The Acura NSX that spent 15 years in a North Carolina river is beginning a long journey back to drivability. A new video from Helix Auto Works chronicles the owner's first look at the NSX he bought, assessing the water damage and what lies ahead for the arduous restoration process.
The issues facing the NSX are numerous, with many more problems likely hiding until the restoration begins. Spending approximately 15 years in a river will do a lot of damage to any manufactured thing. Cars are filled with metals that love to rust, and the issue visibly plagues the water-logged Acura.
Anything that can rust probably has, which will make taking apart the NSX a challenge. The flip-up headlight mechanisms disintegrated when the owner attempted to remove them, which is just one example of the car's deteriorated state.
The interior will need a complete makeover, with the cabin now serving as the home for plant life that now occupies the mud-packed floorboards. The years spent in the river didn't destroy the rear window glass over the engine hatch, but it did become packed with dirt, making it impossible to reach the engine underneath.
The owner was able to open the hood (through unconventional means), revealing a dirty chassis that'll require a lot of work and that's on top of the vehicle's other bits of damage. Something twisted the passenger-side A-pillar, which could be unrepairable, and there is a massive dent in the passenger-side rear fender.
The new owner has a lot of work ahead to turn the NSX into something that’s drivable. We expect almost every piece of the car will need to be replaced, with very little of it safe to reuse or salvageable. The 15 years it has spent under the water have caused parts to seize, bolts to rust, and wires to corrode.
Some aspects of the car might have to be cut away and wholly replaced, but the owner won't know until the rebuild begins. We expect to see more videos chronicling the LochNSX project in the coming months, and we hope the new owner doesn't face too many hurdles achieving their vision for the iconic car.
