There once was a man named Dave who had a '91 NSX and loved it. The problem was it cost too much to maintain, and he was petrified of the car receiving the slightest nick. When the money and the angst got too much, after 1,800 miles, he got rid of it. The car he replaced it with is far, far more interesting: a mid-engined RWD mash-up of a 97 Prelude VTEC and 94 Integra GSR.
His only goal was to build a car that rode and handled well with decent performance. Call it an NSX that wouldn't slaughter the piggy bank and that can be parked in a mall lot without its owner breaking into a sweat. After two months of R&D, the Frankenstein began. Dave doesn't give exact numbers but does indicate a budget of $10K, a total weight of 2,700 lbs, and 45/55 weight distribution.
Check out the link for finished pictures, and you can read the entire conversion story with pics written by Dave himself here.
[Source: Team Integra]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Grimace @ May 28th 2007 8:17AM
"Call it an NSX that wouldn't slaughter the piggy bank and that can be parked in a mall lot without its owner breaking into a sweat. "
Funny thing is, it's one of those likely cars to be stolen out of said parking lot...
Lucas @ May 28th 2007 9:08AM
isn't the NSX its self a car that won't slaughter the piggy bank? :-)
I bet you could buy one and maintain it easier and cheeper than to recreate that (lovely) mess.
Lucas.
Wildcat0695 @ May 28th 2007 9:40AM
Nicely done.
Kazuya @ May 28th 2007 9:40AM
Madness of a car. I bow down to the work that has been done on this car!
I'm totally feeling him on the NSX issue. Here in Australia where they cost a fair bit more than cars in the states, I once owned one but sold it pretty quick. Too much worries concerning the car, rather buy a sub 40k (AUD) thrasher instead.
tooler @ May 28th 2007 9:41AM
good project, must be a lot of fun.
nissanfreak87 @ May 28th 2007 11:30AM
very nice work! All my Honda driving friends will want to see this thing
Barney @ May 28th 2007 11:36AM
The man is a wizard. He remade a part to save 4 pounds and made a tool to do a job better. Dave appears to be very humble yet so much more capable then most people I know. He praises a metal shop for bending the metal to his own specs. Amazing work and it would have been an honor to actually have watched him do the project.
Josh @ May 28th 2007 11:50AM
He should have left the front engine in. ;)
Twin engine Eagle Talon:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7810839976065329866
datguy @ May 28th 2007 1:36PM
That teg is sweet, but the twin engine Talon is unreal
chris @ May 28th 2007 1:38PM
It's been done before. Actually, someone built a twin engine Integra. It could switch between FF, MR and AWD. It was used at a few drift events in the Maryland area.
RACER X @ May 28th 2007 1:46PM
That thing is a piece of crap. You know how much money he probably spent on that thing all for 160 hp? And what 3 ft/lbs of torque?
I guarantee he spent more than 10k on that whole setup seeing as most Intergras go for more than that for whatever ungodly reason. It's ugly, it's slow, it's a pile of crap.
The guy is a great mechanic, with those skills he should have been able to make something a lot cooler.
Lucas @ May 28th 2007 2:25PM
Yeah... like a B18 powered kit car or something.
It really is pointless. I'd LOVE to see it track tested versus a regular Integra an MR2 and an NSX. It bet it comes in last. SCC?
The skill required to build your own mid-engine car go way beyond metal work.
Don @ May 28th 2007 4:09PM
He buys an NSX, then pussies out and sells it at 1,800 miles?
What a tosser.
Harrison @ May 28th 2007 4:29PM
Oh c'mon, like you wouldn't be worried about someone scratching your $50k sports car.
Don @ May 28th 2007 4:57PM
Of course I would...but not enough to make me return my baby after only 1,800 miles!
John @ May 28th 2007 4:44PM
This guy did all the work himself, creating parts that didnt exist for it to work.
I've followed Dave since he first started with the wrecked prelude 2 years ago, the entire thread starting back 2 years ago is on our site, team-integra.net
Ugly? an Integra is beautiful. Ugly=Domestic (Camaro/TA/Mustang) those are ugly.
And the Motor is not a B18, its an H22A4.
Dan @ May 28th 2007 6:38PM
Folks, it's about the uniqueness of the project. Yes, he could've bought something faster, but there's no fun in that. His car is one-of-a-kind...there's a zillion MR2s out there.
Josh @ May 28th 2007 7:27PM
Mechanic...LMAO....mechanics work on cars not build them and make parts that previously didn't exist.
Racerx must be a fry cook.
Very nice and unique car Dave.
F451 @ May 28th 2007 8:26PM
How much is Dave's sweat-equity worth? Man, I would have kept the NSX!
Rocket Punch @ May 28th 2007 9:41PM
Nice work. Whats next, a front engine bug?