An F-16 for the road

1991 Acura NSX

You may have to return to the office, yet the commute need not be boring.
- a hand-built mid-engine exotic with an aluminum body that never rusts- original alloy wheels- original paint (except right door, panels behind windows)- original interior (excluding radio, which is now Alpine CDE-172 Bluetooth)- three volume factory shop service manuals, owners' manual, some service records, NSX book- pre-sale checklist done by the local Acura dealership included in the photos- reasonable reserve price- as reliable as a Honda
“The aluminum body was extremely stiff considering its weight. Rigidity was increased via the use of aluminum extrusions in the sill area, and a steel tube hoop that ran beneath the front bulkhead; ultimately, the shell was 50 per cent stronger than that of a Porsche 911 or a Ferrari 328GTB. Side door beams were integrated into the design from day one to comply with global safety regulations, whilst heat treating the panels gave the car better protection against everyday knocks and bumps.” (Acura NSX, Honda's Supercar, Brian Long, Voloce Publishing, 2005.)
I bought this one in 2005 from eBay. Having worked on cars and aircraft most of my life, I did my own servicing and repairs. The most important maintenance was the timing belt and water pump at 142k, and converting the AC to R134a in compliance with regs. The original car alarm would sometimes go off when opening the door (embarrassing at work), so I unplugged it.In 2020 the windshield was replaced due to pitting.
The right door had been sprayed before I owned it. A dog argued with the front bumper and the rear bumper clear coat was rubbed through during my watch. I considered having those parts repainted before this listing, but other non-automotive projects are calling. If you are mechanically inclined, it takes about an hour to remove the bumpers. Take them to a body shop for repainting (paint code NH547 Berlina Black). This is much easier from their perspective, because they can orient the part for easiest spraying.
If you haven't driven the first generation NSX, you are in for a real treat. A journalist at the time remarked “We are prepared to name the Acura NSX the most co-operative and best handling mid-engine car we have ever driven. It can be coaxed, cajoled, pressed, tossed, or thrown into bends, and it simply eases up to the limit with great poise and clear communication” (Kevin Smith, Automobile, 1990). Nothing has changed, that impression feels as true today as it was then.
"Most exotics are blind toward the rear quarters, a source of unease in traffic. And most force the driver into an uneasy position, with awkward reaches and disadvantageous leverages on the controls. Not so the NSX. It simply fits, snugly, intimately, appropriately, from the hips on down, yet it seems to widen above the tunnel, above the armrests, to give plenty of elbowroom, a sense of spaciousness, room to work." (Car and Driver)
You sit low to the ground, obviously. The seats are firm, and you aware the cupping design keeps you from sliding side to side. They adjustment fore-and-aft and seat-back angle. ".. they fit our long guys and our short guys, our wide guys and our lean guys, and they augment their lateral support with padding at the shoulders. So the side forces are broadly distributed." (C&D).
"Honda designers worked to a very specific motif when they drew up this car—the F-16 fighter jet. They imagined the panorama that opens to the pilot, out through the bubble canopy and over the drooping nose. They tried for that same sensation in the NSX. Oh, yes; oh, yes. An F-16 for the road. It's so precise in its responses . . . as if it were hard-wired into my cerebellum. It's exotic and rare . . . but it doesn't have to prove it by beating me up." (C&D).
Like all wide-tired cars without power steering, turning effort is high until the tires begin to roll. Then the workout fades to amazing precision. You get feedback without kickback. The chassis set-up was perfected at the Nürburgring and Suzuka with the help of F1 legend, Ayrton Senna.
The interior is pretty quiet around town, considering the engine is only a few inches behind you. Under hard acceleration, however, the howl is distinctive and a little frightening to the uninitiated. "...it gives you the tools to work, to perform surgery on the road. The steering cuts so accurately. The torque comes in so broadly, accompanied by the sound of precision sewing machinery, turning to a growl in the midrange, revealing itself to be a grizzly as the VTEC switches to the high-speed cam profiles at full-throttle 5800 rpm. Talk about liberation. Allowed is 8000; enjoyed is 8000. Those titanium connecting rods aren't back there for the weight distribution." (C&D)
Virtually all of the OEM parts are available from Acura, as well as non-OEM.
Not as easy to get into and out of as your Subaru, not good in the snow, no cup-holders, no heated seats, grocery bags need to lie on their side in the trunk. And when you do go shopping, folks half the age of the car snap selfies next to it.

• Condition: Used
• Make: Acura
• Model: NSX
• Type: Coupe
• Year: 1991
• Mileage: 186050
• VIN: JH4NA1159MT001721
• Color: Black
• Engine size: 3.0L Gas V6
• Number of cylinders: 6
• Fuel: gasoline
• Transmission: Manual
• Drive type: RWD
• Interior color: Black
• Safety options: Driver Airbag, Passenger Airbag, Anti-Lock Brakes
• Options: Leather Seats, CD Player
• Vehicle Title: Clean
Want to buy? Contact seller!