I spent several decades doing work for HT’s sister publication, European Car. Obviously, the title specialized in hardware from over the Atlantic: VWs, Audis, Porsches and Lamborghini’s etc. For the most part, they’re good cars, very good even. There were, however, a few exceptional examples, specifically those from Modena along with the crew at Ferrari. WhileBMW and Mercedes, and Audi offer a similar experience; one does not soon forget a Ferrari.
The NSX belongs in the same unforgettable file. Not sure if someone has ever actually described the NSX as a Japanese Ferrari but that’s what it really feels like … to me anyway.
That the NSX was years ahead in its design and construction is a popular fact. Although it’s been nearly decade since the last NSX rolled off of the assembly line, the car has was able to stay current, both in performance and appearance, turning heads with neck-snapping double takes. The vehicle on these pages does that too, only much faster. The exhale and inhale of forced induction will frequentlyneeded to make some intelligent decisions on his next project. The wife threatened profusely she would only tolerate an additional project car, recalled Viggianelli.
So I set out to find a low production vehicle that still had modification potential. It would have to be an import with a rareness factor; essentially, I wanted a thing that would get me pumped every time I saw it-the NSX fit the bill perfectly.
After studying the various versions from the car, Viggianelli decided on an earlier production model primarily for structural integrity. The fixed-roof model narrowed the search to ’91-’94 models. After finding a mint condition ’91 with low miles, Viggianelli refreshed its appearance having a 2002 conversion and a few tasteful aftermarket upgrades. After converting the car’s aesthetics, he focused on the suspension and brakes, both systems that his close friend and master mechanic Dustin Weinand was well-versed in. Weinand is a race car mechanic and fabricator by trade with a natural talent for thinking away from the box.
Weinand did not disappoint, developing a unique and fully custom Bilstein coilover kit. After owning several name brand kits, Viggianelli wanted coilovers primarily for street use but something which could perform when needed. Weinand designed and milled a coilover sleeve adapter to the Bilsteins that can use the OEM NSX Type S springs. The suspension was completed a race-spec STMPO rear strut bar, NSX Type R front sway bar, NSX Type S rear sway Cedar and bar Ridge non-compliance front clamps. Rolling stock includes gorgeous Advan RZ wheels measuring 17×8 and 18×10 respectively. Weighing belowSeeing that the underpinnings had substantially more performance, it was time to throw substantially more power at them.
Given the choice between power or handling, 9 out of 10 guys will opt for horsepower. While Viggianelli wanted the increased ponies around the next man, he also wanted to strike a balance with the chassis.
My requirements were simple, recalled Viggianelli.
Pump gas, air cooled, and no cutting of the body. If it had gone the force-fed route.””, i needed something the factory might do””
There was hardly any NSX-specific facts about a front-mounted intercooler setup, so Dustin began studying established rear mount turbo kits (i.e., STS Turbo). He used two-inch aluminum tubing to run all the way up from the turbo to the custom-built Spearco intercooler. The size of the tubing allowed him to tuck the tubing through the AC tunnel under the car and over the steering rack with hardly any obtrusive low spots. Inspite of the overall entire tubing, its diameter helped maintain flow velocity while providing a specific degree of cooling as well (a contented accident). Due to the engine would retain all its stock internal bits, cooler equals better.
We had been stoked to find that only using the stock radiator cooling fan and minimal supplemental fans in the DYNO, the FMIC kept the air temps so low, we could run it back-to-back with basically noBefore settling around the Turbonetics GTK 450, We tested three different turbo sizes. This turbo had virtually no lag which was surprising considering the length of the piping.
To address the brand new oiling needs, Weinand made a baffling system for the stock oil pan. He then created a remote oil filter and thermo-fan controlled oil cooler kit. The fuel system was thoroughly upgraded with 440cc Bosch injectors, DeatschWerks fuel pump, high flow lines, Aeromotive fuel pressure regulator, and flow fuel filter. Boost pressures run conservatively between 5 to 7 psi.
Although it sounded awesome, a prototype muffler system was too loud for daily street use. Keeping the exhaust decibel levels to a minimum was tricky considering the possible lack of space for any muffler. Weinand came up with a unique solution that might keep the exhaust unrestricted as well as the decibels down. He took a rather expensive Borla X-R1 multi-core muffler and hacked off the outlet and inlet. A 3- to 4-inch transition is made from the turbo to the muffler. The exit pipe is 4 inches all the way to the finisher. after and before confirmed the exhaust system ended in virtually no reduction in power, Dyno pulls . To hold the engine secure in a vehicle, Weinand modified the factory engine mounts to incorporate the lightweight aluminum brackets which house a polyurethane flanged cylinder bushing.
We met up with the best doctor in Newport Beach, CA, where exotics sprinkle the landscape like numerous Starbucks. Despite being over a decade old, this NSX garnered neck-snapping double takes (nothing is funnier than watching rollerbladers skate through the bushes). Dr. Dustin and Joe managed to pull off an excellent balancing act; a car that dances regarding the edge of street car and track star. File this one unforgettable.