1991 Prelude Si 4WS Engine Detail...

[4cruizn]

The 1991 Prelude Si 4WS (four-wheel-steering) I recently picked up was very clean -- everywhere except the engine. I'm a perfectionist and an obsessive-compulsive detailer, so there was no way I could stand to leave it looking anything less than showroom fresh!

Here's the process I took to bring my B21A1 back where it belongs. It has 121,000 miles on it.

- High pressure washed the entire engine bay, being careful not to direct the spray at any electrical components
- (Back at home) Wiped down everything within reach by hand, with a rag and a diluted car wash concentrate
- Rinsed, and wiped down everything with a dry towel
- Cleaned all vinyl and rubber trim with protectant
- Took a toothbrush and some glass cleaner to the hard-to-reach crevices
- Clay barred all visible paint areas with Mother's clay bar
- Waxed every square inch of paint I could get my hands on with Meguiar's Step 3 carnauba wax. I ended up with cuts and scratches all over my hands from trying to get into some difficult areas. I even waxed the underneath of the hood!
- Hand-buffed everything with a microfiber towel

All in all, probably 4-5 hours of work, over the course of several days. But I think you'll agree, the results are worth it.

Before (was removing nasty wheel well trim at the same time)



After



Before



After



Before



After (I need to duplicate the lighting for you to really appreciate the difference)



Before



After



And a couple more pics for your enjoyment while I'm at it.

This paint is SLICK after the clay bar and fresh wax.







The whole car, from a photoshoot last weekend in downtown Phoenix.





Four wheel steering action



A few more pics of the car here if you're interested:

Phoenix Red 4WS ... In Phoenix! (18 pics) - Preludepower.com

Thanks for looking and for all the inspiration!

- Tyson

[SpoiledMan]

Man, nice work! Has that gem been locked up in a garage somewhere?????

[jesselyons2002]

That was F**king awesome work. A +++ job

[Jek Hawkins]

WOW, dude, I would have you do my car too! I'm not secure enough to clean out my engine bay.

[Wes Man]

4 wheel steer?? how rare is that in the integra

[4cruizn]

Originally Posted by SpoiledMan

Has that gem been locked up in a garage somewhere?????

Thanks, but nah! Haha. I searched for about 6 months to find a clean 3rd generation Prelude 4WS 5-speed in red on black. They're tough to find, and I ended up going clear to Spokane, Washington (1,500+ miles or so away) to buy this one. It was worth the trip.

Originally Posted by jesselyons2002

That was F**king awesome work. A +++ job

Thanks!

Originally Posted by Jes Hawkins

I would have you do my car too!

Sure thing! Nothing to worry about with engine cleaning as long as you're a little careful. I enjoy it. The nice thing is that here in AZ, the worst I'm likely to have to deal with in the short term is a little dust accumulation. This thing shouldn't be too difficult to maintain at this level of cleanliness.

Originally Posted by Wes Man

4 wheel steer?? how rare is that in the integra

Well, it's a Prelude first of all. It's quite rare. The four-wheel steering system in the 1988-1991 Preludes was really revolutionary. It actually uses a mechanical system to turn the rear wheels at the same time as the fronts, albeit not as much as the fronts. Up to a certain angle of turning the steering wheel, the rears turn the SAME direction as the front tires, then when you get past that point, the rears start turning the OPPOSITE direction as the fronts. Trust me -- this sucker turns on a dime! I can bust U-turns like nobody's business, lol.

Here is a YouTube vid that shows the 4WS in action.

YouTube - Honda Prelude 4WS

Wiki has good info, too.

Honda Prelude - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

And pics of my 4WS, cranked hard left and right.

[TheMethod]

Amazing, that car is 19 years old and looks better then some that are 4 months old on the streets. Great Work!

[amtrak23]

Very nice. I have been looking for one of those too. Very tough to find in decent shape.

[jesselyons2002]

I remeber when I told my friend that some prelude's had 4WS when we were in suspension and drivetrain class. He thought only that truck on tv had it. Got him when I prove to him on streetfire.

[BigAl3]

very well done!

[accordmaniac]

wow, i wish i found something like that when i got my first car.

[4cruizn]

Originally Posted by VaSuperShine

Just goes to show you regardless the car, year or model, anything done right just looks fantastic when brought back to life

So very true! This old Honda may not compare to the amenities of some of today's new vehicles, but I can certainly keep it just as clean as a new one.

Originally Posted by TheMethod

Amazing, that car is 19 years old and looks better then some that are 4 months old on the streets

That's a great compliment! Thanks.

Originally Posted by amtrak23

I have been looking for one of those too. Very tough to find in decent shape.

PM replied. Good luck on your search, and I'll definitely keep my eyes peeled for one for you!

Originally Posted by jesselyons2002

I remeber when I told my friend that some prelude's had 4WS when we were in suspension and drivetrain class. He thought only that truck on tv had it.

lol, yeah, I laughed at that commercial because Chevy made it look like they had pioneered four wheel steering. Little do they know that Honda was putting it into production cars in the late 80's!

Originally Posted by BigAl3

very well done!

Thanks!

Originally Posted by accordmaniac

wow, i wish i found something like that when i got my first car.

I had a Prelude as my 2nd car, but a non-4WS version. Great on gas and the handling is impressive. It's my daily driver when I'm not behind the wheel of my other car, a 1994 Legend.