OldSol of the Month: June 2023
Tony | Michigan | IG: mid_engine_delsol
Before getting this car, I really did not know much about the del Sol. I knew that del Sols existed, that they’re really cool targa top Hondas, and that was about the extent of my knowledge. Then, I found this mid-engine gem on Facebook Marketplace. I knew that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get a mid-engine del Sol, so I immediately went to go check it out. The car seemed great at the time, so I bought it the next day. And so the journey begins…
A little about this car – This Sol started its life in California, where a previous owner decided to convert it to mid-engine back in 2008/09. They actually posted about it pretty frequently on Honda-Tech. The engine was a GSR B18C from Japan, and it’s mounted in the back on a front del Sol subframe. I’ll let you read through the post on Honda-Tech, but they essentially cut the front out of another del Sol and welded it to the back of this one. It was lowered on Ground Control coil overs and 2008 tires mounted on Drag DR19 wheels, Wilwood front brakes, and Eibach sway bars, and had an AEM intake that was sucking in hot air.
After I took ownership of the car, I mainly drove it around just enjoying it as-is for the first 5 months or so. And then it blew a head gasket. I had no choice but to drop the engine completely out with how it’s mounted. In late 2022 and early 2023, I rebuilt the whole motor up from the bare block with forged rods and high-compression pistons. Other than rebuilding the engine, I haven’t done too much to the car. I’ve repainted the wheels, added under glow, cleared the tail lights, installed JDI’s push-button conversion kit, and redid the “firewall” behind the seats so it’s removable since the oil dipstick is back there. Plans for the future include getting new wheels and tires, installing my new seats, getting a fuel cell for safety, and getting bodywork and a paint job done. Progress is slow, but luckily, the OldSols community is always eager to give support!
Honda-Tech link:
