When it comes to writing features, there's a formula. You read the tech sheet and talk to the owner and based on the two, come up with a semi-interesting intro. Emphasis on the "semi." Because truthfully, you don't know the owner, the car or the build-up, and a few sentences can't quantify their story. It's like reading the first two lines of Cliff Notes-God bless 'em, by the way-to try and grasp War and Peace. Doubt you'd go all in if it showed up as the category for the final Jeopardy! question.
But the exact opposite happened with this Spa Yellow '98 Acura NSX-T. The owner, Will Law, in charge of Business Development for DME and Project Car staffer, is a close friend and I couldn't come up with a singular hook. There are way too many stories. Most involving Will helping me with my cars; the consumption of Mexican food; his dog Maggie who suffers from excited bladder control; or his uncanny resemblance to Homer Simpson. As for the tech sheet for inspiration, Will can't type or spell for the life of him. He's hunted and pecked his keyboard for so long it looks like a half-eaten fish taco. Thankfully, for Will, grammar or the complete mastery of the English language isn't a criteria for a feature; only the quality of the car itself. And for Will, building quality cars is an experience he's more than familiar with.
Having owned more cars than some used car dealerships-many built cleaner than an aisle full of Procter and Gamble detergents-a very understanding family, years in the industry and the first to have slapped a S15 front end on a S14 240SX, it's a surprise Will hasn't had more of his cars in magazines. I think it has something to do with his inability to focus on anything for more than a minute. He's the only person I know who will sell a car, only to buy the same make a few weeks later. He's been through more cars than Jenna Jameson's been through bottles of Astroglide. In fact, this NSX is the second one he's owned. Some might call him fickle, but Will attributes it to his affinity "to take stuff apart, but not put it back together." As Homer Simpson-ian as, "Mmm, Donuts."
The first thing you might notice about Will's NSX is the front: it's got more work done to the face than Melanie Griffith. Long gone are the antiquated pop-up headlights and in is the '02 NSX HID flush-mounted illumination. And while you would think the conversion would be straightforward, take-off-the-old-and-in-with-the-new affair, it's not. According to Will, "The front end is not a direct bolt-on. There's a lot of minor changes including modifying the radiator support to accept the headlights. Lucky for me, PJ Bonifacio was able to help."
And the hassle was well worth it. The '02 conversion updates the aged look of the NSX better than a Botox injection. A Downforce front bumper with DF-R lip, side skirts, vented hood and rear wing combined with an '02 Honda NSX rear bumper and NSX-R diffuser not only completes the modern look, but gives the Acura the presence of a super car rivaling that of the snootiest of European heritage. Other subtle accents like the Downforce carbon-fiber side vents, front tray undershield, gas tank shield, license plate garnish and the JDM taillights and OE trunk lid further refines the exotic look. An Invisible Bra from Star Shield Armor protects the redone exterior.