Honda Research and Development: We Salute You.
 

Honda Research and Development,

Thank you for your continued effort in the development of the latest generation Acura TL. The TL has proven to be a strong contender in the longest US endurance race known as the 25 Hours of Thunderhill. May the team continue to develop the next generation TL into an amazing automotive machine, even moreso than the current UA6.

-The original track TL finished third overall in 2004.
-The Type S track TL finished 7th overall in 2006.

I'm posting all the pictures of both TL's I can find for all to view in one thread.

2004 Honda R&D TL
http://img116.imageshack.us/img116/2...derhillvv8.jpg
http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/2861/253zq6.jpg
http://img116.imageshack.us/img116/2879/254cb3.jpg
http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/5...rfomyphyn6.jpg
http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/1102/th2503qq8.jpg
http://img116.imageshack.us/img116/3...rhilltlip6.jpg

2007 Honda R&D TL Type S
http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/6...ktypes2zw9.jpg
http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/6...cktypesra9.jpg
http://img116.imageshack.us/img116/6...ll13zg9pv8.jpg

I have yet to come across a picture of the engine bay. If anyone has or can find a picture it will be greatly appreciated!

Does anyone have vids of the races?? Would love to see the TL in action.

those pictures make me smile :)

Yeah!...thank's HONDA !....keep up the great work!

That vent in the engine hood would be a very nice mod.

check out the red button on the steering wheel.

honda i heart you!

I would buy that right now...

unless the car is up to the caliber of needing that engine scoop, you would just be a rice cooker! :tongue:

I could give a shit how fast my car is. I think it looks good...

I have my current OEM whitey on my living room floor right now and have been considering doing that exact thing to it. They make universal vents that would work too.

push to talk for the radio comm

Yeh any vids of either car?

look at hte brakes on the 6th pic from the top.. its glowing!!.. thats cool. ahahha

well quit screwin around mike and do it already...

yeah do several already :wish: :thumbsup:

I want that hood

There's a video somewhere on the net...i forget what site it was on...but the TL was only spotted like twice in 15 minutes.

I read somewhere the hood scoop dropped the operating temp by 20 degrees. Supercharged TLs could definitely benefit from a hood like this.

That is what the hondata guy told me when I was down there in April.

Those pics have me curious to see what a WDP would look like with NBP skirts...

Trust me...the financee would really like that too....you cant imagine the heat that has been placed on me at times over the fact that I have taken over the living room and dining room as my personal parts dept for the TL. I may try to hook something up here this winter.

remember it's going to be several, so tell her it will be more of an assembly line :thumbsup:

haha looks like theres a mini market for a vented TL hood!

I would love to have more air flowing into my engine bay...I'm always eyeing my temperature gauge.

Hmm....just looking....GTA Trans AM hood vents might fit into this hood....would be a fairly easy mod too....not sure what the sizing would look like...would almost be something you would have to mock up with tape and see....

https://i3.ebayimg.com/03/i/000/7d/ca/e916_1_b.JPG
https://i13.ebayimg.com/02/i/000/7d/ca/e9ca_1.JPG

That is kinda the easy way out though.....would require NO fabrication other than a strategic hole to be cut leaving some tabs for connection. The other one on the thunderhill ride almost looks like they actually cut the hood material in that shape and then worked a ramp type shape into the metal if you look at it real close....then they attached a ridge up front that they probably fab'd.

Keep on it Mike, we're behind you all the way. Theres got to be a way to find out how they did it...

Hell i'm going to see if i can buy the 2004 track TL. I wonder if thats even an option!

^make that several
(thought i'd get me a head start)

I am about 160 miles away from seeing this car in person and it's killing me. Due to 3/32nds tread on the tires and work related obligations, i am unable to make it to the track to see it. However my friend is there and said he will take pictures of it and some videos so we as TL enthusiasts are blessed with his presence. It's a NASA event, so it isn't posted on VIRs website, so i had no idea the car would be at the track this weekend.

....So stayed tuned for photos/videos of the TypeS racecar!!! (This is not an April Fools post) :toocool:

Aww man...I wish I would've known. My father and I race a z06 out at VIR a few times a year. I would like to see how well the TL performs as well...let us know when you get pics! :thumbsup:

:excited:

BADA BING BADA BOOM!!!

http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/2885/rd1fe5.jpg
http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/6766/rd2gk2.jpg
http://img475.imageshack.us/img475/8053/rd3ky5.jpg

Sssshhhhhwwwwweeeeetttttt!

pretty sweet. question, for anyone who knows - you strip everything in the interior to make the car lighter, but leave the a-spec kit on. besides it looking much better, is the car more aerodynamic or something?

http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/5...rfomyphyn6.jpg

Anyone know how to mod this?

Me too man,..wish i would have known before the weekend began that the car was going to be at the track. I definitely would have asked off work if so. My friend said the TypeS was passing mustangs and ran 2:15 second laps. What laptimes does your Z06 put down?

If i remember correctly the A-spec kit was proven to be effective in reducing lap times on the 04 TL.

The TypeS does not have the A-spec kit installed (not sure why unless they didn't feel like spending the money on the kit)

Did I hear something about a video?

Type S cockpit...

http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/8463/rd5ib1.jpg

My friend asked one of the members of the team if he would pop the hood to take pictures and the guy didn't want to comply!! haha... so NO engine bay pictures unfortunately. They're so lucky i was unable to make it to VIR...i would have taken the hood for sure!

You did... and i'm thinking about making everybody kneel down on their knees before i release the video. haha april fools.