Hello fellow luders. I have started some threads on prelude builds in the past, even though I still haven't purchased my own lude personally ( I have the money, just haven't found the right one).


Recently a listing opened up in my area for a honda prelude, and unfortunately the owner is not very knowledgeable of the car model he owns. He says its a type s prelude. On the picture posted, it has a red "S" badge on the passenger side of the trunk, right where the "Type SH" badge usually goes. This confused be because I thought the type S prelude was JDM, plus this one is left hand drive and has a sunroof. I contacted the seller and asked him to take a picture of the dash when the car is running to see if the atts lighting comes up, and sure enough, it does not. I am lead to believe that the rear badge was added second hand, but I'm really confused as to what model car this is. The car has been modified, as it has a carbon fiber hood , a gold head (probably painted), DC valve cover (not familiar with this brand), aftermarket headers, and an AEM CAI. I plan to build this car for high horse power, so a base model would be ideal. I will be seeing the car in person, so what should I be on the lookout for to better ID this car? Thanks! Was there ever a USDM Type S Prelude made, as I may have just found a unicorn of preludes

 

No, there was never a USDM Type "S". I suggest you run the VIN number to see if the original chassis was a base or "SH" car. There are block, transmission, ATTS, oil filter location and rear suspension differences between the two cars to help confirm the identity of the car, but some of these items could have been altered. Make sure the VIN number matches at the dash, firewall and door jam.

 

if you swap Type S engine to SH and get Type S lip kit then its basicly LHD Type S

Stay away from SH and ATTS then

 

Honestly, if the seller is willing to take a quick picture, have them take one of the back of the engine.

If the oil filter is up high, and there is a huge block below the intake manifold, it has ATTS. If the oil filter is down under the intake manifold, and there is just a shaft from the transmission out to the drivers side axle, its a base.

If you are really building the car, any little mods wont make much difference as you will probably be changing them anyways, so I would be more concerned with the condition of the shell i.e. rust, accident damage, panel gaps etc.

 

For some reason the previous owner put an rsx type s badge on the back of it. I smell a ricer lol.

 

Here are some pictures of the engine bay. I'm thinking it's a type sh but the atts has stopped functioning since the light doesn't come on in the dash.

 

Not ONE of the pictures that you have posted is helpful in identifying a "SH" engine over a base engine. Please take a picture of the oil filter location (and if you can see it from above between the intake manifold and the brake master cylinder, take the pic from above), and where the drivers side axle meets the transmission.

One more thing: ALL USDM Type "SH" Preludes are manual... does your car have an automatic or manual transmission ???

 

It's manual. I read somewhere that the two small silver lines shown in the first picture ran transmission fluid to Tha atts, meaning that base preludes dont have these. Maybe I'll just have to find out when I look at the car in person.

 

It also looks to me like it has a stock exhaust manifold not an aftermarket header just heat wrapped.

 

thats just some ebay/megan/dc header so basicly its stock