BB5/BB6/BB7/BB8 · Gen 5 Honda Prelude Car Parts

1997 - 2001

BB5, BB6, BB7, BB8

The BB5/BB6/BB7/BB8 · Gen 5 Honda Prelude is the 5th generation

All BB-chassis Preludes run a 5x114.3 bolt pattern with a 64.1mm hub bore. That hub bore is smaller than the 73.1mm bore you'll find on a lot of aftermarket wheels spec'd for other Honda/Acura platforms, so hub-centric rings are almost always part of the equation. Lug size is 12x1.5. If you're shopping wheels originally made for an Integra Type R or RSX, the bolt pattern matches but double-check the bore and offset before committing.

The factory rolled on 16x6.5 wheels. Most owners step up to 17x7 or 17x8 for a meatier look without major fitment headaches. 18s fit but start to eat into sidewall comfort and can rub on stock suspension geometry depending on offset. Common tire sizes on 17s are 215/45R17 and 225/45R17. On the wider 17x8 setups, 225/45R17 fills the barrel well. Offset range tends to hover around +40 to +50 from the factory, so keep that neighborhood in mind when browsing.

The USDM got the H22A4, a 2.2L DOHC VTEC four-cylinder making around 195 hp and 156 lb-ft. JDM models got the H22A with slightly higher output (about 200 hp) thanks to different intake and ECU tuning. Some markets also received the F22B, a non-VTEC 2.2L with roughly 135 hp, aimed at the base trim. The H22 is the one everyone chases. It revs hard, responds well to bolt-ons, and the bottom end holds up to moderate boost if you keep oil pressure healthy.

Coilovers are the first move for most owners. The stock suspension geometry is double-wishbone front and rear, which is a huge advantage over strut-based platforms because camber and caster are more adjustable from the start. Lowering on coilovers without adjustable rear upper control arms will push rear camber negative fast, so plan on adding those. Front camber kits (ball-joint style) help dial in alignment after a drop. Sway bars are cheap power for reducing body roll, and the SH's rear bar is thicker than the base model's, so some base owners swap to SH bars as a budget upgrade.

For a 25-plus year old Honda, it's one of the better options. The H22 is reliable if you stay on top of timing belt intervals (every 60k miles or so) and watch for distributor failures, which are a known weak point. Rust is the real enemy on these cars, especially around the rear wheel arches and subframe mounting points. Parts availability is shrinking but still manageable through Honda dealers for maintenance items. The double-wishbone suspension rides well even lowered. Biggest daily-driver complaint is usually the lack of modern creature comforts, not mechanical fragility.

The codes split by market and drivetrain. BB6 is the most common USDM code (base model), and BB8 covers the SH trim in North America. BB5 and BB7 are JDM and other-market designations with different engine and trim combos. Structurally, the unibody is the same across all four codes. The meaningful differences are engine tune, ATTS vs. open diff, and interior/exterior trim pieces. If you're sourcing parts, most suspension, brake, and body components interchange across all BB codes without modification.