OldSol of the Month August 2024 – Honda Del Sol Spotlight
OldSol of the Month August 2024
Tullio Gabbanelli | Northern New Jersey| Instagram: Tool_eg2 | Facebook: Tullio Gab
The OldSol of the Month August 2024 showcases a meticulously maintained Honda Del Sol that stands out with its rare Motegi interior.
What drew you to Hondas and or the Del Sol Specifically:
I was always into Jdm cars and older cars. A few of my friends got 90s Hondas as their first cars. I learned how to work on them and drive on them. When it became time to get my own car I wanted something I was familiar with but was different then just a normal civic/integra. I found a gsr swapped del sol when I was 17 and that’s where it all started. It was a car that you never really saw many of on the road.
This OldSol of the Month August 2024 winner is a testament to the dedication and passion within the Honda Del Sol community.
Everywhere I went with it someone asked me about it and what it was. The ability to take the targa top off and the power rear window just made it so different. I fell in love with them and have had a few different ones over the years but have always had one. From the start I drove pretty much everywhere in it. I took my first one to my prom and my current one to my wedding. There’s no other car as all around fun to drive for me as a del sol.
As the OldSol of the Month August 2024, this Del Sol represents the best of what enthusiasts can achieve.
What is the Del Sol Scene like in Northeast?
I feel that in the last few years Del Sols in the northeast have really started to disappear. Most of the ones you see on a random day are usually not in the greatest shape. It’s incredible to see all the really nice Del Sols when there’s one of the Northeast Del Sol meets. It’s great that these little cars can bring groups of us together.
Back story of your del sol?
I got my current Del Sol in 2019 as an automatic stock s model with some lowering springs. I was looking for a rust free red one which can be a real hassle in the north east. I found this one that someone had brought up from Florida the year before. Turns out the car has been all up and down the east coast through its life. I drove it for about a year that way then the build took off. First thing was the b series swap with the 5 speed conversion which made the car a blast to drive.
What makes Del Sols unique from other hondas?
For me it’s that I built it all in my driveway with the help of my friends. Also I tried to stay true to an oem+ style build with a lot of 90s and early 2000s parts. It still has a/c and is a very daily drivable car. I’ve kept the Honda reliability which was one of the biggest goals.
Del Sol build itself .. give us the deets
Wheels:
5×114.3 Konig Hypergrams 16×8 +38
Nitto Neo Gen 205/40r16
Suspension/Brakes:
Fortune Auto Coilovers
Cut and powder coated Spindles
Full polyurethane bushing kit
Adjustable front upper control arms
Mpc lower control arms
Mpc subframe brace
Mpc lower tie bar
Adjustable rear camber and tow arms
5 lug type r conversion
Type r brakes
Braided lines
Tucked brake lines
Interior:
Full oem motegi interior
Motegi colored zig zag mats
Map lights
Jdm sunvisors
Momo wheel and hub
Gathers speaker covers
Upgraded speakers
Kicker subwoofer
Engine:
Painted and semi tucked bay
Jdm Gsr Swap
Integra ls transmission
Stage 2 clutch
Mishimoto Radiator and Shroud
Blox intake manifold and throttle body
Go Autoworks Intake
Golden Eagle fuel rail
280cc injectors
High flow cat
Tanabe Medallion Exhaust
Jdm Ecu
Exterior:
Antenna delete
Washer sprayer delete
Oem Fog Lights
Edm glass motorized headlights
Edm glass aux lights
Edm rear fog light
Front lip
Oem mud guards
Quick disconnect hood hinges
Jdm fenders with side markers
Future plans:
Eventually I would like to finish tucking everything in the engine bay wire wise. As time goes on I would like to swap a built engine and trans for just a little more power. Replacing the stock ecu with a hondata s300 and getting it dyno tuned. Maybe along the way a period correct set of Jdm 3 piece wheels and finish powder coating all the other suspension components. The build will never be done there will always be another rare oem part that pops up or something I can clean up or upgrade.
