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-   -   2000 Honda Prelude - Gem in the Rough (http://www.fourwheelforum.com/showthread.php?t=1934)

Smithers 02-09-2013 12:02 PM

2000 Honda Prelude - Gem in the Rough
 
I bought this 5th gen Prelude from an owner who needed the money and was willing to sell his extra car for anything. It was an absolute POS - BUT I know that the last Honda Prelude cars were packed with some good engineering and were extremely expensive because of it. The car had different sized wheels on it and someone had attempted to "race it out" by putting a junk straight exhaust on it and some cheap Chinese intake that was nothing close to CA smog approved. It had been abused and neglected... and stolen at one point. Thus, the salvage title. Let me just say the price was right. But my friends were shaking their heads and rolling their eyes at my latest purchase. :rolleyes:

I knew it could be a very nice car with a little love and some new parts. Plus I've always wanted one. Here are the highlights:
  • factory limited slip differential
  • 16" tires and wheels
  • 200HP from the 2.2L VTEC
  • lowest sales numbers out of all Preludes (more desirable?)
  • larger front brakes
  • best handling Honda besides the S2000 and NSX

Smithers 02-09-2013 12:25 PM

I knew there were a few things wrong with the car but I jumped on the deal anyways. Wouldn't you know? The wire harness was damaged and never repaired. I had to repair the wires that went near the damaged fender that controlled the radiator fans, the horn and the AC pump. No big deal. So then I had to source a new set of rims and tires which didn't take long. I got my favorite tires mounted on a set of Katana 17" wheels so the handling improved by leaps and bounds. What's next? The fender was damaged from a flat tire so I cleaned the rubber off the fender and ordered a new fender which is waiting for paint. I'll install the fender when I paint the whole car sometime soon. For now the AC works, cruise works, power windows both work now, power door locks made noise so I replaced those, put a new stereo in it so we're in good shape now.

I had replaced both the transmission oil and engine oil but that didn't stop the inevitable! The headgasket decided to let go. I knew this was coming. The car didn't get very good fuel mileage at all but the engine ran really tight and didn't make one odd sound. Upon inspection of the cylinder head you could tell something was wrong with the color of the exhaust valves. The exhuast valves were toast and the valve guides were worn out as well. Someone must have been racing around without replacing the oil as needed. By the looks of the car before I got it having the biggest rims as possible was more important than changing the oil. :)

The car as it sits now:

http://fourwheelperformance.com/hond...rebuild_01.jpg

It comes apart fairly quick and I had them throw in a new radiator as well. It should be back together early next week now that I brought back the cylinder head all tricked out and ready to roll.

http://fourwheelperformance.com/hond...rebuild_03.jpg

Smithers 02-09-2013 01:02 PM

Next week I'll post some pics of how the car looked when I got it. It was pretty beat and looked like it was begging to get pulled over with tinted windows, whack looking wheels and one of those rice mufflers that you could hear a mile away.

Smithers 02-09-2013 10:16 PM

And how about some pictures of how the car looked like when I got it. These make me laugh because everyone that saw me driving the car would laugh AT me. Man it was fun to see the look on people's faces when I would pull up in this car. It squeked down the road for real. The exhaust was super loud. The CV driveshafts up front would crackle when it rolled at all and it was dirty as hell. Good times.

Now check the fresh interior.

http://fourwheelperformance.com/hond..._beater_02.jpg

The first place I had to go was to my friends custom truck shop to show my boys the dope new ride. Boy they got a laugh! It's always good to keep them on their toes. Gotta keep em' guessin!

http://fourwheelperformance.com/hond...ife_beater.jpg

Smithers 02-09-2013 10:21 PM

Now for the gritty details. Some whacky 18" rims by Zenetti? I have the ONE good rim in my storage still if anyone ever needs one just message me. The scrapper wanted it but it looks neat so I kept it.

http://fourwheelperformance.com/hond..._beater_14.jpg

http://fourwheelperformance.com/hond..._beater_19.jpg

Smithers 02-09-2013 10:23 PM

The custom front fender. It was modified by a blown out tire flapping like a loose fitting buffer wheel pad. It removed the wiring and the fender liner from that side as well.

http://fourwheelperformance.com/hond..._beater_07.jpg

Smithers 02-09-2013 10:27 PM

And now for under the hood! If the car didn't run so good and the transmission wasn't in such good working order there is no way I would have bought this car. But low and behold I was shocked when I got in this bucket and it drove nearly perfect through all the gears. Amazing.

http://fourwheelperformance.com/hond..._beater_17.jpg

Note the custom illegal intake and the very custom stereo wiring. They were the first items to be removed for both safety and to pass emissions. I found a whole stock intake box and rubber boots to connect it on Ebay for $160 shipped I believe. I ordered that sucker so fast because you'll hardly ever see a complete kit for sale. New they are about a grand if you had to order piece by piece!

And last but not least the custom paint. It was prepped for paint in the past but never completed. So it is really rought. I'll get around to making it look pretty once all the mechanicals are done.

http://fourwheelperformance.com/hond..._beater_10.jpg

Smithers 02-09-2013 10:41 PM

Then I had to chop that super exhuast off the back and quiet this sucker down a little. I'm not going for big power here so I don't mind a little restriction in exchange for keeping my hearing a little longer.

http://fourwheelperformance.com/hond...exhaust_00.jpg

And then on to the carwash to make the dull paint look good with some water for a picture. In case you were wondering the last owner of the car had a sweet set of rims that just needed tires so I threw down the big bucks and threw some new shoes on her.

http://fourwheelperformance.com/hond...de_wash_01.jpg

Smithers 02-09-2013 10:46 PM

The back end actually looks good on this car. I took some alcohol to the fender up front and scrubbed the rubber off the fender and the car is presentable in public at this point. The Prelude project is in full swing.

http://fourwheelperformance.com/hond...de_wash_00.jpg

And now the next hurdle is to get the car smogged. The stock intake was in the mail at this point so I had to get ready to un-mod the engine and put it back to make the man happy.

http://fourwheelperformance.com/hond...s_label_00.jpg


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