Junkyard Gem: 1982 Honda Prelude

The first-generation Honda Prelude never sold in huge quantities in the United States, though I do find them in wrecking yards from time to time. Most Japanese cars of the Malaise Era turned into barely recognizable heaps of reddish powder after several years in the Upper Midwest, but somehow this Prelude managed to survive 35 years without rusting (much) before arriving at this Wisconsin self-service wrecking yard.

Just barely over 100,000 miles on the clock. Perhaps it spent many years in someone’s garage, awaiting a head-gasket repair.

At some point, this car lived in New Jersey.

These were not powerful cars, but 75 horsepower in a car weighing about a ton wasn’t considered intolerable in 1982.

If you think the vacuum-hose tangle in a 1982 Honda CVCC engine is intimidating, just fast-forward a few years for the real nightmare.

Chrysler and Nissan had some pretty vivid Whorehouse Red interiors during the 1980s and 1990s, but this car was the pinnacle of Unnecessary Redness.

The standard moonroof was a big selling point, on both sides of the Pacific.

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