There’s been a rash of early Honda Preludes making the rounds on the internet, revealing that there are still plenty of survivors lurking out there that haven’t fallen victim to teenage drivers and Pep Boys budgets. This 1984 example is a blue-plate California car that had been with one owner until August of this year and never left Huntington Beach in southern California. Find it here on eBay with an opening bid of $3,900 and no reserve.
This Prelude is in largely original condition, and sports some optional OEM alloy wheels. The paint shines nicely, though the seller notes some clearcoat fade. The contrasting gray bumpers and red paint is a great look, even though it might be considered cheap by modern standards. The little lip at the edge of the trunk is all you need in terms of rear aero, and overall, the second generation Prelude is my favorite in terms of styling across all of the eras.
The cockpit is so driver-focused and devoid of clutter. The simple steering wheel and gear shift that falls immediately to your hands is a joy. The deeply bolstered bucket seats put modern sport seats to shame, and there’s relatively little else in the cabin to complain about. Honda was one of the best at keeping the interior airy with plenty of glass to eliminate blind spots; now, those same thin pillars are prime real estate for far too many airbags.
The seller notes the Prelude is a strong runner, and recent maintenance includes a radiator, timing belt, water pump, shocks, and tires. There’s little else these cars need in terms of TLC, and I’m actually surprised the opening bid is so low. This is going to look like a bargain in a few years as the existing supply of survivors dry up thanks to the quick-flippers hawking their survivor Hondas on eBay and elsewhere. I don’t blame them, however – these “golden era” Hondas have been ignored for far too long.
What a sweet little example from Peak Honda (1984-91).
You’re right on with that one…my ’89 Accord Lx-i is a good car that happens to be fun as well.
Oops, looks like you posted a picture of a house and a flatbed truck….
Maybe the Accord’s in that garage and the flatbed truck’s about to take it away to have more fun. In what looks to be the heart of Detroit.
I loved mine. It felt like a mini-Mercedes, smooth as can be.
I owned an ’83 model. Slow as hell but fin to look at.
My Mom bought an 84 Prelude new , it was silver and a 5 speed . I talked her into a test drive after she was ready to pull the trigger on a new Scirocco . I was a VW guy back then , I drove a Prelude loved it and couldn’t swing the deal . My 82 Scirocco wasn’t welcome as a trade at the Honda store . Well they did offer $500 for it , I still owed 6 times that . I got her 84 @ 55k miles when she got an 89 Si . That was a nice little car , I ran it another 150k and sold it to a kid . Never bought another VW either .
great, i had a dark blue 1985 Prelude with a very rare option, a rear wiper. Great car. and fun to drive.
Only downside is that there is not one, but two finicky carbs under the hood to deal with. Holding out for an ’86 or ’87 Si will get you the same body style with much less troublesome fuel injection, but not the cool two-tone paint.
Mom’s ’84 Accord LX came from the dealer with those same alloy wheels, have only ever seen them 1 other time in the wild and never on an accord- those Preludes were fun little cars, not even remotely fast by today’s standards of course but still fun to zip around in!