Get ready Honda nerds: A fascinating video covering historic Honda racing was recently uploaded to the Hoonigan AutoFocus YouTube channel and it’s chocked-full of cool info. A one-of-one, body-in-white Honda Accord Euro R (basically our first-gen Acura TSX) was pulled from the production line in the early 2000s to get prepped by Spoon and compete in American endurance racing, and it’s still here having fun on track!
According to SoCal Honda enthusiast and former owner Willem Drees, this car’s had an interesting life. It was brought over to showcase the Accord Euro R/Acura TSX as a front-wheel drive alternative to the likes of the BMW M3. It raced in the NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill and even competed abroad in Europe. Besides this video, its popular media screen time includes Fifth Gear entering it into an endurance race in the UK!
Plus, the fact that Honda tuning legends Spoon put it together in the first place is so cool in itself.
Drees’s attention to detail in making it as authentic of a period-correct endurance racer seems second to none. As he explains, a lot of car enthusiasts flock to Pebble Beach to get their fill of period-correct restoration and preservation. Wherea,s when track folks see these at the track, they experience the same level of excitement and appreciation. It took him a long time to source the door light that was required to race in the UK, only to find out all he needed was a Land Rover Defender license plate light. That, my friends, is fascinating attention to detail.
The story of how Willem got his hands on the car a few years back is interesting as well; it had been living up in Northern California and hadn’t seen the light of day, let alone the race track, in a long time. He spent countless hours restoring it to be as fresh as possible, from re-wiring it, to having its expensive three-way adjustable Öhlins coilovers re-built, and more. It has some non-authentic bits bolted on, such as its original Acura NSX wheels. They weren’t on it back in the day, but c’mon, they look excellent and incredibly fitting.
Check out the video below! The story and explanation is fascinating, and a testament to why we enthusiasts do the wild things we do. And appreciate attention to detail. Also, be sure to watch until the end where there’s some great track footage from its recent appearance at 2021 Global Time Attack Super Lap Battle at Circuit of the Americas.
