Looking for a nsx

[stag estate man]

hi
This is my first posting on this forum
i have always admired the nsx and i now have the chance to own one of these iconic cars. I have been looking on all the sites and have seen a green targa manual reg r11nsx, before i look at this car does anyone on here know of it or has anyone viewed it. its located at a garage in cheltenham.
I would really like a black 3.0 manual so if anyone knows of one for sale contact me.
cheers grahame

[Senninha]

Hi Grahame and welcome,

If you've not already seen this it may help http://www.nsxcb.co.uk/showthread.php?688-Want-to-buy-an-NSX-Start-here-please...

Also, have a read throught the Health Check and refresh threads for maintenance information but dont be put off by any of this. Hopefully someone on here will know the car you're asking about.

Good luck

regards, Paul

[m666 edd]

Hi, welcome.

In the last 3 years the only black 3.0 manual I've seen up for sale on pistonheads etc was an import. Not saying It's a bad thing but that It's an extremely rare combo.

Good luck.

[nakamichi]

If you are fussy about having a particular colour,year,model etc. you are drastically reducing your chances of finding one.

[stag estate man]

hi
thanks for the replies ,perhaps i should broaden my search a little and view several and buy on condition.i would assume most of these cars have been well looked after.
one question would a early 91/92 car be a better option as it would not have a cat fitted,or could be de- cated legally?.and would have more power i assume.Your thoughts advice please .
thanks Grahame

[AR]

The CAT thing is a bit of a no no as the vehicle was originally fitted with a CAT from the factory.

The power thing is probably 5 bhp at most with NA cars, but they do sound better and rev better.

Better off getting a good exhaust and tubular manifolds in the case of the 3.0 cars.

Cheers,

AR

[Nick Graves]

Hi Grahame,

If you can convince yourself Charlotte Green is Black, you'll have a much higher success rate!

I couldn't and once rejected a really nice early coupe, sadly.

Don't worry about de-catting. The 3.0 is usefully lighter than the 3.2 so the performance difference isn't actually that great; you just have to VTEC it a bit more. Yo!

The cars are a lot livelier (like most Hondas) than their modest output suggests & feel great, so unless you're coming from a bike-engined Caterfield of a TVR or something monumentally fast, you won't be too disappointed.

Good luck - there are some nice ones out there. Especially the rather wallflower Good Charlottes.

[NoelWatson]

Hi Grahame,


Don't worry about de-catting. The 3.0 is usefully lighter than the 3.2 so the performance difference isn't actually that great; you just have to VTEC it a bit more. Yo!



Have we had the cars on the scales yet to prove/disprove?

[Silver Surfer]

Have we had the cars on the scales yet to prove/disprove?

Kaz said it was so that was good enough for me....;)

SS

[Nick Graves]

Have we had the cars on the scales yet to prove/disprove?

Weights/figs are all in the usual bibles. From what I can calculate, the shell & box got heavier; the engine/clutch surprisingly, lighter.

Also, like they say, the 3.2 feels a lot gruntier low-down & sixth is crusier (but adds weight!) but the performance figures are pretty close.

[NoelWatson]

Weights/figs are all in the usual bibles. From what I can calculate, the shell & box got heavier; the engine/clutch surprisingly, lighter.

Also, like they say, the 3.2 feels a lot gruntier low-down & sixth is crusier (but adds weight!) but the performance figures are pretty close.

I had my 2004 on the TDI corner scales and it was 1350kg with 3/8 tank. We didn't have a chance to get some of the others on there (there were ~10 of us)

[NSX 2000]

I can understand a 3.2 pop up being a few pounds up on a 3.0 but I thought 3.2 facelift was lighter due to various changes they made? But will always bow down to Kaz's superior knowledge.

Paul

[Nick Graves]

The changes included lighter lights and a reduction on Cx of 0.02.

But then, you've got bigger & more inert wheels.

The gear ratios also changed, IIRC.

So the bubbles are mostly a faster >160 mph, where ours stop. So it's not totally massive for everyday purposes.

Whereas, say a Boxster 2.5 = gutless wonder and Boxster 3.4S = NSX-type performance, for example.

[Sudesh]

Well I can safely say that my NA1 in its lightened/NSX-R state, is very much noticeably quicker than a standard 3.2 facelift or popup.

[Dragonlady]

Weight of car........Surley a couple of kilos is not really going to make all that much difference as the car does not drive itself, Surley we need to weigh ourselves with the car to get a true reading.

Ian

[nobby]

errr, bit more than 'couple' off Sudesh's car mate! :)

she is pretty rapid compared to mine


Weight of car........Surley a couple of kilos is not really going to make all that much difference as the car does not drive itself, Surley we need to weigh ourselves with the car to get a true reading.

Ian

[Senninha]

Colin Chapman had the rigth idea ... leave out as much weight as you can and you get a quicker car, even with modest horsepower. IIRC, 10lbs is the equivalent of adding 1hp but without adding stress to the engine.

This would explain why some cars, like Sudesh', are quicker than others with no minimal tuning. I've noticed the difference most on my car when in gear pulling from 50+ as theres less mass to move. I'm not interested in the traffic light GP stuff, its more about being able to make progress through traffic .. time for a diet kids :)

regards, Paul

[Sudesh]

Also very easy on the juice!!!

[Nick Graves]

Just add lightness. Another reason I detest most modern cars.

Also, it's a virtuous circle; lighter body/engine means you need lighter suspension & wheel & brakes. Which means...

Of course; it gets expensive with an NSX. Far easier to not feed the occupants. Helps if you're not a 6' occidental lump to begin with, of course...

[TheSebringOne]

I think the difference bewteen an early non PAS NA1 3.0 Coupe Manual & NA02 97+ pop up Coupe Manual is about 15-20 kg.

The extra weight is PAS, bigger alloys, disc brakes and larger engine, but the weight of the aluminium body slightly reduced?

[Nick Graves]

Other way 'round;

The NA2s had the -T's thicker middle sill & a few other beefings-up.

The C32 was actually lighter than the C30; you mill away another 3mm of ally per pot and only insert a wider steel slug.

I think losing the boat anchors & installing proper manifolds also made a big difference.

I thought the overall difference was more like 50Kg, but finding consistent figures is difficult. With a steady upgrading of wheels, brakes et al more or less every year, the mass gain was gradual.

Apparently mine weighs 1,380-1,410 & an equivalent -T 1,435-1,460. Oddly, 'Strine & Taiwanese cars are 10-15 heavier. Whether that's impact bumpers or drugs...

[TheSebringOne]

Whoops, so I have it the wrong way round then! :think:

Can anyone confirm? May be Kaz?

I always remember that my car should weigh about 1385 kg and thats always
stuck in my head!

[Sudesh]

Check the weight on your VIN plate under the bonnet


Whoops, so I have it the wrong way round then! :think:

Can anyone confirm? May be Kaz?

I always remember that my car should weigh about 1385 kg and thats always
stuck in my head!

[NSXGB]

Whoops, so I have it the wrong way round then! :think:

Can anyone confirm? May be Kaz?

I always remember that my car should weigh about 1385 kg and thats always
stuck in my head!

I believe Nick was referring mainly to the engine weight, C32 being lighter than C30.


The C32 was actually lighter than the C30; you mill away another 3mm of ally per pot and only insert a wider steel slug.

Although, I think you'll find the liners are made from steel, not 'ally'. :)

[Senninha]

Specsavers not working today Simon? LOL

[NSXGB]

Possibly down to a large liquid lunch...what have I got wrong?!

(I was under the impression that the steel liners were machined slightly thinner not the alloy block being machined and larger liners being used. I did read Nick's post slightly wrongly, thinking he thought the liners were ally, admittedly :))

[britlude]

centrifugally cast iron, if you want to be really picky!!! :)

[NSXGB]

centrifugally cast iron, if you want to be really picky!!! :)

Is that also known as FRM, mentioned in the NSX WIKI?

[markc]

IIRC, 10lbs is the equivalent of adding 1hp but without adding stress to the engine.

That's about right BUT you have to take into account your start point i.e. how heavy and how much power you started with. Minus 10lbs or Plus 1hp will make negligible difference to the performance or economy of a 2 ton limo ... but in a Go Kart :)

Power to weight ratio is a better way of looking at it and even that becomes less meaningful as speed rises where drag and power count for much more than weight.


This would explain why some cars, like Sudesh', are quicker than others with no minimal tuning. I've noticed the difference most on my car when in gear pulling from 50+ as theres less mass to move. I'm not interested in the traffic light GP stuff, its more about being able to make progress through traffic .. time for a diet kids :)

True but lets not get carried away, you'll need about 25hp or 115kg (250lbs) "in" a circa 1350kg car like the NSX to make A difference and even then it wouldn't be a huge difference. In weight terms that's more than a NSX-R loses over a normal NSX, IF you can find one without A/C, stereo etc.

Don't get me wrong, loosing a few lbs can only help but you need to loose quite a lot before it makes an appreciable difference.

I wouldn't trust the marketing departments that write the press releases or even the number on the VIN plate (takes no account of options fitted) to know the exact weight you started with, so subtracting the weigh of components removed/replaced doesn't work either. Take the car to suspension specialist and put it on their chassis scales like Noel did at TDI, only then will you KNOW what you weigh :)


Far easier to not feed the occupants. Helps if you're not a 6' occidental lump to begin with, of course...

Indeed, the example 250lbs I used above is a pretty large passenger to haul around with you for no good reason!

Of course it doesn't hurt to add a few hp as well as loosing a few lbs :)

Cheers

Mark

[Nick Graves]

I believe Nick was referring mainly to the engine weight, C32 being lighter than C30.



Although, I think you'll find the liners are made from steel, not 'ally'. :)


Wash yer mouth out!

The liners are a pre-cast of aluminium, spun with a carbon-fibre reinforcement. the rest of the block is secondarily-cast around them. The weak ally is then honed back, to reveal the reinforcement fibres, which make wear rates acceptable. It also means the liners are very light.

It also avoids the erosion problems of Silumin and other alternatives.

[Justin]

I can never get through a discussion on car weights / lightening without thinking of Brian Potter's masterful commentary on relative weight in Phoenix Nights:

"A big well done to Mary who's lost a pound this week!"

"A pound!!! I sh1t a pound!!!!"

;)