Recently, I discussed the appeal of patina of a certain kind with a post about a very special Dodge Ramcharger. Today, we discuss patina of another sort, where we explore what can happen when too much period styling invades a car’s innocent chassis. The car in question is a third-generation Honda Prelude, which is really a sweetie of a Honda product from the time in which the company was cranking out home run after home run. This example has unfortunately been smacked with the ugly stick courtesy of a body kit straight out of a tuner catalog from 1995. Find it here on eBay for $3,000 or best offer.
This Prelude has also been modified on the inside, with painted plastic pieces that oddly, match what appears to be the original color. Check out the rockers / side sills: they’re a similar shade of cranberry, and you’ll also find the same shade under the hood. The exterior is presently an orange/chameleon paint scheme, so it’s obvious that the body kit triggered the new paint scheme, but the previous owner didn’t have much interest in carrying the respray all the way through. Sadly, the Prelude is equipped with an automatic, which also decreases its value, beyond the damage done by the body kit.
The engine bay is another mish-mash of colors ,which reflects the various eras of styling trends this car has lived through. The engine compartment sports some color-matching with the original paint scheme, which you can see on the inner fenders. However, then you observe the flip-up headlight doors are the new color, and the whole thing just collides together in a messy orange, cranberry mess. Still: let’s focus on the good. It hasn’t been engine-swapped to death and is equipped with the 16-valve, DOHC B20 engine featuring PGM-FI fuel injection, a decent motor in its day.
Oof. It just gets worse! That rear bumper apron needs some mesh installed in the bottom to make it remotely attractive, but even that won’t save it. The stock taillights and center garnish remain, and that may even be a factory wing. The priority here should be returning this car back to stock with a side of side skirts, and front and rear bumpers, along with de-painting the interior. Respraying makes no sense so hopefully, you can find a vinyl wrap that matches the original color. The third-generation Prelude is a fantastic example of Honda’s golden era and this one deserves a rescue.
Buddys sister had one. 190 hp or so vtec variant. 5sp. Once you wound it up it was pretty quick, and had high top end. Really nice cars.
I had one of these with the five speed was a lovely car quick nimble comfortable
I just bought this car last month I didn’t know it was on this website I just stumbled on to this site looking for mesh for the back
😂😂😂
I worked at a Honda dealership in the very late 80s an early 90s. I dont know how many people remember the four wheel steering models they had of the Prelude. But they handled like they were on rails. The stick was definitely quicker than the automatic. But I remember liking them and they are nice driving cars.
That being said I’d prefer to have one stock without all the body ground effects add ons like this one has.
I had an 89 si with the 4 wheel steering. Amazing car. Black with tan interior. Still keep my eyes out for one. This one was just butchered and should be crushed.
What a horror show. The exterior and half-assed colour change (and that colour!!!) are bad enough, but the painted interior makes it even worse. My eyes!!!
This is the result that you get when you take quualudes before modifying your Prelude…
Dude!!! You can get Quaaludes?!? Hook me up. I promise not to touch any vehicles while under the influence 😃 But seriously, yeah it’s a mess but seems solid. Not a terrible price to enter the hobby and put it back to normal. Could be shown as a period piece if better executed. Everyone has their own taste but not all of them are palatable to others
I love Preludes from this era and I’ve had several but THIS ONE ??
I’d put in it drive, stick a brick on the accelerator pedal and smile to myself as it went over the cliff. I have nothing to add.
I think there’s a town in Alaska that has a big party every summer and cars, trucks, buses, and anything else the folks can find get motivated off a cliff to their gravity based demise. This Prelude deserves this fate, with the PO being a guest of honor to watch that car perish.
Having spent a fair amount of time in Alaska what with pipeline work and vacations, this pos is too ugly even for that for the eyesore it is.
I’m sure this appeals to at least one person in the world, but I’d bet that person already has one that looks like this.
Gag!
Wow-UGLY!!!!
Oh, I don’t know about the negative comments.
Sell it to a plow guy in the snow belt. Just put air ride suspension all around so you can drop the air dams front and back to the ground and plow away. Forward, reverse, repeat. Too bad you can’t angle or V plow.
I’ve seen some G- Bodys with this hideous crap and nothing but removal saves these cars.
I owned a beat up black automatic 1989 Honda prelude si with tan seats. These are getting more rare by the day. So I feel that this one deserves to be restored, repainted and saved. I will always wish I had a better one than the beat up one my father found for me.
Somebody please save this!
Great comment “CarNutDan”! I wish more people had your perspective on things! It wouldn’t take a whole lot to bring this car back around, especially with a good junkyard donor car! 👍🏻🙂