H22 Swapped 1978 Prelude is Mr. X
Falling apart, and headed for the junkyard, this Prelude got a second lease on life as a gorgeous Rich Voaden build.
1st Gen Prelude
Leave it to a hardcore Honda enthusiast and expert builder to turn a first-generation Prelude into the sporty coupe it was always meant to be. Being rolled out starting in the 1978 model year, the inaugural Prelude served as an appropriate prelude to the Preludes that succeeded it (pun intended!) But despite having a great architecture, it really didn't have as much power as it needed.
Photos: Fast Car
Almost Forgotten
And because of its lack of sufficient grunt and relatively high price tag, the first-gen Prelude never became much more than a slightly underwhelming vehicle. Subsequently, the aftermarket gravitated toward other Hondas, leaving the Prelude to be forgotten. And an unfortunate fate awaited this particular car, as with many others like it. But that all changed when Rich Voaden came across it.
>>Join the conversation about this H22 classic Prelude right here in the Honda-Tech Forum!
A Honda Aficionado's Build
A Honda aficionado of the highest regard, Voaden took possession of the Prelude as his friend was about ready to give up on it. The man is no stranger to incredible Honda builds. In fact, as the Director at Performance Autoworks, he's perfected his skills over the years. He took his time to draw up a strategy for the build, which took several months. But once the work started, it was all fast and furious.
>>Join the conversation about this H22 classic Prelude right here in the Honda-Tech Forum!
H22 Power
The centerpiece of the concept was always the H22 engine. So all the plans were laid accordingly. But the biggest challenge was to prepare the mostly rotten body and chassis of the Prelude to accept the heart transplant. While taking care of the rust, he also started implementing his planned cosmetic upgrades, including the 3-inch fender flares, the front splitter, and the rear spoiler, which was modified from a unit that was originally intended for an E30 BMW.
>>Join the conversation about this H22 classic Prelude right here in the Honda-Tech Forum!
Finishing Touches
Building a custom coilover suspension system was facilitated through Voaden's relationship with MeisterR. They worked together to create a prototype specifically for this build. Once that was taken care of, it was time to prep the body for its new coat of paint. And Voaden's color of choice was the gunmetal grey the Prelude wears today, along with a matte clear coat.
>>Join the conversation about this H22 classic Prelude right here in the Honda-Tech Forum!
Mr. X
And finally, the rebuilt H22 motor went in, producing a healthy 240 horsepower. The mill works together with a 5-speed transmission with custom gears and a limited-slip differential. The project from start to finish took about 17 months. After completion, Voaden had the car was shaken down at the race track, and found areas where the setup could be improved. The end result is a car straight out of a Honda lovers' dream.
>>Join the conversation about this H22 classic Prelude right here in the Honda-Tech Forum!
For help with your maintenance and repair projects, please visit our How-to section in the forum.