what wrench?  what cfm?  what hose?  a 2 gallon tank and a 6cfm wrench
through 100 ft of 1/4" hose isn't going to loosen much.

i do this job, no air tools.  i /do/ use a 3/4" drive, but it works
every time.

red herring - there's plenty of room to work, if you know what you're doing.

The clearance between the engine and wheel well is terrible.
I am a woman with small hands and struggle working in there.
I have thought of some of you gentlemen working in there and
sympathize.

I would not call this an easy job until one has done it at
least two times. The first time I went after that pulley
bolt on my much simpler 91 Civic, I prepared for weeks. At
that time, Tegger's page was not available but a guy at the
newsgroup gave me advice about building a holding tool. The
holding tool failed the first time, because it was designed
for a different pulley, and I actually chipped off an edge
of the pulley. I modified the tool and have been using it
every since.

I hit other hurdles. Now I reserve at least a few days when
I want to change the timing belt.

This is for your 1997 DOHC Prelude. (I see that has the hex
aperture.) Your DOHC engine may mean this is particularly
difficult. The bolt is originally torqued to 159 ft-lbs on
the 96 Prelude. Yours should be comparable. But when
loosening, it three times or more the torque may be
necessary. I would consider TWW's advice. In the
alternative, persevere as follows:

Consider reading the 96 Prelude instructions for TB
replacement via the manual linked at
http://www.honda.co.uk/car/owner/workshop.html . Go to the
96 Prelude manual, then the "Cylinder Head/Valve Train"
section, then the "Timing Belt" section. There is a specific
procedure for replacing the timing belt there. It's not
dead-on the 97 but it should be close.

If your air compressor is sizable (and it should be if it's
rated at 150 psi), then your bolt is on particularly tight.
For the archives, is this the first time it's ever been off?

You may have to go to 3/4-inch drive extensions and sockets.
Unless you know someone from whom you can borrow these, this
starts getting expensive.

If you still have patience, try the penetrating oil "PB
Blaster" on the bolt. With a directing straw, spray just a
little around the edge of the bolt head where it mates with
the pulley surface. You should see the oil "soaked" into the
threads by capillary action. Let sit an hour. Repeat.

Then go drive the car for ten minutes. This will heat up the
bolt. It should be easier to break free when hot as opposed
to when cold.

Otherwise, you may want to go to that truck stop.

Perhaps the price has changed in three years. You mentioned 60s big
blocks -- I had a Sunbeam Tiger in the mid 60s.  That was a Carroll Shelby
effort with Rootes where they stuffed a 260/289 Ford v8 in what used to be
an I4 Alpine.  Despite the mods, I often felt like they should have
furnished a monkey with it as tough as it was to get to things.  You had to
go through the firewall for the left bank rear sparkplug for example.  The
71 454 Vette I had later was also a little cramped. I drew the line at the
Prelude though.