Years earlier than Toyota and Nissan introduced the Lexus and Infiniti manufacturers to North America, Honda created its Acura luxurious division. When the primary Acuras confirmed up right here in 1986, there have been two fashions: the Legend midsize luxurious sedan, developed in partnership with Rover, and the Civic-based Integra. Right now’s Junkyard Gem is a kind of first-generation Integras, present in a Northern California self-service yard just lately.
The 1986-1989 Integra was obtainable right here as a liftback with two or 4 doorways (Japanese patrons of the Honda Integra might get a sedan model). It was based mostly on the fourth-generation Civic chassis however received a extra highly effective engine and snazzier inside.
The U.S.-market 1988 Integra received a 1.6-liter DOHC engine rated at 113 horsepower and 99 pound-feet. This was eight extra horses and yet another pound-foot than essentially the most highly effective new Civic obtainable right here that 12 months.
The primary-generation Integra was fast for its time, particularly with the bottom five-speed handbook transmission. This automobile seems to have been purchased as a snug commuter machine, nonetheless, as a result of it has the four-speed automated. Word the Hondamatic-inspired D4/D3/2 shifter positions.
The emissions sticker tells us that it is a “49-state” automobile, not initially offered within the Golden State.
It drove 293,237 miles throughout its profession, which is respectable for a late-Eighties Honda however nowhere close to pretty much as good as others I’ve discovered from the identical period. In the intervening time, the very best odometer studying I’ve present in a discarded Honda product was 626,472 miles in a 1988 Accord. The best-mile Acura-badged Junkyard Gem to date is a 1995 Integra with 342,768 miles.
This automobile is a high-zoot LS mannequin, and its MSRP with the automated transmission would have been $13,144 (about $34,966 in 2023 {dollars}). The 1988 Civic LX sedan with automated listed at $10,205 ($27,148), and it had the identical glorious construct high quality.
The Integra received a bunch of normal consolation and comfort choices that price additional on the Civic, nonetheless, and naturally the 1988 Civic sedan had a trunk as an alternative of a hatch.
Air con was not base tools on this automobile, however the authentic purchaser opted for it. That was a sensible transfer for these lengthy Central Valley commutes throughout summer season.
Components 1 expertise… aaaand it is street-legal.
Soichiro Honda’s love of racing paid off within the showrooms. Not dangerous for a man whose first couple of factories had been destroyed by B-29s and an earthquake.
It was often called the Honda Quint Integra in Japan, at first. Michael J. Fox did JDM commercials with a Huey Lewis soundtrack for this automobile.
