- Dry Ice Detailing is now available
- By Appointment ONLY
The story of an NA1 NSX with 128000 miles… yes you read that right… 128000 miles and a lot of smiles. Thank you Ben @mostlybirdandcar for the support for this restoration project.
We only know part of the car’s history, but it’s a great story and we want to take the opportunity to share it with the car enthusiasts out there.
We’re not going to talk about the 2021 Abu Dhabi controversy (try that in a British accent), but history repeats itself and Honda’s history is definitely tied to F1. In the most recent iteration it’s been tied to Red Bull and their record breaking form. Needless to say that without Honda, there’s no amount of Adrian Newey aerodynamic genius that could’ve made Red Bull what it is today.
If we embark on a Time Machine and look further back in Honda’s F1 history, we get to the point when Senna was test driving the iconic NSX-R at the Nürburgring… casually wearing dress shoes.
Getting back to Red Bull, this particular NSX came to us wrapped in a midnight purple shade of vinyl with Red Bull logos. The car featured in Red Bull articles and various social media events and it got its fair share of attention.
Both the actual wrap job and the logos were done by companies in Southern California and we appreciated the quality of their work. But the reason the car came to us is restoration. We’ve tried to emulate with our restoration what North America Acura tried to offer to their clients. The problem Acura corporate couldn’t anticipate? COVID!
Starting our restoration project, all the vinyl wrap, Red Bull logos and all other sponsor logos had to come off. We tried our best to save the logos, but easier said than done, especially with all the stretching we had to do to get them off the car.
Given that we started this project in February, the cold weather certainly didn’t help with the vinyl. Heat guns and a many hours later the vinyl came off. Some parts still had vinyl on and that’s because these later became display items. The hood, the front bumper and the rear spoiler all were transported safely and are now part of a very awesome display gallery.
With the vinyl off, one would think that it was time to get cracking on restoring the paint, but this is much more than that. Vanilla Ice’s “Ice ice baby” is somewhat at the center of the next stage of our restoration project. Dry ice is taking the detailing world by storm and it has done wonders to the undercarriage, engine bay and every possible nook and cranny we could possible identify. Almost nothing was left untouched.
With the front bumper, hood, rear spoiler out a set of unfinished dry carbon fiber started to arrive at the shop. A different bumper (not carbon fiber) was sourced and the dry carbon parts had to go to paint. Prepping and painting carbon fiber parts is a skill not a lot of people have, but this particular shop in the Concord area did a great job, on the hood, trunk, headlight caps, and some non-carbon fiber parts that needed respraying. The roof, mirrors, B pillars and a few other small parts got re-painted and along with the painted carbon parts, just make the car younger. The carbon parts had to first be pre-fitted to make sure the OEM fitment is still kept with the aftermarket dry carbon parts.
Now this wouldn’t be a restoration project without new parts. So in a very Fast and Furious fashion, we actually did overnight parts from Japan. When we said that nothing was left untouched, we’re referring, even more so, to an almost no expense spare project, that deserved OEM painted washer fluid nozzle , every possible new hardware we could find on Honda’s catalog, new rear window molding, new trims (wherever possible), new gaskets for the taillights, new clear corner directional head lamps, new fender liners, new center caps for the OEM style Mita wheels, new door handles, new badges, new door reinforcement kits, new light bulbs, new Antigravity battery. What do most of these parts have in common? Close to ninety percent of the parts are Honda/Acura OEM parts! A lot of effort was put into souring these parts and the end result is that they simply turn back the clock on this NSX.
Trying to turn the clock even further back, prior to the paint receiving a thorough restoration, we lost track on how many dents had to be fixed. The number of pads, compound and all other materials needed for the paint restoration is somewhat astonishing, but the results speak volumes. Paint protection film was applied to preserve the newly painted panels. All of a sudden, the car didn’t look like an 128000 miles car, but an almost brand new NSX, fresh off the factory lot.
We put the car back together and we were all smiles when we saw the end result. This was a lengthy project for us, but a journey we would take again. This NSX can now get back in the wild and teach new generations what VTEC is all about.
From all of us here at Carzwerk, we want to take this opportunity to thank Ben for allowing us to work on this partial restoration project.
Now why did we say partial? Well that’s a story for another time…
Carzwerk has been responsible for the cosmetic condition of all the vehicles that are most precious to me for over five years now. In that time I have come to depend on him for more than just detailing and paint protection film installation. In addition to continually leveling up the quality of his proprietary in-house detailing chemicals, he has continued to invest in modernizing his arsenal of equipment as well as hiring specialized staff. He also has relationships with thoroughly vetted partners for jobs like paintwork, glass repair, and tire installation. All these elements combine to make the Carzwerk team an essential partner in ZERO STRESS collector car ownership. I am overjoyed that I get to use my cars and take them out in the world without fear, knowing that Jason will stop at nothing to make them look brand new again, over and over and over.
Can’t leave the engine bay untouched right?
New Dry Carbon Panels Then Send To The Bodyshop For Color Match
New Fender Liner, Wheels, Tires & Wheels Caps. New Wheels Getting Ceramic Coating And Baked By IR Lamp
Door Handle Is A Bit Worn. Only NSX-R Badge Is Available So New NSX Badge Is Going To Swap Over
Door Panels Is Out, Mita Door Reinforcement Kit Installed With Brand New Hardware. Client Said Less Rattling Noise Now
New Corner Light, New Bulbs And Paint Protection Film Installed To The Light
Removing paint imperfections using polish machines is the norm. Different polishing machines and techniques are used to bring out the color’s true shine and gloss. While customers frequently assume that the polishing technique is routine, each car is different and requires individualized attention. We have vast experience with a wide range of brands and an impressive portfolio of cars demonstrating the resulting perfection.
Our principle is “Less is More.” Contrast that with the marketing-driven message that “More is Better.” We operate differently and document your car’s journey in the shop. This is the best testimonial we can offer to our clients to prove that we are achieving the intended result within the established budget.
Worry about the brake dust? Even on white wheels? Wheel ceramic coating is going to help you.
OEM Parts Hunting
