Bitten by the Tuning Bug

Sooner or later, everyone gets bitten by the tuning bug. It just takes longer for some people than others. Take Winnie Ramirez, for example.

“I bought the NSX the first year it came out,” Ramirez says. “I heard that it was basically like a Japanese Ferrari and not too bad on gas. The minute I took a test drive, I had to have one.”

No one can deny the appeal of the NSX. Though slightly underpowered compared to its Italian counterparts, the gracefully aging 270hp supercar makes up for brute power in practicality, cornering ability, panache, and affordability. A clean example can be found stateside today for about $35,000 while Ferraris of the same vintage go for about triple that amount.

After more than 10 years, the shape of the Acura isn’t quite as N-S-exy as it used to be. Like any well-worn item, these cars are bound to undergo some wear and tear. But, of course, it’s nothing that a little plastic surgery can’t fix.

Starting Out in the Import Scene

“I wasn’t into the import scene until around 2002,” he says. “That’s when I started to go to shows with my friends to see what I could do with the car,” Ramirez says.

That’s right. If you can believe it, Ramirez drove his car bone stock for almost 10 years. Like many other NSX owners, Ramirez is slightly older. He has a job, a wife, a house, and all of the other things that a responsible family man undertakes. He even drives a Chevy Suburban now that he has more “Honey, do chores” coming his way.

High End Performance Cruising

When not fulfilling the role of a family man, Ramirez cruises the canyons outside of Ventura, California, with his mates from High End Performance. Brian, the owner of the shop, has a stunning turquoise 350Z, and another friend has one of the few wide-bodies on an EVO VIII. When these boys go for a cruise, necks start crackin’!

Observing Trends in the Tuning World

When asked what he saw as the hottest new trend in the scene, Ramirez responded, “I think custom bodywork is the new trend. There are always body kits available, but to stand out from the crowd, you need to customize to appeal to people. Also, drifting will always be there. Going sideways is always fun; it’s better to do it like that than race on the streets and risk getting pulled over and thrown in jail where Big Mike waits for you,” he says.

First Modifications and Collaboration with Tein

When Ramirez first started modifying the NSX, he went the usual route with rims, suspension, and new interior bits, like an air-freshener and bobble-heads on the dash. Then one day at a show, Tein approached him about developing a new suspension for the NSX. Obviously, he couldn’t say no, so with the suspension on order, he and High End Performance set out to make molds for the wide-body inspired by the prolific Takata NSX.

For those of you who are not familiar with the JGTC, here’s a little rundown. There are two classes, GT300 and GT500, both based on stock production cars. The former has a horsepower limit of 300 while the latter has nearly no restrictions at all. You find 8-cylinder soarer motors in Supras and twin-turbos in NSXs, and even Ferraris and Porsches have a go at it. Previously, the Takata NSX ran a straight six, but with recent rule changes, they’ve opted to go with twin-turbos to remain competitive.

Styling the Wide-Body NSX

Being a relatively mild-mannered family man didn’t stop Ramirez and the crew at High End Performance (805/644-8888 or www.highendperformance.net) from constructing one of the meanest and cleanest wide-bodies out there. Based on the Japanese Grand Touring Championship NSX, the kit is wider than any of the others. JGTC rules allow for bodies (each fender, to be exact) to be 5 cm wider than stock.

The kit took more than 300 man hours of R&D to develop. For about 6 months, the NSX sat in the shop with various lathes and shapers being run over it as the old beater was renewed with plastic surgery. The bodywork itself is fiberglass, a nice weight-saver to go along with the carbon fiber hood wing, mirrors, and rear scoop. All in all, Ramirez believes that the NSX is about 200 pounds lighter than stock. Figures like these, along with a wider wheelbase, may be why Ramirez can take 25mph curves at 55 mph.

Tuning Plans: Staying Naturally Aspirated or Forced Induction?

After spending $45,000 on the body, there hasn’t been much spare change for motor upgrades, but he does have a spiffy little ARC oil cooler that set him back about $1,300. Nonetheless, we asked Ramirez about his plans for the motor.

“Right now, the car is all NA, so the plan is to get a supercharger,” Ramirez says, “but I’m torn between staying NA or FI because I was seriously thinking about getting an ITB setup, but I understand the maintenance is a lot more than just going forced induction. But ITBs are prettier and also sound oh-so-good. Just the sound of the raw motor makes you wet your pants.”

Chassis Upgrades and Suspension

One of the advantages of having a high-profile vehicle such as this one is that other companies might come to you to use your vehicle as a test bed for their new products. Such was the case with Ramirez when Tein approached him about trying out their adjustable suspension.

With spring rates of 670 pounds up front and 780 pounds in the rear, Ramirez has to keep it on the stiffest setting due to the wide body and the size of the accompanying rims. Sport Max is a well-known hoop maker in SoCal that also specializes in larger wheels, like the 18×7.5s in the front and 20×10.5s in the rear, which are needed to fill out the wheel arches of this wide-body.

Interior Customizations and Personal Touches

While the interior follows the race theme in its austerity, that doesn’t mean that the cabin does not have a few perks as well. The Bride seat is one of the first reclining versions of the GIAS carbon/Kevlar seats, and he compared this interior to his first car.

“The very first car I owned was a Camaro Z28 IROC,” he says, “because I Rock! This was back when I was 18, which was when dinosaurs still roamed the earth, and I had a fro like the Jackson 5. This was also when V-8s roamed the earth. There was plenty of torque, but the seats were all ripped. Now I’ve only got one seat, so the haters can’t rip my seat.”

Acknowledgments and Shout-outs

As you can see, Ramirez has created one beautiful NSX. However, he didn’t build this car without quite a bit of help.

“I would like to give a shout-out to God first, then to my parents (Jane and Ernesto Ramirez), and High End Performance’s Ben, Rich, Jon, Mark, and the Beautiful Brian. Thanks to APR Performance and to my sponsor especially, KC.” Ramirez would also like to show some love to Mike from Sports Max, Cesar from TPR Autobody, Bridgestone, Seibon, Vinyl Mayham, Ignited Performance, BASF, and Razo for all of their help. And last but not least, Ramirez would like to thank his wife, Josephine, their kids, and his niece and nephew.