Two engines, eight cylinders, four driven wheels, and two gearboxes, today’s Nice Price or Crack Pipe Prelude doubles up on all he good stuff. That’s pretty impressive, but what if its price proves too much to bear?
Have you ever set your heel to a spider that creeped you out despite its jaunty appearance actually being quite interesting and unique? That’s kind of how I take the 76% Crack Pipe vote on yesterday’s stretched 6-door 2004 Jeep Wrangler. Yes, it’s not going to be very speedy when carrying a full load, nor was it very practical for empty-nesters and singles, but then it was probably originally intended more for sight seeing than time trialling.
Okay, so you want something that can get out of its own way, maybe even something that goes that extra mile in order to do so? Well then, instead of a jeep with extra everything, give it up for this 2000 Honda Prelude with two engines and a claim of more than 400 bhp.
Splitting driving wheel duty amongst multiple engines is an old trick, and I’m sure you’re familiar with the BMC Twini Minis, one of which was entered in the 1963 Targa Floria. You remember that, right? Citroën also played with twin-mill 2CVs around the same time, including several crazed rally beasts.
This Honda is something else. The ad claims that the throttles and cable-shifted automatic transmissions are linked and sync’d, and that ‘most’ of the bugs have already been worked out of the two-engine install.
Those engines are a pair of stock H22A4s and since there’s two of them you can now totally wait for the VTEC to kick in yo-yo. One of the fours sits up front in the expected position, while the second one sits in the back in a gimp box. Behind that is a fuel cell that looks like one of those things that tried to eat Keanu Reeves in The Matrix.
The installation looks clean and there’s a video with appropriately dramatic music that shows the car actually moving under its own power so you know it’s not a joke.
Considering how wild the mechanical specs are, the bodywork changes are comparatively on the mild side. There are substantial scoops punched into the flanks, as well as a vent in the former-trunk now second-hood. Up front the lights have been replaced with custom - and angrier - units, which atop a deep front valance. Other than that it’s pretty nondescript.
The interior gets the short shrift in the pictures, but there is a shot that’s a driver’s POV. That shows an extra gauge pack on the dash top and what looks to be a well-used stock steering wheel. That’s an interesting contrast to the car’s claimed performance, which the seller says is supercar like.
The ad also claims the car to be reliable and to handle better than stock owing to ‘lower stiffer springs’ and a rear suspension that was ‘set up after the Acura Nsx.’ Tires are stretched over 17x9 Rota Torque wheels.
Why would someone build such a unique beast and then sell it after only 1500 miles so as claimed in the ad? Well, that same ad gives the answer, which is that the seller is seeking cash-in-hand to build a local church, pay off debt, and remodel his home - probably the last with two kitchens.
To do all that he’s asking $24,000 for the car. The ad for it is still up on Craigslist, and it’s up for open-ended auction on the Bay of Es as well. The car is listed in both places with 140,000 miles, and... a rebuilt title. Well, duh.
What’s your take on this crazy Prelude and its $24,000 price? Does that seem like a fair deal for so unique a ride? Or, even with two engines, is that just too much?
You decide!
Portland OR Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
H/T to Quaker864 for the hookup!
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