thru Pensacola

 

[flabuf]

Good stuff, your gonna have a great drive all the way on I10, hit me up when you stop thru Pensacola

We'll see. I may take a more northern route through Nashville and then south. I do appreciate the invitation to stop by.

 

[flabuf]

So today's the day that we get started. My car is in Tempe safe and sound and Chris has promised me that work would start today. The current plan is to install the twins with the catalytic converters in place. Chris at SOS assures me that with my system and not going over that 500 HP scenario which would require an engine rebuild with low compression pistons, blue print and balancing and another around $6, out of pocket (but it does sound appealing!) that the cats would actually help the twins spool up faster. It's all about acceleration!


Beyond that we're installing a new Endura-lite exhaust and going with the SOS sport clutch to retain driveability while managing the burnouts available with so many new ponies built up in the system wanting to get out.

I'm now planning my trip out to Tempe with a November 9th flight out of Tampa which arrives into Tempe around 10:30 AM which will give me loads of time to bother the SOS technicians about the process, what to do now that my car is permanenetly altered, and what I should expect. I'll probably spend the night there and then head off early in the morning for ... wherever! Who cares when you've got an extra 200 hp in the car you already loved. I'm looking forward to both the first feel of power, and to hearing the revised exhaust sounds rolling into the window and cabin.

The trip home will be about a week with two varied scenarios envisioned. One, a northerly trip, would take me through Albuquerque (who came up with THAT spelling), Canadian, TX, Memphis or Nashville and then south. The other is a pretty straightforward I-10 route through San Antonio, New Orleans and the panhandle of Florida. Either way, I'm hoping to meet some fellow NSX'rs along the way and swap lies.