Fiery Red 1991 Acura NSX Is As Fast As It Looks
Jeff Nguyen's 1991 NSX has been in a constant state of evolution since he took possession of it several years ago, and it keeps getting better.
Constant Evolution
The beautiful build you see pictured above is one that has been featured by Super Street at various stages of its life. It was first under the spotlight a few years ago, a much simpler project back then. But the NA1 was featured again last year, having undergone some major upgrades, now a much more sophisticated custom NSX.
Photos: Super Street
The Journey Commences
Jeff Nguyen's journey with the car started after college when he borrowed about $20K from his mom to purchase the NSX. An unheard-of bargain by today's standards. In the three years it took him to pay his mom back, he had already started modifying the mid-engine Acura. But the car has come a long way since his first set of mods were applied.
>>Join in the conversation on this NA1 '91 NSX right here in the S2Ki forum.
Basic Upgrades
Version one consisted of a front fascia update with 2002-and up headlamps and Downforce front bumper. He also added a Seibon hood and rear wing. Other mods included coilovers for a more aggressive stance, as well as Wings West side skirts, Downforce 2002-and-up NSX rear valance, and TE37 replicas from Varrstoen.
>>Join in the conversation on this NA1 '91 NSX right here in the S2Ki forum.
Version 2
Interior mods were kept to the very basics. And he was happy with the car... for a while. That's when stage two got underway. Realizing the fact that there are levels to the modding game, he decided to up the ante, throwing more money, time, and effort into the NSX. His work got him his first feature with Super Street, where he showed off more of his mechanical and cosmetic upgrades.
>>Join in the conversation on this NA1 '91 NSX right here in the S2Ki forum.
Continued Improvements
The work never stopped. The more Jeff was exposed to high-quality builds, including those at Hot Import Nights, the more he wanted to improve his own. He focused much of his attention on the power source. Chief among these mods was an SOS individual throttle body. Though he realizes that it's far from the best horsepower per dollar application, especially in comparison to supercharging and turbo setups, he still enjoys the sound and feel of it.
>>Join in the conversation on this NA1 '91 NSX right here in the S2Ki forum.
SEMA Feature
Jeff's next lofty goal, as with most expert builders, was a spot at SEMA. And the Las Vegas native finally realized that dream in 2018. For SEMA, he went to work improving the finer details of the build, taking inspiration from other noteworthy NSX projects such as Leon Casino's. He also managed to get his hands on legit TE37s to round things off for the show.
>>Join in the conversation on this NA1 '91 NSX right here in the S2Ki forum.
Characterful Project
It goes without saying that Nguyen has continued his work on the NSX since, and there's no end in sight for the project. The work of an artist is never complete. Especially if technology continues to advance, opening up new avenues of customization. The amount of money, effort, and attention to detail that gone into the NA1 to get it to where it is today may be tangible, but an owner's emotional connection to a long-term project is not. And this is about as characterful as an NSX project can get.
>>Join in the conversation on this NA1 '91 NSX right here in the S2Ki forum.