This 1983 Honda Prelude is merely sitting in the lobby of Honda’s headquarters in Torrance, California, as part of the American Honda Collection Hall. It rolled off the assembly line in July 1982 as VIN 000013, one of the very first second-generation cars manufactured. No, this isn’t some old salesman’s cruiser, but rather used in brochures, marketing, and the like. After all of that, it has been in storage for over forty years.
Keep in mind that it is a very vivid red and extremely immaculate, with no blemishes despite its age of 40 years. The panel gaps are precise, the chrome trim still shines like new, and the finish has that high-quality aspect that indicates it has been well-maintained. The style is reminiscent of an early 1980s coupe, with boxy lines, big taillights, American bumpers, and a charming tiny rubstrip along the side to prevent scratches. Thirteen-inch steel wheels with a somewhat tall sidewall and those excellent huge silver hubcaps give it a very purposeful stance.
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Stepping inside gives you that quick ‘have you seen this before’ feeling. It’s all plain, black, and tidy in here. There are no fancy modern pieces anywhere. The speedo and tacho are the traditional round ones, clearly indicated in yellow and all that. You have a little trip computer on the dash that shows 378 miles on this baby; two more miles were added during a recent brief excursion. The seats are a bit of a joke, with zebra stripe buckets that do the job but aren’t very comfortable, though the headrests adjust easily and the view out is superb thanks to the low beltline and plenty of glass. There is no radio anywhere, and the interior still smells new.
As a US-spec vehicle, it is driven by a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine with 12 valves and a couple of carburetors, producing approximately 100 horsepower. The transverse engine keeps the hood low, and all of the vacuum lines and other emissions-related components are neatly organized. It has a five-speed manual transmission and a solid, heavy shifter. The suspension is entirely double wishbone and struts in the back, with a bar to keep it from rolling over, and the ride is fairly comfortable overall, communicating road feel nicely. The steering is a little difficult at low speeds, but it improves as you gain speed; you get the feel of it, and it’s rather satisfying.
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