Honda Del Sol -914 --Twin Sons of Different Mothers?

[schosh]

Another slightly off topic but interesting thread on this BB was discussing stealing/copying technology. It occured to me a good example would be the Honda de Sol, which appears to be a Japanese interpertation of a 914.
Have any of you long time 914 folks ever driven a De Sol. I'd be intersted to know if their mechanical "personaity" is as similar to the 914 as the sheet metal.
I'm going to try and convince a coworker to let me thrash his rice burner around a bit.
Bill

[auh]

LOL, Do you mean Del sol instead of De sol?

Never driven one but I've always wanted to simply because I wanna try a car with a targa top that doesn't break every 10 days...

Adam

[tat2dphreak]

I drove on a couple times... little cramped but not much worse than our teeners... I still had enough room, just not a lot to spare...

it's just a civic... but I like the little bastards... for an appliance car anyway

[1bad914]

tat2dphreak you have a PM

[roadtrp204]

As mentioned the Del Sol is the Civic with a body similar to the 914. It is front wheel drive with all the characteristics of a fwd car (torque steer, understeer on the throttle and oversteer on decel, etc.). The cars I have driven with similar characteristics to the 914 are the Toyota MR2, Acura NSX and Pontiac Fiero. The Fiero is an odd car that didn't do much for me but seemed to have a fimiliar handling. The MR2 was fun but I am 6'2" and find that alot of Japanese cars feel cramped to me. The NSX took some effort to get in and out of but they are a ton of fun once you fit yourself into that glove, lots of power and great handling.

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

The Del Sol is as much an outgrowth of the CRX as anything else--in fact, in most of the world it was called the CRX del Sol, not the Civic del Sol as it was here in the US. Honda saw the big boom in the two-seat convertible market (read that: "Miata") and they wanted a piece. The Del Sol was an attempt to get into that market but not have a "me too" effect.

The CRX and the 914 share a number of virtues--similar weight, similar power, pretty well-concieved suspensions, reasonable brakes, and so on. The Del Sol was about 400 # heavier than the heaviest CRX or 914, and had a very significant amount of chassis flex (think "somewhat rusty 914" here). On the up-side, it kept the CRX'es dual-wishbone front suspension and multi-link rear, and it got more power.

The CRX people call them "Del Slow", in much the same way we call 911s "taildraggers". The extra weight meant that only the most potent version (Del Sol VTEC, ~150 HP) could outrun the quicker CRXes, and the handling was worse.

I had read that the 914 was one of the cars that inspired the design of the CRX. I never believed it until I saw the Del Sol. I do wish it had been a more successful design, and had retained more of the virtues that the 914 and CRX shared.

--DD

[AZ914]

True.. I always considered the Fiero or MR2 a closer relative to the 914... obviously because of the mid-engine design. The only thing that I find similar between the Del Sol and the 914 are the 2 seats and the stashable targa.

[4WheelDrifter]

I hear the Del sol's top leak a lot. I can't say from exp though. If this is true, you'd think they'd get it right. Honda being the engineering giant it is.

The sail panels look very similar to the 914. Wonder if we can use them to replace rusty 914 sails. j/k

[yousaidpoo]

i had a friend's del sol for about 3 weeks after my car got rear-ended.
Things i noticed:
-front wheel drive is a bad thing
-despite being so small and low, i noticed quite a bit of body roll
-the top leaks like crazy
-acceleration is slightly better than a civic
-handling is average, which means its nothing compared to the teener

I think the only real similarities are the body and the fact that they both have 4 wheel idependent suspension.

Miatas are actually pretty similar to the 914 as far as dynamic performance, but there is more body roll

[david c.]

My family has had one of the rare, early 1.6 twin-cam VTEC del Sols since 94 or so. The car is a '94. It has been a great car with no trouble and the engine is incredible. The rev limiter kicks in at about 8300RPM. It makes 100/hp per normally aspirated liter, which was about the highest in the world sans Ferrari at the time it was new.

I think stock 0-60 was about 7 sec flat. It will break the tires loose on upshifts through third gear. It has factory front and rear sway bars, four wheel discs, factory front strut tower brace, etc. I believe there were about 1500 of these built. We'll never sell it. It's just too much fun.

By the way, our roof leaks a drop or two in a serious rainstorm but nothing more.

[Biggy72]

front wheel drive is bad? hahaha...I wouldn't say that, just easier to drive. And on a tight course they're alot easier to go fast in, because when you start to get loose, you just hit the gas. Granted rear wheel drive's alot funner for normal driving, but front wheel drive's not necessarily that bad.

[silver2.0]

It's bad when you want a driver's car. They are easier to drive in snow maybe. But they are alot slower do to front end plow, or understeering, and torque steer stucks. That's why you rarely see a high performance sports car with anything but rear wheel drive. Hell, alot of companies are running rear wheel drive on their sedans for that reason now, such as the g35 infinity. Just my opinion, but alot of racers must feel the same way.

[Biggy72]

in the class that I'm racing I started out with a rear wheel drive car, and sucked.... no matter how good I drove I couldn't even crack the top 5. Front wheel drive cars are the way to go for my class. Granted this class is called the bumblebees, and they are $350 cars. We run on a circle track with cones set up like chicanes and stuff like that. My new toyota's alot faster than my old datsun could have ever thought of being and with alot less motor.

[BigD9146gt]

Not to offend anyone (too late), but arn't Honda Del Sols considered... like, global gay persons car? I have nothing agaisn't gays, but aren't those cars kinda gay? I guess its mostly styling, and i seen no masculine-ness about a Del Sol, or its bed buddy Miata (Corky Ramono car). There is no doubt in my mind that they arn't fast or will handle well, but the same thing goes for a Ford Pinto.

As for the front/rear wheel drive thing, heres something that i've read... Front wheel drive cars are safer, due to the fact that during braking, you have more weight over the front wheels. Same is true for when someone tries to swerve to miss an object in the rain, under steer keeps those who only practice going fast in a strait line...in a straight line. Also, keep in mind the general public considers themselves "Good drivers" because they have no tickets on their insurance records, not because they go to autocrosses, short track, or time trial events.

[tat2dphreak]

Originally posted by BigD9146gt
Not to offend anyone (too late), but arn't Honda Del Sols considered... like, global gay persons car? I have nothing agaisn't gays, but aren't those cars kinda gay?

did it take that title away from the echo? or the pASSat?

nah, the del sol is just a little ricer box... no more chance of having a gay person in it than any other car... around here they seem to like SUVs, but who doesn't nowadays...

[BigD9146gt]

Naw, the echo is hippy/eco-Nazi car, and the Passat, pronounced "Piss-Ant" is those who are glorified Getta owners. Around here, all the hot chicks drive Gettas, so maybe the Piss-Ant is for hot older chicks?

[tat2dphreak]

all the hotties here still have cabrios or Bimmers

[BigD9146gt]

So, since my girlfriend drives a cabrio (b!tch basket), does that mean she's hot in Cali too? And definatly true on the bimmers.

[tshih]

Front wheel drive with engine in front is safer only in the wet or snow. The braking and steering suffers tremendously from a physics standpoint as the front axle takes on too much function. The mass is misplaced and as a result the brakes are overworked, as are the small skinny tires lose grip. That's what makes the midengine and rear engine Porsches the best design for driving fast and winning races.

[BigD9146gt]

Front wheel drive cars are safer all around for the general public. Its like one of those rides outside of a supermarket, set you kid in it, put a quarter in, and go. Its only when you get a kid that jumps out and hits his head on the concret that you'll ever have a problem. The ride is safe, period. Its only going to be the monkey in it that you;ll ever have to worry about. Porsches and other well- maintained performance automobiles are safer ONLY when the driver is skilled. I can't tell you how many times i've heard of an unexperianced individual exiting a freeway and downshifting and dumps the clutch 2 gears lower than they were expecting, causing the 911 to go into a spin. Now an experianced driver would know the shifting better, but also be able to push the clutch back in and catch his mistake before causing any damage or loosing control.