General modus operandi in the Japanese tuning world seems like a constant battle of one-upmanship. Phone calls, conversations, and mild chit-chat must be slathered with boasts and retorts of "Oh yeah, well look what I did." Chopped tops, extreme motors, and full-chassis drag cars are the fruits of this on-going competition. And it is one contest that doesn't seem to have an end in sight. That is until Top Fuel President Yasuji Hirano unwrapped his 550hp, 10-second, rear engine, rear-wheel drive, GT3240 ball-bearing turbo-powered Honda del Sol. And suddenly, there was silence.
Think about all that for a second. Any one of us here at Super Street would be doing cartwheels over a del Sol with just one of those components. Hell, we'd be happy with a homemade Top Fuel decal. But that's the difference between Mr. Hirano and the rest of us. Anything less than what he built would not be acceptable. You see, in Japan, Top Fuel is a member of the RH9 Club. That stands for Record Holding 9, an exclusive group of tuning shops that have built 9-second street cars. Um, we'll give you a moment to process that for a second. Needless to say, the club has quite a reputation to uphold and is very selective of its members.
Although the company is well- established in Japan, Mr. Hirano has always striven to make Top Fuel's presence known in the States as well. Ever since 1996, Top Fuel cars have graced American tracks with its high performance tuning while spanking some good ol Yankee ass. First it was an RB26-powered 300ZX that ran 8s in Palmdale. Then it was a 10- second CR-X.
So having said all that, why build a Honda del Sol, a car that has been out of production since the end of 1996? Better yet, why spend countless hours trying to stuff the motor into the trunk? We were just as clueless as you probably are right now. That is until we asked Mr. Hirano, who boldly declared, "Because I'm crazy like that." OK. Let's call that statement Exhibit A. Exhibit B is the result: the most outrageous Honda we've ever seen.
OK, time to get down to the nitty gritty. When I opened up the tech sheet, there was enough info compiled about the Sol in Katakana and Kanji to make me light- headed. My mind went blank, sure. I passed Japanese class with an A minus, but that was two years ago and I haven't studied it since. After I regained consciousness and gathered my papers, photos, and Japanese textbook, I came up with this translation.
Originally, Honda's del Sol shared the same front engine, front-wheel-drive configuration as its CR-X predecessor; that is until the Top Fuel crew got a hold of it. Custom engine mounts, transmission mount, axles, and suspension arms all had to be fabricated in order to relocate the motor to the rear of the Sol. As if that wasn't difficult enough, the crew had to devise a suitable plan to power this newly crowned RWD beast.
An Integra Type R B18C motor was the engine of choice. Capable of 200 hp straight from Honda, the guys knew they could coax more power out of this already exquisite motor. Preparation of the motor began with tweaks to the crucial internals, like a set of Top Fuel original forged turbo pistons to drop the compression ratio drastically in order to handle higher boost pressure Top Fuel had in store for this motor. Titanium connecting rods, knife-edged crankshaft, and a custom blockguard were assembled to complete the bottom end. Additionally, the entire bottom end was blueprinted and balanced, leaving it bulletproof. Headwork was done in house and given a full port and polish treatment for maximum flow. Stainless steel valves and titanium valvesprings were installed to reduce the chance of valve float during high revs. A pair of Top Fuel original Step 3 bumpsticks replaced the factory Honda cams.
To provide a higher volume of air from the turbo to the head, Honda's stock intake manifold was scrapped in favor of a Top Fuel original plenum. Forced induction is present and accounted for with a Top Fuel custom turbo kit. A mammoth HKS GT3240 ball-bearing turbo hangs off of the Top Fuel original stainless steel manifold. The highly responsive characteristics of the ball-bearing turbo along with the high flowing capacity of a GT3240 equals extreme horsepower. Modified slightly by Top Fuel, the exact specs of the turbo (wheel trim, A/R) are kept confidential. Boost pressure is regulated to 1.4 BAR through a Blitz racing wastegate and Blitz Dual SBC electronic boost controller. Blitz's Dual SBC uses twin solenoid technology to control boost increases, allowing the GT3240 turbo to respond quickly and more accurately.
In order to chill the hot intake charges spit out from the turbo, a water-to-air intercooler was chosen and fitted in place with custom aluminum piping. Fuel and timing maps are now directed through an Apex Power FC full replacement computer tuned by Top Fuel to deliver the perfect air/fuel mixture. One-thousand cc injectors and a Top Fuel in-tank fuel pump were also added so that enough fuel would be provided to feed the hungry GT3240. Exhaust gases are expedited through a custom downpipe and a stainless steel Top Fuel original dual exit N-1 turbo exhaust.
Making a ton of horsepower is impressive, but is useless if it can't be put to the ground. With 550 hp on hand, the Top Fuel crew knew they had a difficult task to accomplish. The solution was to use a Top Fuel original cross mission (that's transmission to all of you scratching your heads). Custom gearing was designed by Top Fuel that features a longer gear ratio for turbocharged vehicles. It would be a sin to run this car down the track peg-legged (with an open differential). So, Top Fuel added a DEF limited-slip differential for maximum traction. With custom gears stuffed into the transmission, the DEF LSD, and the OS Giken twin-plate clutch, the Sol didn't seem to have any problems laying its footprints down on any track.
Suspension responsibilities were left to a set of HKS Hiper Damper fully-threaded coilover shocks. These shocks allow for full adjustment to be made to the tension of the springs and stiffness of the shock's internal damper.
Interior space was kept simple and uncluttered to initiate less confusion and grant more mobility to the driver, who is glued to a comfy Recaro SA4 race seat. A set of 60mm Blitz racing meters in the cockpit were placed to monitor the engine's vital stats. Electronically-controlled gauges were also added to provide precise readings and peak hold.
Once the elements of speed and power were covered, aesthetics were next on the list. A full Mugen body kit was added, completely engulfing the Sol. The kit consists of full front and rear bumper replacement and a pair of sideskirts. Not one flaw can be found in the handlaid fiberglass body kit as the lines match up perfectly with those on the original Honda body. Feel's replacement hood not only aids in aerodynamics and lightening of the front end, but also enhances the stylish flavoring of the Sol as well.
Top Fuel's signature "super-white" paint was applied to the entire car with the exception of the huge Top Fuel original fender flares. These bulges allowed drag slicks to be fitted for the track and extremely wide rims to be fitted for off-track use. How wide, you ask? The car sits on a set of gold 17-inch Advan RG wheels, front and back. Yokohama was the tire of choice; 235/40R17s wrap the front Advans and 245/40R17s cover the rear. Downforce is initiated by the Top Fuel original full aluminum Zero-1,000 GT wing. Of course, a Top Fuel car isnt complete without the "0-1,000 Powered by Top Fuel" Kanji decal plastered on the hood. Accompanied by a plethora of more Top Fuel decals, it's hard to miss this little white car.
The Sol ran a shakedown pass of 10.8 down the 400-meter track in Sendai, Japan. Pretty damn good if you ask me. Unfortunately, due to extreme weather conditions in Japan, no faster time has been recorded for the Sol. From its record-setting past, Top Fuel's future looks promising. Mr. Hirano informs us that the car will run even faster. We don't dare doubt him. Top Fuel, gambatte kudasai. Hirano-San, doomo arigato gozaimasu.