Chopped and Widebody-Converted Rocket Bunny 1991 Acura NSX
Slicing, dicing and widening Honda’s 30-year-old original flagship
The interesting thing about cars like this 1991 Acura NSX is that, along with the folklore and general fandom that surrounds the chassis and helps drive their value through the roof, you'll find far more heavily modified versions floating around currently as compared to days of past. With three decades now behind the original flagship, we've seen just about every iteration; from built and boosted versions, to ITB-equipped examples and, more recently, K-swapped creations that bring as many thumbs up as they do absolute disdain by the purists. Some view the NSX as the holy grail of Honda enthusiasm and feel it shouldn't be pulled too far away from its Senna-approved factory form, whereas others view it as blank canvas, not far removed from its Civic and Integra cousins, both of which are well known for being mod-friendly.
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My Other Car is a Lambo
Marc Tcham wasn't at all interested in trying to preserve this NSX in its factory form and, in fact, it had already been tampered with before he even took ownership. Owned by a friend that had modified it previously, he purchased it with the intention of changing the car's direction entirely. The look, especially in regard to the Grigio colorway and mesh-style wheels under extended arches, is reminiscent of the Lamborghini Huracan that appeared on the cover ofSuper Streetback in 2019, also owned by Marc.
Up For Grabs
Marc's high-powered Italian supercar certainly provided some inspiration for this build, but he explains this is to be the first in a series of giveaway cars based around his brand. "My passion has been generosity in the car community. I started an automotive apparel brand called Grigio - all of my cars are Grigio, or grey, and they are all built as one-off. I wanted to incorporate an apparel brand suited for the automotive community that actually looked cool and trendy and that brand evolved into doing giveaways with my one-off builds." Marc mentions that the NSX is to be the first of his builds handed off to someone followed by a Tesla-powered S15 that's currently being built and eventually, a 2JZ-powered A90 Supra - all of which will, of course, be grey.
Simple is Effective
The idea behind the NSX project was to have the look and feel of a racecar but entirely capable of being enjoyed on the street. That meant keeping the carpet, HVAC, and all other amenities, and not going extreme with the engine setup. Admittedly, the idea of swapping a turbo K20 was on the table but eventually decided against for the giveaway effort, and for simplicity sake, the power upgrades are few and intended to only highlight the original C-series. Fabchild-built headers and titanium exhaust system replace the restrictive, much heavier factory pieces and a fresh Cometic head gasket was brought in. Updated fuel lines and a Flex Fuel sensor allow the switch to E85 in order to maximize Honda's original VTEC power plant.
2 More Widened Honda Flagships |Supercharged 1992 NSX
Major Surgery
In order to transform the factory body lines to Rocket Bunny standards, a total of 8 inches had to be chopped off of the car's rear. It's a necessary step in the installation process that sends chills down the backs of most who hold the NSX in very high regard, and thoughts of sawing into the F1-inspired chassis is the stuff of nightmares. Nevertheless, the "adjustment" out back lends itself to a stout profile that the aero manufacturer was after. Once completed, the rear bumper is replaced by a panel with four holes and a slight body line under the taillights as a reminder of what once was. The bumper-to-quarter panel connection is now sculpted to meet the widened fender area and an air slicing diffuser sits below the rear, partially housing the center-exit exhaust.
The much wider fender treatment would look comical with OEM fender-friendly wheel sizing, so Marc went with 19-inch BBS LMs, reminiscent of his Huracan and built to spec by AR Motorwerkz before being wrapped in Toyo Proxes R888R. It takes a 265/35 to fill those newly formed rear arches and Buddy Club coilovers replaced the tired stock suspension in order to dial in the ride height and update the handling of the 30-year-old sportscar. NSX-R anti-roll bars add to the handling equation and the entire chassis has been stiffened dramatically by a 6-point roll cage.
Creature Comforts
To complete the race-themed feel, the interior was completely reworked, starting with the removal of the outdated factory seats and door panels. Bride Japan series seats with carbon aramid shells were brought in and the carbon hits continue onto the center console, radio block-off plate and shift knob. New door cards flatten out the lower portion of the door to avoid making contact with the roll cage and is dressed in a matte finish accompanied by alcantara and red stitching just above to help modernize the cabin. That material and stitching combo runs throughout the dash, center console sides and elbow rest and works well with the Mugen suede steering wheel complete with NSX-R horn button. Down below, an adjustable, floor-mounted Tilton 600 Series pedal box is at play.
The current crop of giveaway campaigns is growing via social media at breakneck speeds and while this isn't the first NSX to be made available, it's one of the most unique. It follows a successful formula that Marc unleashed on his Huracan (minus the mega power numbers) and it's hard to believe he's willing to part ways with Honda's original anti-supercar, but he is, as he states, "I'm picking three winners and flying them out to Las Vegas and one of those three is going to walk away with this NSX, live!"
