Listed on Cars & Bids, this 1997 sports car has the backing of Doug DeMuro, who thinks it is seriously cool.
The Honda del Sol may look like a Civic roadster with a removable hardtop. Nevertheless, it is a true sports car from Honda, allowing it to gain a fan base of its own. Its production run only lasted from 1992 to 1997, making it quite hard to find nowadays. At Cars & Bids, though, someone is selling a 1997 Honda del Sol VTEC.
Sitting on the Civic platform, this Civic del Sol two-seater, Targa-top coupe comes powered by Honda’s B16A2 1.6-liter inline-four VTEC engine delivering 160 hp of max output and 111 lb-ft of peak torque.
A five-speed manual transmission sends power to the front wheels. The del Sol VTEC has an 8,000 rpm redline, which is 800 rpm more than the del Sol Si variant.
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Already boasting improved suspension, this 1997 Civic del Sol came out of the factory loaded with a removable roof panel, black leather upholstery, sport seats, cruise control, air conditioning, as well as power-operated windows, mirrors, and locks. It also features a number of modifications including 15-inch OZ Racing F1 wheels, window tint, a Pioneer head unit, and a powder-coated valve cover and heat shield.
The seller purchased this 1997 Honda del Sol in November 2021, adding around 1,000 miles. Its Carfax history report shows the del Sol was registered to one owner in Florida until 2021. The car has not been in accidents, although the seller had to repaint the car to its factory color (Milano Red) in February 2022 due to paint fade, chips, and dents.
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In November 2021, the seller replaced the rear main seal, clutch, fuel filter, oil pan gasket, battery as well as its front and rear brake pads and rotors. The seller also flushed the transmission and clutch fluid. This year, the seller installed four new tires and replaced the leather upholstery for the driver's seat. The owner recently performed a four-wheel alignment and the car's mileage is shown as 143,500.
Nevertheless, the del Sol has its flaws. For instance, there are paint chips on the passenger's side door handle and front fender, as well as some paint bubble on the driver's side rear quarter panel. There are also scratches on the passenger's side rear tail light.
Inside, the car has a crack in the dashboard, as well as wear on the steering wheel and interior plastic trim. The carpet behind the driver's seat has a tear and the driver's side speaker is already blown.
Julybien Atadero writes from the island of Cebu covering various automotive topics including new sports cars, classic muscles, pickup trucks and SUVs. While I like peace and quiet, I love playing with my kid. When I have nothing else to do, I watch documentaries and animations.