1996 Honda Prelude Si - Backwoods Badass
Bolts & Washers
Matthew Thornton's 1996 Prelude Si
Propulsion
The hybrid H-series mill under the hood is an impressive work of naturally aspirated art. USA Machine in Nashville prepped the H23A1 block, sleeving it, boring the cylinders to 88mm (+1mm over stock), and raising deck height. The shop knife edged, chamfered, and polished the crankshaft, and also balanced the array of rotating assembly components, which includes Crower pro billet rods and custom 12:1 compression JE pistons (the stock ratio is 9.8:1). For a measure of reliability, USA installed ARP head and main studs.
The H23 bottom is topped with an H22A1 VTEC head, ported and polished by South Florida Performance in Miami, Fla. SFP also gave it a 3-angle valve job and installed the titanium REV valves and Skunk2 Racing springs and retainers. Thornton then set up the Skunk2 stage 2 cams and AEM cam gears.
Air is drawn in through a K&N filter and sent down a 3-inch 5th-gen. Prelude AEM intake, past the STR throttle body to a manifold that's been port matched to the head. The combustion event is further augmented with an MSD SCI ignition and Blaster SS coil and an A'PEXi VAFC fuel controller piggybacking on the stock P13 ECU. Exhaust gases are then sent down a JDM RS*R EXMAG header, through a Catco converter and ultimately out RS*R EXMAG plumbing.
Engine power spins a Clutchmasters flywheel and ACT street clutch disc and Extreme pressure plate, while Thornton employs a DC Sports shifter kit to shorten throws between gear selections.
Stance
Sets of KYB AGX dampers and Skunk2 coilovers help the BB2 chassis hug the road. Making it rigid are Tanabe Sustec front and rear strut tower bars and front and rear under braces.
Resistance
Thornton opted for Power Slot front and rear rotors for now, with an NSX caliper upgrade coming soon.
Rims & Rubber
Refinished Volk Racing 2-piece Group AV rims, 16x7 in front and 16x8 in back, are shod in Yokohama AVS ES100 225/45ZR16 rubber.
Fashion
Outside: In the spirit of the Japanese aesthetic, Thornton sourced JDM front and rear bumpers, painted side skirts, headlights, and clear (not amber) bumper lights to beautify his Prelude. He also worked in an out-of-production Wings West Aeroware-style front lip and a custom Accord rear lip that was cut and sectioned in 4 places for a perfect fit. A VIS hood and Vision Type MC mirrors make up the carbon-fiber bits, and Thornton kept the stock Heather Mist Metallic color, polishing the heck out of it for our cameras.
Inside: Proving that swaps aren't just for engines anymore, Thornton exchanged the Prelude's tan interior for the same in black, throwing in a black suede headliner to boot. Razo pedals and knobs and a Sparco Chrono steering wheel supplant the OE controls, and one-off touches include a shift light in the driver's side vent and a custom aluminum dash plate for the VAFC display.
ICE
A Sony CDX-L550X receiver feeds signal to a complement of Infinity speakers, to which Thornton incorporated an OE Prelude VTEC amp and 6x9-inch subwoofer. An Optima Red Top battery provides juice for the system, and a DEI Avital 4400 alarm keeps everything safe.
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About a half hour north of the state capital of Nashville, just off of Interstate 65, lies the pastoral community of Portland, Tennessee. By most accounts, the town is the picture of countrified living, home to just 10,000 and, at one time, a lot of agriculture. In fact, its claim to fame is an annual Strawberry Festival that's a holdover from the '40s when strawberries were mainstays of the region.
Outwardly, Portland seems an unlikely place to find true-blue Honda devotees, given its heartland proximity and particularly with a bustling metropolis only 35 miles away. That's probably why we were more than just a little surprised to discover Matthew Thornton and his sick '96 Prelude Si in the sleepy little town. Thornton would appear to bleed Honda; in addition to the Si 'Lude, he's also owned a '93 VTEC, a '98 Accord, and a trio of CRXs (lest anyone doubt his H-badge allegiance). Guess Honda guys get around.
Purchased in 2001, Thornton set out to build the cleanest and fastest Prelude he could simply because they "are nice cars and no one really does anything with them." Little did he realize the rocky road ahead, one that would ultimately force him to pull and rebuild the motor more than once. We sat down with the owner/builder and spoke with him at length about the trials and tribulations in bringing his Prelude vision to life.
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