DC2R versus DC2 manufacturing?
How does the manufacturing of an R differ from that of a regular DC2? Does it move to a different assembly line or a completely different facility or a contracted third-party or anything?
I searched and found nothing.
I searched and found nothing.
i've "heard" that we have better welds, different welding points, and thinner sheet metal on our body panels.
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As I know it, the DC2R chassis is OFF the DC2 chassis(modified DC2 chassis in essence), so I am guessing the SAME production line. On the other hand, the DC5R was created solely for the prupose of being the DC5R. Honda built the DC5R with the intention of it being a Type R from the ground up.
As I know it, the DC2R chassis is OFF the DC2 chassis(modified DC2 chassis in essence), so I am guessing the SAME production line. On the other hand, the DC5R was created solely for the prupose of being the DC5R. Honda built the DC5R with the intention of it being a Type R from the ground up.
Someone posted a great image from some old Acura promotional brochure a long time ago showing all the extra supports/welds, there were quite a few. I looked around for it, couldn't find ****.
Someone posted a great image from some old Acura promotional brochure a long time ago showing all the extra supports/welds, there were quite a few. I looked around for it, couldn't find ****.
Aren't R's made in the NSX factory? Or is that just the motor?
http://autopedia.com/Acura/97_TypeRPress.html
I think this link speaks for itself.
I'd also have to agree that the Origional unitbody are in essence just a reinforced version of the other Integras since when looking at parts like the firewall, you see the holes for the cruise control and other options thoughout that the other integras have.
There are differences in structural rigidity but, to think that these cars are as limited as the NSX is a bit much IMHO. I wouldn't expect them to be on a seperate assembly line altogether, that would be extremely cost forbidding. I'd expect that they are just a special run on the line in the plant.
And as George has pointed out in the past, these cars are limited production Not limited edition.
A.
I think this link speaks for itself.
I'd also have to agree that the Origional unitbody are in essence just a reinforced version of the other Integras since when looking at parts like the firewall, you see the holes for the cruise control and other options thoughout that the other integras have.
There are differences in structural rigidity but, to think that these cars are as limited as the NSX is a bit much IMHO. I wouldn't expect them to be on a seperate assembly line altogether, that would be extremely cost forbidding. I'd expect that they are just a special run on the line in the plant.
And as George has pointed out in the past, these cars are limited production Not limited edition.
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they might have extra support/welds, but they're not assembled any differntly as previos integras. They have to keep everything cost efficient, and re-use/share as many parts in production cars. Its either typer's make more stops along the production where extra parts are added, or, some things might be left out to be assembled later.
The DC2-R was not cost efficient. Although the dealers made money on them, Honda itself did not. The apocryphal story is that Honda actually lost money on every ITR that was sold in the United States.
Part of the cost inefficiency was that the stock Integra shell was sent off to be modified, then sent back for final paint, then sent out again for the custom running gear to be installed. There's another apocryphal story about a small Japanese tuner that manually assembled the ITR motors and installed them in the cars.
I've owned my ITR for over three years, and I've yet to find out who this small tuner is supposed to be. Yet, the story persists among very knowledgeable JDM contacts, so I'd like to believe it. If anyone has any more information about it, I'd certainly like to hear it.
The ITR started its life as a homologation special, so there was a reason for all the custom assembly for the '97 model year. There weren't supposed to be that many cars, but things snowballed.
There was absolutely no business reason to have the 2001 model year DC2 ITR except to satisfy the thousands who screamed they hadn't had their chance to own an ITR, yet.
The DC2-R was not cost efficient. Although the dealers made money on them, Honda itself did not. The apocryphal story is that Honda actually lost money on every ITR that was sold in the United States.
Part of the cost inefficiency was that the stock Integra shell was sent off to be modified, then sent back for final paint, then sent out again for the custom running gear to be installed. There's another apocryphal story about a small Japanese tuner that manually assembled the ITR motors and installed them in the cars.
I've owned my ITR for over three years, and I've yet to find out who this small tuner is supposed to be. Yet, the story persists among very knowledgeable JDM contacts, so I'd like to believe it. If anyone has any more information about it, I'd certainly like to hear it.
The ITR started its life as a homologation special, so there was a reason for all the custom assembly for the '97 model year. There weren't supposed to be that many cars, but things snowballed.
There was absolutely no business reason to have the 2001 model year DC2 ITR except to satisfy the thousands who screamed they hadn't had their chance to own an ITR, yet.
Again, this is story and spoken and printed word. The Article I am still looking for DOES list a team of Honda Technicians that build the B18C5's and ITR cars.
Off to see if I can relocate all that lost info.
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My guess: The main reason the DC2R has a different unibody is to allow for the 22-23mm rear sway bar. The chasis was designed around the 14mm bars of the other cars, and jumping to 22-23mm was not within the spec of the original design. The original design had to be upgraded.
When the DC5/EP3 came around, Honda knew in advance there would be an "R" version and designed from the ground for those specs. So, while DC2R owners can look down on the DC5/EP3 R for having the same unibody as the base models, really all that means is the original DC2 chassis just wasn't stong enough while the new ones are.
[Modified by SPiFF, 2:31 PM 3/18/2003]
[Modified by SPiFF, 2:32 PM 3/18/2003]
When the DC5/EP3 came around, Honda knew in advance there would be an "R" version and designed from the ground for those specs. So, while DC2R owners can look down on the DC5/EP3 R for having the same unibody as the base models, really all that means is the original DC2 chassis just wasn't stong enough while the new ones are.
[Modified by SPiFF, 2:31 PM 3/18/2003]
[Modified by SPiFF, 2:32 PM 3/18/2003]
As I know it, the DC2R chassis is OFF the DC2 chassis(modified DC2 chassis in essence), so I am guessing the SAME production line. On the other hand, the DC5R was created solely for the prupose of being the DC5R. Honda built the DC5R with the intention of it being a Type R from the ground up.
Actually the EP3 CTR's and DC5 ITR's do not have a unique chassis, compared to the base models.
Actually the EP3 CTR's and DC5 ITR's do not have a unique chassis, compared to the base models.
The chasis was designed around the 14mm bars of the other cars, and jumping to 22-23mm was not within the spec of the original design. The original design had to be upgraded.
What George said regardint the homologation and roots of the DC2R are what I was thinking. I've known of other car manufacturers who have built roadgoing cars for similar purposes and sometimes they altered the production process to accomodate the homologation specials. I guess this was the case with the early DC2R's but there seems to be an overwhelming lack of information about the specifics. Anybody else think that's peculiar?
There weren't supposed to be that many cars, but things snowballed.
This may be the reason why the armrest badge on '97's do not have the year stamped on it as mine says "00057". Honda originally intended production of ITRs to cease after the '97 MY?
i have also "heard" that even the windshield is thinner on the DC2R than normal DC2's.
The Euro ITR windshield however is : 73111-ST7-Z00 (made by Asahi)
i have also "heard" that even the windshield is thinner on the DC2R than normal DC2's.




