Hemmings Find of the Day – 1979 Honda Prelude

Published by Mike on May 24, 2014

Introduced in 1979, the Honda Prelude coupe added a bit of sport to Honda’s practical-but-conservative lineup. Sized between the Civic and the Accord, the Prelude received the same 72hp 1,751cc four-cylinder found in the Accord, mated to a standard five-speed manual transmission. That made acceleration reasonable, if not brisk, particularly by the standards of the day. Preludes came well-equipped, sporting standard features such as four-wheel independent suspension, a power moonroof, an AM/FM stereo radio, a maintenance reminder light and an instrument cluster that included a tachometer integrated with the speedometer. The Prelude would prove to be a popular model for Honda, but few owners of early examples gave any thought to preservation. That makes this 1979 Honda Prelude for sale on Hemmings.com something of a rare find; though it has surface rust on the rocker panels and has been repaired from a hit in the right front, the car appears to be well-preserved for its age. It also boasts a single-owner history, and has racked up a claimed 67,000 miles since leaving the factory, meaning that (with proper rust abatement) it still has years of life left in it. From the seller’s description:

Year one, one owner 1979 Honda Prelude garaged. It is original except for repaired minor front right fender damage. The car has a five speed syncromesh transmission, 4 wheel independent suspension, tachometer integrated with speedometer. Power operated moon roof with sunshade is standard. Safety inidicator and maintenance indicator also standard. Fuel reserve warning light, intermittent wipers, side window and rear window defroster.The radio is the standard AM/FM rotary dial stereo. The carburetor was recently rebuilt. Original sticker and owners manual are included. There is some minor surface rust on rocker panels and had a minor fender bender on the front driver side which has been repaired.The car was the “sports car for adults” when it was introduced. The five speed transmission is fun to drive and makes it an ideal first car.